Informal interview with Roy Cruz

(Martial arts practitioner)

Question: What was your initial reason for joining martial arts?

Answer: “At first I just wanted a new way of working out, and after a while I found that martial arts provided much more than I thought it could.”

Question: How do you feel about your body now as opposed to before you started doing martial arts?

Answer: “I would have to say that my body is in its best physical shape than ever before. I owe much of it to martial arts, but I also workout outside of karate and I watch what I eat.”

Question: Do you think the environment in martial arts is different from the outside world in the way of physical fitness?

Answer: “Well honestly I believe that there is a much higher standard that men have to live up to outside of martial arts than inside the martial arts world. In here you’re accepted no matter what shape you’re in and everybody works together to get into shape, but outside of the martial arts world I felt much more pressure to be ‘lean and mean’ and be the world’s buffest man, to look good for the ladies. But after I started martial arts I knew that I was getting in better shape because I felt better about myself, even though I wasn’t the ‘buffest’ guy out there I had loads more confidence about myself.”

Question: What would you change about your body now?

Answer: “Absolutely nothing. I feel great, I mean don’t get me wrong I am striving to get better and better because God knows I’m not the greatest athlete, but I don’t have any complaints about the way I feel concerning my body, and overall health.”