Same. The older I get the more I wish I could just spend my time learning to control my body and doing martial arts and such. It'd be so much more fun.

I still hold a bit of the childish passion in even at forty. I just like moving a lot and doing things minimalistically (is that a term ?). Monk life is neat IMO to an extent.

It's weird, as I'd absolutely love to live as a monk full time. The training, the studying, everything about it. Like, if I ever reach financial independence and don't get married/have kids...that's definitely what I'm going to be aiming for.

The question is why martial arts for learning to control your body?

Not just martial arts, really. Dance would work too. That's just one romanticized aspect of the martial arts for me.

This is not the opposite of their experience; this is identical to their experience.

But now you can beat anyone. I'm sure it has some value.