They are all humans like you. No need for setting your self apart from any other human. As you communicate with the rest of humans, you communicate in the same manner with them.
The biggest thing that sets them apart is that they have training. That, and the willingness to go through the uncomfortable parts of training (continuing to train through pain, forcing yourself to do conditioning when you don't want to, etc) that develops a certain mental discipline, sets them apart. So they know how to fight (the training) and have pushed themselves through various hardships. While I believe certain psychological profiles can produce better fighters, the fact is that anyone can get training, and if they have the willingness to do the hard stuff, they can build their "mental toughness" to a certain degree.
Body wise martial artist tends to develop muscles that will better perform their martial arts techniques. However it’s nothing like super human power that most untrained people think of. A properly training martial artist’s body is like an athlete’s body, and you shouldn’t expect martial artists to be able to do anything an athlete wouldn’t be able to do.
Mind wise we have the knowledge on how body physics works and knowledge of techniques that can destroy another body. But it’s a knowledge that works when we focus on performing it correctly. We can’t break people half assing a technique, and without focusing on our performance we are no better than people without training. (mushin or no thought in my opinion is a form of spontaneous concentration) That means if we are caught off guard or not being serious we are as vulnerable as anybody else. Which is why martial artists are very aware of our surroundings.
Lastly experience. By having experience in striking someone and being struck in return(in sparring) we become comfortable with the violence of a fight. So when a fight breaks out we are less likely to be stuck in the socially acceptable zone and can enter into fight mode easier than a non-trained person.
In the end what I’m trying to say is martial artists are not supermen/women, we are just everyday people with particular skill sets.
Fighters are used to giving a punch as well as taking one and both those things are huge differences between you and them usually. I have seen raw beginners who have never been in a fight afraid to hit or kick a heavy bag with real power behind it for fear of hurting themselves and because they lack the technique so as to not hurt themselves. Trained fighters don't exhibit this and have learned how to hit and/or kick something properly so they don't run the risk of hurting themselves so much in the process. They also are used to taking punishment and often times have higher thresholds for pain as well.
They at one time though were probably like you in a lot of ways but good coaching and training has changed all that now for them along with experience.
They know the best and most effective techniques to subdue another human being and they're more in tuned with they're body than the average person. They also are in pinnacle condition from rigorous training. These people have dedicated their life to combat
Long story short:
They fight for a living because they are warriors and you are scared to break a nail. Hence, you never been in a fight.
In Conclusion, they are training while you are sleeping.
The biggest difference is technique. We know how to fight more efficiently than your average person. Also, we're more used to combat, as we see it all the the time in training.
The difference is that they are braver and confident...but you can change that.
I've never been in a fight. Are they mentally tougher, braver, more confident...what is it about them that sets them apart from me? I have great admiration for them.
