There are so many benefits to training martial arts at Rock Solid Karate. It can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure,burn fat, build muscle, and improve your flexibility. You have to also remember to give it a chance. Too often students find excuses to not come and train. I have been doing this for over 25 years. I have trained in multiple styles. When I had my son I was training in Jiu Jitsu and Tang Soo Do. I would take my new born son to class with me and open his pack and play and put him in there while I trained. Some days were harder than others. Some days I trained only 20 minutes because I had to tend to him. The key is I never broke my routine. I kept going two times a week no matter how hard it was. I stayed consistent. That first day you find an excuse to not go gets you closer and closer to quitting. I know that the benefits are too important for my life and if I can do it with a new born than so can you. Another way you can ensure you don't give up on your goals is by practicing. Here are 3 tips for practicing that may help you.
1. Visualize
A lot of our more advanced student typically enjoy sparring. We compete in sparring and train it often here in Gainesville. Visualization and seeing it in your mind first is a great way of practicing. When working on your form, try to see your opponent and picture yourself taking on a skilled martial artist. Shadow boxing is a tremendous way to do that. This is especially important when you don’t have a partner to face off against. Just about every prosperous athlete in the world—regardless of sport—will tell you visualization is an important element to their success. It is more than just sparring. You can practice your forms, one steps and weapons in your mind. Walk through them in your mind and speak them to your self the exact steps. Visualize yourself reaching your goals. Visualize that Black Belt getting tied on your waist. Visualize all the pain, sweat and tears that it is going to take to get that result. Oftentimes, those who are able to picture themselves thriving and reaching their goals finish above those who don’t partake in this exercise and those who dwell on past mistakes and missed opportunities.
2. Stick to a routine
Like I said up above stick to a routine. If Monday and Wednesdays are your days to go to Rock Solid Karate and train than go do it. Stay routine as physically possible and don t let anything else get in the way. We should always keep things that improve us in every way top priority. I have a friend who I was trying to help get in shape. I invited him to our work out classes. I also was holding him accountable each week as well. One night he told me he could not make it because someone invited them out to eat...... Now I am all for eating (a well balanced diet) however this was not his intention. I told this friend that not only is this not helping you accomplish your goals but it is taking you further away from your goals. He told me I understand but I really want to see them etc... I was like, "ok buddy I will see you next week." He called me an hour later to tell me that he would be in for class because that friend cancelled on him because they had a jazzercise class that they couldn't miss that night!! How is that for Karma. Those people made their fitness a priority and wanted to accomplish their goals. I bet you can guess my friend did not last lost in his fitness journey. Set your goals and do not let anything get in the way of them. DO NOT MAKE EXCUSES!! FIND A WAY!!
3. Practice at home. Kids and Adults love to be good at stuff. The way we get good at things in life is by practicing. The people that see it through and achieve higher levels of martial arts training at Rock Solid Karate are the ones that practice at home. I always tell our beginner students that this is not Karate practice. This is Karate learning. Learning happens while you are at the Dojang and practice happens while you are at home. Perfect practice makes perfect. The way you practice is the way you will perform for the most part. When you practice do your best. Have low stances, power, high kicks with good technique and give your very best. Those people that do that are the ones that achieve their martial arts goals. They are the ones that get the very best that the martial arts have to offer at Rock Solid Karate.
I hope this helps someone get a pep in their step!! Each class you're one step closer to your next martial arts Goal!!!
