How to become stronger at Martial Arts?
I know this might seem like a silly question with a simple answer, practice, but it is not that simple for me. I am 19 years of age, live alone, cook clean and wash for myself, study at a college and practice animation. My life is extremely bussy. And this makes me sad. I've had the dream of becoming a great Martial Artist since I was very young. I got involved in things like Judo, Kendo and Karate. But each time I've had to quit. It has been a long time since I touched a sword and even longer since I used my fists. My body feels very weak now. I regret not having been harder on myself even though the money wasn't there. I am living in South Africa. Money is very short. I am always busy. And it makes me sad. There is an aikido dojo not so far from my college but I always seem too tired to bother. This pisses me off because I know I can do better. I want to become stronger, much stronger. If you have any wise words for me I would be very greatful if you could share them. I just need some motivation thanks. Ah and 10 points to however gives the best answer :)
Martial Arts - 7 Answers
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1 :
Take it small steps at a time. Practice and work out at your place either before bed, or first thing in the morning. Simple push-ups, sit-ups, stretching and the like. Get your body ready for training. Practice shadow boxing to increase hand/foot speed and accuracy. Re-learn the lessons you had when you were younger. Mimic forms and moves you see in movies. It may not be the same as class, but it's a step in the right direction until you can devote the time you need to do what you want to do.
2 :
I seem to have the same problem because I am in college too and was really into MMA. I lost intrest because there are no studios to practice it. But you still remember how to do it even though you think you don't. So I would start to work out by lifting weights and doing cardio. When I was done and had the time to go back and do MMA again I felt better than ever because of the shape you can put yourself in on the off season. So try that and it will come back to you.
3 :
It sounds like this is something you want to be part of your life. Perhaps you need to look at what you can or need to give up in order to make martial arts part of you life again. You can't do it all. Write down some goals you have for yourself in the next 1 / 5 / and 10 years and see if martial arts is a part of those goals.
4 :
I myself am i martial artist. During the summer i didnt go to the dojo for a while and when i came back my body felt weak. I started running every other day. Push ups and sit ups also help. After a while your body will get used to it and you can kick it up a notch. Enventually your body will get stronger again. Make sure you do it at least every other day.
5 :
As you probably suspect, there is only one way to get better and stronger, and that's by doing. As you say, you seem to be working through motivational and the typical college financial problems. The only way through that is to be creative. There are two things that make me go to class even when I'm tired. One is the fact that I will always feel better after class - once you get into an exercise routine, it never fails to energize you, and always helps to put your problems aside so that you can deal with them later on when you have a new perspective on it. The other is the fact that there are people at the dojo who miss me when I'm not there, and who (for some silly reason that I still cannot fathom) depend on me to help motivate them (which they repay by in turn motivating me). Once you start taking a class that you enjoy, with people that you like, you start noticing that being stronger and faster will do nothing but help you, so this motivates you to work out a little outside of class. The results of which only serve to motivate you to workout harder - which makes you better in class, which gives you a great continuously reinforcing feedback loop. This is where creativity comes into play. With little money, your options are constrained by your budget. But, just like the time constraint can be overcome (by forcing yourself to make time) - the money problem can be solved by looking into non-traditional areas. If your college is big enough, it is likely that they have either official groups that train, or at least small clubs of people who meet and train together. Find these groups. If you have a smaller college, it may not have that group yet - but it is not unreasonable to start one yourself. Martial artists tend to gravitate toward one another. To bastardize a quote from a crappy movie, if you start it they will come. You can learn from each other as your experience dictates. You can invite instructors from local dojos to come by and teach for a nominal fee (the Aikido dojo nearby may enjoy trading lessons to college students for a location to hold biannual seminars - so might other groups). You can get other members of your groups to keep their ears open for local seminars that you can carpool to - or each can take one class and bring back the lessons to the group. This will require coordination with the school to find a facility that you can use - most will offer that. Many at the very least have a gym that you can find workout buddies. Or you will have to find a convenient field or park. It will require management and organization of the group. In short, it will require time. But with luck and good people working with you, it won't be your job alone. You will be able to share the workload out among your fellow club members - and their hard work will give you the motivation that you need to make sure that their time and your time has not been wasted. Computer majors tend to take up a lot of time, and it may add hours to your already busy life - but if it is important to you - you can find a way.
6 :
Force yourself to sit down and spend an hour and make a list of all the things you like to do. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish in life. Than prioritize this list. Take the top three form each category. Consider them and be sure they are utmost on your list. Make these your core values for accomplishment. Each day set aside the appropriate time for each. Of course you need some flexibility for fun or the unexpected. Yet you need to be diligent toward this list. as you accomplish each goal you may want to add or remove things to the list. Keep the list short, or you will dissipate yourself and not accomplish anything except being not so good at a lot of things. Some things on your list will never go away as they take a lifetime to achieve or are more a path in life; yet they need daily attention, such as Martial Arts, and your art work.
7 :
Want to!!!! Your issue is not with your body but with your mind. If you want to then do it. You say you want to, but if you don't then you do not want to. So it is up to you. Nothing we say will make any difference. You just have to really WANT TO!
