everyone hits it

[Kenshi]

i would think that a majorty of of the martial art population knows that at one point during our traing we hit a wall. well i smashed into mine at full speed. all of a sudden my traing has droped and my energy is drained right out. i even find it hard to keep up during basics some times. if anyone's hit the same wall i'd like to know how you got over it.

kenshi

[Matt_Bernius]

Kenshi,

I think most of us have this that wall a number of times. I've always noted that my progression has been defined by periods of rapid advancement and learning followed by long plateus of non noticable progression. Typically I find that those walls come at the end of a plateu, just before another incline. So in that respect you can be kinda happy you hit the wall.

Typically I find that most walls are made up of questions or blockages that I first need to understand. I'm a firm believer that any complete system has all the answers built into to. But you don't necessarily know the right questios to ask. For me, cross training and working with people outside of my art helps me find those questions.

Sometimes you may need to walk away for a little bit as well. Get a little perspective and rest if you're feeling burned out.

Just some things to think about... Matt

[Kwajman]

For what its worth, I think its those times of plateauing that we may learn the most. I mean, to have the patience and dedication to continue practicing, going to class, drilling over and over while not wanting to do those things is really difficult. I'm in the middle of one of those, should I go on times. jeez I'm just a brown belt, but I'm trying....

[Matt_Bernius]

Originally posted by Kwajman
For what its worth, I think its those times of plateauing that we may learn the most. I mean, to have the patience and dedication to continue practicing, going to class, drilling over and over while not wanting to do those things is really difficult. I'm in the middle of one of those, should I go on times. jeez I'm just a brown belt, but I'm trying....
I totally agree. It's my belief that during those plateaus (thanks for the correct spelling) your mind is re-arranging stuff cognativly to help you better access skills and connect ideas. Basically as your working repetition things are happening on a subconcious level that will get you're mind working in the right directions.

That being said I also think there are ways to recognize this and arrange your training in such a way that you can minimalize plateaus. But I also believe that the cost of that is that your "accelerated learning" slopes tend to be more gradual. But if you're into the idea of Kaizen then that's aokay.

- Matt

[Kenshi]

thanks for the advice guys

[Reiki]

most of my experience of hitting plateaus have not stemmed from myself having a problem but from being held back by my instructor for some reason or other.....

this is far more detrimental to my mindset for training than anything physical