How are you continuing to grow in the martial arts, physically, mentally and spiritually? Maybe you are cross training, training in more than one art, researching the history of your own art or exploring through seminars. It could be you are taking Tai Chi or meditation to help you shut out the internal dialogue so many suffer with in these modern times. What keeps you buzzing and continuing to move forward. Are you inspired by something you've seen, or someone you've met. Someone that makes you view things with a new perspective.
A little more than a year ago I took up boxing because it's something I have never been good at. And despite two decades as a hobbyist martial artist, I've never sparred full-contact, full-speed, in a boxing/kick-boxing context. Controlled contact sparring, yes, and full-power BJJ-style grappling, yes, and I've taken enough hard falls and throws in aikido to know that I could get up and continue fighting if I ever had to ... but I've never actually been hit in the face really, really hard. This month I bought a sparring helmet because the coach says I'm ready to start. As an added bonus my walk-around weight has dropped 20 pounds over the past year.
Boxing sparring was a massive shock to me the first time I tried it. Back then most martial artists had a stand bolt upright kind of style and even now many are guilty of it. I was told I'd learn to bob and weave and after the first decent punch I was knocked to my knees. I was shocked at the power and I soon learnt to bob and weave.
Good man. I have really suffered with joint injuries this year and I'm sure some most of it is down to weakness, so it's a strength programme for me going into 2017. I have renewed energy going into next year, the details of which I hope to be able to share soon. I'm going to be reviewing and re-evaluating my syllabus and doing what the Tai Chi guys call eating bitter, that is to say doing the things we don't like doing in order to improve. I am looking forward to having beginner struggles again. The feeling you get when drilling new stuff and the excitement when it all finally makes sense. I also want to expand my class going into next year, so I'll be advertising soon once I know what I'll be doing.
No good waiting for the new year and making a resolution you can't keep, so this morning I've contacted the British Combat Association about joining their organisation. John Titchen tells me I can get a better deal regarding insurance with the BCA and they also advertise your club on their website, in addition to other benefits. I've also contacted the people I hire a hall from about adding further midweek classes. I do though need to find somewhere with mats, so will talk to other schools to see if I can rest a space in their hall. So before Xmas and the new year what are you doing to move forward.
I train in a variety of arts. MA is like music, there is always something to learn. You will never, ever get to the end of it in your lifetime. My latest additions are Judo and partaking in HEMA tournaments, even though I've been doing HEMA for 13 years. Getting the crap beat out of you is rather instructive. I also do JSA.
I need to get serious about losing weight. I keep thinking I can do it on my own, but I haven't. So, I am going to look into my health insurance's weight loss program (non-surgical). I am going to be making calls this week. I have a lot of chronic pain. I think some of it would get better and I could move better and train easier if I relieved the excess weight on my knees. Not to mention other health issues. And in improving my overall health, it will help me train better too. I have acid reflux issues, and possibly sleep apnea (going to get tested for that soon). I wake up from a full night's sleep feeling tired. I am sure that is affecting my training. My instructor is making waves that she wants me to start thinking that I will be testing this time next year for my black sash. I am finding some mental obstacles have come up that I need to deal with. But this, weight loss, is something I can do for both my overall health and to make my training better. Having to admit I am not doing it on my own is tough though. I feel like I should be able to, but the truth is I am not doing it.
I keep seeking out people that can consistently smash me in their respective disciplines I have also started a gradual evolution to a more sanguine view on the world - this has been a slow burn, but the effect has been undeniable.
I started lau gar last week. I thought I'd get back into MA stuff but take a different approach - do something new, with less focus on hard/full contact and do it less frequently (once a week). For the hobby martial artist, i think growth only comes out of enjoyment not obligation
I haven't trained for a couple of years now(maybe 3!) for one reason or another. Every time I plan to get back into training something comes up. I think it's a curse, so I am wary of saying anything... But hopefully starting savate/boxe française in January (before someone starts telling me to go now or I won't go, I have to wait for the beginners course to start. They like their courses here). After the beginners course I can go to regular classes so that will hopefully free me up to start Pekiti-tirsia kali. I did JKD many years ago and that got me interested in boxe française but I've never been remotely close to a club. There's actually two groups in Helsinki and the bigger and more established group have a couple of gyms in the city. They're pretty successful in international competition too. Like Mango, I'll probably just go to each once a week and not take it so seriously, taking it seriously just takes all the fun out of it and I get bored. Not martial arts growth but personal development/growth...I'm probably going to go to a photography course too. There's a couple of courses held in English in Helsinki, my Finnish is appalling so much easier for me to cope with and I get more out of them when I can understand what the hell s going on I honestly think people need to do something a bit creative whether it's play an instrument, cook, knit, draw whatever, no matter how bad they are, to help them grow and develop.
As I am getting more seriously into Bohurt/Botn and looking to compete next year and there is a large roster of events to train for in the UK/Europe, Good for my other martial training as well as a high level of fitness is needed and my club doesn't hold hands, keep up or move on as they are focused on winning competitions and that helps to keep me driven.
I've been asked to be an assistant instructor at my TKD club. I've done the odd little bit of teaching over the years at various clubs in various styles but nothing official like this. It's nice to have my years of experience recognised by an instructor that is open minded enough to welcome outside influences and perspectives. I'm currently re-visiting TKD patterns through the lens of the seminars I've done with Iain Abernethy and trying to pass on a more realistic perspective to pattern applications. Slowly turning my fellow TKD students into grab and smash, knee and elbow merchants.
So all in all 2016 was a pretty decent year for me re. growth. It almost feels like I hit a re-set button if you will. I was sort of coasting for too long, going the training partner route. Looking back I think I'd hit a bunch of plateaus already and was slipping backwards overall. Even though I did think I progressed in a particular specialist area, it was probably to the detriment of others. It 's pretty hard to find ICMA classes that would give me all I am looking for tbh. And my regular training partner decided to go travelling for like forever, feels like. So that was a bit of a catalyst as I was left with the choice of either no partner training or pull my finger out and do something new. I guess in the end I just couldn't do without some kind of martial training in my life other than going it solo. I have an eye on maybe offering something in my local area one day. So that acts as a motivating factor too. It's a tough balance with work and family life, but I'm managing to keep something going and breathed new life into my overall training and given it a new perspective and direction. I found having a new child (first time parents) really messed with my training time and opportunities for a prolonged period of time, pretty normal I guess. But after a while you sort of realise you need something else or you'll go crazy; some sort of release or hobby. This year I guess came the time to re commit properly. This year (April/May) I started training with an MMA coach who is also into Tai Chi (has fought previously in the UFC). I felt I needed the new direction and challenge. My shape and fitness wasn't great and that has improved, it's also lifted & tightened up my game in a bunch of areas as you would expect. We've connected really well personally and it's been a great experience and inspiration. In terms of martial specialisation I want to further my BJJ/ sub grappling skills. It's the area I feel has the most depth left for me to mine.. and to that end I have identified a school / coach who is fairly close to where I work so I am planning to sign up there pretty soon and see how it goes. They offer other classes too, so should be good. This year (Jan/Feb) I was also able to find a teacher in an ICMA that I have held an interest in for a while. Turned out to be a great guy/ teacher so that was very enjoyable. I really enjoy the basic exercise of that style and we also did some two person work. Whilst low intensity (in the orthodox sense) it was really cool and interesting as well as mentally challenging. Looking to continue that on a pretty slow burn basis. The new material also breathed some new life into my "internal work".. I also feel to a degree that I reconnected quite a lot with the spiritual side of things. Not everyone feels it, but I guess for me MA and spirituality/ meditation goes together like strawberries and cream. Yum. I feel like if I can continue in a similar vein to 2016 and build on it, 2017 will be an enjoyable and fruitful year for my practice/ hobby. Whereas the previous couple years were a bit "meh" for the most part if I'm honest. All the best, have fun.
a couple things i'm trying to do: slow things down. really pay attention to all the little details before moving on. drill, drill, drill. just more to get muscle memory working.
Martial arts training has been patchy over the last few years but I'm hoping to get back to more regular training after Christmas. I have got better at working on my cardio over the years and, obviously, the weight lifting is something that I enjoy and benefits my training.
