Attitude adjustment: Fourteen Attitude Requirements to Master Martial Arts (#4, #5, and #6)

4. Maintain a regular and consistent routine.

Don’t be a seasonal martial artist; meaning that when the season is right and the planets align is when you hit the mats. You will notice that you will go nowhere fast, as they say. Maintain a consistent workout and training schedule, even if it means twice or three times a week. No one says you have to be in the gym or studio every day, twice a day. We are not aiming to be meat-heads (no offense to gym junkies), but training does not mean it’s your life. Training should be a part of your life and you will see overall results by being consistent. If you want to make it your career, as a personal trainer or professional fighter, perhaps, then obviously it doesn’t apply to you. I am referring to the nine-to-five-ers who work for a living. All you need is to be consistent.

5. Practice the basic techniques all the time.

Throughout your training you will frequently hear the phrase “Stick to the basics, stick to the basics.” I constantly remind my students to focus on the basics. Too many times you have white belts looking at higher belts and immediately they want to try the tornado round-kicks, 540s, armbars, or triangles without really grounding themselves with the basics. I cannot stress enough how valuable the basics will be to your training, so constantly return to your roots and “stick to the basics”.

6. Regularly space practice sessions.

This refers to giving your body a chance to recover. People, in general, want to see results immediately. If they don’t see the results the same day they start training they begin to get frustrated so they do more and more without realizing the body needs time to rest and recover. The body is a machine and training or working out is upgrading your vehicle from a factory-model to a customized hot-rod, for example. It takes time to reach your desired goals so take it easy and space out your training to give your mind and body a chance to adjust to the upgrades and give you the strength to get to the next level.

To be continued...