I do seminars to break up the routine. A new approach sometimes helps. Or I go compete. Sometimes competition lets you learn things about yourself and often personal progress carries over into how you do your martial arts.
As to crazy training techniques like punching a rock 10,000 times,..... NAW! That has nothing to do with martial arts and really does not help to develop your skill but is loads of fun when you ruined your hands and can hardly move your fingers anymore. No thank you.
I do makiwara training though for correct form not to develop calluses on my knuckles. I do the stick thing with the string and the weight and hold out the stick and wind up the string with the weight attached to it. I seriously stretch for flexibility. I also do Shaolin Kung fu for cardio, agility, and to develop a good ratio of strength and flexibility for martial arts.
Mindset, normally the only thing stopping people from succeeding in martial arts is their self belief. Most of the time people are physically capable but they mess up because they think something like " there's no way I'll be able to do that" when in reality the only thing stopping them is their 'failure' mind set.
The only time you fail is when you fall down and stay down,always get up,and NEVER give up. Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.
A very good book you should read that's not long, but very informative is 'Zen in the Martial Arts' by Joe Hyams. He was a sports writer who took up martial arts fairly late in life, and he studied various different styles over the course of the 30 plus years before his death. This is one of the best martial art 'student' books ever written and it really provides a lot of insight into a number of different systems and their philosophies. Hyams studied under many legendary modern masters like Bruce Lee, Ed Parker, and Bong Soo Han. The book is inexpensive and it is also available at many libraries.
If you're interested in martial arts, find out if there are any classes or gyms that offer martial arts courses in your area. Taking a class will not only teach you proper form, but you will actually be able to accomplish the goals you set for yourself because you will know the proper technique for performing it. Just because you see someone punch through 10 bricks of concrete doesn't mean that he didn't train and learn how to hit it, which part of the hand, etc... You will run the risk of injuring yourself if you just try to figure it out on your own as you go.
If you can't find a place to learn in your area, find out what form of martial arts excites you, then find out how to practice at home. The internet is at your feet! Do you like Brazilian jiujitsu? Taekwondo? karate? Hapkido? Youtube martial arts instructional videos and learn from those! You can even borrow books from the library on different martial arts and learn them!
Martial arts are wonderful because they entwine mental challenges with physical challenges. Seriously, if you can find a place that offers classes, go! You will find that you won't be bored, you will be around others you can practice with (and against) and you will see yourself progress! Hell, if you stick to it, you could gain a black belt or two, which is always good bragging rights...
here are some
1. Making sure every technique produces a snap sound
2. learn to use the toe kick (talk to ballarinas about teaching you to go en pointe barefoot first)
3. learn clinical anatomy to reproduce injuries so your martial art revolves around Ikken hissatsu
4. learn to properly strike with the finger tips
5. understand the limitation of all techniques and arts
6. teach others to teach and go beyond your level
For me, the biggest obstacles are plateau and recovery from injury. Getting back into practice is very difficult when you have no momentum (or, in the case of plateau, you have no desire).
Another obstacle is just starting a style. It takes a lot of willpower just to walk in the door and begin training. For some folks, I will walk in with them on their first day. For kids, I enlist the help of a friend who's already a student to help the new student. I recently recommended a family join a family-style Taekwondo school. I don't like the style (it was ATA), but, I'd met another family who joined there and they liked training together. Whether they stay or break off and do something else is anyone's guess - but they're happy doing it.
I don't have any physical impairments, but, many people - particularly those who are overweight or older - do not want to start because of some fear of embarrassment. I imagine his is a huge obstacle for them. Similarly, women tend not to join as much as men do.
Some things can include fear, ego, pain, fatigue, boredom, all sorts of small trivial and petty things.
One of biggest especially for male teenagers is ego. We all want to be top dog and when they find out they are not, there is a lack of wanting to learn.
Others hate pain. And pain is part of martial arts. You can train to punch all day but if you can't take one, things won't go well most of the time per se.
Fear. Fear of what others think or what may happen.
As for challenges? Depends. Black Belts these days are given out like candy. Yesterday at a seminar I saw a 17 yr old kid wearing a third dan and I almost puked. He told me he has been training for 8 yrs. Another was a 12 yr old first dan.
A 1st dan used to mean something. Pugpaws I think, once wrote a beautiful post regarding such a topic.
Training used to be hard to prepare the student for the harshness of reality.
So... some schools are a challenge. Others are not.
There are many, many aspects to these things, but I go with this quote.
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
Experience it yourself
Or are you afraid what you might be facing?
one main chalenge is self dicapline
Mental challanges, Fitness challanges, I'm just looking for something to inspire for. Please dont try being a smartass in the comments.
I serieusly need a new goal since everything is starting to bore me.
*****Also if you know any mental fitness things like punching a rock 10000 times or something that sounds silly like that, It will be more than welcome.
