Martial Arts – Your Lifelong Partner…

Have you ever wondered what the fascination with martial arts is? There are several other sports and past times. But there is something about Martial Arts that makes it unique. Perhaps it’s the blend of sport, health, fitness confidence, mental and physical benefits. Not to mention philosophies and traditions… Almost something for everyone. And in some cases everything to everyone.

Your experience if you are involved will take you on your own personal journey and depending on your input will yield all kinds of wonderful rewards and give you challenges that keep you keen, interested and moving forward… Such a personal thing.

But at the same time it can also be very challenging, time consuming, fraught with disputes and ridicule and that is from within the sport and even as close to home as your own dojo.

So, how do we get these annoyances out of the way in order to enjoy martial Arts for what it really is an engaging self development sport… Dealing with all aspects of your being from mind, body and spirit to confidence, charity and your influence on perhaps a generation if you so wish to take it that far.

I think you may already have the answer, as it lies within the problem… Martial Arts is a personal thing which deals with the individual. Yet involves others in the sense of teachers, students associations and the wider industry who are all impacting your personal journey whether you like it or not.

Your choice

But, and here is the key: If you take the time to sit down and map out what it is you want from the sport, what you want to become and have as a result of your involvement and this will be on many levels. For example, what belt are you aiming for and how fast would you like to get it, 

How much time do you want to devote (you may feel this is dependent on your sensei. But not necessarily). Do you want to teach someday or take part in competitions or is it purely to remain fit, healthy and flexible because you have heard Martial Arts can give you that?

Taking these issues point by point and dissecting your wants will give you an unshakable framework to work from and you will find that answering basic questing and requests on your time will be easy to manage as you will instantly be able to picture where It falls on your agenda. But also from your own personal point of view you can now asses where you are at any given point in time. For example you find you are getting busier at work and having to devote more time which is no doubt going to impact your martial arts. Knowing where you are in terms of the target you have set yourself will allow you to apply the option of taking time off from martial arts, reducing your input or better yet stealing time from one of your other activities which doesn’t hold as much weight.

Having this framework will reduce or more than likely eliminate the ‘torn between’ type tension you have when you have to make a decision between what is your passion versus a necessity in your life like work.

That plan that says I’m going from point a to b brings the clarity that will take you all the way, regardless of any obstructions.

Making it easy

                   

One of the key things in Martial Arts is that it permeates into every area of your life the longer you participate in it. However a wonderful phenomenon is that you can and will enjoy it more if you make a virtue of this trait.

That’s right. Actually find ways to incorporate more of your martial arts into your life… You’ll find it’s an enjoyable game to play finding the ways to involve it. But also advantageous because it generally means you are getting more training, practice in without realizing you are doing so. And what does more training do to your skills?

What you also have to consider here is when you get good at this you will find yourself in a situation where you are matching or surpassing the amount of time you specifically train at home or in the dojo with the additional training you are getting from all the creative ways you have come up with.

Yes, running up the stairs instead of walking or easier still taking the lift is a popular one. And how about doing your stances while brushing your teeth or, holding your breath deep in your belly every time you walk past a smoker, with the aim of holding for so long that you don’t even get a whiff of the smoke. That’s one of my favourite’s and came across it by accident one day as I simply didn’t want to breathe in the smoke and a new game was born. Even if you are a smoker, this will work for you and you can invent some of your own as well.

Perhaps all this sounds like common sense. But it is relevant in Martial Arts because you will face these challenges and you may not always readily relate this kind of strategy to it. Unless that is you have gone through this thought process with me before hand.

Is your life in turmoil? Martial Arts gives you the tools to deal with a hectic situation as you learn to persevere when everything inside you says you can’t do it. You can mirror your conquered challenges along the way and apply this mindset to your life and whatever turmoil you face… And you will overcome and be triumphant.

If life is swimming along wonderfully… You are taught to be humble, confident and continue to move onto more abundant pastures and again this can be applied directly. In other words whatever situation you find yourself in. Your training gives you the tools to push forward through the hard and soft times and of course to help others along the way.

And while all this may seem so natural, it is amazing how difficult it can be to pull off when you are under life pressure… Which, by the way is present in one form or the other in times are good or bad.

Your dream

So your training has progressed and you have reached the summit of your plan… What next?

Well, it’s time to assess where you are again and where your next port of call is… Are you teaching yet? Do you aspire to have your own dojo? Or have you got your mind set on 10^th Dan Grandmaster. Or a combination of the three?

You could consider taking your skill to another country perhaps or even further learning in another country. The options are limitless and with the person you’ve become through your participation, you’ll be suited to take the challenge in your stride.

So get started on that plan and keep going to you reach the next summit and it can just continue in a never ending torrent of growth through planning, application, execution and the justly earned rewards. This is the life of a Martial Arts Lifelong Practitioner.

Results

Intrinsic to this is you’ll have fulfilled all your dreams and wants in other areas of your life or at least be en route…  And while I haven’t delved deep into how to accomplish any of this… It is not required here as you will recall. It’s personal.

You will no doubt find the questions and the subsequent answers to the what, where, when and how that fits your situation along the way.

The part that Martial Arts gives you is the courage and belief to get on that road of constant discovery which eludes so many people due to the constant struggles that life brings their way and which through the enlightenment of your art have mastered how to deal with and move on.

Where are you now along your personal path? Have the ideas mentioned so far triggered something or are you already steadfast in the midst of your plan already?

Martial Arts is and always has been an instrument which is self inflicted, as only you can truly decide to take the journey and stay on course for life. An undertaking that pays you back in wisdom, knowledge, insight, courage, physical and mental strength for the effort that you expel in mastering the various aspects of its repertoire.

So, take Martial Arts by the hand and give it all the effort you have and you’ll be rewarded on the flipside with excellence all the days of your life.

By Paul Adjayi





©Copyright 2017 by Paul Adjayi