Are you planning to get into martial arts training? Well, you need to read this article first to get a clear picture of what to avoid. Martial Arts are not as regulated as other professions. That means that there are things you have to evaluate and check out to stay safe. Remember, Martial Arts are not just about punching and kicking your opponent, it is also about commitment, discipline, responsibility, safety, and incentive. You can only learn about those qualities if you are being trained by professionals and in the right environment.
Watch out for the following 5 Tips That May Ruin Your Training
1. Professionalism
Do your prospective martial arts teachers teach martial arts as a hobby or are they teaching it as their way of earning a living? It’s great for someone to teach martial arts because of the passion they have for it. In fact, most martial arts teachers have at least a black belt. What you need to avoid is being taught by teachers who teach martial arts as a hobby instead of a career. You need someone who will guide you or your child for a couple of years at least. Martial Arts is just like any other training program.
You don’t want someone who will stop offering their martial arts program abruptly. That can happen if your teacher gets posted to a different location in their day job. What you need is a professional Martial Arts training school. You need a trainer who will help you attain your martial arts qualification by training you or your child through every phase of training.
2. Training Facilities
When looking for a hospital, school or college, you always look for one that has the best training facilities. That is because you recognize the importance of having such facilities in aiding the overall learning or treatment process. The same approach applies to martial arts training.
You do not need to train in someone’s basement or backyard. You need a professional training environment complete with change rooms, washrooms, and other amenities.
3. Trainer Qualifications
Most people attain a training rank, which is a black belt in martial arts. However, they do not have an actual certification that indicates they have been trained to teach. The best trainers are those who have a certification in education. Professional trainers are trained on how to pass their knowledge and skills to their students. They also know how to evaluate their students to identify the weak areas they need to work on.
That is the kind of martial arts training you will get from professionals. You would not take your child to a school with untrained teachers or a medical facility that is run by quacks. You should also not take martial arts training from instructors with no educational training or coaching certifications. It’s not safe for you or your child.
4. Junior Classes
In sports, academic institutions, and even health facilities, there are special sections for children and minors. You will not want your child to get trained or practice their martial arts skills with adults in an unstructured environment. Children are still growing, and their needs differ from those of adults. You should only take your child to go for training if the school or martial art trainers have facilities structured for children’s needs.
5. Reliability and Insurance Cover
How long will the training facility you are about to enroll in be around? Is it one year, two years, a just month? Those are questions you need to answer so that you won’t fail to achieve your goals. Martial Arts require you to connect with the trainer. As the trainer’s student, they need to know the best way to train you. The trainers observe you as your train and learn how best they can help you to overcome your weak points. That is going to become difficult to achieve if you keep changing your trainers.
Does the training school you go to have liability insurance? You need to have such insurance to get full protection in case you or your child hurts someone while training. Accidents do happen, but there has to be someone to pay the cost.
Bonus Tip: Honest Ranking
If you are training to become the best, you are doing yourself a great favor. Some schools may promise you quick progression through the ranks. That is not a guarantee of quality in their training; it is just a way of saying that they have low standards of training or none at all. You cannot be sure of a person’s physical abilities until you have evaluated them and gauged their abilities.
If you need to achieve martial arts black belt, then you should be ready to earn it. It is the martial arts skills you gain that make the title meaningful.
We hope this guide has been helpful and you will enjoy your journey to becoming an accomplished Martial Artist.
Day in day out, you struggle to keep fit. You have tried different methods of getting fit but to no avail. Year in year out you have resolved to keep more fit but you have never succeeded. While this can be very frustrating, maybe it is time that you try out other means of getting fit or perhaps doing the same things that you should have done before but this time with a little more “encouragement” and little “reminders”. Record your progress and always try to do better than the day before. Probably you are wondering what we are talking about, if that is the case, then worry not. We are talking about using your smartphone to get black belt fit. Yes, it is possible that aside from being a communication device, your smartphone can also be used for keeping fit.
What are the advantages of keeping fit?
There are many benefits that are associated with keeping fit.
Weight control
By keeping fit, your body weight is kept in check and the chances of you becoming overweight are controlled. Being overweight is not at all good thing as you run risks of contracting diseases that come with being overweight.
Relieves stress
Gym sessions can greatly give you an emotional up lift. After a long busy day at work, all your mind may need is some stimulation from the gym’s practice sessions to bring you back to normal.
Gain extra energy
By exercising regularly, your energy levels are boosted. If you are a sports man for example, regular exercises will enhance your work rate. You can therefore be able to engage in sporting activities without getting tired fast.
Day to day activities
Keeping fit can be very critical in handling day to day activities. For instance, if you are in a martial arts class, you are likely to learn self-defense techniques. Keeping fit also allows you to prepare to defend yourself physically, if needed.
How can you use your smartphone to get black belt fit?
To many, this may sound ridiculous but is very possible that you use some of the physical fitness apps in your smartphone to enhance your fitness to black belt levels.
Recording your progress
It doesn’t really matter what your kind of work out is. Whether you are cycling or you are just at home exercising, you need to record your progress using the apps in your smartphone. This helps you to track your progress over a period of time. What is fun about it is that you can share your progress with friends which can also serve as a motivator.
Learning moves from different angles
With these smartphone apps, you can gain access to some moves from different view points. This enhances your efficiency and gives you an upper hand against your competitors. The apps can also show you how the same moves you have been doing can be done in different ways.
Source of motivation and encouragement
Some apps have reminders that wake you up or reminds you that it is time to work out. This ensures that you do not miss a single session. Also, the apps can be a source of motivation and encouragement. For example, it tells you if you can do 20 sit ups in one minute, you can do 100 in five minutes. This motivates you to even complete the a hundred sit ups even before the five minutes elapses.
Conclusion
There are many advantages that come with keeping fit and some of them are discussed above. It is also possible that you can use your smartphone to keep black belt fit and even be able to compete in professional competitions like martial arts. You only need to download the physical fitness apps into your phone.
Most people know that martial arts require discipline both physically and mentally. But do you think you are as skilled and disciplined as a black belt? Do think you have what it takes to stick with the training that is required to achieve a black belt? If so, you should seriously consider finding a qualified instructor to help you start on your journey.
Achieving your black belt in martial arts is no easy task. As with life, you must be prepared to try and fail many times. It will take dedication, determination, and practice to achieve this high honor. Just like with your professional career, it will take lots of time to hone your skills so that you can advance. There are many benefits that come with dedicating yourself to learning martial arts. Some of the benefits include self-discipline, determination, focus, and self-confidence. When training in the martial arts, you will learn how to set goals and achieve them over the course of several years. Each level takes time to achieve, so when you accomplish a new belt it is a very satisfying feeling. Over the course of those years you will learn not only persistence and perseverance in your martial arts training, but you will be able to apply those skills to your life.
You will learn through your training that you cannot always achieve your goal immediately. You will learn that it may take great focus and long-term determination to achieve the things that you desire . You will also learn how to stand strong in all types of situations when you are standing alone. This lesson can apply in everyday situations in your life. You will learn how to have the confidence in yourself to stand up and act when you feel it is appropriate.
Training for your black belt will not be easy. You will be faced with many physical challenges along the way. You will be hurt, sore, tired, and you may feel like giving up. If you are a good student, you will learn to push through these problems to achieve your ultimate goal. There are not many other sports activities that have as much for you to learn and to teach you as the martial arts. If you are truly dedicated to mastering the skills that martial arts has to teach you, then you will be mastering skills that you can also apply to all areas of your life to help you become more successful and happier.
There are many disciplines of martial arts that are taught in this country today. You should do some research into each style and discipline to determine which would more suit your interests. Once you figure out which discipline is the one that you want to pursue, you should begin searching for a dojo or an instructor that you feel you would like to work with. Once you figure out which location you want to train at then you should do a little bit of background research into the instructor or the school and read any customer reviews that you come across on the internet. Customer reviews can be extremely insightful and helpful when you were trying to determine if the location is the right one for your individual needs. Make sure that your instructor also has their own black belt. Next, you will want to observe or participate in one of the regularly scheduled classes. Being able to see what the other students are doing during the class will help you understand whether or not you are willing to join the particular school or dojo.
There are many reasons people want to earn their black belt. These are just of the few of the benefits associated with training for your black belt. If you are serious and you feel that you have what it takes to become a black belt, then you should begin your search for a good place to train. You will learn so many beneficial skills and techniques that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. If you achieve your black belt, then you can be assured that you will find contentment and fulfillment in more than just one area of your life. And who knows, you just might inspire others to strive to achieve that ultimate goal as well.
Self-confidence is about being convinced in your own abilities and trusting yourself in a given situation. Self-confidence does not mean arrogance. Arrogance is about believing that you are more important than others around you or about having an exaggerated belief in your own abilities. The two characteristics seem similar in words but they look very different in practice. The main difference between the two is where the thoughts are directed. Arrogance is focused on those outside of oneself. Arrogant people believe they are better than someone else. Conversely, self-confidence is a focus inward regardless of the external influences.
What is Self-defense?
Self-defense is the defense of one’s person or interests. By its very nature self-defense cannot happen prior to some external aggression. Self-defense never goes on the offensive. If an attacker rushes you and you deflect them into the wall behind you, that is self-defense. If you then charge them and start punching you are no longer self-defending, you are attacking. This is not to say that it isn’t within your right to go on the offensive but that is not what this discussion is about. This is about the connection between self-confidence and self-defense.
How can Self-Confidence Be an Effective Self-Defense?
Now that there is a baseline for the definition of self-confidence and self-defense it’s time to address the original question. Since self-defense refers to a physical attack how can self-confidence, something that is mental, ever be a self-defense?
Can Martial Arts Develop Self-Confidence?
Martial arts refers to several sports/skills of primarily Japanese origin that focus on forms of self-defense. There are aspects of martial arts that teach how to go on the offensive but the primary focus is on self-defense, self-control, and self-awareness. So if martial arts teach self-defense, can martial arts also teach or develop self-confidence in those who practice martial arts?
Physical Training
There is no doubt that martial arts training is a fantastic exercise. It is a rigorous training that will affect your posture, endurance, stamina, agility, balance and so much more. It will get your heart rate up and burn calories. It is extremely effective as an aerobic and weight loss activity.
While this is a wonderful result of martial arts training, it is not the primary goal. However, if you were in better shape would you be more confident about yourself? If you developed a better posture, which is primarily straightening the back, holding the head upright, and straightening the shoulders, would you feel more confident? The answer is yes, it would make anybody feel more confident about themselves.
Mental and Physical Discipline
Martial arts is about structure, tons of structure. It is about learning physical motions that you can control completely. It’s about learning to focus your mind not only on your own physical movements but about everything that is around you. Martial arts teaches how to assess a situation in the blink of an eye and make a conscious decision about how you will respond. During training, martial artists are constantly put into sparring matches with an opponent who is bigger and stronger than they are. This forces the trainee to think and act with complete control of their mind and body because they know if they fight by strength alone they will lose.
Would this discipline develop self-confidence? Would a person who has been training for 1 month feel more confident than they did on their first day of training? It most certainly would give self-confidence. Remember, self-confidence is trusting one’s own abilities. The more training a martial artist has, the more confident they will be in themselves.
Can Self-Confidence be and Effective Self-Defense?
So now that it has been established that martial arts will enhance your self-confidence let’s look to see if that self-confidence can be a self-defense.
Arguments For
As stated above, martial arts will instill a confidence in its artists that they did not have before. This may very well be unknown to the person because they might not be able to see or understand the changes taking place. Generally, those who choose to attack or bully someone else will pick someone they feel is an easy target. A martial artist will walk and handle themselves with a level of comfort and control that could very likely deter someone from attacking them.
Beyond the mental discipline of martial arts is the very practical physical training. The training is to teach how to repel an attacker. The training is specifically focused on how to repel an attacker that is bigger and stronger than you. If you are threatened by an aggressor and you are confident that you and those with you will be safe because you can effectively defend against any attack that person can bring, you will not cower before the attacker. On the contrary, you will stand confidently before them. Attackers almost always will prey on the weak and easy targets. If they realize you are not an easy target they will most likely leave you alone.
Arguments Against
If your self-confidence comes from being physically fit or from knowing how to throw a few punches it can be very easy to cross the line from self-confidence to arrogance. If you have an exaggerated sense of your own abilities you may ignore the dangers and you may actually encourage them. Self-confidence that is really arrogance will look like a challenge to an attacker and may, in fact, encourage them to attack.
Self-confidence means you know what you are capable of but it also means knowing what you are not capable of. The reason that martial arts works against a stronger opponent is because the opponent believes that their strength, street smarts, and rage will give them the upper hand. All the self-confidence in the world doesn’t ensure victory every time.
Conclusion
The answer to the question “can self-confidence be an effective self-defense?” is yes it can be. If self-confidence is grounded in reality it can be very effective at stopping an attack before it ever happens. That is the best kind of self-defense, the kind you never have to use. But self-confidence won’t always be effective. There are situations where self-confidence won’t be enough and where physical self-defense will be required. Martial arts is great for both. It will boost your self-confidence to levels you never expected and it will also give you the skills and training necessary to use physical self-defense to protect yourself or those around you.
Martial arts have become increasingly popular over the last several decades in this country. One of the main reasons for this is because it not only allows for productive physical activity and teaches important skills but, it also teaches important life lessons. In fact, you must master many life skills and order to advance and achieve the next level in any martial art. The following are some of the most beneficial lessons that you will learn if you begin learning martial arts.
– Perseverance
When studying martial arts, as with life, you must have perseverance. You must learn how to keep trying until you succeed. You may fail many times before you accomplish your final goal. It is important that you learn how to get back up and keep trying when you get knocked down. Martial arts will teach you how to handle setbacks and keep pushing forward until you succeed.
– Growth Through Struggle
Martial Arts teaches that there can be no growth without some degree of struggle. Martial arts will help you to acknowledge and deal with struggles in both training and in life. You will learn how to work through challenging times to achieve your final goal.
– Growth Through Opposition
Throughout life and throughout martial arts training, you will face varying degrees of opposition. When You face challenges and opposition you will learn how to overcome and grow from those experiences.
– Learning To Trust Yourself
Learning how to trust yourself can be one of the most challenging obstacles to face during martial arts training. You may not be self-confident right now, but with the proper instruction and plenty of patience and practice, you will learn how to begin to trust your instincts. You will become more confident and self-assured of your judgment and abilities.
– Giving Respect As Well As Earning Respect
This may be the most important lesson that martial arts can teach you. It is critically important throughout your life to show proper respect and learn how to earn others respect. Respect is earned over the course of time as other individuals see your worthy qualities. Part of those qualities include showing the same courtesy, kindness, and understanding that you expect to be shown in return. Martial arts will focus on this intensely. These skills are incredibly important for people to master in order to have harmony in their lives. For children, this can be a crucial lesson that they have the opportunity to learn early in life to help them function as a productive member of society. Without this important skill, you will be unable to achieve all that you wish, because others will not give you the consideration and respect that you need to work your way up in the world. If you start studying with a qualified martial arts trainer they will help you to learn what it means to give and show respect properly.
You will learn many important life skills throughout the course of your martial arts training. These are just a few of the highlights you can expect when you decide to seek training from a qualified instructor or school. When looking for a school make sure that you check into the instructors background and qualifications. It is also a good idea to check any customer reviews that you can find online as well as ask any of the students that attend the school what their thoughts and feelings are about that location. It would also be a good idea to take a trip to the location that you are considering and speak with the instructors and perhaps watch one of the classes to get a better idea if that school or instructor would be a good fit for your needs.
There are so many benefits to learning martial arts. You can expect to become more physically fit as well as learn how to defend yourself. But, the benefits do not stop there. You will learn things that will assist you throughout your life and will help you achieve your dreams. With a little bit of hard work, dedication, and determination you to will be able to climb the ranks of the martial arts which will give you a great sense of pride and accomplishment in your life.
Watch out for the following 5 Tips That May Ruin Your Training
