Thursday, 7 November 2013

One Year Into Karate Training - Making The Moves Is Not Enough

It's a little over a year since I first stepped into the Dojo with no idea of what martial arts involved (I hadn't even seen Enter The Dragon), no interest in any sort of sport and a fitness level close to zero. While I acknowledge that I have learned a lot, I feel I've hit a wall when it comes to progress. This may be because as a beginner you have everything to learn so you learn fast at the beginning. Also, since I was so unfit, there was large scope for improvement in general fitness but, I think there's more to it. I don't think this is a natural slow down, I think I don't practice enough or correctly. When I first started, I practiced obsessively - every evening for 30-60 minutes (that's obsessive by my definition). Not now. I do practice most days closer to 30 minutes, but I practice in the same way as I did in the beginning. Quick kata run through so as not to forget the moves, a few basics, sometimes weights or perhaps focus in one kata, but what can you do in 30 minutes? Not a lot really. The point is my emphasis is still on quantity when it is the quality of moves not quantity that counts. So I'm stuck. Granted, I know a lot of things I didn't know a year ago, I'm much fitter, I can do things I never could and I've seen all the Bruce Lee movies but, I have no technique and I won't progress without it. There is only one way forward - hard work outside the Dojo.

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