TIME and TRAINING - Thoughts on Living Martial Arts

I had to look up a hashtag this morning while I reviewed my FB feed. #METTA.

It means something like, wishing others well; goodwill; loving kindness. I am sure others have their own twist on what it means. It’s hard to go wrong with “goodwill toward” all living beings, even though that sounds like a Christmas card.

Exercising compassion toward yourself and others is part of the Code of Bushido. It is part of living your practice. I’ve been trying to exercise it every time I hear, “I don’t have time for training outside of class,” or “class should have more endurance training and basics because I don’t have time for that outside of the dojo,” or, “I’m not sweating enough in class.” The subtext here is: that’s what I’m paying you for. Endurance training that makes me sweat and repetition of basics because I’m not practicing off the dojo floor. 

Fair enough.

Basics are incredibly important. Repetition is how we learn. Hojoundo (Kobudo basics) and kihons (empty hand basics) are done at the beginning of every class. I’ve done entire classes on foot placement and body dynamics that kihons, hojoundo and kicking drills are supposed to be teaching each student. After being taught how to move, it is up to the student to actually move that way over and over again. And then to bring their own intention and power into it.

Every blackbelt I have sweats and is winded after hojoundo and kihons. Why? Because they are putting all their effort into each movement. They know the fundamentals, and they practice them. Often. Repeatedly. And with as much kinetic energy as possible. This is training. It takes diligent effort over time.

When you tell your instructors that you don’t have time to train outside the dojo what you are saying is: I will not make time for training outside of class.

Unless you are an indentured servant or a sweatshop worker, you have control over a portion of your time. You choose to read, or watch a movie, or walk, or ride your bike, or play video games, or garden (like I do), every week. You have ten minutes a day to do kata, kicks, and kihons.

Morning Routine, my times:

Naihanchi Shodan moderate speed bow to bow: 31 seconds

5 Mae Geris each leg, full speed: 12 seconds

Kihons 1-3 moderate speed: 27 seconds

Kihon Yodan & Godan moderate speed: 53 seconds

Pasai Sho bow to bow: 53 seconds

This is less than 3 minutes. 2 minutes and 56 seconds to be exact. Imagine the work you could get done in the remaining 7 minutes if you trained 10 minutes a morning. Don’t tell me you don’t have 10 minutes a day to invest in yourself and your training. If you believe that, then your potential for growth has been artificially limited by your belief system.

Every student must take responsibility for their own training and growth at some point. If you aren’t sweating in class while the black belt next to you is dripping, that isn’t on the class structure; that’s on you.

Let’s get back to METTA. Be compassionate toward yourself first. You see progress where you put your attention and your time. Make time to train. I’ve just shown you how very little of it can reap substantial rewards. You’ve got the time. You decide how to use it.

Sensei