"If one trains diligently every day, then in three or four years one will come to understand karate."

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on FEB 23, 2023

"If one trains diligently every day, then in three or four years one will come to understand karate."

 

Losing interest in your martial arts training will happen to everyone at some point, and of course there are various reasons why this can happen.

I have seen this so many times. How often have you heard; “I used to do karate”? The decision to stop is made in a second, and the sad thing is that all the hard work you have put in for years, is undone in an instant.

So you decide to skip Karate, just one time, or maybe a week or two. No problem, right?….. WRONG.

You see, although you don’t know it yet, you’ve just started a habit. A destructive habit. Because, gradually you may find yourself coming up with more and more excuses for skipping your training.

The martial arts are just a hobby for many people. Those of us who have managed to stick with it and have been doing it for a long time, we like to say that it’s “a way of life”, and a philosophy for living by, but unfortunately, it’s not true for the vast majority of people.

So many people lack commitment today. Few people truly actually care about things, and don’t create the habits to be truly committed.

There is no secret to staying motivated in any form of training. You have to regard your training as a lifestyle

One of the biggest lessons I have learned from the martial arts, is that life’s greatest battles are fought within. 

You have to have passion, and then turn that passion into a HABIT. A hobby is something you do when you have the time. A PASSION is something you want to do even when it’s difficult. Habit comes naturally when you’re training in something you’re passionate about.

Make time for it. Prioritize training as a way of life – as important as family, friends and career. If you are bogged down by responsibilities, commitments and problems, find solutions and don’t make excuses.

I know it can sound like a cliché, but your mindset really is everything. How you think about things affects how you feel and what you do. Simply put, mindset is everything. It determines what you do, the choices you make, and ultimately your life.

Your mindset is the foundation for all your actions – it determines how you handle challenges and whether you persevere in the face of obstacles.

You need to train when you don’t feel like it, remember that your martial arts journey is in your hands - it is up to you how far you want to take it. You know what you need to do in order to get there. Showing up to training is a start, but what you actually do in and outside of the dojo will make all the difference. 

Training should be part of who you are. See yourself as a martial artist, not a hobbyist. That is how I fundamentally see myself. It's an inherent part of who I am and thus I act in accordance with it. 

Do it in every instance until it becomes habit. This is the martial mindset. 

“Karate cannot be quickly learned. Like a slow moving bull, it eventually travels a thousand miles. If one trains diligently every day, then in three or four years one will come to understand karate. Those who train in this fashion will discover karate.” – Anko Itosu, October 1908