Keeping the Faith

[KC Elbows]

I'm sure this has happened to everyone. You go through a phase where you feel your martial ability sucks, your form sucks, everyone is better, etc. I'm not in that frame of mind now, so don't feel like you have to cheer me up or anything. However, here are some of the things I do to counter those feelings:

-Watch a movie that inspires the warrior spirit in me(be it CTHD, The One, Once Upon a time in China, Braveheart, The Three Musketeers(I love the Michael York ones), Conspiracy Theory, Ghost Dog, whatever)

-Meditate

-Practice something I really enjoy(I like drilling footwork)

-Reorganize how I train at home/come up with a new workout.

-Talk to my teacher about what I need the most work on.

and, again

-Practice.

What do you all do?

I have to agree with you that watching an inspiring movie and drilling footwork are some of the things that get me back into it.

I also find that practicing weapons for extended time periods boost my interest, being that I like to concentrate on empty hand forms most of the time.

Peace ,
Shaolin36

[Colin]

Too right!
Stick on a good video something like "Kick boxer" then go out into your garden and kick the h3ll out of a tree!
Works for me.

Seriously though, having been practicing CMA for many years, I know how easy it is to have these periods of apathy.
But usually all it takes is a good film, or maybe phone a kung fu friend and chat the stuff for a while.

regards
Colin..............

[guohuen]

My wife was watching an episode of bay watch while I was in horse stance last night that had kickboxing. It was so bad I had a hard time concentrating for laughing. I think I did put a little more into it out of fear I would ever look that ridiculase.

[rubthebuddha]

agreed, especially on the new workout idea. if you're stagnant in your training, you definitely have to mix it up. hopefully, your training varies enough so it doesn't get old on you.

even working the same technique over and over again can be mixed up -- just find a way to train the same technique in a different way.

good call, guys.

[neptunesfall]

or even trying said technique at different speeds can work

[Robinf]

A good movie usually works well for me, too.

Practicing something that I enjoy.

Setting ONE new goal (not to "improve" but to improve one thing) and go about achieving it. I find that I get in that mood because my goal is unfocused and I'm looking at way too many things so my view gets fogged over.

And, changing my training a bit. This year I threw in weight training and I've actually found a new career for myself--personal trainer (I'm studying hard).

Robin

[joedoe]

Believe it or not, coming here to KFO often makes me want to train harder. When I read other members' training routines and stuff, I feel like a lazy slob and get motivated to train a little harder.

[respectmankind]

I disagree, I never have those, I imagine it is only because I am superior to everyone I have ever walked by in my life. Not sure though... maybe because I didn't even have to walk by someone to know I was already better than them.

[respectmankind]

Incase anyone wants to name me a troll, no I didn't mean that (entirely) and infact I do feel like that. I usualy do the movie thing, or just do the psyche up training bit.

[DelicateSound]

You remember that post on here about 2 months ago. The 2 french cyclists. I saved it to my hard-drive.

Everytime I feel like lapsing I watch it and think:

"Do I want to fight like that?!! In spandex?!!"

[Silumkid]

Seems like the consensus is watching great movies. Personally, I love watching Wheels on Meals (that Jackie/Benny fight rules!), Once Upon a Time in China (1 and 2 mostly but I dig the whole series), Fearless Hyena....I could go on but I might forget one and feel bad about it. :D

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

whenever i feel like that i beat up a retard. nothing motivates you to train like smashing the mentally challenged. except for when they win. getting beat up by a retard makes you want to train harder too.

[red_fists]

Hi.

Whenever I feel like that I call up a fellow student and get him/her to train with me at the park.

It hasn't happened a lot since some of us started getting together and doing workouts on the Weekend.
Since we got a few at lower levels it keeps the training interesting trying to explain things to them.

Luckily in my Neighbourhood we got a lot of MA People that get together and exchange ideas.

Sunday afternoons we got the "Tui Shou Circle" meeting where many different stylists partaking.

Or I simple go and watch some other Groups exercise in the Park. One of those Groups is awesome in their execution of the internal styles.
Maybe in 10~15 Years I will nearly as good.

I focus not on basking on the good days, but improving the bad days.

All my life, I've staked out my worst days as my "true ability" and have strived hard to make my worst days not so terrible.

I don't compare, because everybody is too different from me. Besides, I've had enough success in many other fields that I know that I will eventually become successful in kung fu - if not already.

There will come a point where my worst days are really no different from my best days. I've reached that point in classical violin after 20+ years of training, and I feel it coming soon in kung fu as well.

[Ryu]

Yeah I watch movies, but not many really motivate me. There's maybe a couple..

What I really do is listen to music, and kind of visualize myself, what I'm doing, where I'm going, etc.
Sometimes I meditate too
Sometimes I take a look at other martial artists, etc.

Ryu

[jon]

Well im glad everyone else is totaly sane...
I personaly will...
1 Hit things that are way harder than my fists:(
2 Attempt to pick fights with neighbours pets.
3 Go down to the supermarket and smack OTHER peoples children for being naughty.
4 Stop in my car and ask someone for directions, then just before they tell me... drive off.
5 Go though toll booths and tell them the guy behind me is paying.
6 Go down to Mcdonalds, pretend to be phycotic and at the top of my voice annonce 'HEY IM NOT HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE, I WANNA SEE RONALD, WHERE THE HELL IS THAT CLOWN!! This sometimes even gets me free food.
7 Respond to a post by Ralek.
8 Ask in door knocking religous types for a quick cup of ox blood and group sex.
9 Stare at the person sitting next to me and drool when im on public transport.
10 Go singing Christmas carols, out of season, by myself, in other peoples front yards, half naked, with a bottle of tequila... and my court case comes up next week!

Thats pretty much how i cope with my 'off' days:D
Then again im not really a 'model' citizen:rolleyes:

[Tae Li]

Nothin works etter than Rocky IV and then training to the whole sound track again. Brilliant stuff man.;)

Tae Li

[Tae Li]

Hey Jon! I just read what you wrote....have you been spyig on me??????

[jon]

wOOt!
:confused:

[Tae Li]

isnt my humour working today? I meant, all the stuff that you wrote about 'keepng the faith' is stuff that I would consider doing.... so therefore have you been spying on me??? get it? no?

doesnt matter, it wasnt that funny anyways. Darn,ive lost my sense of humour.:(

[jon]

ahh ehehe no thats cool i think im just a bit behind the times tonight.
To much circular breathing for one day me thinks;)
I know what your thinking and NO i mean real circular breathing...

Now if you ever wanna come singing Christmas carols:rolleyes:

[Tae Li]

lol:) yep, il letyou know.....

[dezhen2001]

sometimes i seem to have more off days than on days! :D

Actually it's hard to keep motivated training wise when i only get to see my Sifu every month or 2 months. Also i don't have anyone to chi sau with at Uni :( it makes me feel so rusty!

now though i am training in qigong and gong fu a lot. For a while i went through phases of training a lot - for maybe 3 months, then not really training at all (if i have a lot of study to do for example). But really what motivates me, is the difference i feel when i am training a lot, and when i am not. Also of course watching my Sifu or Sigong doing something - just Amazing!

When i'm not training, my mind seems more clouded, slower and stressed out. I find it hard to get out of my bed (from all the studying :p) and generally sometimes feel like i am just working on auto-pilot. Also my room gets messed up (just like inside my head), and i feel more unhealthy.

When i start training a lot, it's totally the oppposite. My mind is much clearer and focussed, and just like my room it is organised. I don't get so stressed as i can organise my time much better, and still have time to chill out. I really feel so much more healthy and alive!

Has anyone else experienced this?

Failing that, i also watch a lot of movies: jackie chan, Li lian jie (i am also a fan tae li:)), whatever really. Also lots of my friends also train, so we 'compare' a lot of techniques and things. It keeps life interesting.

If i have any problems that get me worked up, angry or stressed, i usually take it out on a punchbag, someone (as in sparring) or something (sometimes things that are harder than me also jon!). It's a good way or releasing all that pent up energy i think......

david

[guohuen]

Jon we need to talk about replacement value on my keyboard! Or how to clean the coffee out of it! Your perverted, twisted and sick! And I like that in a person!!!
I have new motivation after yesterday morning that is much better than fear of hasselhoffdom. The radio station played "I have a Dream" by The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King and I was renewed and recharged!
Yeah Dezhen. I just wish I could remember the difference more often.

[Ray Pina]

I never get down when comparing myself to others, only when thinking about where I could/should be -- I'm never satisfied.

My seniors should be better then me, if they aren't, then there is either a problem with the instruction, or they just put no time into their training and are senior only in terms of time, and not ability.

When I feel like I am not advancing, I play with the material more, really try to get inside it, see where the problem lies: is it in structure (weight distribution), Shape (am I too extended) or execution (using the right muscles). There is also the x-factor, fighting ability. But I am not scared to take a few shots, so with me, its more a matter of always upgrading, and I get ****ed sometimes when I see that I am not advancing as much as I want to be.

In the end, I realize this is a lifetime pursuit and that sometimes one gets stuck on a level -- but boy does it feel good when you "get it" and move in.

[Tigerstyle]

LOL, guohuen! I think I saw that episode. It goes something like: Hasslehoff is a former kickboxing champion :confused: , and a rival of his holds someone hostage and forces a rematch, right?

Man, the only full episode of Baywatch that I ever saw and I was watching it for the wrong reasons :o .


I agree with Ryu. I get more motivation from music than movies. I feel like I can hold that horse stance a little longer when I hear the theme from Conan the Barbarian :) .

[DelicateSound]

I have to train, cause I want all the benefits. And if I miss one day, then that's one day I'll never get back. One less day to improve within.

Maybe I'm just a perfectionist. I'm off to play some mean guitar.

Also, I think about what its like not doing weights. My arms kind of itch, in a way that says, "exercise me". Anyone else get that weird feeling, that makes you tense up?