Sad Realization - My basics suck

Because of work and school for a Master's program over the last two years I have not been able to devote enough time to the basics (also a little laziness thrown in). Stance training, repetition training (constantly refining a technique or skill such as blocking and trapping or developing the 'snap' necessary to throw) for several minutes have stagnated (and even regressed). With so many videos on Youtube that I catch of refined kung fu skills and realizing my limitations, I need to devote more time to 'the basics.' For the last two weeks, I have been able to practice stance training outside of class four times each week. I have to start out in short increments (1 min. each - per side where it pertains). This week I also began my repetition training - shadow boxing with a towel held between both hands in order to develop 'snap' for throws, joint locks, etc. There is still more that I need to add in to regain previous levels but I am trying. Does anyone else run into this issue when they begin learning advanced techniques?

after two years, they should suck. basics are your bread and butter man, train them if nothing else. Personally, I'd rather have spent those 2 years training basics than advanced techniques, but as you were in a classroom setting, I can see how that would be limited - unless you trained in the beginner's classes or spent some time either before or after class training.

Regardless, it'll come back to you as long as you train hard and stay consistent.

It isn't that we do not perform any basics in class but it was the lack of repetition outside of class that caused things to suffer. The problem is that I went from 4-5 classes a week when I began years ago to 1-2 classes a week now (we rent time at an aikido school and the scheduling is limited). When I was younger and had more time as well as classes to go to, there was plenty of time to train the basics without even thinking about it.

train now, you'll get it back. It sucks, but what can you do. It'll be sooner than you think.

Also, people dont always like to hear this but: Training is a choice, its a choice to allocate your time in your life however you do. Take some time, assess your goals and then compare them to what you can actually, realistically do for the next couple of years at least. Do you want to fight, do you want to just keep in shape, are you working on bodymechanics, or do you want to remember some forms for later? All of these will take different approaches, and realistically the only person that is going to have enough time to polish most things is a person that trains as their living or makes 4-5 hours a day to do just that.

Once you do this part, the hard stuff is out of the way. You can just focus in on what you want and work towards it. As long as you make progress you are continuing forward :)

Hey Sishung (spelling?)

Glad to hear you've decided to get your determination and focus again....now...reaching me can be tough because i stay busy, but lemme know if you want to get together and train sometime outside of class...pm me if your interested and maybe sometime our schedules will coincide. We may even grab matt up, i got his number, lemme know

On the path to master anything you must always remember that no matter what, things come full and can only exist in circles. while learning new things realize that they will always lead back to thier beginings.

when one puchases lures, expensive exotic poles, boats, depth finders, fish finders and various other things to master fishing, he must still understand the basics on how to hook the fish. Without this knowledge everthing else is useless, and to be honest quite uneccesary.

When we try to learn to many things sometimes we lose sight of the simple. without a good block, a counter attack cannot be applied, without a counter a joint lock cannot be applied. without a joint lock a throw cannot be applied etc etc.

You can have 20 years of knowledge and know 20 forms but when it comes down to it and you need to defend your life you need only one block and one punch, this is true skill, this is mastery. everything else you learn is just for fun...