New Year's Resolutions for Martial Arts Students

Happy New Year's, everyone!

Now, with the New Year almost here, you might not have a Martial Artist's New Year's Resolution ready- I have some suggestions for you!

I (your name here), resolve to...

__Train Harder

Yes, you can overtrain, but most of us tend to go the other way. Remember, when you're not training, your competition is.

__Spar More Often

Sparring is perhaps the ultimate total body workout. It requires the use of mind, body, and spirit at all times. It is a high energy cardio workout that builds incredible endurance. At the same time, it is a mental "chess" game that forces you to improvise, to think under pressure, and to keep your emotions under control. Combine the cardio benefits of sparring with the mental discipline involved, and you have the perfect stress reliever!

__Get My Next Belt

create a list of smaller, more achievable steps to reach your next belt rank. Your list should include deadlines to help you complete each task on schedule. Once each step is complete, mark it off your list.

__Achieve Perfect Attendance

Your class attendance can greatly influence the benefit you get from your studies. Mark your calendar with the dates and times of your classes for the year. This will not only help remind you of classes, but ensure that you don't schedule other events during your study time. Mark your calendar with a star to record each day that you attend classes to track your progress.

__Compete in a Martial Arts Tournament

If you have never competed in a martial arts tournament, make it your resolution this New Year's. For students who have competed before, set a goal to attend a certain number of events throughout the year. Once you have selected the events that you want to attend, immediately fill out your tournament entry form and prepay the registration fee. This is a strategy that works well for me since I am less likely to skip out on an event that I have already prepaid.

__Be Less Afraid of Contact

Very few people actually like to get hit. It is our natural instinct to avoid an attack by another person. For some of people, however, the fear of being hit overwhelms them to the point that they cannot react. You can do some behavioral exercises, start with someone you trust and who has good control (a blackbelt preferably), and let them intentionally make contact. Tell yourself "that wasn't bad" and immediately forget about it. When you tell yourself something often, the sub-conscious mind starts listening and believing it.

__Understand That I am Not a Shaolin Monk/Samurai/Ninja

Just be yourself and do your best. But always do your best.

__Get in Shape

Just Do It!

__Be Less of a Jerk to My Sparring Partners

Self control and respect for others.

__Be More Open-Minded

Have you ever been asked to do something in class and your first thought was "no way"? Like I said earlier: "When you tell yourself something often, the sub-conscious mind starts listening and believing it." Convince yourself you can do something, and the doing is that much easier.

__Make Martial Arts an Outlet for My Frustrations, Not a Source

Happy New Year's, and here's to hoping that you keep your resolutions!