Discipline: mental and actual.

To do this, start out with a blank piece of paper and a pencil. Ask yourself some of the ways you can incorporate mental discipline in your life, starting with the martial arts classes.

One idea may be that you always attend classes on time, and use this new standard of punctuality in every area of your life, always arriving to work on time.

Another idea may be that you come up with a new routine, point-by-point, that you can use every single time you go to the martial arts class. Routines can be great for self-discipline, as they take the mental guesswork out of your menial tasks and make them more automatic.

The more you think about self-discipline, the more you'll recognize the different areas in life you can change around through some simple course corrections. For example, because you need to be in shape for martial arts classes, you now have an excuse to eat healthier and work out more frequently. You'll also have an excuse to keep your nails trim, so that you don't accidentally cut a sparring partner. And you might notice that the sparring helmet is more comfortable if you're trimmed and clean.

Soon, you'll probably come to see that the way you act and take care of yourself is a reflection of your self-esteem. After all, if you believe in yourself, doesn't it make sense to always have a clean martial arts uniform? If you want to be a top student, doesn't it make sense that you'll always show up on time - even early?

Self-discipline comes from within, but the martial arts class can make a great reinforcement of your new routines. Don't be afraid to ask your instructor for self-discipline tips, as well as any "extra credit" you might be able to do outside of class.

Photo Credits: parhessiastes

Originally posted 2009-08-18 03:04:07.

Make Martial Arts your Hobby.

Martial arts definitely fit the mold of this type of hobby, but simply saying that you take up "martial arts" doesn't tell you enough. So let's take a look at the different aspects of martial arts, in addition to the different styles and disciplines the martial arts contain, and we'll see if martial arts is the ideal hobby for you.

Getting out of the house - for some people, having an excuse simply to break up the monotony of the Wednesday blues is a good enough reason to take a once-a-week martial arts class. Whether you're taking kickboxing, karate, or mixed martial arts lesson, getting out of the house and meeting other like-minded, active people is a great way to add some flavor to your week. For other people, taking up martial arts is not reason enough to go out of your way, which is why you'll want to find a discipline that actually appeals to you.

Getting in shape - if you're a little more intense about the kind of experience you want to have, and even want to lose weight and tone up, then more martial arts lessons should be on the menu. Involved sports like boxing can be quite the workout and will work muscles you didn't know you had. The best part? The more often you engage in your hobby and solidify your skills, the better in shape you'll be. What you get out of it is what you'll put into it, so if you want to get out of the house and get in shape, martial arts is a great way to do it.

Plus, when you have that "martial arts" body, you'll be glad to tell them all about your fun hobby when you're on a first date.

Adding discipline to your life - if nothing else, martial arts help you to have discipline in your life. It's easy to get out the XBox and load up a game of Madden NFL, but if you really want to have discipline with your hobbies, it helps to go somewhere, meet someone who will teach you the new discipline, and do these things on a regular basis. Does martial arts fit the bill?

What do you think?

Photo Credits: UNC - CFC - USFK

Originally posted 2009-11-24 03:08:03.

Martial Arts Conditioning.

First, you can't be a zealot for one type of work out when you're conditioning for martial arts. Running in on the treadmill will definitely build leg endurance, but if that's all you're doing, you'll be in for a rude awakening. Conditioning for sparring means making sure that all of your body parts and limbs have enough muscle and enough power to last throughout the match, and ultimately wear down your opponent. This means you can't train with just one exercise. You have to mix it up.

If you watched many of today's mixed martial artists train, you'll notice they incorporate a wide range of gut-wrenching exercises aimed at improving every possible muscle on their body. You don't have time to train for five hours a day, however, so let's ask a specific question: what parts of your body can use the most attention?

Start with your legs and make your way up. Training the legs can include everything from swimming and running to squats and leg presses. Moving up the body, you can exercise your core through a rigorous swimming program, and improve your pectoral muscles through bench presses. Your arms can also respond very favorably to weight and resistance training.

It isn't only about the stamina you build up, but the explosiveness. You should be able to exert yourself for furious spurts of intensity and then come back down without making yourself dizzy or light-headed. In order to train for this, you'll often have to do it so that your body becomes used to the demands you place on it. For more help, be sure to consult a fitness expert or personal trainer, and let them know what kind of goals you have. Many trainers offer free consultations, so make sure to take full use of their advice of you're short on money.

Conditioning yourself for martial arts sparring is different than training for a race or a marathon. Be sure your exercises reflect that difference.

Photo credits: thivierr

Originally posted 2009-08-13 03:07:56.