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.

The art of war.

1. Allow plenty of time to get dressed and be ready. If you get dressed at the dojo, make sure that you arrive with plenty of time so that you're dressed and ready for when the lesson begins. Being on time doesn't mean you're in the door when the lesson starts; it means you're out there on the floor, dressed, and properly suited up.
2. Be mindful of your superiors. You might be the boss down at the office, but when you enter the dojo, you enter a different kind of ranking system. Be mindful of the people who outrank you (you'll be able to see simply by the color of their belts). This doesn't mean you have to submit to their every whim, but it does mean you should show respect and common courtesy.
3. Keep your uniform clean. Have you ever seen a dirty uniform in a martial arts class? If not, then you don't want the first to be yours. Make sure that your uniform is clean for every martial arts lesson. It may require that you adhere to specific cleaning instructions, but once you get the hang of these washing instructions, you won't even have to think about it anymore.
4. Trim your fingernails. Believe it or not, this can actually become a pressing issue, especially if you've ever been cut by a sparring partner's fingernails. Keep your fingernails trimmed and clean. Cutting your nails can seem mundane, but if you're doing it because you take martial arts classes, you'll probably feel better about it.
5. Posture. You'll notice that many martial arts instructors have great posture. Make sure to remain mindful of your own posture - don't slouch or slump back. Stand up straight and show that you're paying attention. Posture is something that can effect the quality of your life outside of the martial arts world, so use this as an excuse to begin fixing it.

Photo Credits: BinaryApe

Originally posted 2009-08-10 03:57:02.

Class

Learn how to provide something for nothing. The old saying tells us that there's no such thing as something for nothing, but if you want to spread word-of-mouth about your martial arts class, you'll have to suspend your disbelief. Why? You can't expect someone to up and register to your class simply because you believe it will help them. You have to actively demonstrate that you have real value to share. The best way to do that? Provide a free sample!

A free martial arts demonstration utilizes the same principle as the sample lady at your local grocery store: giving out something for free attract peoples' attention; once you have them reeled in, you want to tell them why they should pay you for more. This is a great way to get your foot in the door and if you're just starting out as a martial arts instructor, it's probably a necessity. Never underestimate the value you can get out of doing work for free!

Develop a full program. If you embrace the principle above but fail to deliver on the content once your students sign up to your class, you'll quickly find yourself in need of more marketing. Instead of waiting around for people to become great students themselves, make your program as good as you can make it. Make it comprehensive, challenging, but also common sense. Then, take this program and give out as much information on it as possible.

This, again, represents the "something-for-nothing" principle listed earlier on: if you can give away as much information as possible, and your information is high-quality, then people will want more, and they'll want personal instruction. Give away everything but the meat itself, and people will be more interested in your class than you might have thought. Then make sure that you class delivers on its promises so that students spread the word.

Photo Credits: Listen Missy!

Originally posted 2010-01-19 03:33:33.

Defend yourself!

One of the first things to understand about self-defense are an opponent's weak points and vulnerabilities. Someone without martial arts training will likely be very susceptible to a quick counter-defense that they did not anticipate. For example, while many inexperienced people might try to fight and grab with hands, you can gain an advantage over your opponent by grabbing their rest, rendering their hand essentially useless. You can then use this wrist to pull them in and get them out of attacking position.

If someone comes at you with a hand coming forward, you can use your opposing hand to grab their wrist and pull them off-balance. For example, if someone pushes at you with a right hand coming forward, use your right hand to pull their wrist and subsequently the rest of their upper body. You can stay in attacking/defending position, but they'll be off-balance. This is the time to strike.

Keeping your opponent off-balance is one of the keys to defending an attack. You don't necessarily want to fight back, you simply want to get them to stop using an attack position. If their upper body is facing you, they have the potential to strike at you. Either get distance between the grabber, or use the aforementioned wrist-grab technique to get them off balance.

It's important that you learn to make these moves with confidence and strength. You can't "guide" your opponent's wrist to where you want to go. You've got to move it there yourself. That means being physically assertive. This is one of the things you'll learn in martial arts classes, and it's part of the reason you break wooden boards.

Mentally intimidating your opponent is a great advantage of being so assertive. If they see that you are self-confident and that you mean it when you grab them, they might think twice about the attack. Be sure to keep that in mind, and build up an "assertive vibe" so that people don't invade your personal space.

Photo Credits: dangoodwin

Originally posted 2009-08-11 03:01:27.

Self-disipline is the name of the game.

Tip #1: Learn the principle of "doing it anyway."

If self-discipline was easy, it wouldn't be self-discipline. At some point in your life, you're going to have to embrace some sort of level of hardship in order to work toward your goals and maintain a healthy, consistent lifestyle. Many people put off discipline because they can "do it tomorrow," but what's so different about tomorrow that will make it easier than today? In reality, that's just procrastination. You have to start feeling the discomfort of discipline and "do it anyway." You don't want to do thirty push-ups today? Too bad. Do it. You'll feel better afterward.

Tip #2: Organize.

Discipline is easier when you're organized and know exactly what you have to do on a daily basis. If you've had trouble showing up on time to your martial arts classes, buy a calendar and start organizing your schedule. Try to get most of your work done at the beginning of the day so you can relax later. The earlier you accomplish your daily goals, the less you'll have to procrastinate.

Make a list of daily habits that you can maintain, and accomplish them in the same order every day. When they're easy to remember, they're easier to maintain.

Tip #3: Give yourself a goal.

Discipline often has its own intrinsic rewards, but you can bring more motivation to the table if your discipline is working toward a definable goal. For example, let's say your goal is to attain the green belt in your chosen martial art. That will give you incentive to show up five minutes early to each class.

You have to realize that discipline is something no one else can do for you. You have to accept that growth requires challenging yourself.

Photo Credits: Ed-meister

Originally posted 2009-08-24 03:12:04.