When new, students tell us about their goals, what comes up most is ‘I want to get my next belt’ , “I want to get back in shape so that I can look good” or ‘I want to do a high kick”, “I want to be able to do a flying arm bar”.
While worthy goals, they are also somewhat hollow victories and another example of confusing symbols with meaning. Because the objective of their training is still a certain look, or wow factor these should not be your only or yor main goals. In fact, if we think about this most of our goals are centered around things that are tiny fractions of the great picture.
Because you are truly training combat sports, wherein you must put up or shut-up and results aren’t based on biceps size and there is no merit in the look of a kick or a move if it can’t be backed up.
Your goal is to go far beyond a superficial need and develop “purposeful training”. That means training performed to specifically improve your true purpose as a martial artist.
As a martial artist your goals can be vast and diverse but they should always circle back to the following:
- Self Awareness
- Self Defense
- Martial Ability
- Health
- Longevity
- Mental Toughness
- Mental Sharpness
- Continue to gain movement and strength
- Self Control
- Inner Calm and Peace
But do not worry, the movements and training which improve performance and teach martial arts have a positive effect on aesthetics. The “look” of genuine martial artist is lean and agile and fluid and functional and confident. And if you follow the path you will succeed in this way too.
It is after all important to keep everything in perspective. Ask yourself- what is important to me? Why am I really doing this? What would make me happy? What would make me a better person for myself and my loved ones?
Those are the questions that will help you identify your martial goals – no matter your age, size, gender or background.
At AMAA we have seen thousands of people walk through our doors- all go whom had different hopes and goals, but all of whom benefited from training in more ways then they had ever thought possible.
In the ned you have to have faith in yourself and your arts. The first thing we ask you here at the Academy is to trust yourself, trust us and trust the arts and your training partners- if you do that everything will come- thats a guarantee. However, nothing will come without trust!
