How to Stay Motivated When Self Training

Let's face it self training in any discipline is difficult. Distractions and doubts, injury and illness, plateaus and personality all come into the mix of success or failure.  My self motivation was exercise and self discovery through something familiar, yet from the distant past.  It evolved soon enough to become a passion rediscovered.  Invigorated in spirit by its depth and breadth in martial arts study I began digging into understanding the reality behind each movement.  The wealth of quality teaching is found on Youtube with a bit of trial and error.  Once good pages are discovered they are favorited and often visited.  John Burke, OneMinuteBunkai, ShotokanSensei, Iaian Abernethy, KarateByJesse, Andre Bertel, any H. Kanazawa, T. Asai, or old Shotokan masters found on Youtube are such blessing to watch.

For me motivation is found on multiple fronts: one is performing the kata in such a way the masters of old would approve.  Two is understanding the kata in real world context: at least a couple of real world applications per series of techniques.  Three is the health benefits -  powering through a 20 to 45 second kata with full power and intent is very physically taxing.  It's a full body attack sequence lasting long enough to end an accost with no other alternative. Think of it, the typical attack is over in a few seconds: distraction and attack almost simultaneously then quick retreat - hopefully without knives or guns involved.  Kata teaches one to attack intensely for a period of time sufficient to end the altercation and initiate retreat.

The other method I employ to keep the motivation is structured training.  I have a set number of kata I know.  Currently the number is eighteen: Heian 1:5, Tekki 1:3, Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Jion, Enpi, Wankan, Hangetsu, Gojushiho, Sochin, Meikyo, Nijushiho.  These kata are a complete system of fighting with numerous applications of disabling and killing techniques.  Remember, each technique combination has multiple levels of meaning.

I systematically work through all the above kata in different numerical phases throughout the year. Spring is the reintroduction outdoors of the kata so all are done in low repetition, five typically, cycled through over the course of a month.  In the summer I work on getting creative - more heavy bag used for distance and timing rather than impact is practiced. Kata is outdoors and cycled through at varying intensities to feel the interaction of the entire body as one cohesive unit in attack mode: very terminator! Fall is now the time to learn new kata: this September it's been Nijushiho, which is considered an advanced black belt kata in Shotokan karate.  I believe it is fast becoming my number one kata due to its fluidity, beauty and intensive attack sequences.

Winter, well winter is interesting.  This is when my garage door is often closed - often it is opened too, even on the coldest days.  This is the time I work on the higher level interpretations of the kata, again in a cyclical methodology.  Where breaks, twists, cranks, throws, take downs, etc... are practiced. This is the heart of karate jutsu!

Well that's it for now...