The Importance of Focus & Ways to Improve It for the Martial Arts (or Anything!)
Focus is an important skill to have, in the martial arts and in general life. When we are working on a particular task, having the ability to focus completely on it makes the difference between getting the job done efficiently or having it drag on as you wonder where the heck all the time has gone.
Many people take up a martial art for the mental benefits the training can bring, including focus. Part of the reason it develops focus is that one’s development as a martial artist is very much connected to how well people are able to focus on their training. This development comes naturally for many, and they reap the benefits it brings, including quicker progress and greater retention of what they are exposed to in class. (more…)
Why Sometimes Training Blind is Better in the Martial Arts
A few weeks ago, I was training a student to apply arm locks with a slightly different approach than he was used to. Having trained over 8 years in an another style of Jiu-jitsu before moving to Vancouver and training at our dojo, he has already developed a good “lock sense”, so showing him this different approach that is really efficient in terms of energy, but harder to apply, requiring greater fine motor control, was something I knew he would be able to handle.
For certain locks, it was easy enough for him, but there was one particular lock that he had trouble using this approach on. Over and over, he tried the entry and was struggling to get it. Then I had an idea. (more…)
Advice for Female Martial Artists Training in Male-Dominated Styles
In my last blog post, How to Run a Female-Friendly Martial Arts School, I offered advice to martial arts instructors on retaining women who are truly attracted to the martial arts with the goal of alleviating some of the frustrations losing female students they see as having long-term promise. There is something to be said about the woman’s role in all this though, particularly when training in a martial arts school or style that is dominated by men. There are some inherent awkwardnesses for both men and women that can occur, but the woman can do a number of things to help make the training atmosphere better themselves and the men they train with. Here are a few ways how.
The Making of ‘When the Fight Goes to the Ground’
Since high school, one of my life goals has been to become a published author. I recently completed that goal when my new ground defense book/DVD, When the Fight Goes to the Ground, was published by Tuttle Publishing, a well-known international martial arts publisher that’s been in the business since 1948. (more…)
The Snowball Effect: Changing Your Life with One Small Step
Last year, I made one small change in my life. I took up running. Well actually, what I started with couldn’t even really be called “running”, more like walking/running. I decided I wanted to give running a try for cardio as well as weight loss to slim down a bit to match an actress for stunt doubling work. I realized, however, that I needed to build up my body’s tolerance to pounding the pavement, so I started with walking with a bit of running, following the slow ramp-up process I described in my post, Running Workouts for Martial Arts Practitioners. (more…)
The Value of Visualization in Martial Arts Training
“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
“Practice, practice, practice.”
This is a classic joke that points to the need for practice to achieve mastery. But is pure physical practice the most efficient and effective way to improve in the martial arts? Studies on the use of visualization as a part of physical skills training suggests that simply practicing may not necessarily be the most efficient way to “get to Carnegie Hall”.
A study made by Research Quarterly took a close look at the effects of mental practice on improving skill in sinking basketball free throws (as written about in Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s book, New Psycho-Cybernetics
Squeeze Your Martial Arts Stress Ball
Training in a martial art can bring a lot of good to a person’s life, from physical benefits like improved coordination, balance, agility, endurance, strength, etc. to mental benefits such as increased confidence, discipline, personal awareness, mental clarity and focus. Today I’d like to look at a training benefits that is both good for the body and mind; the reduction of stress.
There is a lot of talk in the media of modern western society about how stress levels have been going up over the years. It’s widely recognized that these stress has adverse affects on our health, leading to or exacerbating physical conditions, including heart disease, obesity, headaches, backaches, gastro-intestinal problems, etc, as well as mental conditions, including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, addiction, etc. (more…)
How to Mentally Focus in Martial Arts Training
While everyone loves to think that getting into the mindset to train is as simple as entering the dojo, the fact is we live busy lives. We’re constantly thinking of this or that, trying to juggle school, work, kids, relationships, etc. Our minds are a jumble of thoughts and emotions, and training without mental focus is likely going to get you punched in the head. So here is a list of steps you can take to help clear your mind:
3 Methods for Learning Martial Arts Techniques More Efficiently
“Practice makes perfect”, or so we were led to believe when we were growing up. “If you do something 10,000 times, you’ll be a master,” is another similar saying. But this isn’t the whole story. That’s why my Sensei always said, “Practice does NOT make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. Practice makes permanent.” In other words, if you practice a thing 10,000 times wrongly you’ll have only mastered doing that thing wrong, sealing the incorrect method into your muscle memory.
This is why it’s important to train your body to do a physical skill like a martial arts technique correctly as quickly as possible so that all your practice serves to reinforce that method, rather than reinforcing a method that is incorrect or inefficient, even if it feels more natural to you. There are methods of correcting technique to get yourself on track more quickly an efficiently, three of which I will outline in this article. (more…)
Black Belt Is When the Real Learning Begins: Putting the Saying into Practice
So many students of the martial arts make earning their black belt a goal only to be told that black belt should not be an end goal because that’s when the real learning begins. Some people think that this is just the sort of thing instructors say to keep students after they reach this milestone. Others think it is a statement to keep students humble. While this reasoning may be true in some cases, the statement is still true in its most literal sense if the student is open to it.
Making a Spectacle of One’s Self
Recently, an old friend, colleague, instructor and room mate of mine, Jonathan Jamnik, came to Vancouver for a visit and trained in our stunt throwing class. Jon, with over 12 years experience, holding a 2nd Degree black belt in Shorinji Kan Jiu jitsu, has a well-deserved reputation for having awesome breakfalls, being able to fall out of pretty much anything without hurting himself, even on hard surfaces. (more…)
We're proud to announce that Lori O'Connell Sensei's new book, When the Fight Goes to the Ground: Jiu-jitsu Strategies & Tactics for Self-Defense, published through international martial arts publisher Tuttle Publishing, is now available in major book stores and online. More about it & where to buy it.