In ninja martial arts, as in everything else in life, experience brings many benefits. The more a person does something, the greater the level of trust, understanding and competence they will have with that ‘thing’. This is true, but as with any medication, it is often difficult to swallow.
If we are going to become truly proficient in our martial art, able to use our abilities in a real confrontation should it ever arise, we must be able to do our techniques as easily as we tie our shoes or put a fork in our mouths. to eat. . And unfortunately, two classes a week will NOT bring this mastery and ability.
True mastery comes from practice: homework done when we’re out of class to hone our skill. Just like with any other education, homework is necessary to get really good at what we’re trying to learn. This is something we cannot achieve in the classroom where learning takes place. Practice is the constant experience derived from having performed the techniques repeatedly. It is the magnifying glass that detects the errors that must be corrected so that the technique works quickly, efficiently and correctly.
The basics, the basic essentials, on which each kata technique or form is based, must be practiced over and over again until we can do it without thinking. Basic skills – Kamae, strikes, rolling and breaking skills, and basic footwork patterns – need to be practiced over and over and over and over again. . .
Remember that your body talks about you. Instructors can see who practices at home and who doesn’t. We know this by the questions that are asked (or not asked) and by the corrections that need to be made.
We know this, because we have been where our students are now. We had…
- The same time constraints
- The same family obligations.
- The same concerns with work, travel and money.
- Same practice area limitations; and…
- The same excuses…
…given in the hope that our teachers will somehow see our situation as more forgiving than others and “lighten” us up so we don’t have to work as hard.
Your teachers know that what they give you in class is just the tip of the iceberg. They know that it is not possible to learn everything there is to know in just a few short classes a week. They know how hard it is to master, and most important of all, they know what you’ll be up against if you ever need your training to save yourself or someone you care about.
We live in a relatively peaceful society, and most of us will probably never need to use our abilities to defend ourselves or others. But who knows if he’ll ever be the target of a brutal attacker? And more important…
…who wants to be a black belt and not be able to survive if an attack occurs, and…
…”Label – you are that!”