Getting better at Martial Arts is something that is easy for instructors to express but yet so hard for students to grasp. Obviously going to practice is the number one way to get better. If you don’t practice you will not get better. However, somebody that practices everyday will not necessarily be great.
So here I will give ways that I strive to get better with examples so everyone has something easy they can work on every practice.
Do a Little Every Practice
- Stretch a little further than last time in warm-ups
- Kick a little higher
- Jump a little higher
- Cartwheel a little faster
- Do your techniques from Memory a little faster
- Lower your stances just a little bit
- Do one more push-up
- Punch the pad a little harder
- Do a combo every time you attack during sparring
Get in Shape
- Do four way forms with low stances
- Do every kick
- Do every push-up, crunch, sit-up that everyone else is doing
- Fast staff spinning with drops meaning push-ups
- Do extra special workouts outside class (weight lifting, bike,swimming)
Above your Ability
- Try a special kick that you have never tried (Helicopter kicks or 540’s are always a good start)
- Do a handspring, conquer that, then a back handspring, then a backflip, etc… push yourself
- Spar someone who is better than you, but learn from it (better foot movement, “I need to use more combos”, “I need faster kicks”)
- Watch your instructor or Kuk Sool Videos and emulate their abilities
- Meet someone from another school and learn from what they know (a.k.a. Kuk Sool Networking)
- Ask for help, we all need it
