Motivation

whitelightrider

Folks,

Been on here a few times looking for advice, and have always gotten great advice from you all. Now Im looking for more help. How do you all stay motivated to train? I havent trained in Karate in 3 months. I just cant seem to get the motivation up to head for the club. I have great instructors and a great training environment. Is it that Im just being lazy? I know the instructors are really pi$$ed with me for not going.

**Timbuk2**

OK, this isn't Martial Arts related but it really helped motivate me to lose weight.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108359701

It shows transformations of people going from fat to fit. Have a look through the thread - there are many pictures.

It worked as good motivation for me seeing what change you could do to your body.

I hope the same applies for Martial Arts / Self Defence.

whitelightrider

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

OK, this isn't Martial Arts related but it really helped motivate me to lose weight.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108359701

It shows transformations of people going from fat to fit. Have a look through the thread - there are many pictures.

It worked as good motivation for me seeing what change you could do to your body.

I hope the same applies for Martial Arts / Self Defence.

Thats definitely going to help because Ive actually started to feel unfit, bloated, sluggish, etc lately. I used to be a member of a gym and do alot of training, but I let the membership expire last year.
Think it might be time to rejoin the gym, start into the training again, and get back into the dojo.
Thread might be just what I needed Timbuk2! Ill have to take a look at my diet also because it could be down to what Im eating/not eating.

Khannie

whitelightrider wrote: »

How do you all stay motivated to train?

Competition.

Nothing quite focuses the mind like knowing someone wants to kick the snot out of you.

Killme00

Fear :pac:



I also find it easy to train because i enjoy training and everything that goes with it. If you dont enjoy it then go find something you enjoy doing.

whitelightrider

Killme00 wrote: »

Fear :pac:



I also find it easy to train because i enjoy training and everything that goes with it. If you dont enjoy it then go find something you enjoy doing.

I do enjoy the training. I love the atmosphere in the club once Im there. Its just getting my backside to the dojo.
I think my lack of training, and lack of gym work has me back to where I was a few years ago - sluggish and no energy. I need to work on that and my diet and also focus on just pushing myself back into the dojo each week.

Fear and competition - I get both of those at training!! Nothing like having a 5 ft 6 guy (me) facing against your instructor (6ft odd) wanting to plant you with an ushiro geri!!!!

Charlie3dan

Hey mate,

You need to set yourself goals, short term and long term, maybe try some new training methods or maybe even something completely different.

Also, if you have a setback, it can zap your motivation, you might feel like you are getting further away from your goals. That's a test of character, keep at it. Nothing worth having comes easy.

I would strongly recommend you try out something else also. You'll either find something that you really wanna do or something that reaffirms your appreciation for what you were doing.

whitelightrider

Charlie3dan wrote: »

Hey mate,

You need to set yourself goals, short term and long term, maybe try some new training methods or maybe even something completely different.

Also, if you have a setback, it can zap your motivation, you might feel like you are getting further away from your goals. That's a test of character, keep at it. Nothing worth having comes easy.

I would strongly recommend you try out something else also. You'll either find something that you really wanna do or something that reaffirms your appreciation for what you were doing.

Hey Charlie,

Im actually joining a gym this evening. I think alot of my problem is that I dont have energy since I stopped training regularly and I just get lazy really. Getting back to the gym and back to Karate will each benefit the other.

I had a couple of minor setbacks on the way to the Black Belt - my own fault. Now I just have to reset that goal, pick a proper time frame and get back training. I need to build up my instructors faith in me again. I feel as though Ive let them down.

Charlie3dan

Yea I know what you mean there's a strange guilt you get. The more you stay at home the more you think they'll react badly to you and so it becomes a vicious circle.
Believe me they'll respect you for coming back and you won't have fallen that far behind it'll be just a matter of getting the fitness and sharpness back. Everyone has setbacks somewhere along the way.

TKD SC

Pretty obvious suggestion that hasn't been said yet is: ROUTINE ROUTINE ROUTINE!!

I've gone through various stages before of being lazy and not wanting to go training, even though I know I'll love it when I actually get there, but I'd find various ridiculous excuses not to go. Once you go, get into a routine then, you may even then add in an extra day and not miss any training 'cos you're in such a routine. You associate the training night (eg Mon at 8pm) with the training (Karate) and the thought of doing / organising anything else on that night is crazy...it stems from there. Your g/f or wife or friends will come to know that you aren't free on x y and z days 'cos you're training. Most of the time, you won't even think about "will I go tonight", you'll just get up and go 'cos that's what you do on Mon nights...

Obviously enjoyment of it all as mentioned before is key, but it seems like you do have that - you're just being lazy!!

Good luck with it...I've been there and no doubt will be there again, but you always feel better when you go back!

whitelightrider

Thanks a million folks. Im actually looking forward to getting back training on Monday night. I need to build back up that faith the instructors once had, and get cracking on the gym.

siochain

Khannie wrote: »

Competition.

Nothing quite focuses the mind like knowing someone wants to kick the snot out of you.

that just about sums it up perfectly.

Clive

whitelightrider I think first and foremost you should seperate this issue from martial arts. We all get a bit wrapped up in the mystique of what we do, but if you were going to play badminton a couple of nights a week at an intermediate level, and then took a break I don't think you'd feel quite like:

I know the instructors are really pi$$ed with me for not going.

I need to build up my instructors faith in me again. I feel as though Ive let them down.

Once you seperate out the discipline/honour/loyalty issues (unless of course that's why you're training, rather than a fun hobby) you can honestly come out of the door after work, kit bag in hand and say, "do I actually want to go training tonight?"

Unless your answer is "hell yes" my advice is to go home, enjoy the time with friends/family or just relaxing. Life is too short to be dragging yourself places. You're not letting anyone down (unless you're part of a competitive team setup), there's no shame in wanting to take some time off. Read some martial arts books, watch some cheesy films, watch some footage from youtube. Eventually, if it's really for you, you'll feel that fire burning and you'll be off to the dojo the next night. In my opinion you'll be better for it because you'll have your passion back.

Now many people will disagree and say you should push yourself to go regardless and that "you'll enjoy it once you're there". Well if you end up in bed with the ugliest, fattest person in the nightclub, you'll enjoy it once you're there, but that doesn't mean you should be making yourself do that three times a week.

If after all that you still just want some advice on how to get back to the dojo, I'd say that in my experience, 90% of the time in cases like this it's a diet issue.

JohnMc1

whitelightrider wrote: »

Folks,

Been on here a few times looking for advice, and have always gotten great advice from you all. Now Im looking for more help. How do you all stay motivated to train? I havent trained in Karate in 3 months. I just cant seem to get the motivation up to head for the club. I have great instructors and a great training environment. Is it that Im just being lazy? I know the instructors are really pi$$ed with me for not going.

I have this same problem. If I can't train for various reasons [injury,illness,etc] I have problems starting it back up again.

yomchi

whitelightrider wrote: »

Folks,

Been on here a few times looking for advice, and have always gotten great advice from you all. Now Im looking for more help. How do you all stay motivated to train? I havent trained in Karate in 3 months. I just cant seem to get the motivation up to head for the club. I have great instructors and a great training environment. Is it that Im just being lazy? I know the instructors are really pi$$ed with me for not going.

Hi G,
Can I can be really frank with you? I remember you asking me the same question in a different forum about 3 years ago. Then shortly after that you asked a similar question again, and other questions relating to the same topic. While all of that is unimportant now, I feel you're still on the same round about and haven't gotten off it.

You need to address your priorities, I think every now and then you get the urge to get fit, train harder or get motivated, and that's fine, we all do. Maybe you're over analysing yourself or maybe you're not getting any enjoyment out of what you do, deep down that is!

Have you ever considered training in something completely different? Maybe that will spur you on some what.

No offence at all meant, that's just my humple opinion.

I know the instructors are really pi$$ed with me for not going

Screw them, it's not important what they think.

Roper

Clive wrote: »

Well if you end up in bed with the ugliest, fattest person in the nightclub, you'll enjoy it once you're there, but that doesn't mean you should be making yourself do that three times a week.

You should all listen to the sage-like voice of experience.

whitelightrider

Jon wrote: »

Hi G,
Can I can be really frank with you? I remember you asking me the same question in a different forum about 3 years ago. Then shortly after that you asked a similar question again, and other questions relating to the same topic. While all of that is unimportant now, I feel you're still on the same round about and haven't gotten off it.

You need to address your priorities, I think every now and then you get the urge to get fit, train harder or get motivated, and that's fine, we all do. Maybe you're over analysing yourself or maybe you're not getting any enjoyment out of what you do, deep down that is!

Have you ever considered training in something completely different? Maybe that will spur you on some what.

No offence at all meant, that's just my humple opinion.



Screw them, it's not important what they think.

Hiya Jon,

No offence taken from anything youve said my friend. I know where this is coming from - well I think I do. About 4 years ago I was training hard. Up at 5am to head to a friends house to train with him. Got in amazing shape - fit, fast and strong. Well he had kids, etc and couldnt commit to training, so I fell into a rut of sporadic training. Packed in Karate. Took up TKD - didnt like it as much as the Karate training. Took up aikido - loved it. Thought it was amazing. But missed the kind of training I got with the Karate.
Point I think Im making is that my confidence in myself has never been as high as it was 4 years ago. And thats down to me not committing. Not committing to the gym, to Karate. Spoke to my amazing wife last night and she told me that I only half commit to things. I never go all the way. So today, Friday 17th July, is going to be a new start. Im commiting 100%. Joining a gym over the weekend thats on my route home. No excuses. And Im commiting to Karate. Ill be back there on Monday evening. Setting a goal of having my Black Belt by this time next year, and building back up that faith my instructors had in me. Not for them, for myself.

Just on your point of over analysing myself Jon. I do. Seems like Ive always done it. Over critical my wife calls it. Not sure how to address that yet!!! Im always giving out about my body shape - that Im not as well built as before. But the only way to get that physique back is to get back training and eating right.

whitelightrider

Clive wrote: »

If after all that you still just want some advice on how to get back to the dojo, I'd say that in my experience, 90% of the time in cases like this it's a diet issue.

Hey Clive, my answer is definitely Hell Yes. I love training when Im there. But its just to get out the bloody door. I think alot of it is down to diet, which Im going to have to look at. I eat clean 90% of the time, but I dont think Im eating enough.

yomchi

whitelightrider wrote: »

Hiya Jon,

No offence taken from anything youve said my friend. I know where this is coming from - well I think I do. About 4 years ago I was training hard. Up at 5am to head to a friends house to train with him. Got in amazing shape - fit, fast and strong. Well he had kids, etc and couldnt commit to training, so I fell into a rut of sporadic training. Packed in Karate. Took up TKD - didnt like it as much as the Karate training. Took up aikido - loved it. Thought it was amazing. But missed the kind of training I got with the Karate.
Point I think Im making is that my confidence in myself has never been as high as it was 4 years ago. And thats down to me not committing. Not committing to the gym, to Karate. Spoke to my amazing wife last night and she told me that I only half commit to things. I never go all the way. So today, Friday 17th July, is going to be a new start. Im commiting 100%. Joining a gym over the weekend thats on my route home. No excuses. And Im commiting to Karate. Ill be back there on Monday evening. Setting a goal of having my Black Belt by this time next year, and building back up that faith my instructors had in me. Not for them, for myself.

Just on your point of over analysing myself Jon. I do. Seems like Ive always done it. Over critical my wife calls it. Not sure how to address that yet!!! Im always giving out about my body shape - that Im not as well built as before. But the only way to get that physique back is to get back training and eating right.

Excellent, get stuck in! Don't worry about the over critical bit, that can help to really push you beyond your limits when worked the correct way.

This sums it up nicely - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Xo7cVu3Ik

whitelightrider

Thanks Jon. Ill have to wait till I get home to get a listen to that clip.
Im actually looking forward to getting stuck in. Gona spend the weekend looking at the diet and what I need to eat/cut out.

Crazi_Monkey21

u want motivation?
its easy!
try seeing what xtreme martial artists use karate for in their techniques.
its all cool and flippy.
i watched a couple of kung fu/karate movies too to get inspired to take tkd.

try watching bruce lee,jackie chan,jet li, donnie yen.
pretty much all of their movies include martial arts! in a cool inspiring way.
i duno if it will work for u though

arybvtcw0eolkf

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108359701

The best thread on the internet by a country mile, thanks.

.

Khannie

Israel Small Glycerin wrote: »

The best thread on the internet by a country mile, thanks.

.

Some very impressive transformations there alright.

Roper

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

OK, this isn't Martial Arts related but it really helped motivate me to lose weight.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108359701

It shows transformations of people going from fat to fit. Have a look through the thread - there are many pictures.

It worked as good motivation for me seeing what change you could do to your body.

I hope the same applies for Martial Arts / Self Defence.

I never thought I'd say this about a thread on bodybuilding.com. but that is really, really cool

Martin25

I was training with one of my lads last night and he said something like - sometimes he gets lazy and its the consistant routine of going to train on Tues,Thurs,Sat that motivates him to get off his butt. This routine has motivated him for the past 20 years so it must be working?

I find that the "Fear of Failure" motivates me as in the past people told me that I would fail and I have spent a lot of time in my life trying to prove them wrong.

whitelightrider

Martin25 wrote: »

I was training with one of my lads last night and he said something like - sometimes he gets lazy and its the consistant routine of going to train on Tues,Thurs,Sat that motivates him to get off his butt. This routine has motivated him for the past 20 years so it must be working?

I find that the "Fear of Failure" motivates me as in the past people told me that I would fail and I have spent a lot of time in my life trying to prove them wrong.

I think I do have a Fear of Failure too. But thats all gona change. I signed up the gym last night. And Im ready for Karate next Monday night. Im gona turn things around.

Martin25

Good for you go for it!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Martin25 wrote: »

I find that the "Fear of Failure" motivates me as in the past people told me that I would fail and I have spent a lot of time in my life trying to prove them wrong.

whitelightrider wrote: »

I think I do have a Fear of Failure too. But thats all gona change. I signed up the gym last night. And Im ready for Karate next Monday night. Im gona turn things around.

I think it was Yasuhiro Yamashita who said something about his hatred of failure far exceeded his love of winning.

Just something to think about.

.

Zen65

whitelightrider wrote: »

I think I do have a Fear of Failure too. But thats all gona change. I signed up the gym last night. And Im ready for Karate next Monday night. Im gona turn things around.

I struggled with motivation myself for some years (er, decades actually). One of the things that motivated me to go back training and get my black belt was the mental image of my own coffin being lowered into the ground and somebody places my karate belt on top of it symbolically.... and it's brown! Don't want my kids to think dear old dead dad only did things by half.... so get up off your arse and get that black belt.

Keep the faith,


Zen65