Tags: 10000 Hours, Kung Fu, Martial Arts, Sifu Dennis Wood, Sparring, Training
Sarah Soewadty, one of our students and a friend, shared a sports psychology book with me. The essence of the book relays meaning and methods for silencing the mind. The book was written about golf, by a tennis expert, and 100% relates to our study of martial arts. A particular passage resonated so loudly, that I wanted to share it with you all about “trying harder”.
In our culture the more common reaction to self-doubt is to “try harder”…(since trying tends to produce greater alertness and stronger will to overcome obstacles), it nonetheless produces significant interference with the expression of our potential. Since you never try to prove what is certain, trying to prove oneself is, in effect, a mode based on doubt. It always creates mental tension and conflict, which are reflected on the physical level as over tightness; in turn, this restricts fluid coordination of muscles and thus limits the quality of our performance. (Gallwey, p.53)
Over and over in our culture we’ve been told. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Hence, for many of us the word “try” means to succeed, and not to try has come to mean accepting failure. But the point of this chapter is that success comes easier when we make an effort but don’t try. (p.59)
What’s this mean to us in our training?
Everything! There is a huge difference between effort and trying. As detailed above trying is the sense of falling short but not giving up. I would assert that in martial arts, our aim is to put in the effort required to master a skill or technique that removes all trying. It sound a little more Zen than it really is.
When we put in the work (effort) of practicing our lessons, conditioning our bodies on the bag, and in cardio we develop a level of confidence in our skills that can only be achieved through doing the work. Most importantly, if we are ever confronted with a situation that requires us to call upon these skills there is no hesitation or trying, we simply have the tools at our disposal. This is the exact thing that is referred to about martial arts building self-confidence. It is not that you learned a kick, punch, or other technique, rather that you have put in the effort to own those skills. In doing the work you will also develop “courage” that can be called upon.
Putting this into something that you can see watch any of your favorite athletes and notice how easy they make that shot, swing, or run look. Watch any of the great fighters and take in how natural it all looks. In the sparring video attached check out how fluid Sifu Dennis is with his movements both on the attack and defense. He makes it look easy. This is not rocket science…you have to put in the time. Does 10,000 hours sound familiar?
Check in with one of the instructors if you have questions about your training in either the physical or mental aspects. We are here to help you along your journey.
Happy training,
Blair Green
