Training Solo

No matter what type of martial arts training you do, training on your own away from the Dojang is very beneficial. No one makes it to black belt without at least some solo training. The time spent in class, for the most part, should focus on learning new techniques. Mastering these techniques takes time and dedication. The more you put in the quicker you will advance. Even more important than advancement is learning to incorporate the ideals and principals taught in the martial arts, in to one's daily life. In this manner we are literally always training, especially to be mentally stronger. As we know in martial arts we learn not only to train our bodies but our minds as well. Without s strong mind a strong body means nothing.

Mental Training- Learning to be calm in a crisis, being able to focus on a task despite distractions, and being in control of one's temper are all attributes of a strong mind. People with such attributes are highly regarded and desperately needed. Who wants a rescue worker who cannot make critical decisions, or looses his nerve at the sight of blood? How about a doctor that lacks the courage to tell a patient of a serious medical condition, or a policeman who won't come to our aid for fear of the criminal? We expect professionals in many different fields to be mentally stronger than we normally are. Your mental strength can make you a master or a slave. Much like training our bodies to become stronger, mental training involves repeating correct actions (in this case thoughts and manners) many times over until they become habit and natural. A good set of training tools are the five Tenets of Tae Kwon Do; Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable-Spirit. It is necessary to have a deeper understanding of these terms in order to make them part of your life. Briefly, to be courteous is to be polite, especially when others are not so to you. To have integrity is to have honor, to be true to oneself as well as others, to be as good as your word. Perseverance is the ability to keep going, no matter what. Self control is simply discipline displayed. We all have the ability to control ourselves, but we often choose not to exercise it. Finally we come to indomitable spirit, which means to be free mentally, to have a spirit which cannot be dominated by others. This final Tenet touches on the third element of strength, spiritual strength, the strength of faith, the knowledge of our connection to all things. Putting these five tenets into daily practice can greatly help us in our training and our lives.

Physical Training- This is not to say that physical training away from the Dojang is not also important, it is. Without the mental fortitude to make our-selves do the exercise, most of us sit on the couch and watch others train on TV or in movies. The time spent in the Dojang during class should be to learn how to do movements correctly. Perfecting these movements should be done away from the Dojang on a daily basis. Simply practicing your Poomse, stretching out, and reviewing self-defense techniques every day can greatly improve your skill level. It is no secret. The secret is "Just Do It"! If you need to know what to train on, see the "Home work out" section of the notebook.

Spiritual Training- The third aspect of training is spiritual in nature. Meditation plays an important role in this part. This is the part where you prepare your mind to prepare your body to train. It is an often overlooked and illusive third element of training. You must believe first, that you can do something, win a match, go the distance, or break the brick before you actually do it. Belief is sort of like a mirror, it reflects our inner feelings about ourselves. People who have a strong belief in themselves display confidence, not in a boastful way, but in a manner that says "I know I can do it". When you know that you can do something, there is no need to prove it. To develop a strong belief in yourself it is necessary to continually challenge yourself. You must find increasingly more challenging situations to master. This doesn't mean only physical, as you will see if you practice the Tenets. Often times in martial arts breaking bricks and boards is not a display of physical strength, but a test of self-confidence, in your belief that you can do it. Only when all three aspects of training come together can you go through the bricks and boards with no harm to your body, whether these "boards" are brick, or a tough situation at work or at school, or a life or death challenge.

Solo training happens all the time, we just need to be aware of it, and take full advantage of it. Keep on training!