How to stay motivated!

Motivation simply defined is “a force or influence that causes someone to do something.”  Motivation is at the foundation of any accomplishment – in sports, in your career, in your personal life.  Desire and determination are key elements to achieving the goals you set out for yourself.  But, what drives you during the down times?  To become the best that you can be, you must remain motivated and do what ever it takes to reach your goals. Here are a few tips on how to stay motivated:

1. Set realistic goals – write them down, share them with your instructor, commit 100% to the process

2. Reward yourself at milestones – celebrate with friends and family, go out for dinner, have a get together, share your success with others.

3. Have an accountability buddy – having someone there to talk to goes a long way in keeping you motivated.  Feeling accountable to someone will help you stay on track for the long haul.

4. Have a plan to work through plateaus and slumps – shake up your routine, sometimes small changes can push you through – like getting a new uniform or trying some new gloves.

5. Visualize your achievement – picture your dream coming true, imagine how you will feel wrapping that black belt around your waist……….all the blood, sweat and tears……….TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!   Remember the is tremendous power in positive thinking.

6.  Reinforce your training values – remember why you started, write down the reasons why you are doing this, what it means to you to achieve this goal, choose to stay committed, to stay dedicated, not because you have to but because you WANT to!

The power is in your hands – it’s up to you!  Whatever your motivations, your instructor/trainer/coach will show you the path but they cannot walk the road for you. Life will sometimes get in the way, work, kids, travel, you can get sick, or injured. Missing a class or two is not the end of the world.  Life will throw you MANY excuses NOT to train, it’s up to you to make it work.  You CAN do it!!!

The importance of goal setting – what are YOUR goals for 2015?

You don’t need to wait for January 1 to set goals for yourself.  Goal setting is about finding what’s important to you and figuring out a way to attain those goals.  It is crucial that your goals are something YOU want to do, not just something that sounds good to others.  The process of goal setting helps you understand where you are and where you want to go – it also helps keep you motivated.  Here are some tips for setting goals for yourself:

1) Choose a goal or 2.  Be specific. For example, “lose weight” or “get my black belt” are too vague.  You want to be crystal clear in your intention – “lose 25 lbs” or “get my black belt by XXXX year”.  Try to find a middle ground between aiming too high and underestimating your abilities. It is important to understand why you are doing what you are doing.  What will accomplishing this goal mean to you?

2) Write your goals down.  Be as specific as possible, include a timeline for achieving your goals.  Be realistic – getting your black belt in a year is not an attainable goal. Write your goals in a positive tone – positive thinking goes a long way in helping you achieve the goals.  Keep a journal of your progress.

3) Make your goals measurable.  For example, if you goal is to lose 25 lbs, you want to set a specific measure to lose 1 lb per week.  Tracking your progress in these little increments provides you with small victories.  These positive steps build momentum, boost your confidence and help you to keep motivated and on target to reach your goal.

4) Create an action plan – make it happen.  This is vital to achieving your goals.  “Failing to plan is planning to fail”.  Decide when you are going to put your plan in to action, include details and timing of your plan, make milestones to help you achieve the goal on time.

5) Review your goals often.  Go back to your journal, make sure that this goal is really what you want to do.  Recognize and celebrate your success.  Adapt your plan if necessary, just make sure to keep to your main objective.

6) Stick to the plan, but stay flexible.  This will be the biggest challenge.  Life sometimes throws you in a direction you were not expecting.  This is where you will see how much your goal means to you – if it is important, you will find a way to make it work despite the change in circumstance.  Don’t let distractions lead you down the road to procrastination.  Go back, read why you are doing this, keep motivated!

7) Share your goals and find an accountability friend.  Be brave, share your goals with a friend, family member, or instructor.  As you go through the process, ask for feedback and reward yourself for milestones in your journey.  For example, if you achieve the next belt on your way to black belt – reward yourself with a special dinner or a new uniform/bo staff/punch mitts.  Having someone to help you stay accountable for your goals is priceless!

The bottom line is goal setting has powerful and lasting effects on your life and your well being.  The power is in your hands – the sky is the limit!  You can accomplish anything you put your mind to!!  Be BOLD!  Be AMAZING!!

Top 5 Benefits of Martial Arts Training for Adults

Most people think of martial arts as a sport for youngsters.  The overall health benefits for adults can be astonishing.  Its never too late to start your martial arts journey.  Here are our top 5 benefits of martial arts training for adults,

1) Improve Cardiovascular Health – Martial Arts classes are a great total body workout, they are high impact and will use every muscle group in your body.  Regular attendance will help improve your endurance.  As a result, you will be able to engage in physical activity for longer periods without becoming out of breath. As your heart grows stronger and healthier, you will see a lower blood pressure and you decrease your risk for developing heart disease.

2) Build Muscle and Burn Fat – Martial Arts can improve strength, balance, flexibility, and help you lose weight.  No matter what type of martial arts training you participate in, you will increase your muscle strength and improve your metabolic rate if you attend class on a regular basis. This increased strength will help prevent injury from normal day-to-day activities and reduce your risk of experiencing aches and pains. As you age, your muscles begin to lose some of their density and strength. This is why it is important to keep your physically active. When you take a class, your muscles will be in constant use, helping you stay strong. You will also build greater muscle mass, which in turn will give your body a more toned, healthy appearance. More muscle = improved metabolism.

3) Improve Focus and Concentration –  When you are taking your martial arts class, your mind has to be 100% focused on the task at hand. When you are concentrating on learning a new technique or dodging your opponent in sparring, it is almost impossible to think about work, family or anything else. You are completely in the moment.  The more you train, the stronger your mental focus and concentration becomes, the more these technique spill over in to your every day life and work.  You will see a difference in your mental fortitude.

4) Improve Emotional Health – Martial arts can have many benefits to your overall emotional well being.  It can act as a stress reliever, it will build self confidence, helps with goal setting and achievement, instils a sense of humbleness, you will make new friends, develop a mental toughness, and you will gain confidence in knowing you can defend yourself.  When you challenge yourself to do something you have never done before – and you do it – you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.

5) Great Activity for the whole family!  It really is.  You can start your martial arts journey at any age, any fitness level.  It is an excellent way to get the family out and active.  Families that train together, stick together.