Five things EVERY beginner Martial Artist should know.

I think that there are five things that every beginner martial artist should know and if you can wrap your head around those five things, I think you’re going to have a GREAT experience!

The belt is NOT the end goal

Whatever style you train in and however they recognize rank, should not matter. What should matter to you is learning a new skill, trying to craft something, perfecting a movement (not that that ever happens, but it’s fun to work towards it) or just becoming a bit healthier. The belt does not always represent skill level. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly does sometimes but it should also represent time and effort.

You have to LEARN how to LEARN

Learning something new is a lot of fun. It’s incredibly rewarding. Learning a new skill can take a lot of time and so you may not get it right away. That’s FINE! It’s totally normal. One thing that will help you learn new skills faster is learning how YOU learn. Once you’ve done that, new skills will come faster but at first, be patient.

Find the right school and teacher

Not all teachers and schools are the same and you need to find some that match what you’re looking for and your personality. Some schools are intensly competitive which is great if you’re looking for that. There are a WIDE variety of things that schools will focus on and and even WIDER way that they are delivered by the instructor. Ultimately your school and instructors responsibility is to make sure that you are training safe and having a great experience. If your school isn’t doing that, you may want to find a new school.

Who you train with matters

Your training partners will make a HUGE difference in your experience. Even though the martial arts is an individual sport, it’s still a team sport. You are all working together and improving together! Each partner that you train with will give you a unique experience and so they are crucial.

Balance

Not physical, but life balance. Make sure that you are training a regularly and but not missing out on other parts of your life. I’ve seen a number of people start training and do it five days a week until they burn out. That’s not balance. Training two or three times a week IS balance.

I think that if you have an experience that addresses these five things, you’re going to have a great experience, stick with it for years and eventually be a GREAT martial artist.

See you on the mats,

Michael