Ah, a new year. And like most people, you probably made a few New Year’s resolutions, with one of them being something akin to “This year I am going to really push my training and make 2009 the BEST year ever!”
But also like most people, it does not take very long for our old ways to set in and we find ourselves back where we started.
So this year, let’s make a change for the better by looking at what keeps us from accomplishing the goals we set for ourselves.
First, training should never be thought of as a chore because in reality, it is a priviledge. It really was not that long ago that Wing Chun was still a closed system, “secretive” if you will, and never taught outside of the families or close acquaintances.
Now, however, it is one of the most widely-popular martial arts today with millions of practitioners.
Second, be realistic in what you want to accomplish. If you are new to the art, wanting to learn the entire system in one year is just not going to happen. Sure, you “can” learn the forms in just a few months, but effective fighting is not about forms.
A more realistic approach would be to focus on what you already know and then fine-tune it. If you are new, then focus on the first two sections of the Siu-Nim-Tau. But regardless of “where” you are in the system, you want to be realistic in what you can handle for training vs. a broad, overall scope such as wanting to learn the whole system in a short time frame.
Third, be realistic in your training schedule. Not everyone has 7 days a week, 8 hours a day for training. Some have only 1 or 2 days at most, with maybe 10 – 30 minutes each to work with. That is just the nature of today’s hectic family and work lifestyles, so we work with what we have available.
Some will say “If you really want to learn then you will make the time.” This approach, however, is usually from those that have the time to start with, because as anyone with a family and/or busy work schedule already knows, you can’t just “make” time. Something somewhere has to be available or it becomes a chore more than anything.
What I always recommend for those who are seriously pressed for time is to find at least 2 days of their week, with at least 10 minutes for each day. Everyone has 10 minutes, whehter it is at the beginning or end of their day. And believe me, those 10 minute sessions will go a long, long way to reaching your goal.
Once you create a realistic, achievable goal, it is time to act on it. Using your 10 minutes, work the forms you know and, if you are solo training, the drills you want to hone and fine-tune. Do not worry about going all-out just yet; instead, go slowly so that you do not burn out by having a ton to do in a short amount of time.
Over time, you might find that your 10 minute sessions are now 12 or 15 minutes. That’s great! If you have the time for it, then go for it.
By approaching all of your New Year’s resolutions like that (and you thought it was “just” for Wing Chun), you can accomplish every goal you set for yourself. Good luck!
