Dec 07 2013 December 7, 2013 December 7, 2013 NoComment by Kevin Morgan

How to Maintain Your Martial Arts Training at the Highest Level

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How do you train at the highest level? Is this a question that you have asked yourself? I have had the same issue; one of the things we have found is that in order to train well, you as a Martial Artist must be willing to make sacrifices. You must also be willing to invest in the tools that will enable you to train at the desired level. We have trained hundreds of Martial Artist, one thing they all have in common is the first investment they decide to make as Martial Artists.

You have to be willing to train on weekends; you have to willing to train at night. You have to be willing to take the time necessary steps to implement the proper diet in order to sufficiently fuel your body in order to allow a strict training regimen. You have to take the time to prepare meals that are high in protein and contain enough carbohydrates to maintain a calorie count sufficient to support you training. Mtcmma.com is an online retailer of Martial Arts Equipment and Supplies. Their aims is to become the leading provider of the best Martial Arts Equipment to those who demand the best.

If this sounds tough, it should. As Martial Artist we have to be willing to take the “tough” route and truly embrace the journey that you will travel along during your Martial Arts training regimen. This is the part of the process that will take the most time. This journey will actually encompass you life. Martial Arts training becomes part your life.

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Dec 07 2013 December 7, 2013 December 7, 2013 NoComment by Kevin Morgan

Benefits of the Martial Arts Training

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The ultimate goal in the martial arts does not lie in victory, but in the perfection of the character of its participants. The perfection of one’s character is at the core. Many people seek martial arts training with violence in mind. Some people are afraid and wish to learn to defend themselves, others are angry and wish to learn to beat people up. In either case, they are unlikely to commit to their training long enough to learn anything, so one who would study the martial arts must purge himself of selfish and evil thoughts, for only with a clear conscience can he understand that which he receives.

A proper training in the martial arts has many benefits . It can improve physical fitness, self-confidence, focus and discipline.

Although most of the benefits of martial arts training are internal and mental rather than external and physical, the most apparent benefit is the improvement of the practitioner’s physical fitness. Martial Arts training is a great way to improve the fitness, working every muscle in the body. Punching is great for your arms ,backs and shoulders; kicking is great for toning and strengthening the backs and fronts of your legs, and your bum too. Martial arts training can be practiced by the young and old . That is, there is no need for a special training place, equipment, or an opponent, and flexibility in training is provided. Through training, the physically and spiritually weak individual can develop his mind and body gradually and naturally. When practicing, muscles of the practitioner are working together in total harmony, allowing the human body to function with greater efficiency. The poor physical condition in today comes from the imbalance of engaging in inefficient exercises that isolate certain body parts. On the other hand, with their goal of increased efficiency of movement, the martial arts develop all muscles simultaneously as part of the training.

Another benefit of martial arts training is the increased self-confidence . Martial Arts are great for improving self confidence, which happens through two areas. As people progress through the belt ranks, their belief and confidence grows, for competency breeds confidence. And by learning to defend themselves they feel more secure which greatly improves self confidence. A person with a great deal of self-confidence is more likely to make their opinion known, more likely to stand up for themselves. A high self confidence is also an effective form of self-defense, as a person who carries themselves with pride is less likely to be a victim than one who is timidly creeping along, hoping no one notices them.

The important thing in the training of the martial arts is improving the ability to focus. After all if the practitioner can not concentrate they won’t be able to learn. In training, people should focus their eyes, focus their mind, and focus their body, which will greatly improve their focus and concentration.

Martial arts are a mental discipline with a physical approach. Part of the ongoing challenge is to have your mind and body work together and think while you are moving

There are almost as many kinds of martial arts as there are cultures in the world. The most famous are those created by the Asian peoples, such as Kung Fu, Karate, and Tae Kwon Do, but the Asians do not have a monopoly on the martial arts and every country has its own styles. Even with so many different martial arts in the world, each with its own unique philosophies, the benefits remain the same throughout. With an average training time of two hours, two or three times a week, the benefits to training in a martial art far outweigh the costs. Martial arts strives internally to train the mind to develop a clear conscience, enabling one to face the world honestly, while externally developing strength to the point where one may overcome ferocious wild animals.

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Dec 07 2013 December 7, 2013 December 7, 2013 NoComment by Kevin Morgan

Essential Concepts For Beginning Martial Arts Training

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As someone who has been training in the martial arts for a large portion of my life, this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Martial arts training can improve if not even change a person’s life in many different ways. It did just that for me. I was a good enough kid growing up, but had my problems like any other young person. By the time I got into junior high school I was overweight, out of shape, couldn’t speak in front of people, my grades were failing, and that’s just the start of it. After I started training in martial arts all of these things started to change. Martial arts were something that I had been passionate about since I was about six years old, but was never able to join a class until that time.

I started losing weight, got stronger and faster, more confident, my grades went straight to honor roll grades, I was becoming the person I had always wanted to be. Fast forward to the present. Now I teach a class twice a week. I have a family of my own complete with a goofy dog and a cat pays no attention to me unless she wants something. I look forward to the day that I will start teaching what I have learned to my own children.

Enough about me though, let’s get down to business. Martial arts training is something that I could probably write several long books about, but I won’t put you through that torture here. Instead let’s examine some different aspects of martial arts training that might help you along in your own journey. No matter what style you are currently training in there are a few things that will hold true for pretty much everyone.

First is flexibility. This is something that is essential in my opinion for any style out there. Now this does not mean that you have to be able to do the splits across two chairs while fighting ten enemies. That works great for the movies but in reality it just isn’t necessary. However, improving your overall flexibility will help you with your techniques. It will also help to keep you healthy and feeling great in your everyday life. Also, and possibly most importantly, it will help to keep you free from injuries during training and during other activities outside of wherever you are training. Most martial arts schools and teachers will incorporate at least some stretching into the workouts. If however, you are looking to expand upon that, there are many option out there today to help you do just that. There are books, dvds, equipment, classes, yoga, and more. Just pick the one that suits you and your lifestyle and go for it.

Next is strength training. I’ll make this one quick because it is a subject that could go on for far longer than it ever should. Strength training in the martial arts could mean something as simple as doing pushups and crunches before or during each class. It could also mean going to the gym to hit the weights. Whatever course you decide to take, keep a couple things in mind. Work safe and smart! Working really hard won’t mean much if you are doing it wrong and get hurt. Also, if you are not someone who is educated in this form of training then I would suggest trying to find someone who is. A personal trainer, coach, fitness facility, or even your martial arts instructor if he/she engages in that type of training. Like flexibility, strength training also has a variety of tools available to assist you.

Endurance is something that is helpful if not even necessary for most martial arts styles. Besides the numerous health benefits you gain from doing endurance training, it also allows you to perform techniques and kata (patterns or forms) without becoming so physically exhausted that you are unable to finish. If you plan on doing any fighting at all this will also be a crucial part of your training. For those who may be new to this or may not understand, endurance basically means that you can go longer without getting tired. There are lots of ways to train for endurance. Probably more than I can even think of. Here are a few to get you started though.

I want to finish with something that is probably overlooked more than anything else in my mind. That is to always seek knowledge. The mind needs to be worked just like any other muscle of the body. To stop learning is to stop growing. Always, always, always, seek to learn something from every workout or training session. Knowledge is a key element in the martial arts and should never be overlooked. I have personally met and known men and women who have been training for many decades longer than I have and they are still trying to learn everything that they can. Learning doesn’t stop when you reach black belt or when you win the championship or something like that. In fact, that is often when the greatest learning will start.

So train hard all you martial arts enthusiasts out there, and never stop trying to learn and grow. If you seek to improve yourself then you will. Once you believe that you know it all and have attained all that is possible, then you have ceased to grow and have in essence given up on the journey. The true journey of the martial arts warrior is a life long journey.

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