Starting something new - especially as adults - can be a daunting task. Learning a new skill: Hard. Learning a new language: Hard. Learning a martial art as an adult: Hard.
Whenever we start something new as adults, we understand that it will not be a walk in the park and we will not be experts from the get-go. Despite the realisation that learning something new will be a struggle for the first several months or even the first few years, many find themselves quitting before climbing that wall. It starts with self-deprecating thoughts and the mind starts drowning in negative ideas, and before you know it, you find yourself quitting.
In martial arts, most people quit at their first hurdle. Sometimes, life gets in the way but more often than not, it comes down to something within our control. If you are just starting on your martial arts journey, here are some tips to keep going and enjoy every training session.
Focus On the Basics
As we live in an age of information, it is easy to find fancy new techniques on the internet before class. There are thousands of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Muay Thai technique videos on Youtube and many more on Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites.
It is always fun to try Keenan Cornelius’ worm guard or Saenchai’s handstand kick but those gentlemen have had decades of training and tens of thousands of hours of practice under their belt.
They are able to pull off those fancy moves because they have a solid foundation to fall back on. As a beginner, focus on the basics as much as possible. Whether it is throwing a roundhouse kick or a Kimura submission from mount position, make sure you are able to execute those techniques flawlessly.
Drill to Win
Visit any Muay Thai camp in Thailand and you will see fighters ending each training session with 100 kicks. They do this after every training session and most professional fighters train twice a day, five days a week, before fighting over the weekend.
That comes up to 1000 kicks a week and in 10 weeks, they would have thrown 10,000 kicks. Professional Muay Thai fighters know how to kick but they continue to drill the basics to be able to do it without thinking.
Olympic Judo and Wrestling athletes practice the same moves over and over again until they are able to execute them under duress. As a beginner, it is important to develop muscle memory and the only way to do it is to drill the move. Remember, don’t do it till you get it right, do it till you can’t get it wrong.
A Marathon, Not a Sport
Learning martial arts is similar to running a marathon. You want to pace yourself accordingly and run your race. The road ahead is long and some quit after the first few kilometres because they did not pace themselves. Think longevity and approach each day with simple goals. As beginners, the only goal should be turning up for class. Just by showing up you will improve.
FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts Established in 2016, FaMA is a world-class martial arts training facility located in the heart of the Central Business District in Singapore. Walking distance from the Clarke Quay MRT station, FaMA’s main goal is to help people improve their lives through martial arts regardless of age or athletic capability. Each program is led by experts in their respective fields. Whether it is weight loss, a fun workout, camaraderie, competition training, or just to break a sweat, FaMA has something for everyone.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai, or The Art of Eight Limbs, is a martial art developed in Thailand thousands of years ago to help the Kingdom protect itself against invaders. Using the human body as a weapon, Muay Thai practitioners are well-versed in punching, elbowing, kicking, kneeing, and clinching with their opponents. What was once only used for self-defence and protection of the Kingdom, Muay Thai has grown to become one of the most popular sports not only in Thailand but in the world. Muay Thai is known to provide a complete total-body workout that will help build lean muscle, core strength, and help with weight loss. At FaMA, Muay Thai classes are taught daily by Tanaphong Khunhankaew, or better known as Kru Ping, and Kru Jerel Louie.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or BJJ as it is commonly known around the world, is a self-defence martial art that enables a smaller, weaker person to protect themselves against a much larger attacker using leverage and pressure. Formed from Kodokan Judo in Japan, Jiu Jitsu found its way to Brazil in the 1910s through Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese judoka and no-holds-barred prize fighter. During his time in Brazil, Maeda accepted a young Carlos Gracie as his student. Carlos would later pass on his knowledge to his brothers, most notably Helio Gracie - the father of modern Brazilian Jiujitsu. The Gracie family would go on to spread BJJ through The Gracie Challenge and eventually the creation of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Today, BJJ has grown to be more than just an effective unarmed fighting system. It helps young children deal with bullies and adults live a healthy lifestyle. BJJ classes are offered daily at FaMA under the tutelage of Black Belts Zoro Moreira, Robyn Goudy and Thiago Gaspary.