Looking In The Mirror

Looking In The Mirror

One of my favorite expressions is “if you don’t like who you see when you look in the mirror, then change who you see.”  This doesn’t mean the what version of you but more the who version of you.  When you look into the mirror can you see the who and not the what?  You can’t look at the who in the mirror without using some form of comparison to someone else as a reference point.  It isn’t a fair comparison to use someone else to compare yourself to.  Take a moment and think about the ideal person you are capable of being.  Picture yourself in your greatest form.  Think about the qualities that you would have and the people you would be surrounded by.  Picture the clothes that you are wearing as well as the house you are living in.  Picture the car that you drive and the job that you have.  This is dream time so dream big. 

When you can see yourself in your greatest form compare that to what you see today.

                So now when you look into the mirror you can see two versions of you.  The person you want to be and person you are right now.  I want you to forget everything material at first.  Forget about the house, car, job and clothes and picture yourself just as the who again.  The qualities of that best version of you is what will bring you to the quantities that you want in the future.  Does this ideal version of you have qualities that are easy to like?  Are you influential to others?  Are you kind, compassionate, loving, patient and respected?  Are you a take charge motivated person who gets things done and is proud of your accomplishments?  Now look at the you today.  Do you see the same person? 

Wake up every day and look into that mirror.  See yourself as the best version of you and decide to be that person today.  Completely forget about the other version of yourself and focus only on the best who that is there.  You may not have the power, wealth and influence that you see in that imaginary mirror, but if you continue to look every day it will come.  Every day that you look in that mirror and you see yourself as the best version of you the closer you will move in that direction.  You will start to behave like the version of you that you want to be.  You will see yourself clearer when you do something that is outside the character of who you want to be and you will change it.  It is these subtle changes that you make every day that will put you in the position to receive all the material parts that you saw in your best version reflection.

When you were a child you did lots of things that your parents knew weren’t part of the person they wanted you to be.  If you behaved badly they corrected you.  If you were rude to someone they would talk to you about it and make you apologize.  If they didn’t like the tone of your voice they would quickly correct it.  So now you get to play parent to yourself.  You have the vision of yourself that you want to be and when you recognize that you are not behaving up to that standard it is your responsibility to correct it or make yourself apologize.  So many people go through life without this vision of their best version and they don’t have that standard of comparison to make themselves better.

When I was ten years old my Grandmother signed me and my brother up for a Tae Kwon Do class.  She was always trying to find ways of getting us more active instead of sitting around the house.  My mother was a pretty heavy alcoholic back then and I was exposed to a less than ideal childhood.  In this class I realized that I seemed to have a knack for kicking and sparring.  After only the first couple weeks I was moved up from the beginner class to the more advanced class.  My brother quit at this point so now it was just one kid being transported to class twice a week.  This quickly became a burden and I was taken out of the class but the seed had been planted.  I created my own dojo in the dirt floored basement of our apartment house and I trained myself.  I read magazines and watched every martial arts movie that I could.  Chuck Norris became my hero.  I loved how he always came the rescue of those is need and saved the day.  It was then with that example that I created the image in my head of the person that I wanted to be.  I created the Sensei in the mirror that I tried to be every day.  I developed strong ideals and a strong character based on that image I saw in the mirror. 

Over the years I have had times in my life where I forgot to look into that mirror.  I went through life and let it just pull me along.  The problem is that our society has more negative examples of how to life than positive and I developed some bad habits.  After finding that mirror again and dusting it off I have found that the best version of me is a little different than it was back then but the majority is still the same.  I was pretty surprised to find that when looking back over the years I stayed fairly true to my goal of becoming that Sensei.  I remind myself much more than once a day about who I expect myself to be.  I keep that image in my mind all the time and I correct myself when I make a bad choice.

If you don’t like who you are right now, then find that person in your mirror and see yourself as them.  Keep doing this every day until you are one and the same.

 Thanks again,

Sensei Keith

Changing Lanes

                Imagine you had to merge onto a large multi-lane interstate that was packed with crawling cars that all seemed reluctant to letting you have a single inch?  With some time and persistence you make it into the first of five lanes of traffic and you start moving forward with the crowd of cars.  All of the other cars are tucked in around you making you very cautious of them.  You look over to the far left lane and can see that the traffic there is moving much faster and the cars are farther apart.  You decide that is the lane you want to be in.  How on earth do you get over there?  Well it is going to be slow going and you are probably going to get more than one person to wave at you with a single finger but you put on your blinker and start the slow dangerous crossing of the highway one lane at a time.  You just know that the driving is going to be so much safer in that far lane.  You know that you have to proceed slowly because if you try cutting right over there you will crash.

               

  I have used this story many times talking to people about diets and why they never seem to last. 

You are probably wondering what a diet has to do with a highway full of cars so let me define the pieces here.  Obviously, you are the car and the others all packed in tight around you in that first lane are all the other people that are overweight and out of shape.  The far lane with the fast moving cars speeding along, and where you want to be, is all the skinny people that are in shape and happy in your opinion.    Most days you go along with the crowd wishing that you were in that lane but you just can’t seem to get a break in the traffic to move over.  You try to eat better and exercise but life is busy and soon you are pulled back into the lane you started. 

              

  One day you decide that you have had enough and today is the day.  You hit it hard and start crossing lanes.  You get past the first lane to the second and on to the third.  You have done it and haven’t crashed in the process.  You can almost smell the sweet exhaust of the cars in that first lane.   You have now made it to the second lane and the cars are moving much faster than you are used to.  You grip the wheel tight and try to stay in control but the pace is just too much and you crash.  You skid hard back to the breakdown lane.

               

  The point of that story is that when you decide to start dieting and exercise, and you haven’t done it at all for a very long time, you need to proceed with caution.  If you try crossing too many lanes at once you are going to crash.  I know it is hard to be patient and to hold back when you have decided that enough is enough and you are going to lose that weight once and for all.  But if you really want the once and for all part you need to take it slow and cross lanes one at a time.  What this means is that you need to set manageable goals and make subtle changes to your life to start.  When you adjust to those changes you then make another subtle change.  A sculptor creating a work of art doesn’t strap dynamite around the rock and in one great explosion create his work, he does it one little chip at a time.

               

  So today you might decide to drink more water and stop eating at fast food restaurants.  You cross a lane of traffic and when you get comfortable driving there you look to your left and signal your change.  Maybe this time you decide to start walking with a friend after work or swap out soda for seltzer.  You cross another lane.  There can be as many lanes in this highway as you would like or that you need there to be. 

The hard rule is this.  The more comfortable you are in each lane before crossing into the next the less likely you will be to crash.  To put that another way, the more you identify with the person you have become the less likely you are to go back to the person you were before.  If you do falter on your path it is much easier to get right back into that lane and keep going.

So don't accept your place in the slow lane or make excuses about your tires or the traffic.  Turn on your directional look to the left and start moving.

Thanks again,

Sensei Keith

The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

The martial arts have been founded on the concept from the time it became an art and not just combat that the practice of fighting skills can make you a better person.  This might be an oversimplification of the idea but it captures the essence of what I am talking about.

There are many stories surrounding the beginnings of the martial arts but probably the most widely used is the story of buddhabhadra.  Bhodi, we will call him for short, came from India to China on a missions trip of that age to spread the teachings of Buddhism.  He came across a spiritual temple that  always seemed to be getting robbed.  The people would come and pray at the temple and leave offerings for the gods.  These were valuable at the time and the lowlifes of the times would just come and push over the weaker monks and take it.  The monks were in terrible shape from sitting in meditation all day.  So Bhodi thought hard about this problem and after watching the local wildlife defend itself he created some simple moves for the monks to practice to be able to use the same skills as the animals.  Long story short, the birth of the Shaolin monks and their famous kung fu.

(If you are a martial arts historian I apologize for the gross watering down of the story)

This was the blending of martial skills with spiritual training for the first time (presumably).  The monks continued to perfect this system and has been copied all over the world.  Now the exact dates and details of this story are less important that the resulting system of self improvement that was created back then.  It may have happened in China like I listed or it may have been some where else but the point is that combat and worship came together.

In modern martial arts we still use this same connection between the spirit and the combat skills we practice except it is divided into the three: Mind, Body and Spirit.

The Mind represents the constant pursuit of knowledge.  The brain is like a muscle and if you don't use it you will lose it.  It is important to work your brain in the directions you want it to grow because without work it will fall into basic routines of survival and you will lose creativity, concentration and memory.  In terms of self improvement, learning is essential.

The Spirit represents a deeper understanding of the world and our place in it.  There is a connection between all things and by developing your spirit you can see this clearer. This brings a greater peace to your life.  The spirit is expanded more through experience than through learning.  The knowledge that you acquire through life is called wisdom.  Wisdom isn't so much learning anything new as it is remembering things you forgot at birth.

The Body is pretty obvious.  Like I mentioned in the mind, if you don't use it you will lose it.  Your body is capable of fantastic things if you ask it for them.  If you ask little you will get little and when you need more for some reason you may get it but you will pay for it the next day.  Our body is the vehicle that our souls rides around in.  If you want a fantastic journey of the soul you need to take care of the vehicle.  The martial arts practice that we teach is designed more for the enhancement of the physical ability of the human body that the actual act of combat.  You will be more capable in combat but by being in great shape you will be more capable everyday.

This connection is the underlying foundation of The Sage Institute.  By having a balanced approach to learning the martial arts you are actually practicing a balanced approach to living your life.  The physical development inspires the mental development and vice versa.  The spiritual development improves along the way as you embark on the journey of self growth.  It doesn't matter what your body type is or what your occupation or talents are, you can be a martial artist and you can take this journey too.

With the complexity of life these days and the constant temptation of an easier way of doing things it is just as important today as it was to those monks back in China that we prepare for the battles of life.  A strong mind will help you find the answers to the tough questions of life.  A strong spirit will make them not matter.  And a strong body will help you go farther into life with more confidence.
I call that a win win win.

Sensei Keith

How To Be A Mixed Martial Artist That Doesn't Get Beat Up!

I am not a huge fan of watching MMA competitions on television.  I don't generally watch much t.v. in the first place but watching guys beat themselves senseless for sport is not entertaining for me.  After over thirty years as a martial artist I am impressed at the level that these athletes have to train at to be world class.  The punishment that they have to endure in training and in the ring must shape their character immensely.

What I love about the MMA is how it has stripped away some of the stereotypical baggage that comes with traditional martial arts.  Only fifteen years ago it was sacrilege to even mention that you were blending systems together.  I have been doing it since the early 80's so it is nice to see the change finally coming.  Seriously, it is almost an american quality to try to make things better by mixing them together.  From food to cars to even language we are living in a huge mixing bowl of life.  The old school traditions of the martial arts has resisted this change but, alas, it is finally here.

This brings me to the focus of this article.  How do you train as a mixed martial artist without haveing to get beat up?  If you are new to the martial arts or are considering starting this might be a serious issue for you.  For one, the structure of some established martial arts system in your area might not fit your body type or personality and secondly, nobody want to get beat up.  I assure you that with some experience the act of sparring and combat is something you will need and actually enjoy.

The mixed martial art that I am talking about is your own martial art.  Now I have gone and done it.  I broke the unspoken rule of the martial arts that says you have to go and pay your monthly fees to become a martial artist.  Well the truth is that it just isn't true.  You can become a martial artist at home with a system that you create yourself.  And guess what, that makes you a mixed martial artist.  To become a martial artist you need to do only one thing and you can do it right now.  Decide to be a martial artist.  That is it.  When you decide to be a martial artist you begin your training that very second.

Before I get into the training part lets define what it means to be a martial artist.  Now naturally this means whatever you want it to mean as it is your decision on what a martial artist looks like in your mind.  Historically there are some attributes that have carried across the generations that define a dedicated martial artist and if you want any acceptance in the community of other martial artists you might want to keep in mind.  (now if you choose to throw these into the wind and declare yourself a martial artist and go about embarrassing yourself and the martial arts in general then my claim about not getting beat up no longer applies).  But here are some of the defining features that set martial artists apart:
     1.  Honor.  They develop a strong sense of honor and will defend it and that of people they love with fierce resolve.
     2.  Integrity.  Knowing the difference between right and wrong and doing the right regardless.
     3.  Compassion.  We train to fight so we don't have to and will never cause harm unless it is necessary to defend 1 and 2 above.
     4.  Commitment.  It requires a lot of commitment to be a martial artist and to move through the levels of training.  You can't show up, practice a little and slap on a black belt.  You have to do the time.
     5.  Instruction.  I have never met a high level martial artist who wasn't willing to share their knowledge anywhere at anytime.  When a sensei sees a flaw in life they try to correct it.

If you are aspiring to become a martial artist then I truly hope that you keep those qualities close to your heart through the years of your training.  If you are interested in going into the ring and trying your skill against other fighters you need to remember that not all fighters of the MMA are martial artists.  Some are just fighters.  There are many that are truly martial artists and their art defines their character with the qualities I listed.

Training.   In order to be a martial artist you are going to need to train.  The first levels of training don't even require special clothing.  The start of your journey begins with creating your system.  I am going to put together a serious of posts dealing with just this.  It would take too much space to get into it here.  By creating your own personal system of martial arts to train in and develop your character you will change the course of life forever and you will part of a community of some of the greatest people on this planet.  You can be a mixed martial artist and you don't need to get beat up.

The Progression Of Martial Arts Techniques

The Progression Of Martial Arts Techniques

       This topic came up years ago when I was trying to explain to a student why they had to do the same technique over and over again.  They assured me that they knew it very well and it was pointless to keep doing it.  I tried to explain it to them so it made sense.

To learn a skill in the martial arts you have to let it progress through various stages of development.  The first stage is the simple act of learning the technique.  You cover how to stand in a balanced stance and how to move your arms and legs to perform whatever technique you are learning.  For new students this can be a little difficult because most of the movements in the martial arts are not those that are done in everyday life.

When you have learned the new skill you practice it until you can keep your balance while doing the new technique and appear as though you know what you are doing.  Great, this is the first part.  Now practice some more.  The practice at this point is developing strength and stamina in the muscles that help you do this technique while getting your brain more comfortable with this new movement.  (Remember, you probably aren't getting much practice on these skills out of the dojo.)

The next stage of progression is to speed it up.  A slow technique isn't be much help in sparring or combat.  You again focus on balance and timing of the technique and you practice it over and over.

The next stage is to add power.  Introduction of pads or bags allow you to hit an actual target to confirm that you are using the proper striking surface.  This will increase the effectiveness of this new skill while decreasing you own risk of injury or loss of balance.  Now, Practice!  Again!

The next stage is when you introduce situations where the use of that technique is warranted. (You had to wait for this part because it usually involves some one step sparring with another student.  For their safety you generally are now allowed to try "new" techniques out on a live dummy.)  You are allowed to explore the proper time when you can use the skill through many repetitions.   This means more practice.  In this stage you typically go through the first few steps all over again where you begin to ad speed and then power.

The next stage in this long process is where you get to try it out in a live sparring situation.  You take it for a test drive and see how it works at full speed.  It will take many attempts at this to get it to a point where you can use the technique properly and actually hit the target you were aiming at.  You still are trying to pick the proper time to use the technique and to see where it fits into your personal fighting style.

The final step in this mission, and the whole reason you have done so many repetitions of a technique you already knew, is when you simply perform this technique in combat without even thinking about it.  Almost like magic your brain just knew the perfect time to use that technique the exact second that the target presented itself.

That is the reason for all the repetitions of a single technique.

When an expert fights in a sparring match (or for life or death on the streets) they are not thinking about all the techniques they have learned and when would be a good time to use them.  They simply empty their minds, stare straight into their opponents soul and react to the moment.  This takes thousands of hours of practice but is what makes a black belt really effective.  For anyone who has seen that look knows better and will usually walk away rather than take their chances.

When I am sparring I will always let less experienced students know the rule that I will fight them the way that they fight me.  If they come on hard and fast I will react in kind.  (this usually ends bad for them)  If they want to try their skill to see where they are trying to go I will give them just enough success to build them up while reminding them that they still have a ways to go,

This brings me to the philosophy of The Sage Institute and why I advocate for people to create their own systems of practice.  As you can see, there is thousands of repetitions required to master a single technique.  You could train in a system that is very hard for your body to perform and be very frustrated with techniques that really aren't a good fit for you.  Or you could spend hundreds of hours learning way too many techniques that you will never have time to master without dedicating decades of your life.
 I believe that you should choose techniques that fit your body type, age, fitness ability and personal code of ethics.  There is so much information available on the internet today that it is quite possible to learn a dozen quality techniques and bring them to a level of mastery.  Most of the practice could be done in the comfort of your own home.  The later stages of training will require a partner but you can cross that bridge when you get to it.  My intention is to create an online dojo that will have many techniques for you to choose from as well as many fellow students to help you along the way.

One technique mastered is better than a thousand learned.

There is an equal progression of your mind that takes place at the same time you are learning these techniques.  It is this change that makes you a martial artist and now simply a fighter.  Stick around and I will share that story with you as well.

Sensei Keith

The Mountain of Life

The Mountain of Life

A metaphor for your personal development

 


  I love using the mountain as the metaphor for life.  It just seems to relate very well to the ups and downs of life and how we know that where we are supposed to go is harder than just staying where we are.  As a lover of the hiking and climbing mountains, (on trails not cliffs) I can relate to the feeling of peace at the top of the mountain that accompanies the feeling of accomplishment.  It is also represents a very clear destination for a long journey, instead of aimlessly traveling down a path that you have no idea where it is going.

     I actually came up with the name of my dojo while hiking on the Appalachian trail here in Massachusetts.  I felt an idea start to form and take shape while I was walking along heading up one of the hills.  The Sage Institute of Martial Practice and Life Energy came to my mind like I already knew it and was simply remembering.  The acronym is SIMPLE which refers to my philosophy that smaller machines are less likely to break.  In life it is easier to follow a single path instead of navigating a maze of streets in the big city.  One technique mastered is better than a thousand learned.  I think you get the point.

     Back to the mountain.  The top of the mountain represents enlightenment or full understanding of life.  It also represents the fulfillment of our life goals.  The farther away from the top of the mountain you get the less connected we seem to feel to our higher selves.  Try to imagine what it would be like to have complete clarity is life where you no longer want anything or feel like you are lacking anything.  Imagine crossing all the items off of your life "to do" list and standing on top of that mountain in a level of peace that words can't describe.  If you can grasp that concept then you understand the importance of the mountain and what it represents.

     Down at the bottom of the mountain is where most people live.  Some are there because they haven't looked up yet and seen the mountain.  Others are there because they are just starting their journey and haven't found there way out of the crowd.  Most stay there because it is where they think they are supposed to be.  Lets imagine this like a huge village on the side of the mountain which has vast lands covered with people.  The land on the uphill side of the village is clean and of relative peace compared to the danger and disease located on the farthest down hill part.  People are free to come and go as they please and there are some that venture up the mountain a ways and come back down to the village after a while where is feels more comfortable and safe.  Some people go the other way down the hill deep into the dark and dangerous woods.  Sometimes they come back or perhaps sometimes they don't.

     I think you can see the connection the mountain has to life.  To travel up the mountain is to live a more God like life while going down is a living less God like.  The journey up the mountain from the village takes confidence, perseverance, dedication and faith.  The task requires getting outside your comfort zone and redefining yourself as a "mountain climber".

     As a mountain climber you are going to need a good pair of shoes and a pack filled with skills to help you along the way.  That is what The Sage Institute is all about, helping those who choose to climb the mountain to pack right and to find the right shoes.

Your pack is where you fit your skills.  These skills are what make up your Sage System of martial practice.  You are creating your own personal martial arts system that you are going to use to train your mind, body and spirit for the journey of life on the trails up the mountain.  The skills of your system are based on who you are and what you believe.  They are designed for your physical body type and emotional disposition.  They will be what defines you.  These skills are not necessarily typical martial arts skill.  They can be any life skill that you want to study and improve at that will have value to your life.  Running could be one of your skills or even hunting or dancing.  The skills that you choose will define you but the way you set about mastering them will define them as martial art skills.  (This is true because combat changes depending on what your adversary is.  When you are fighting for clarity it life, you bet dancing can be a weapon you choose) 

The shoes that you wear on your journey are the only things that physically connects you to the mountain.  Your shoes are the vehicle that help you keep moving up.  They represent your own personal faith and belief system.  Choosing the right shoes is a very important part of the journey.  Your shoes may be made up of many different patches of fabric sewed together or a bright and shiny mass produced pair of the shelf at the department store but if they fit you perfectly and you take care of them they will get up to the top.

I hope that I have clarified why I use the mountain as I explain life.  In upcoming blogs I will talk about the pack theory and how to pick your skill as well at the practical parts of building your own system.  Faith alone won't take you all the way to the top just like diet without exercise won't get you into shape.  We have to keep things in balance to keep moving properly.

I understand that this can seem a little complicated but just like learning any skill you have to start by understanding the basics.  When you understand the basics you practice them.  When you are ready you learn more and in tern practice that.  Don't worry about understanding everything at once.  My hope is that you can see the mountain and that you will start packing for the journey.

Thanks again,
Sensei Keith

What is Your Personal Martial Arts System?

What is Your Personal Martial Arts System?

Whether you study a traditional martial art or you just dabble with some techniques that you have seen on television, you have an individual path in the martial arts that is unique to you and only you.  Even if you are in a class of fifty other people who are all doing the exact moves and katas as you are, yours are different then theirs are.  Your techniques might be faster with less strength than the large man practicing behind you.  Of clumsy in comparison to the eight year old kid in front of you.  Both of your techniques might be performed perfectly and yet they are different.

Most systems of learning the martial arts have a master list of moves that the student is taught at each level of training.  One level generally ads upon the last to build you up to be an expert in that system of study.  But even if you follow the lessons to the letter all the way through many years of training and receive your black belt, your personal system of the martial arts will be different from someone else who could have started the exact same day as you did and tested at the same test.  The foundation of Your system might be the traditional system that you studied but Your art is your own.

With the popularity of MMA fighting in the world it has become more accepted to have a martial artist alter their path of training to fill in the holes that they have for their own person style of fighting.  Most fighters would tell you today that no system is perfect for any one person so they have to pick and choose the skills that they need to be successful.

I don't have interest in cage fighting myself but I have been following my own personal system for over thirty years now.  I wasn't able to study at the one and only club we had in my area due to the financial state of my family for more than two months.  I loved the martial arts from the first time I saw them on television and with what little training I received I was hooked.  I took a dirt floored end of the basement of the apartment house we lived in and created my own dojo.  I made a kicking bag out of an old pair of jeans filled with other clothes and rags.  I tied the legs together and wrapped it in about forty rolls of electrical tape.  I then hung it from the sewer pipe to the toilet and I was in business. (I have to say that the plumbing in that house was impressive because I beat that thing up regularly. )

I developed my own system mostly with kicks and punches, as I didn't have anyone willing to let me practice on them.  (I did say willing) I developed great balance and skill but ultimately what I was after was this idea I had of what a black belt was.  I had no way of getting a black belt from a traditional school so I set out creating a list of techniques and mandatory practice requirements for each level so that I could promote myself through my own system.  I set my standards roughly twice as hard as what I knew the standards were for my local club so that I could feel confident in the rank I had. (even if I never told anyone)

I trained for hours every day meeting the requirements that I had set to move myself farther in my system.  I made it into the third degree black belt phase before I graduated from high school and went into the Army.  I was lucky to be stationed in Korea for my first duty assignment and I experience the culture where most of my techniques came from. I got to do some training with the Korean soldiers who seemed to know the martial arts like kids back home knew how to play kickball.

It wasn't till my second assignment in Colorado where I received my formal first and second degree black belts in Tae Kwon Do.  I trained in a couple of different systems while there which only reminded me of the holes in my training.  I was deadly in a kicking contest but a simple body shoot took me out of my element and I was helpless on the ground against someone who knew how to fight there.  Since then I have trained extensively in Jui Jutsu, Aikido, Aikijutsu, Taejutsu and many others to learn the art of fighting on the ground and in close quarters.  It was only because I had received my formal black belts that I felt justified adding  these other systems to my own style of training.

It has not been a respected path to create your own martial arts system, let alone promote yourself to black belt.  That is precisely what I am suggesting that you do with one small change to the plan.  The title of black belt is a very time tested and respected rank for which I have no desire to tarnish.  My suggestion involves levels of training instead of belts. (I will discuss this in another blog)

Before I get to far into that let me explain more about why you should create your own personal system of study.
        First, because every person is different.  They have different talents and natural athletic abilities.  They have different body types from those who are tall and skinny to those of you who are built more like a fire hydrant.  They have different values.  Some are more interested in the spiritual side of training and others are interested more is self defense and street survival.

Second, every person needs to be part of the building process and hold themselves to standards that they set themselves.  They may still be studying traditional arts and using those standards as a base line but they will feel more invested if they place additional standards on their training.

Lastly because perhaps they find yourself in a similar situation that I did where there just isn't a place for them to train in another style of the martial arts.

Ultimately it is about you and your personal growth.  You need to decide what an expert looks like in your system and actively aspire for that in your life.  This include, not only technique, but fitness, diet, spiritual growth educational growth and sharing your journey with others.  Being part of a community of like minded people is essential to your personal growth.  I heard it said that we become the average of the five people that we spend the most time with.  I choose to spend more time with martial artists who value the path to mastery through the simple acts of martial practice.  I hope that this means you.

My wish is that you let this idea roll around in your mind for a while and see if it feels like the right path for you.  Perhaps you are a seasoned martial artist and would be willing to help me build a library of techniques for future students to use to develop their own system.  Either way feel free to send me a message by either commenting here or on my Google plus page.  

Again, I thank you for sticking around and reading this.  I hope that it inspires you to start putting together a list of things that you want to study.  I hope to have some techniques up on YouTube at some point.  But until then Just Keep Climbing.       Keith

The Path Of The Martial Arts Master

The Path Of The Martial Arts Master

I'm sure when you hear the words "Martial Arts Master" you picture some image in your mind of what or who that is.  Your understanding of the term has been influenced by your experiences that put this image in your mind of who or what it is.  Maybe to you there is an image of an old white haired Chinese man hunched over his cane walking down an alley in China.  Or perhaps your image is more modern of Mr Miyagi in the Karate Kid or even Chuck Norris.  Or maybe your image is based upon your own Sensei who has shaped you over many years.  No matter where this image comes from I am going to ask that you "empty your glass" of that image for the rest of this article.  (The expression to "empty your glass" coined by Bruce Lee in reference to forgetting what you already know or think you know about something to make room for a new idea to take its place.)

I ask that you "empty you glass" and be open minded to the idea that you are on this path of the master without feeling like you are not worthy or deserving of such a high honor.  The Path of the Master has more to do with life itself than is does with actual techniques.

"There are many paths up the mountain but the view from the top is the same"

The Path of the Master can be broken down into seven basic steps.  These steps are the foundation of growth for the martial artist.  It is important to note that every person can be a martial artist simply by declaring that they are.  There isn't any secret hand shakes or hidden ceremonies that signifies that you are now a martial artist, You simply decide that you are.

The first step on the path is the Beginner.  This phase of training is where the journey begins with hesitation and doubt as you step out in an unfamiliar direction in life where you really don't know what to expect.  In this phase you try to wrap you head around what is means to be a martial artist and wonder if you have what it takes to become and expert (Black Belt).  During this time you're influenced greatly by those you bow to in class and call Sensei.  This starts the journey of your personal growth and development even if you don't fully understand that at the time.

The second step on the path is the Student.  This is different from the beginner phase in that you now know what you are doing and have an idea where you want to go. Typically the student is motivated by their instructors to keep pursuing the coveted Black Belt.  This title signifies to many the end of the first journey and perhaps the end all together.  It is important to have a positive goal to strive for because a journey without a destination is ensures you will never get where you are going.  Charged with this image in your mind of who you want to be you study hard to move up the ranks to get closer to that prize.

The third step on the path is the Practitioner.  I call is that because it is usually filled with many hours of practice trying to make every technique perfect.  This idea of perfecting every little movement is teaching for more than just kata and technique, it is shaping your mind to strive for that level of perfection in life.  You learn how to look closely at your techniques and determine where they are weak and where they are strong so that you can make the needed corrections.  Can you see the importance this has in your life?

The fourth step is the Expert.  The Black Belt.  This is where you are now rewarded for all that hard work and commitment you have done over these last many years.  With the title comes the respect of your peers as well as the boost to your ego.  Don't get me wrong when I say ego because it is a very motivating force in your life at this point.  You have achieved something great and you deserve the hold your head up high with pride as a member of an elite club of martial arts experts.  

The fifth step on the path is the Sensei.  I use the term Sensei to represent the teacher of a martial arts system.  I know there are many other titles that signify the same thing depending on the nationality of the art that you study and I mean no disrespect.  I use the title Sensei similarly to how every martial art is caller Karate.  The word isn't the important part here, it is the transformation that happens when you take on the responsibility of being that very thing that formulated the image in your mind that started your own journey.  You will now shape the image of all the students that you come in contact with.  This holds you to a standard that pushes you farther down that path of the master than you would if you simply continued to train on your own.

The sixth step is that of the Master.  This part of the training is where you look back at the journey that you have taken and it is clear.  You understand now the importance of all of the steps that you have taken up to this point and it brings a peace and clarity to your life that my words will fall short of describing properly.   I have often described it like this:  
           The journey through life brings you around the base of a great mountain.  Some choose to try to climb to the top of the mountain to fully understand the world in which they live.  There are many paths up this mountain and all of them are long and hard.  There are many points along the way where is would be easier to just turn around and go back down.  For those who persevere they will come to a point on the mountain where the cross the tree line into the clear rocky top of the mountain.  This is where you become a master.  The air is clearer and you can actually see the top of the mountain.  You can also see the paths below you on the mountain with all the other students struggling for every step as they climb.  You have a choice to continue on to the top of the mountain to see the magnificent view or you can turn back and help the rest of the people on the mountain find their way to the top.   No matter which you choose you find yourself on the seventh step on your path:    The Beginner.

This time you have no doubt of hesitation.  You came to the top of the tree line and discovered that the best view in this world is the one that looks inward into yourself and now the one from the top of the mountain.

You can make this journey.  A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.  I encourage you to take that step and the one after that.  Start your journey up the mountain today.  The system that you study isn't important.  What is important is that you study.  I believe that there is a new revolution coming to the martial arts with this wonderful age of information.  We will be once again in a place where people can create their own martial arts systems based on there personal style and body composition.  MMA isn't just for cage fighting.  Mix your own system of study and keep your feet moving upward on this mountain of life.  I hope to help you along the way and to stand on the top with you staring out over the horizon. 

Happy Climbing,  
Sensei Keith