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