If I could encourage you to do three things to improve how you perform it would be these: get enough sleep; drink enough water, and goal setting. How many of us find ourselves drifting along in our training with no real focus to what we are doing? Aikido and the Martial Arts are such a vast topic that it helps to be specific in our approach to our training.
I want to help you to make 2013 a game changing and stunning year in your Aikido and Martial Arts Development. How best can we do that? Its no secret. We set a goal or two. This is the most powerful way I know of generating improvement and with consistency over time, getting us to an outstanding level.
There are four key stages.
- First, begin with the end in mind. We decide what we want to achieve out of the next 354 days of the year (yes eleven gone already!). So, think of where you would like to be in your Aikido a year from now. It could be that you want to improve your execution of a particular technique or principle. Maybe you want to emulate someone you know or have seen. For many it will be to reach our next grading. As an instructor maybe you want to grow your club, or improve your teaching. It doesn’t matter what the goal is as long as you can measure when you have achieved it.
- BIG P.S. It helps if you know why you want to achieve this goal. Motivation.
- Have a plan for getting there. Is it that you are going to attend every session? Or start making an extra session per week. Are you going to do 1 hour each weekend of suburi? Is it that you are going to add fitness training to your regime? Are you going to get up 30 mins earlier each day to train in the morning? Are you going to practice meditation daily to bring more focus and control to your Aikido? Are you going to start advertising to grow your club? Are you going to video your training once a month to critique yourself? Are you going to go on a seminar to expose yourself to new methods and experiences?
- Know if it is working – Next regularly monitor your have progress towards your goal in line with your plan. Get feedback from others in your clubs and use this post to update yourself and your peers.
Taking action: Now this post isn’t about positive thinking. I don’t go for that. Its not about setting a goal and hoping it will happen. Positive thinking says you stand in front of a mirror saying “I want big muscles, I want big muscles…” hoping they will appear. No, what you now need to do is work your plan to achieve your goal with passion and consistency and enjoy the feeling of being committed and on the path to genius level every step of the way.
So in summary you need to know what you want, why you want it, have a plan and then know if it is working. That simple. So when you post a reply below it might look something like this:
- What: I want to take a trip to Japan for 2 weeks from the 4th to the 18th November 2013
- Why: This is a lifetime ambition and this this will improve my aikido, my confidence and broaden my experience.
- How: I am saving £75 per month to fund it, doing morning suburi and asking Matt Sensei to request an approval from Hitohira Sensei.
Now visualise yourself achieving the goal – this is a topic all by itself and almost warrants a post of its own due to its power to create your future.
Finally: Commitment to paper is commitment to action. So today, give yourself a gift: Sit down with a nice cup of tea or coffee. Sharpen a pencil or turn on your computer and then write out where you want your Aikido and the next 354 days to take you. Then post it as a reply below. If commitment to paper is commitment to action, commitment to your peers doubles the motivation. It’s a lot easier than you may think. And the last tip – Don’t make it too easy otherwise on December 31st 2013 you’ll wish you had made it harder!
Hi Matt , inspiring and a lot of food for thought , thank you.
Just a note – paid the insurance yesterday
Very best wishes
Phil
Thanks Phil – Are you thinking of a goal…?
Hi Matt, here goes:
What? – 2nd dan by Xmas 2013
Why? – committing myself to this goal (regardless of the outcome) will kick me out of my comfort zone and stop me from ‘sitting on my laurels’ and stagnate. There’s nothing quite like the fear of failure to motivate me to improve my Aikido. Besides, I’m not getting any younger so let’s just go for it!
How? – Focusing on my awase during the 2 weekly classes;
– putting in extra training as often as possible with my fellow aikidoka;
– suburi and 13 + 31 kata practice at least twice a week (kihon, awase & kinonagare);
– paired kata practice as often as possible;
– attendings as many Aikido seminars as possible;
– going through the grading syllabus in my head and visualising the techniques done accurately and smoothly (at least twice a week);
– going through the grading syllabus at home with the ‘invisible uke’ at least once a week (sounds daft but works wonders for self-confidence and isn’t that half the battle won?);
– kettle bell exercises twice a week and general fitness work most days (walking, sit ups etc);
– asking Sensei Matt and fellow aikidoka for feedback;
– keeping my fingers crossed, prayer? (Only kidding!)
Isabelle this is great – well done on being the first in. Great goal and well thought out. Go for it!!!
Ok Lead from the Front – here is my goal:
What: To influence with Integrity the lives of 1,000 people locally, nationally and globally in 2013.
Why: The Martial Ways are the worlds oldest ways – a holistic approach to well-being that ranges from self protection, to health, fitness, character development and mental training. My passion is to share this with as many people as I can.
How:
1. Through raising the profile of this years national and international courses;
2. Raising the profile locally through mentoring and coaching and self defence courses;
3. Writing engaging and helpful content for the website;
4. Always doing more than others would expect of me in my teaching, coaching and mentoring;
5. Lend my support to all of our national group members to help them grow thier own clubs and increase our influence.
My 1st and main goal is to stop making up excuses for my self as why not to do the things that I tell my self I want to do.
think my 1st goal is a work in progress which is going well up till now, my second goal is to look and feel better than I have ever done when I visit Stonehenge next month.
Here goes…..and no laughing !!!
What :
Pass my 4th Kyu grading by the end of 2013.
Why :
Whilst I am not particually motivated by gaining belts this will help me focus my mind on making certain techniques “my own” and helps me get to where I ultimately want to be.
How :
Attend as many training sessions as possible
Ask my peers for advise and support
Attend the uchi dechi course
Practise jo and ken kata at home
Incorporate at least one conditioning session into every week using kettle bells, free weights, running and stretching
Craig – great! I think that this might be too easy for you though….
What? : take 2nd Dan December 2013
Why? : Having this goal will focus mytraining during keiko and motivate me to utilise my spare time for personal study
How? :
– Average two keiko’s per week (utilise Reading Zenshin club while I work away)
– Attend four Seminars during 2013
– Carry out a minimum of 30 mins of Suburi each day
– Attend club Uchi Deshi
Good stuff Mr. Bailey. This is in your reach as long as you can get the sessions in. Remeber key focus on smoothness and awase for Nidan. Top Man!
Thank you for your advice Sensei,
What ? Nidan test – July 2014. Develop smoothness in movement and technique (awase).
Why? I really want to maintain the momentum to my learning in Aikido this year.
How? Extra Saturday morning training (whenever my family commitments will allow) + 2 x 15 minute solo weapons work per week on top of usual Monday and Thursday keikos and conditioning/fitness stuff.
Particular target areas for first six months to July 2013:
1) Hanmi handachi techniques.
2) Suburi (7 Ken and 20 Jo) – form.
3) 13 no Jo kata – commit this to memory.
Particular target areas for second sixth months to December 2013:
1) Suwariwaza Shomenuchi Ikkyo ~ Gokyo.
2) 31 no Jo kata – form.
3) Ken awase.
Particular target areas for third sixth months to July 2014:
1) Standing techniques.
2) Weapons taking.
3) Jiyuwaza.
Monitoring: Reminder set for every first Sunday of the month to do an evaluation of the previous month and refresh my memory of the above targets for the month ahead.
This is great Mark – really specific and if when you stick to it, it will work. Really great, well thought out goal.
what: 1st kyu summer 2013
(stretch) shodan December 2013
why: while grades aren’t particularly important to me, shodan is a useful measuring point
how: 2 sessions per week; at least one course; time every day, even if only 10 minutes in the morning doing tai sabaki; weapons every weekend, particularly using the tanren uchi I built over Christmas but haven’t used much because of the snow!
Great Tony – yes the Tanren Uchi will be a great addition to your daily training – good man for building it.
After much thought over recent months…
What: improve my longevity in the art (avoiding injury, etc) and maximise the quality of my training on the mat, whilst working on being more aiki off the mat i.e. where it counts, day to day, and not just in terms of my goals e.g. grading.
Why: A bit nebulous in terms of the outcome over the year, but to feel stronger, calmer and more relaxed, and certainly inspired by Sensei Matt’s talk of working toward feeling like a dynamo and creating energy… Through mindfulness meditation, a combination of stretching, conditioning and continued physio work. A bit nebulous in terms of the outcome over the year, but to feel stronger, calmer and more relaxed.
How: Daily meditation 15-45 mins (body scan, yoga, walking meditation or seated), plus stretching, conditioning and physio work c. 30 mins per day, with timetabled rest days. Conditioning will be primarily body weight only. I am focusing on diet in terms of upping work with raw ingredients over processed, or ready foods. Drinking more water, removing cafeine and reducing alcohol intake. Reading and CDs for inspiration. Overall about an hour a day.
I am looking to take up as many opportunities to train and attend seminars, but aiming to be mindful about the outcome and how I approach these. Same for my next grading. In terms of being more aiki on the mat, I want to contribute in some way toward each of my fellow aikidoka’s goals where possible, on a weekly basis, be it additional partner work, ukemi, giving or receiving advice. Therefore I want to prioritise getting a BAB coaching certificate.
Measurement – Daily tick list of actions re: meditation/training. Revisit goals every month and to alter schedule if needed. Relaxation chart – map before and after areas of tension and work on these. Note successes for motivation e.g. seminars, extra suburi, improved awareness, etc. Compare charts and successes at the 12 month mark, but in a non-judgmental/mindful way.
What: to develop more power in my aikido.
Why: to make my aikido more effective & improve my chances of taking/passing my sandan in April 2014. I feel I need to bring a little more ‘yang’ to my art.
How: train with kettlebells 3 times a week. Focus on improving my whole body co-ordination, timing & relaxation during my aikido training (in particular while practicing my suburi each day).
Jason great stuff.
When I next see you I will give you some specific kettlebell exercises to do that will boost this.
Along with relaxtion working on full body recruitment is also vital. I will show you some partner exercises for this.
We then also need to add in timing and that instant of relaxation-explosion-relaxation.
It is also vital to work on Coupling this with a real focus on development of kokyu power in every movement.
A key question here is how will you know when you have achieved this goal? One for you to ponder…
Great focus Jason,
Matt.
Thanks Matt.
I look forward to learning more about the exercises you mention.
As for the key question of how I’ll know if I’ve achieved this goal, I am finding that it’s a tricky one to quantify. Definitely one to ponder.
J.
What: set period of daily meditation plus conditioning (physio, stretching, etc)
Why: enhance my aikido with a view to being more relaxed, flexible, injury-free and mindful, therefore enhance all aspects of my training – but most importantly so I can bring the benefits and the mindset of being aiki into my daily life, rather than just in the dojo. In the dojo, focus on a more relaxed style with less wasted movement and effort… It’s a bit hard to explain the how but here goes:
How: develop daily mindful meditation practice (c15-45 mins per day, using seated, walking, lying (body scan) meditations and also yoga – with support from books, cds, etc) Fit in at least 30 mins per day of physio for joints, stretching or general fitness – I have been following a five day a week programme for a couple of months now). This gives a c.1hr per day, with timetabled rest days. This is particularly safe training i.e. body weight only and trying to develop relaxed power.
In the spirit of being mindful, it is to be less judgmental of the self, so this is potentially a little in conflict with testing progress. I am using tension/pain charts to visually represent where I am now (e.g. inflexibility in the ankle, knee problem, very stiff shoulders, etc) and will repeat this every couple of months to see if things have improved.
In terms of flexibility and conditioning, comparing the activities I can complete at 6 and 12 months should show an improvement. An all round test could be used at these points e.g. stappers, how many rounds of a specific set of exercise I can complete in 20 mins, and/or how many specific exercises before failure. I am thinking some basics that I would cover regularly e.g. push, press, core, leg exercises.
Progress- I started the conditioning side regularly around November so am about 3 1/2 months in at the second level of a programme and also fitting in physio etc. In terms of daily meditation, I began about a month ago but attempted this at different points last year and lost momentum, so this is the key part.