QUOTE
In This Issue
> Why Do We Do It? We All Know Better
> Is Your Age Holding You Back?
> Next To Hardness You Will Find Excuses
Think of all the things that we use to help us all look good on the outside. How much time do you spend looking at creams and potions, deodorants and perfumes so you can have that WOW factor - but does the look carry on into the inside? Yes we all think that we have a good diet of five fruit and vegetables a day, but can this be enough to maintain not only the daily routines of our lives, but regular rigorous training sessions?
How many of us crawl out of bed in the morning to face nothing but a cup of coffee or tea, then without a thought get a quick shower and jump into the clothes we have picked for the day - not thinking that the body is already starting it’s hibernation.
The journey to work can be quite stressful in itself, but it’s just something that we have to do. It’s mid-morning and we still haven’t fed our bodies anything of value, but a welcome drink break is around the corner and boy do we need that, it’s just the thing to give us a boost till we get to lunchtime. A nice sandwich or chocolate bar will put us right and put our fuel gauge back to somewhere around 50%. The afternoon seems slow and unproductive.
How well do you think your car would run with the incorrect fuel in the tank? Not to well, but after lunch we still get no real nourishment, and our journey home can be more stressful than the trip to work.
Home at last, all you want to do is grab 5 minutes to sit down and yes, have another cuppa. When this gives you your energy kick, you have little time left before you need to leave for your class, still not enough time for the food that the body is now crying out for.
At around 9 o’clock the only thing on your mind is FOOD. You sit down to a nice meal and may be more tea or coffee, or better still let’s have a glass of wine or maybe a can of beer. What now? Let’s all sit down and watch the television, fall asleep until it’s time for bed.
I’m not going to preach to you about what you should eat or when you should eat it, we all know the answers to this - it’s forced down our necks everywhere we look. The question is WHY DON’T WE DO IT?
Take the time to work on the inside like you work on the outside, feeling good inside will help you look good outside. You will become more efficient but most of all you should feel better about YOU. It’s easy to neglect our bodies, to opt for a tea or coffee when we need energy. But realise fatigue and stress are often the body’s way of crying out for nourishment.
^ top
“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you are absolutely correct!”
How many times have you heard people say that they are “too old” to learn karate. Is this the real reason, or are they afraid of what their friends and family may think? During my years with GKR in my capacity as Regional Instructor, many people have said this but the vast majority of them use it as an excuse instead of a motivator. We speak to many people from all walks of life, and it is gratifying to know that an ‘old’ person has started and is well on their way to many years of beneficial training. Age is a factor in your training. The problem with most people is that they view their age as a hindrance instead of an asset.
Yes, you are right, the older you get the less flexible you become. Karate is not about flexibility and never has been - it is about ability, effort and attitude. If you can’t kick head high, don’t! You must adapt your karate to your physical limitations whilst still putting maximum effort into it.
Many are mislead in their ability to learn by the martial arts movies and stars like Jet Li and Jackie Chan. We all agree that they are exceptional martial artists (not very many are capable of what they can do). To many, the perception is one of being super fit, having a gymnast’s flexibility and the ability to walk up walls and on tree branches.
I am 48 years young and I have never viewed my age as a barrier in my karate training. I am very proud of what I have achieved and my ability.
Don’t forget that: “Age is a frame of mind, not the state of the body.”
Unfortunately, all too many do forget this and unwittingly condemn themselves to no physical training at all, only to discover that it is to late to do anything about it. If you are one of those who have used your age as an excuse not to learn karate, re-think your strategy according to the quote above.
I am sure that those parent’s who diligently take their children to karate each week, have been encouraged many a time by the instructor to join. If you are one of those people, next time you take your child to the dojo, speak to a parent who recently joined. You will be pleasantly surprised at what they share with you.
Remember, the only thing you should be fearful of, is not doing anything towards your health.
^ top
We all want a better life. Be it better health, better relationships, better karate, better pay or a better financial situation etc. It’s been written on many occasions that one of the keys to achieving a better life is visualisation.
Many people hear of the power of visualisation and put it to the test. Before long they give up and cast it aside as a waste of time. So is visualisation truly effective? And if so, why do so many people give up on it before long?
Visualisation is important for any form of improvement. Many people give up on it however because the results do not come fast enough. They fail to realise that once the vision has been set, it takes time for your life to rise to that level. Visualisation is not magic; there will always be a time delay between setting the vision and fulfilling the vision.
So what happens during this time delay? A lot of hard work!
Visualisation Must Also Involve Work
When we think of a Rocky movie, we often think of the hard training he goes through. His hard training inspires us; knowing his efforts will eventually lead to him overcoming the odds and finding success.
With our own lives however, we more often visualise ourselves relaxing and enjoying the fruits of success. Rarely do we visualise the work and effort it takes to create it. This is probably why, if you advertised on e-bay to sell a hot tub and an exercise machine, which one do you think will attract the most interest? Ask yourself the question which one would you be attracted to? If you’re like most, the hot tub is most appealing even though the exercise machine would do you the most good.
Without a doubt, having a vision for a better life MUST set you on a course of hard work. This is usually why many prefer not to get into the vision business in the first place. The time between setting the vision and having the vision, in reality is filled with challenges. It is our human nature to choose the path of less resistance, and come up with excuses rather than the effort. This is why most people live at the level of their excuses, not at the level of their potential. “Next to hardness you will find excuses.”
Not everyone who lacks vision for their life is that way because they lack a work ethic. Some of these people have set their visions high, only they lower it at every point of failure or discouragement. The end result is they keep lowering their vision until it matches what they already have.
~ Improvement comes, more often than not, by way of the exercise machine, not the hot tub ~
> Why Do We Do It? We All Know Better
> Is Your Age Holding You Back?
> Next To Hardness You Will Find Excuses
Think of all the things that we use to help us all look good on the outside. How much time do you spend looking at creams and potions, deodorants and perfumes so you can have that WOW factor - but does the look carry on into the inside? Yes we all think that we have a good diet of five fruit and vegetables a day, but can this be enough to maintain not only the daily routines of our lives, but regular rigorous training sessions?
How many of us crawl out of bed in the morning to face nothing but a cup of coffee or tea, then without a thought get a quick shower and jump into the clothes we have picked for the day - not thinking that the body is already starting it’s hibernation.
The journey to work can be quite stressful in itself, but it’s just something that we have to do. It’s mid-morning and we still haven’t fed our bodies anything of value, but a welcome drink break is around the corner and boy do we need that, it’s just the thing to give us a boost till we get to lunchtime. A nice sandwich or chocolate bar will put us right and put our fuel gauge back to somewhere around 50%. The afternoon seems slow and unproductive.
How well do you think your car would run with the incorrect fuel in the tank? Not to well, but after lunch we still get no real nourishment, and our journey home can be more stressful than the trip to work.
Home at last, all you want to do is grab 5 minutes to sit down and yes, have another cuppa. When this gives you your energy kick, you have little time left before you need to leave for your class, still not enough time for the food that the body is now crying out for.
At around 9 o’clock the only thing on your mind is FOOD. You sit down to a nice meal and may be more tea or coffee, or better still let’s have a glass of wine or maybe a can of beer. What now? Let’s all sit down and watch the television, fall asleep until it’s time for bed.
I’m not going to preach to you about what you should eat or when you should eat it, we all know the answers to this - it’s forced down our necks everywhere we look. The question is WHY DON’T WE DO IT?
Take the time to work on the inside like you work on the outside, feeling good inside will help you look good outside. You will become more efficient but most of all you should feel better about YOU. It’s easy to neglect our bodies, to opt for a tea or coffee when we need energy. But realise fatigue and stress are often the body’s way of crying out for nourishment.
^ top
“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you are absolutely correct!”
How many times have you heard people say that they are “too old” to learn karate. Is this the real reason, or are they afraid of what their friends and family may think? During my years with GKR in my capacity as Regional Instructor, many people have said this but the vast majority of them use it as an excuse instead of a motivator. We speak to many people from all walks of life, and it is gratifying to know that an ‘old’ person has started and is well on their way to many years of beneficial training. Age is a factor in your training. The problem with most people is that they view their age as a hindrance instead of an asset.
Yes, you are right, the older you get the less flexible you become. Karate is not about flexibility and never has been - it is about ability, effort and attitude. If you can’t kick head high, don’t! You must adapt your karate to your physical limitations whilst still putting maximum effort into it.
Many are mislead in their ability to learn by the martial arts movies and stars like Jet Li and Jackie Chan. We all agree that they are exceptional martial artists (not very many are capable of what they can do). To many, the perception is one of being super fit, having a gymnast’s flexibility and the ability to walk up walls and on tree branches.
I am 48 years young and I have never viewed my age as a barrier in my karate training. I am very proud of what I have achieved and my ability.
Don’t forget that: “Age is a frame of mind, not the state of the body.”
Unfortunately, all too many do forget this and unwittingly condemn themselves to no physical training at all, only to discover that it is to late to do anything about it. If you are one of those who have used your age as an excuse not to learn karate, re-think your strategy according to the quote above.
I am sure that those parent’s who diligently take their children to karate each week, have been encouraged many a time by the instructor to join. If you are one of those people, next time you take your child to the dojo, speak to a parent who recently joined. You will be pleasantly surprised at what they share with you.
Remember, the only thing you should be fearful of, is not doing anything towards your health.
^ top
We all want a better life. Be it better health, better relationships, better karate, better pay or a better financial situation etc. It’s been written on many occasions that one of the keys to achieving a better life is visualisation.
Many people hear of the power of visualisation and put it to the test. Before long they give up and cast it aside as a waste of time. So is visualisation truly effective? And if so, why do so many people give up on it before long?
Visualisation is important for any form of improvement. Many people give up on it however because the results do not come fast enough. They fail to realise that once the vision has been set, it takes time for your life to rise to that level. Visualisation is not magic; there will always be a time delay between setting the vision and fulfilling the vision.
So what happens during this time delay? A lot of hard work!
Visualisation Must Also Involve Work
When we think of a Rocky movie, we often think of the hard training he goes through. His hard training inspires us; knowing his efforts will eventually lead to him overcoming the odds and finding success.
With our own lives however, we more often visualise ourselves relaxing and enjoying the fruits of success. Rarely do we visualise the work and effort it takes to create it. This is probably why, if you advertised on e-bay to sell a hot tub and an exercise machine, which one do you think will attract the most interest? Ask yourself the question which one would you be attracted to? If you’re like most, the hot tub is most appealing even though the exercise machine would do you the most good.
Without a doubt, having a vision for a better life MUST set you on a course of hard work. This is usually why many prefer not to get into the vision business in the first place. The time between setting the vision and having the vision, in reality is filled with challenges. It is our human nature to choose the path of less resistance, and come up with excuses rather than the effort. This is why most people live at the level of their excuses, not at the level of their potential. “Next to hardness you will find excuses.”
Not everyone who lacks vision for their life is that way because they lack a work ethic. Some of these people have set their visions high, only they lower it at every point of failure or discouragement. The end result is they keep lowering their vision until it matches what they already have.
~ Improvement comes, more often than not, by way of the exercise machine, not the hot tub ~
Seems that Sensei Hacketts apology must have slipped through the net....
I wonder where they get these helpful hints for a happy future from... Certainly beneficial to everyday life, but maybe less so for the perfection of good karate.
Any comments?