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How long How Good?
How long does it really take to get any good? That is a
question I get asked all the time. Every time I teach a Seminar
or a private Class this is one of the first questions.
There are several factors to take into account when answering
this question. How good compared to what?
If it is how good compared to a World Class Fighter…. Then the
answer is probably never.
If it is how good compared to your level when you walked through
the door today, then the answer is not long at all!
Lets take some examples of what I mean. Many of our Coaches
within the OCFM have been training with me regularly for up to
10-12 years. Some others have trained sporadically for a year or
so. Many Karateka have trained for a very long time and not
reached Coach status.
At first glance it must appear that something is wrong, if
people can train for a long time and not get there and others
the opposite way around.
The answer is so simple it is a real “WOW” moment! It is all
about “emptying your cup” it all about being honest with
yourself. It is all about losing your ego.
I was honest enough to admit to myself many years ago that I was
very average in the Martial Arts and knew next to nothing
compared to what was out there. So were my training partners
like Peter Holmes, Anthony Blades etc and many others from back
then who have since either packed in or gone on to something
different.
We decided that the only way to get better was to stop doing
what we were currently doing. Remember the old maxim “ If you
always do what you have always done, you will always have what
you have always had”. This is so true with the Martial Arts.
So many people come along to us to learn a waveform for example.
We spend a few hours teaching them and helping them to achieve a
MASSIVE increase in Impact. They succeed in this during
training. They usually double their Impact and halve their
effort after just an hour or so of Instruction.
Many of these people have trained for 10, 15 or even 20 years in
the Martial Arts. They have an Impact level of “X”. Then after
one hour they have an Impact level of “2X”!
Surely two things should come into their mind: One – I have been
doing something repeatedly wrong for the last 10/15/20 years.
Two – there must be something in this OCFM stuff!
Now, from our experience the above happens almost every time.
The difference between our Coaches and the “bulk” of the people
who train with us is this:
Our Coaches realised the old maxim I mentioned previously is
absolutely true. They stopped doing what they did before. They
stopped repeating the same old mistakes. They stopped listening
blindly to what they were told. They decided to test things for
themselves and make sure that they knew it worked before they
accepted it.
The others (the bulk of people) went back to their Club /
Association or Gym and told everyone how they could hit so MUCH
harder now. Then, they were told by their Instructor that what
they did was not Shotokan / Wado / Kung Fu / Ju Jitsu (insert
lots of other styles here) and that they should conform to their
styles standards and ways of doing things.
Therefore, you guessed it, after a few hours of going back to
what they have always done, they got what they have always had.
They lost their Impact and they were back on the treadmill.
Then, the next session with us, we change everything again. They
double their Impact again. They go back to their Club and lose
it all again.
And so the process goes on and on and on.
This story sound familiar to you? This, of course happens in
many aspects of the Martial Arts.
YOU must remember, that this is YOUR journey in the Arts and you
must get from it what you want. If you are happy to go back to
your old Club and go back to “X” Impact instead of “2X” then
that is your choice.
If you are NOT happy to do this, then it is time for you to ask
your Instructor / training partners to sit up and listen. It is
time for YOU to take the initiative and get out from your
Martial Arts what you are prepared to put in.
The common factor with our Coaches is that they were prepared to
do this. They were prepared to “empty the cup” and to add in the
extra knowledge and information we could give them.
Our Coaches were already at the top in their respective fields –
so IF THEY are prepared to make this “leap of faith” at their
level, then so should you……. I know I did and will NEVER look
back.
This brings me back to how long and how good? This is entirely
up to you. Our methods are principle based and therefore SO
quick to learn. Just apply the principles to that which you
already know and watch your knowledge and understanding sky
rocket.
The answer is still the same…. It depends on what YOU want.
Remember the old maxim “ If you always do what you have always
done…. You know the rest….. Don’t let that happen to you!
Russell
Stutely Articles
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