The Mentality of a Martial Artist

As some of you may know, I teach martial arts on a full-time basis. What is most important then, as an instructor, and indeed, as a student, is the mentality.

If you are an unwell, ask yourself can you push yourself through your training, even if you have no idea what the lesson on that day may entail.

If you are injured, how did this happen? You know, most of my student's injuries have come via the gym, where abnormal weights were lifted. Or it might have been at the football ground.

When I was aged 19, as well as training in martial arts, I also played ice hockey for a 'B' or reserve team. I was never professional. I played for the enjoyment. We were a team that provided the warm up for the crowd whilst they waited for the main event to start.

They would cheer us on, all the same, because some of that team played in the senior A team, and others dropped back to the C team level.

That year, in 1992, I suffered my worst injury to date. I was in a collision at high speed with one of the opposing team. I smashed into the barrier at rink-side, thinking my leg was broken but actually, my knee had been all but shattered. This shattered my theory about the knee being the hardest bone in the body.

Seven operations later, my knee was functioning again. During that time, I had many highs and lows, but I never stopped training, even from the hospital bed. I would do all manner of punch drills, blocking techniques.

I never gave up. Especially when the doctors told me I would not play ice hockey again, or throw a punch in a martial arts tournament.

And you can't, when something inevitably gets in your way.

The mentality to win, to come through, to see a future where you'd like to be, is what should consume martial artists on a daily or yes - hourly basis!

On that note, I'm off to teach now.