WingChun Articles
6th April 2008
Training Time
How many times have you asked or overheard another student ask... "How long will it take before I can defend myself properly?" or "When will I be able to do the whole of the Siu Nim Tao?" or "How quickly will I be able to take my next grading?"
These questions are generally asked by students who have only been training for a short while because the understanding of the concepts of time in training will only become apparent with experience.
Ask yourself what is more important - the amount of time that has elapsed or how you used it?
People ask, "How long have you been training martial arts?"
Two years? Six years? 10 years?
"Wow you must be really good by now" they say. Why assume that? I may have trained two hours per night, two nights per week, every week for ten years, but what percentage of that time did I train properly. How much of each two hour session did I spend concentrating totally on what I was doing? Was I totally focused when watching my Sifu demonstrate a technique or movement? Was my mind fully focused and my body fully receptive to any impulses to which I must react?
Or was I thinking about my plans for the weekend, or the D.I.Y project indoors or work?
Was I chatting with my training partner instead of drilling the technique which my Sifu has just shown the class? Do I keep glancing at the clock thinking. "Ok it's been a long day. Enough is enough. I wish it was time to go".
If I only spend fifty percent of my lesson time training to the best of my ability I am only going to be half as good as I could be and it will take me twice as long to reach my goals. Use the time that you have to train wisely and I absolutely guarantee to you that you will improve beyond expectations. All it takes is self discipline. Time is extremely precious. It cannot be stored so as to be used later or slowed so we must fill what time we do have with focused, diligent training.
It is important that we do not fall into the trap of using time trained as a measure of ability. Just because I passed my second grading in December it does not mean I should assume that I will be taking my next grading in April. If I have trained hard and reached the required standard (as judged by my Sifu) then I will take the grading. If I have not trained enough hours or worked hard enough in the hours that I have trained then I should not grade. If this is the case I must not become frustrated but accept the fact that I must train a little harder. You will reach your goal. It is that simple. It may just take a little more application. If you become frustrated you will lose your focus. If you give up and walk away there is no chance of reaching your goal.
We are all different in our abilities to absorb and memorise information and to develop reflexes and commit movements to muscle memory. Some people learn very quickly, others do not. It doesn't matter. It is irrelevant how long it takes to reach your goal as long as you reach it.
Unfortunately there is no fast-track route to developing reflex action. It has to be learned through repetition to make a conscious movement become a reflex action.
It is far better to take your journey slowly and totally master each grading and the movements, techniques and reflexes that each will give you than to try to rush through and only have a partial understanding of each.
Grading is an excellent way of ensuring you are utilising your training time well. Your Sifu is hugely experienced and will advise you on whether or not you are ready to grade. Remember that your Sifu is dedicated to helping you to improve and will only recommend you grade if he believes you are ready. That is not to say of course your grading will be easy!!!
Train hard
Train intelligently
Open your mind
Focus
Use wisely the training tool that is... Time.
Sihing Steve Rose © 2008