Effective Practice

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How often have you been told by Sensei; practice, practice, practice and practice your basics? There is good reason for this but often that reason is not really understood because most are told to go back and practice their basics yet rarely are they told why. In the dojo, a good teacher and mentor will explain things and if they cannot they find the answers and, “Explain Things.”

If a Sensei says to go back and practice the basics some more it is often because there is something in your expression of karate and martial arts is lacking something critical to the discipline. Often it is about not the outer performance but the inner principles not applied when performing the outer, physical manifestation, performance of say, “Kata.” 

Even if all you are doing is learning the patterns and movement of kata, like learning a dance or a floor exercise in gymnastics, for the purpose of competition those principles if understood can contribute immensely to your performance that can be seen, if not obviously by the judges and audiences, when you perform. 

Building that foundation of fundamental principles, multiple methodologies and force levels are not just for self-fense purposes for they contribute to all forms and aspects of martial arts and karate. It lies as a solid foundation whether needed to stop an aggressive predatory attack or to impress the judges to give you the points and the winning trophy. Often, when judges do award you the top prize they often do so because of a feeling they cannot describe adequately even if consciously they attribute it to certain known and accepted explanations such as, “They have power in their kata,” and so on. 

As with all things of this universe that includes practice there are fundamental principles that give that discipline, in this case the discipline of practice, it substance resulting in mastery. This is what every practitioner and devotee of such disciplines strive for even if on a subconscious level. What follows is a simplistic description of the principles needed to practice, practice, and practice to receive the benefits toward mastery. 

The notes references can be viewed here, “How to Practice Effectively …” https://youtu.be/f2O6mQkFiiw

• It is not just repetitive practice, it is more.
• It is about programming and creating changes in the brain along with the creation of a mind-state and mind-set of practice.
• Repetitive motions alone are not enough.
• Practice is not about large amounts of hours spent doing the repetitions alone. 
• Practice must be about repetitions of a quality and effective consistent focused intent. 
• Practice is about a type of challenge to our current abilities. 
• Practice must be an effective form of practice or its just dancing around with only fitness and health as benefit. 
• You practice by diligently focusing on the task at hand; minimize any distractions; start slow and gradually increase “Correct” practices.
• Practice is also about building coordination of correct repetitive movement.
• Avoid long singular daily sessions of great intensity, use frequent practice sessions with allotted breaks spanning the entire day. Like proper eating habits, it is more productive and effective if fed to you over time, several times a day, etc., i.e., eating small meals throughout the day is healthier. 
• Practice includes spending time on things related to the discipline you wish to master. 
• Supplement practice outside of normal practice through visual-imagery once you have established the motion or movement correctly and effectively. Visual-imagery, a form of visualization, is also a form of self-hypnosis where the brain can achieve improvements, etc., of established motions and movements at the same rates as actual hands-on practices. 

Remember, you have to practice in this way to reach and achieve new heights in your master of the discipline involved. To maximize your potential and have it manifest at will in a masterful way is the end milestone of a, “System of practice!”

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