Stroud's School of Martial Arts

It was a popsicle night at the dojo with a great night of training! See you on the mats!

Karate basics, jujitsu and sparring! Oh my! Great night on the mat!

Copied and pasted from Hanshi LD Tomlinson
57 years inMartial Arts:

I have trained consistently except for illness or injury for 57 years. Martial arts and yoga are still a vital part of my solitary morning workouts. It energizes me daily and keeps me flexible.

I am wondering as I write this if it is worthwhile. The only reason for writing this is to aid beginners (we are all beginners) in discovering a worthwhile path in training martial arts. Very few people actually take training seriously, focus too much on preset belt levels, and fail to put in the work.
Most of the best martial artists I have known and trained with have had a profound sense of humor, a dedicated training regimen, and always worked for perfection knowing they will never reach it. The ones that think they have reached perfection are the ones you don't want to learn from. To put it another way, they are fake and insecure, and have deluded themselves. You need honesty to to progress in martial arts.
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HOW TO PROGRESS IN MARTIAL ARTS (or anything else).

“The body you were born with matters much less than what you do with it..”- Ashley Hamer
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Pay attention:
When your instructor shows or explains something, pay attention and put effort into what they are trying to teach you. Do not stop working on the task until your instructor says stop.

Repetitions:
I see many martial arts students doing a minimum of repetitions nowadays. This will get you nowhere. You may develop the proficiency to pass a test with low repetitions but you will always be a weak martial artist.
High repetition of technique is the only way to make gains. It will be boring and tiring. You will sweat and have pain. But if you don't push through these things you will never get any better.

Form and alignment:
Without proper form and alignment you will never generate power. If you don't train your body to move as a whole, as a unit, you will always be at half power. This relates directly to doing what your instructor is trying to teach you.

Mind-set:
Without a good mindset, progress is impossible. Develop a tolerance for boredom, pain, fear, and other mental obstacles. Always envision success or an “I can do this attitude”. Mental toughness and mental relaxation may seem at odds, but they actually blend together very well and provide you with endurance.

Advice:
Your instructor ultimately decides if you are ready to test or not. Not you or time in grade. Do not pursue “belt levels”. Instead immerse yourself in training. If all you want is a belt, just order one and quit training.
Show up for class! Modern culture is sometimes very hectic, but if you don't show up at the dojo you can't expect to progress
Do not simply train in class for an hour or two, but train daily. Your personal daily training will help you progress the most. By doing this, and paying attention to what you're doing, you will find valuable questions to ask your instructor.

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“A person goes to knowledge as he goes to war, wide awake, with fear, with respect, and with absolute assurance”

“You are like you are, because you tell yourself that you are that way.”

“Discipline, as understood by a warrior, is creative, open, and produces freedom. It is the ability to face our habits, and of considering things that exceed the scope of our habits,”

“In your personal training the only battle that is worthwhile is the battle for awareness.”

“A warrior lives by acting, not thinking about acting”

It was a popsicle night tonight! Great workout!

Fun night on the mats tonight with a full house!🥰