Nine Seals Martial Arts Woodruff, SC

4 hours of sweat and pain working some of the hanbo curriculum of Kukishinden-ryū.

We’ve got a solid group of guys training with us at these events and we’d love to see you at the next one in October 🎃🥷

Come out this Sunday (9/18) for 12-4pm to learn the basics of the Japanese Hanbo with Asheville Bujinkan!

We will be training at Mckinny Park in Woodruff, SC. Cost is $30

Great training with Asheville Bujinkan Dojo today! Tons of great info and varied ways to apply Sanshin no Kata.

Thank you Owen Hempton & Jon Rooneo for running an awesome session.

Failure to reach one’s goals is typically not the result of lack of effort or lack of desire.

More often, failure is the result of burnout.

This burnout occurs because when we first start out on an endeavor we assume that we must make huge sweeping changes to our habits and lifestyle.

We assume that big changes require big actions all at once.

We try to “boil the ocean”.

Just as attempting to boil the ocean would prove to be impossible, attempting to change everything about your habits and lifestyle all at once will prove too much for most people to handle.

The weight loss journey is the perfect way to explain this concept.

Many think they need to start by waking up at 5am everyday to workout for 2 hours. They need to reduce the calories they consume drastically. They need to eliminate carbohydrates from their lives. They need to give up going out to eat. They need to start wearing nothing but “gym clothes”. They need to post every workout on social media.

Before long they’re burned out and back to their old habits with very little if anything to show for their efforts.

The reality is, small improvements over time (Kaizen) results in large sustainable changes for the better.

It’s like a snowball rolling down hill.

To return to the weight loss analogy, instead of trying to do everything all at once start small. Switch from drinking sodas to drinking water and go for a 30 minute walk with your family and/or pet after dinner.

The weight loss won’t be drastic at first but it will accumulate over time. And before you know it those two easy changes become habits. At this point maybe you can add another simple change or two so you can keep improving.

If you stick to this methodical approach to change, you’ll be a different person in no time and you’ll feel like progress you’ve made has come effortlessly.

The concept of Kaizen can apply to many areas of your life: weight loss, building a business, relationships, personal finance, and even in the martial arts.

What do you think?

Muay Thai classes as well as Classical Japanese Marital Arts of the Takamatsu-den and FREE Gracie Jiujitsu Combatives coming soon to . Stay tuned for more details.

One of my favorite quotes from my teacher’s teacher, Soke Masaaki Hatsumi.

I’ve competed in Muay Thai, knockdown karate, and boxing but I’ve never lost sight of the fact that true martial arts are more than physical techniques or winning competitions.

There’s nothing wrong with competition - in fact, I encourage it. But you’re leaving a lot on the table if all you ever train for are fights and tournaments.