Been back for a month and its depressing

[snazzed]

I am back in the MAs. After 6 months out due to an injury at a place I refuse to go back to... after 6 weeks of checking out different styles and dojos... I'm back, and have been for a couple of weeks now.

I chose the place I'm at because the technique they displayed was very... detailed? precise? Well, it was darn good, anyway. I also chose them because they gave the students a lot of feedback and correction.

Now I'm feeling pretty damn craptacular about my Karate. My old (good) place started you with simple basics and then modified things to get more advanced later at brown belt. I only got to Blue... Here they start you on the hard stuff, so I'm having to modify everything all at once and I keep naturally falling back to the more basic forms.

I am getting corrected and corrected and corrected to death. Now I feel like I'm spending my time focussing on one thing and other stuff is suffering for it and then they correct on those things too. For example, I'll focus on the arms because we are doing a combo (or whatever) keeping the chest open, or proper arm/joint alignment (or whatver) and my footwork (which I'm usually good with) gets "off"...

It gets pretty discouraging. I just keep telling myself, I'm LEARNING so much here. But it it SOOOO hard to stay positive.

Sensei says I'm very diligent. I guess thats good.

End of rant. Thanks for listening

snazzed

[Shorin Ryuu]

Yup. I have a feeling that even though you're discouraged, you recognize that what you do is still good. So I think even that recognition is a sign that you've got your heart and mind in the right place, and you probably just wanted to vent a little. Just remember, the teacher that corrects you the most, cares the most.

[Mr. Mike]

when I walked into my current school, I was told to forget everything I had learned thus far...after spending countless moons there, I know the instructor was right.

Keep the faith and do your best.

[ineluki]

I am getting corrected and corrected and corrected to death.

I know, getting corrected can be annoying (you'll just have to live with it for some time, don't try to change all at once), but think positve.

As long as your instructors are correcting you, they still have hope you will improve.

[aefibird]

At least your instructors are correcting you - it shows that they are bothered about your karate and want you to improve.

It's hard to switch schools or styles and I know that you must feel very depressed about it all.

However, hang in there. It sounds like you are getting quality instruction, which is a great thing. Your instructor has recognise that you are very dilligant - that is a good thing.

Keep with it and soon you'll see a marked difference in your technique.

Good luck!

[cathal]

I love it when I'm corrected, it stops me from developing bad habits. If anything, my sensei could be doing more of that.

[CheekyMusician]

I can understand where you're coming from. I've been away from martial arts for 18 months and have just been back at it for a few weeks now, and I get the impression that my karate sucks, too.

It doesn't help that we're doing a lot of kata right now, and I've ALWAYS found kata my weakest aspect, so I'm struggling, but I just keep trying to focus on the positive and I find that helps.

Remember that there's no shame in being rubbish at something, as long as you keep working and trying to improve. There is shame in quitting, though.

You'll get through it. Just keep it up and don't give in to your feelings of inadequacy...after all, we all experience them from time to time.

[SevenStar]

the best thing you can do is empty your cup. You are now in a new school - learn it their way. once you've reached a certain level, you may be able to combine what you have learned, but for now, listen to all of their corrections. Once again being a beginner is nothing to be ashamed of - in the long run, you will be better off. As someone else mentioned, at least they ARE correcting you. that's a good sign for various reasons. Keep your head up and keep training!

[joe2002]

The day you stop needing to be corrected on your martial skill is the day you stop needing to breath.

[snazzed]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah, I know all correction is good. I know that they are taking me to a higher level, but it is a very... humbling experience to be told everything you are doing is... not right. Of course, even being humbled in this way, I think, is a good thing.

I think that this will be one of those things where you have to work and work and work at it until something ~clicks~, then you "get it" and it all starts to flow together. Right now I'm at the anti-flow stage. I'm working on fixing so many things at once it is like a giant log jam and nothing is coming right.

Again, thanks for the feedback guys. Like you all say, I just have to keep at it.

snazzed