Motivation

[Gazhudson18]

Hi everybody. I am struggling to get motivated to get my backside to class. I have never had a problem before and I really enjoy the classes as I have a great sensei. I used to do a lot of training at home and need to get back into that as well. Any suggestions? Please help!!!

[JR 137]

Welcome to the forum. How long have you been training? What style are you studying? How often do you go?

[Gazhudson18]

Thank you for the welcome. I train in okinawan goju ryu for the past 2 years and go to class twice a week. I try to get in 2 home training days as well. Ive spoke to my sensei and she told me everybody goes through this at some point in their training but try to push through it. I was just wondering if anybody else has lacked motivation for training amd how they got through it.

[tallgeese]

This happens to everyone, in every art, multiple times in a career. It can be burn out (although at twice a week probably not), a chance in interest (doesn't sound like the case as you've presented), or you're just bored a bit with the whole thing. The last, believe it or not, might be the case. I've been there, in every single art I've ever studied at one point or another.

Here's been my strategy. Take a couple of weeks off. I mean off. No going to the club, no training at home, no bag work, no nothing. We are engaged in a physical endeavor with no off season. Get one occasionally. Once you've taken a couple of weeks. Go back to the grind. Embrace it. Understand that this is a marathon and at some point you're just going to have to power thru. Now, on the up side, if you've taken a couple weeks off this is way easier.

Look at some aspects of the art you haven't before. Play something different during free sparring session. Experiment with a new tool.

If this is still not working, consider cross training in something else. Maybe you're just not in love with your current art any more. Play some weapons, get on the ground, box, go work with a TKD guy, whatever floats your fancy. It will either reinvigorate you or make you decide to change schools. Either is fine as long as you're still training.

So, take a few weeks and look at why you want to train. Make sure what you want is what you're getting. Go back and grind. Embrace it. Try playing new tools during free sessions, and if all this has failed- cross train. On a limited basis first but consider moving arts if you like something else better. If you don't like what you're doing, you'll end up leaving the arts all together. Find something you will stay with for a life time.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Gazhudson18]

Thank you very much for the advice tall geese. I've had a week off so far and it's been quite nice although I am missing the training a little bit I started training to make myself a better person all round and think I've just lost my way a little bit. Maybe wanting too much too soon. Definitely the right time to re evaluate why I train. Thank you again for your advice.

[JR 137]

Since you say you've been at it for 2 years, I'm guessing that you're at the stage where you're promoting every six months or so instead of every three months or so. The promotion isn't the problem, but maybe you're not learning new things as often. People get burnt out in this stage quicker than others in my experience. Maybe I'm way off.

Tallgeese is also right on here. There's no off-season. Have you taken any time at all off before now? A week vacation or the like? Too much of anything, no matter how good a thing it is, isn't a good thing. Too much is a different amount for everyone.

[sensei8]

Welcome to KF; glad that you're here!!

I suppose that you're going to have to force yourself the first time back. Usually, taking a break makes things all fresh, but, you've been away, so there goes the small break.

Once you get back on the floor, I can only assume that you'll be back on a more regular basis.

Call your Sensei and just talk...say hello, things like that, small talk, if you will. Just break the ice, and before you know it, at the end of the phone call, you'll have already made that decision to return to the floor that night.

Shoulders up...chest out...march right into the dojo and TRAIN!! Suck it up~~Shugyo. YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT FIRST MOVE!! You have to GO TO THE DOJO because the DOJO WON'T COME TO YOU!!

You have to WANT TO, and until you want to, you'll not return!! At least go visit the dojo, the Sensei, and fellow classmates...to at least say "Hi"!!

[Nidan Melbourne]

Happens to all of us at some point or another. It happened to me a few years back where I took 2 years off training.

As I trained almost religiously 4 times a week for 4-5 years, then 3 times a week for a further 2 1/2 years till my break.