When you are starting out learning hand to hand combat, self defence moves or martial arts training, it is important to remember that you are learning new skills and that learning is a step by step process.

The old cliché of the learning curve is real when you are learning physical skills such as hand to hand combat training or fighting techniques. Sometimes there will be spontaneous leaps of growth such as when you get a technique clearly for the first time or suddenly see how to do it or what you’ve been doing wrong.

Mostly though it will be a slow ongoing process with peaks and troughs and peaks. Sometimes it may seem that we are not getting anywhere and we’ve plateaued out – we are moving along the same level but stick with it. This may be a sign that we have become complacent or that we need to change our training in some way.

In order to combat any negatives and make the most out of our training regimes there are some practical tips we can use to keep us motivated and fresh. Here a few to work into your own workouts.

• Keep your training goals in mind both short term ones and long term ones – it is easy to get somewhere if you know where you are going. Goals are always important to have as they will improve your focus considerably.
• keep the company of similarly motivated friends and training partners – these people will encourage you, as you can do the same for them, and they will understand the process you are going through.
• write a training diary to note your progress and mark your improvements. this doesn’t have to be a novel just pop down some thoughts after you have trained – a couple of sentences about how you thought training went, what you did or how you performed a technique. Before long, you will have evidence of how much progress you are making!
• Keep your training varied and mixed up – if you always train a certain way try to incorporate some unpredictability into your routine and keep your body guessing about what is coming up. it is all too easy to fall into the same exercises over and over again. this is ok if you want average or mediocre results.
• Give yourself enough rest and breaks for training – over training can often be detrimental not only to the body but to the spirit.
• Eat well – healthy diets without too much junk food will keep your fitness at its peak. The right foods will powerfully impact your energy, willpower and desire!