How do you keep your FIRE going?

[Serene]

Good Afternoon Everyone:

My question today is how do you keep your fire going? Has your fire gone out and what are you doing to re-kindle it?

I believe that there is a fire under me for Kajukenbo, but there are some days where mentally I can not train and I don't want too. Does this happen to you?  How do you keep your fire from going out?

I am not speaking of our physical ability its our mental ability. We understand what to do when we are physically tired, but what do you do when your are mentally tired? What is your momentum? What inspires you to continue in your art? Is it a special person, thought, family, instructor, fellow students or you?

As a white belt I was told that Kajukenbo is like a marriage. I would swear that if I read this anywhere else I would think that we were speaking about a relationship between a man and a woman (smiles).

Coming up in our art I have experienced many challenges. I have been through what most would have never endured. I will share my story with you after you express yourselves.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to reading your comments and experiences.

Serene Terrazas
KSDI Vallejo

 

[Sifu Terry McBride]

Hey Serene,

There's nothing wrong with taking a break.  I love this art and teach it up to 6 days a week.  I spend more time on Kaju then I spend with my husband.  

It took me 10 years to get my black belt with several broken bones amongst other injuries.  I broke my ankle and foot when I went up for my brown belt, in the dojo you work out in as a matter of fact.  For whatever reason, my Sifu made me wait 3 years before I got my brown belt and that was with faithfully working out.  Challenges are part of a good art.  But if this gets under your skin (you'll either love it and stay or not and leave) you stick it out.  

When my students want to take a break, a month off, I encourage it.  They come back with excitement, they missed it and are raring to get back in.

Everyone needs a break, even from what they love.  I think what you are feeling is common for all.  One thing I did a few years ago was start taking Aikido (you can't get much more different from Kaju then Aikido).. It got me excited all over again about martial arts.  It was new and totally different.  I continued with Kaju as I trained in Aikido, so you might consider looking for another art that might compliment your knowledge and maybe even challenge it.

Good luck,

Terry McBride

[Karazenpo]

Serene, I don't think anyone is constantly up to training 24/7 and besides, like Terry stated, we all need a break here and there or we'll burn out both mentally and especially physically. Your body can only take so much and then time catches up with you. Certain injuries you get when you're younger that you think healed and you forget about comes back to haunt you when you get older. As far as mentally goes I can definite relate to what you're saying. There are times when I can't wait to go to a workout and other times I hope my car breaks down on the way so I get the day off, lol . I think it's the same for everyone. What I try to do, however, is to project to after the workout and how great I feel on the way home and the rest of the day and then some. Another thing I do is put time in perspective. Say your workout class is one hour from 6pm-7pm. I look at it as just an hour and before I know it I'll be on my way home or go grab a beer . I also know that even when I don't feel mentally up to it, once I get there and start I get pysched and get on a natural high and I'm glad I went!  These are just some of the mind games I play with myself when I'm not mentally up to it.  Hope this helps.  Respectfully, Shihan Joe

[Greg Harper]

 
Aloha Serene
the fire you speak of is sometimes hard to feed.
i teach 6 times a week & I go to the gym 6 times a week
(12 work out's a week)
when you do not feel like it,
a good training partner is allways there to push you on your down day's in the gym.
& the same in class, even if you do not feel like training you know that someone is depending on you to help them, so you push yourself.
and i agree that it is good to take time off once and a while.
if it is in your blood you will be back.
i have been with my wife for 35 years.
(since we were 11)
& back when i was training 15 hour a week with Professor Gumataotao, as well as going to the gym 5 day's a week, let me tell you there were problems.
but we made it & now she understands that it is just what i do, and she has become involved.
(i win) LOL  
Training is like a marriage if you are a martial artist,
you commit yourself, do to the fact that you love it.

so (my) answer to keeping the fire going is love of what you do & the people around you.
and a break here & there so you will know how much you miss it.

Aloha & the boy's & I will see you next week at Grandmaster Bautista's seminar & BBQ
 
Greg Harper  

[Gints Klimanis]

I've only been in the martial arts for a bit over a decade.
Although I have trained in Kenpo/Kajukenbo (well, the program is kajukenbo, but it split before the name Kajukenbo was used) over that time, I've supplemented that training with focused classes on the side.  I think if you stick with one group exclusively, you converge on the club's fighting and training styles. While such training is very focused, it leaves you very well prepared for your dojo and less so for other areas.  So, to become
better at sparring, I studied some Muay Thai kickboxing.  To tighten up my sense of space, I studied some Pentjak Silat.  To learn weapons, I studied Filipino Inayan Eskrima.  To learn how it feels to really have a stick swung at me, I fought at the Dog Brothers stick fighting Gathering.   It's useful to supplement your class material with books, videos and seminars from other styles.  

As for physical training, any sports training book will tell you about cyclical training.  That is, you build up a training base, build-up to a peak and "build down".  
You can't be in peak condition all of the time.  Strength
and endurance are opposites.  The former trains all of
your fast twitch muscle fibers to fire at the same time.
So, you are phenomenally strong for a few bursts.
Endurance training trains your slow twitch muscle fibers
for capillary growth and your fast twitch fibers to fire cyclically.  So, you are not as strong, but can last.
Until I understood this, I would train to fatigue or failure.
More poorly executed reps during fatigue no longer dominate fewer, higher quality reps with more rest.
Training is about stress and rest.  Many forget about the rest part, get injured or burnt out, then take a lot of time off for an injury.

The burn-out that you mention is a well-documented phenomenon.  

[Serene]

Good Morning:

Thank you for expressing your opinions and sharing your experiences.

Shihan Shuras I totally can relate to your insites. I recall those nights very well when I said no not again. But as soon as I got there and started training what a rush and high I would get! Usually those nights when I was most tired those were the best nights of all!

Sifu Terry thank you for your kind words. Wow, thank you so much for sharing. It's nice to know that I am normal, kinda sorts (smiles). I agree I love Kaju but my issue is not burn out I just can't get enough (smiles).

Prof. Harper what a great surprise to hear from you. WOW! Sir, what a pleasure it was for you to share your insites. I totally can relate to your path. We have kaju 3 days a week and 3 for boxing. I have enjoyed boxing but I took it not because I was getting tired of Kajukenbo. I took it because I wanted to box in a ring (smiles). The boxing helps me even more with my current love "Kajukenbo".  Now, I see why so many black belts are divorced (smiles). I can say Kajukenbo and I have been happily married for 5 years now (smiles).

Gints thank you for you comments. You mentioned that training is stress and rest. How can that be? Stress? My training relives my stress it doesn't add to it. If I didn't train I would be in a white coat with rubber walls or behind bars and thats the truth. My training is the second thing that soothes me. The first is my son "Tyler".  

As we all can see there are no right or wrong ways of dealing with your fire. We all have our own ways. The most important thing is to recognize when it does happen.

I look forward to seeing what more martial artist have experienced.

Thanks to all of you I have realized one of the my feelings. When I would express my concerns. everyone said I was burned out. Now, I know I'm not burned out I just can't get enough (smiles). I am committed and loyal to my training. I hope this post has helped you in someway or another.

Sifu Terry, Prof. Harper and brothers see you all next week for GM Bautistas 35th!

hmm....I see a lot of people are reading this forum. Don't be shy share your thoughts and experiences. You'll be surprised what we may all learn from each other (smiles).


Serene Terrazas
KSDI Vallejo

[sigungjoe]

here at my school, we always bbq after training. but, if you dont train, you dont eat . heheheheh.
hey greg, im still working on that project you were asking about. i didnt forget you. also, grand master ted and i wont be able to make the seminar at grand master emo's next week. sorry. but we will see you soon.

[Gints Klimanis]

Serene,

>You mentioned that training is stress and rest. How can that be?

To stimulate muscular growth, the muscle must be stressed.  This is different than an overall state of stress.

[Brandi Ross]

I have been involved with numerous sports over the years, including triathlons.  Talk about something that takes time, discipline and motivation, this is it.  I had to look at it like this.  I wanted to do Ironman and to do so meant many, many hours of training.  I hit points where I didn't want to do things and asked my coach if this was okay.  He said that everyone goes through it.  Rest and come back ready to go.  What a crazy event.  I did Ironman Hawaii and it was very hard on my body.  I ended up with more knee surgery.  But hey, I did it and I am an Ironman Finisher.

When I look at Kajukenbo, it is different to me.  I train because I know that there is someone who is training just as hard or harder than I am.  I also know that if I was attacked on the streets, I want to be prepared to the best of my abilities to take care of myself.  I keep this in my thoughts each time I start to drag in class or feel like not going.  Those thoughts keep me going.  Also, I throw in judo and a women's self-defense class to broaden my knowledge.  Getting involved in other things has also helped to keep my fire going.  Hope this helps.

Aloha,
Brandi

[Serene]

Aloha Triwahine:

Congratulation on becoming an Ironman Finisher.  

Yes, cross training is a tremendous help in keeping that  fire from going out.

I also found that talking with our instructors help greatly. A good instructor is also a therapist, doctor, marriage counselor and so on.   He has helped me tremendously with his ongoing support. He told me to get my emotions together and get back on the mat.   Now I see that was the best medicine for me to continue my process. My instructor knew that I needed that push and he pushed me. I call those days growing pains.  

Being that I am a visual thinker I thought of me as a caterpillar that goes into a coccoon (transistion period). Keeping in mind that one day I will turn into a butterfly.  

Furthermoe, I have learned that DESTINY & MOMENTUM play a great role in keeping that fire going!

Momentum demands a pledge and promise to reach higher. Stive. Persist. Excel. To keep raising the bar.

Destiny is our fate. If you have momentum than you can choose your destiny. I have choosen my destiny. My destiny is to be one of the best Kajukenbo martial artist.  

Triwahine, many thanks for sharing your insights they were very helpful.  

Let's take this subject to another level. What does Momentum and Destiny mean to you? What role does it play in your training?  


Aloha

[Brandi Ross]

Professor Scott,

   Thank you for such kind words.  It was so nice to be able to see a familiar face from Hawaii.  Thank you for including me with your Hawaii- San Diego Ohana.  I had a great time and look forward to it again.  Hope to see you on Maui.

  I would also like to say thank you to GM Rick Kingi and his KSDI family.  Thank you for the hours of training before and after the tournament and your hospitality in general.  I really appreciated everything.  I look forward to see you again.

Mahalo,
Brandi

[Kaju Bear]

There is only one sure way to keep the fire of “the hobby” from burning out and that is to make that hobby an integrated part of your being. Before you think I am talking about daily ritualistic routines and years of endless kata practice over an over let me explain.

What is it that you have gotten the most out of your training in Kajukenbo? I would venture to guess that it is much more then being able to execute a Roundhouse kick or take on multiple attackers in a counter. I am sure it had a much deeper impact on you in the end. It had to have challenged the way you thought, how you acted and carried yourself. You must have experienced moments of applying concepts from the training mat into everyday life. In the end didn’t you find that you had made choices to become something other then who you were at the start. Were these changes only physical? Is Kajukenbo only to be express through the Body? Is not the Body just one of the three leafs in the clover? In my opinion the physical abilities are the strongest yet the most over emphasis aspect of what our art has to offer in the long run.

For me there has never been any doubt that someday what I was able to do in my youth physically was not going to be the same thing I could do now in the present. No amount of breathing exercises, chi kung, herbs, tai chi, concentration, visualization, or happy thoughts of peace and harmony were going to keep me from old age and eventually death. I am not saying these things don’t enrich the life we have but prevent us from the ultimate reality they do not. How many times outside your school, tournament or other training event have you actually had to use the physical aspects of your art? I would hope it is minimal if ever. But I will bet your methods for dealing with confrontations of any kind are much different now that you’re a Kajukenbo student and if you really thought about it probably happen almost daily. In essence how you conquer life’s daily challenges is what has really changed.

There have been breaks in my Kajukenbo practices where all I had was a garage with a friend, backyard with my children, or in my particular case at the moment other soldiers and a sand dune to practice my skills on. There have been times when I was the dedicated and devote student. Times when I was the teacher. But what keeps my “fire” burning is the way I look at my Kajukenbo experience as not just a physical thing that only can be expressed and improved through disciplined practice of Kata, Counters, or bag work. Not to say these skills are not important in fact at points in our Kajukenbo experience obviously very necessary. However for me how I act, what I stand for, the way I work at solving problems, how I do my job, the way I interact with my fellow man. These are all other ways in which I can practice and develop myself using skill learned through Kajukenbo. A description like a “lifestyle” always seemed too much for me. Kajukenbo is more like one of the strands in the “rope” so to speak that is Morg. Alone that one strand is weak easily breakable, ie burnout or guilty feelings from long absences from the physical training environment. When you weave it through the rest of the fibers that makes up your rope then you see no burnout just other ways to improve. Improve what? Your being. A being identified with a strong warrior’s spirit without a doubt. It is our humanity, being a better human that we can use Kajukenbo to help us with in every way imaginable.

Now before some die hard dojo grunt points out the obvious, yes without any question if you don’t use it you’ll lose it when it comes to the physical. Serene, I am not advocating the total abandonment of practicing your physical side of your Kajukenbo training. Practicing and learning new martial arts skills will always be there for you. What I am suggesting is looking at your skills from outside the box. When you get a sense of burnout then try developing the other two pillars in the Kajukenbo trinity in a way that is unconventional yet just as important as a good reverse punch.