| Sometimes the littlest changes produce the biggest | | | | performance." I did some leg raises and calisthenics |
| improvement. For example, the order that you | | | | first, and then rewarded myself with a few sets of |
| practice martial arts can affect how fast you | | | | elbow strikes and punches in the air. These weren't |
| improve. What follows is a method that I use both | | | | my 'very' favorite strikes, but I did look forward to |
| with solo martial-arts practice, and when I teach | | | | them. Next, I did some actual kicks. First front kicks, |
| classes. The type of exercise differs, but the principle | | | | either thrusts or snap kicks, and then two sets of |
| is the same. | | | | roundhouse kicks -- all at different heights. |
| Martial-Arts Enthusiasm | | | | My reward for these kicks involved punching a pad |
| Did you know that there have been many studies of | | | | on the wall, for power. One of my favorite |
| the effects of enthusiasm on acquisition of both skills | | | | martial-arts activities for solo training. By rewarding |
| and knowledge? I even conducted a few such | | | | myself, I not only created enough enthusiasm to do |
| studies, when I was a high school teacher. | | | | the exercises that I had been procrastinating, but I |
| Enthusiasm really does help you improve at a faster | | | | did them with more energy. It was like I owed it to |
| pace. | | | | myself to do the kicks with some real effort. No |
| Note: When I taught self defense for kids through | | | | cheating. I felt the need to give them my best, in |
| the parks and recreation department, I noticed that | | | | order to "deserve" the reward. |
| the children who were passionate about martial arts | | | | Martial-Arts Improvement In Class |
| learned at a much much much faster rate. The | | | | In a formal class, my very favorite activity is to |
| students who were forced into the class by their | | | | work against a partner, practicing some activity that |
| parents ... under some amount of duress ... were the | | | | allows a variety of responses. I am sure you practice |
| slow learners. No wonder. | | | | similar activities. Maybe your opponent punches |
| You should develop (and foster) enthusiasm for your | | | | toward you, and you have to respond by hitting or |
| martial arts. | | | | kicking, as you step to the outside. Then your |
| Your Favorite Martial Arts | | | | follow-up moves could include more kicks, an eye jab, |
| Take a minute and think about what aspects of | | | | a straight blast of punches, an arm bar, and so on. In |
| martial arts really appeal to you. What do you really | | | | class, I have the students practice individual |
| like doing in the arts? Identify your favorite activities | | | | techniques. All of the components of the "dessert" |
| and then use them as rewards. Here's how I have | | | | that I am going to offer them at the end. The |
| incorporated two of my favorites: | | | | dessert is the reward activity. |
| Solo Martial-Arts Improvement | | | | Next, we combine moves into exercises with only |
| Long ago, I identified punching as my favorite | | | | one possible response, at a time. And finally, they are |
| activity, with elbow strikes as a close second. I | | | | rewarded with an exercise that incorporates all that |
| realized that I wasn't so keen on kicking. I | | | | we learned and practiced earlier in the class. And they |
| procrastinated all of the time. So, I used the | | | | are allowed a variety of follow-ups. This is the martial |
| behaviorism principle of "reward for proper | | | | dessert for proper technique training. |