What were your toughest challenges as a student in your art?

dealing with the fact that i'm shorter than most... and 9 times out of 10 my sparring partners are going to be able jab me from like a mile away... its the worst... i also have a hard time training with people and not letting it get to me when i get hit... alot...
 
Also, having to deal with the sudden maturity that comes from knowing you are a high ranking Master Instructor. As my instructor said, 5th Dan means you are not a baby anymore. Believe me, I loved nothing more than sparring and getting physical. But now I have to deal with the obligations and sense of maturity that come from my rank and position., especially since my peers tend to be 10+ years older than me.
 
silatman said:
We have a student with the same problem, he has been graded once in the 18 months he has been training.
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That's too bad. Just looking at my experience, and I want to be careful and not compare my choices with his, if he wants it bad enough he will find a way to make it to class eventually.

It took my wife some time to come around, but through a battle of attrition, I wore her down and she doesn't complain anymore. :bangahead:
 
As a newbie to the martial arts everything is a challenge at the moment! At present the toughest obstacles for me are my very limited flexibility when attempting side kicks and the fact that for my first grading I will have to do 10 pressups using just the front two knuckles on each hand! (I struggle at present with normal pressups!) Both of these I am sure will be overcome with perserverance and practice and I am sure I will have many more challenging challenges as time goes on!

Mark :)
 
Forms. It was mental as much as physical, but I hated them. Couldn't see any relation to fighting at all, and I had a fair amount of real-world experience to go by (which might have actually been bad, because that made me think I knew more than I did). Today, forms and their application are the backbone of my art--though admittedly I don't practice or teach them the way I was taught.
 
In my class a few years ago, we had a new guy, he was no taller than me at 5'11" but had a bodybuilder type physique, which I don't have, was a few years older than me and worked as a doorman so I knew he could handle himself.

One night we had a grappling class, to submission, and I was the first person to have to face him, in front of whole class. I was kacking it a bit as he looked like a fearsome opponent but to be fair I did fine against him as I used technique while he used strength. The actual grappling was not a problem at all, but having to go up and fight someone who looked physically tougher than anyone I've ever faced up against was mentally quite tough!

Felt good afterwards though.
 
Skip Cooper said:
That's too bad. Just looking at my experience, and I want to be careful and not compare my choices with his, if he wants it bad enough he will find a way to make it to class eventually.

It took my wife some time to come around, but through a battle of attrition, I wore her down and she doesn't complain anymore. :bangahead:
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I just remind mine that.
A I am the man, it might not mean what it used to but it still means alot.
B. I was doing MA since childhood, it's a big part of me.
C. She does feel safe with me around, she has seen me train but also in a situation.
D. I could be one of those guys that watches Football all weekend and goes to bars.
E. After a good training session, I am a nicer person.
F. Grappling gives you some added skills for matress manuvers=)
 
When I first started Jujutsu, sometimes it would take me a little longer to "get it" because my previous grappling was wrestling (No subs) and I came from striking arts.
Now it's easy to learn new grappling techniques.

My 2nd Kyu test was a beast. I had an asthma attack that day and got overheated, had to puke 3 times, went through 3 gis. It was nearly the roughest 2 1/2 hours of my life but I did it.
 
Starting out, I'd say that the hardest part was figuring out that I needed to practice a single technique (punch, kick, etc) a few thousand times to "get it" and a few thousand more to get "good" at it.
 
Skip Cooper said:
That's too bad. Just looking at my experience, and I want to be careful and not compare my choices with his, if he wants it bad enough he will find a way to make it to class eventually.

It took my wife some time to come around, but through a battle of attrition, I wore her down and she doesn't complain anymore. :bangahead:
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He tells me its purely a time issue, he and his wife are both physio's who each run their own practice in neighbouring towns, so I can see their problems. Plus they have two kids both under 4. I would find a way but he really seems content to cruise along and although the training is taken seriously he really seems to enjoy the social aspect of the club.
I think it bothers the rest of us more than it does him.
 
At the dojo everything is always a challange. Fighting with my own body, postures, form, relaxation, sensitivity and so long.

But the biggest challange is time. I work overnight and my wife works mornings. During the morning I take care of my 3 yo daughter and in the afternoon I sleep (except when I go to dojo). I can't seem to find the time I want (and actually need) to practice at home. Hopefully when my daughter will start going to kindergarden things will change...even tho I like having my daughter at home more than practicing hee hee.
 
Challengers in the early days were flexibility and remembering all the forms, as i started to advance i had breathing problems, would stop during sparring & forms and that was a hard habit to over come. Relaxing during forms & sparring was and still is very difficult for me.
I've been a martial artist for 3yrs. now, the most challenging thing for me at this time is the drunken forms, very difficult!!! Remembering all the moves in the form is easy for me but making it look like a drunken form is hard.
 
Going. You find times in your life where things are hard, times have you down... you just don't have motivation, and think "Why am I bothering?"

And you (I) Gotta drag myself up... haul my *** to the dojo, and MAKE myself train. I've almost quit more than once because of outside factor, and I've made myself go...
 
The struggle to break through training plateaus. At times it seems the next one is right around the corner.
 
Skip Cooper said:
My toughest challenge?

That would be convincing my wife (not a MA) why I needed to train more than one night a week. That battle was not easily won.
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Hahahaahahahahahaha!!! I've got to get onboard with that one. Especially since my primary night of training is SATURDAY!
 
Hello, Staying with it....working out everyday or doing something at home to keep the body in shape is sometimes....a very hard thing to do, at times!

It is so easy to lay down, or watch TV, and do NOTHING.

Just eating the right foods and amount....one can lose this weight battle very easy. This is still a "tuff" challenge today, and everyday.

Staying focus on what you want to achieve from the martial art training...the big goals and smaller ones....sometimes gets side step...

Remember? ...Family comes first, Work-because it supports the family, third can be your time for "martial art training"....Can be a lower priiorty too! Many of us have other activties,clubs,organztions that helps others in the community,sports (fishing,golf,hunting,...etc).

Toughtest challenge? ....is find more time....to train,excercise, and keep oneself in good physcial condition......(especially the endurance part)

Aloha (oops...dinner time...news on Tv...kids calling pick them up at their after school activties....gotta go)
 
Being a serious student of something few people understand and many people have misconceptions of.
Very difficult when I was in school explaining to people why I'd rather go to class than play football.
 
I have rheumatoid arthritis. Over the years, I have had some bad flareups and there were times when I would be in class with tears in my eyes from the pain. But I would not step out if my instructor offered, because 1) I was a senior student and thought it would set a bad example, and 2) I'm pigheaded. :wink2:

It's all about perseverance. I can't kick high. For me, belt high side kicks are SOP. But that doesn't stop me from doing the best side kick that I can and teaching my students to do the best they can.
 
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