Newbie days.
- Thread starter Martial D
- Start date
We had a running joke in one dojo that whenever we passed a rank test we'd ask for a white belt instead, since no one expects a white belt to be very good, so the stress would be much lower!
Those off days happen sometimes, and it's never fun...but then you can look forward to the next day of training when you can prove that your "newbie day" was a fluke!
Those off days happen sometimes, and it's never fun...but then you can look forward to the next day of training when you can prove that your "newbie day" was a fluke!
oftheherd1
Senior Master
I used to sometimes hit plateaus. I would suddenly think I was going nowhere, and for some undetermined time had been going nowhere. Very discouraging. But I always decided to keep going. I didn't want to quit and hoped it would change before I got so discouraged I really did quit. The suddenly, I would realize that better times had slipped up on me without my realizing it and I could look back and see my newfound improvement.
But it sounds like you are talking more about just a single class session. I expect I must have had those but I don't recall any. I guess I was lucky.
But it sounds like you are talking more about just a single class session. I expect I must have had those but I don't recall any. I guess I was lucky.
OP
OP
Martial D
Senior Master
Yes, it was a session. All day long I just felt slow and weak, and my usually decently fast strikes seemed to be moving through water. Our sessions are about 80% sparring, and guys I normally run circles around were lighting me up.
Maybe I'm just getting old, or maybe just an off day.
Maybe I'm just getting old, or maybe just an off day.
JR 137
Grandmaster
Quite often my body doesn’t do what my brain is telling it to do. Everyone suffers from this to varying degrees. Some days are far worse than others.
Then there’s those days where my body is actually listening, but my brain checked out that day. I had one of those days a few weeks ago - standing in front of my sparring partners and having no clue what to do, just drawing a complete blank. And the session wasn’t ANYTHING different than the norm. And always being a step behind or ahead of the count during kata, if I was actually doing the move right to begin with.
There was a teenager in class last week who’s getting ready to test for brown belt. He’s very good and focused. Last week, he couldn’t remember a single thing. The first half of the 1.5 hour class is kata, and the second half is sparring drills and sparring. I’ve never seen a worse class performance. He botched every single kata, every single sparring drill, and just flat out got owned by every sparring partner. It was like watching a train wreck. If I didn’t know better, I’d genuinely think he took a few years off and it was his first night back. It was honestly like he was stoned. If I didn’t know him better and know the tell-tale signs, I’d think he was under the influence.
Everyone has bad days. All we can do is laugh it off. After the fact.
Then there’s those days where my body is actually listening, but my brain checked out that day. I had one of those days a few weeks ago - standing in front of my sparring partners and having no clue what to do, just drawing a complete blank. And the session wasn’t ANYTHING different than the norm. And always being a step behind or ahead of the count during kata, if I was actually doing the move right to begin with.
There was a teenager in class last week who’s getting ready to test for brown belt. He’s very good and focused. Last week, he couldn’t remember a single thing. The first half of the 1.5 hour class is kata, and the second half is sparring drills and sparring. I’ve never seen a worse class performance. He botched every single kata, every single sparring drill, and just flat out got owned by every sparring partner. It was like watching a train wreck. If I didn’t know better, I’d genuinely think he took a few years off and it was his first night back. It was honestly like he was stoned. If I didn’t know him better and know the tell-tale signs, I’d think he was under the influence.
Everyone has bad days. All we can do is laugh it off. After the fact.
Growing up in he sixties, we later learned in life "If you remember the sixties....you weren't there."
Wish you had been with us in the early seventies. We only did two things....and one of them was train Martial Arts.
Ah, the good old days. I think. Don't really remember. But I was told we had a really good time!
There are definitely days when my performance is really on and other days when it is really off. I'd say it can vary a good 25% up or down from my normal baseline.
OP
OP
Martial D
Senior Master
Right?
Nothing is better than hitting the converse of suck. That zone where it looks like the other guy is moving through water and you feel like you could punch through concrete.
But maybe.....those off days are better for you. I mean, anybody can rock and roll when they're having a physical and mental great day. We all have them. And we all have those days when the suckatude level is just messing with you.
Still gotta' train, still gotta' deal with the other guy. Ain't it a grand thing?
Still gotta' train, still gotta' deal with the other guy. Ain't it a grand thing?
_Simon_
Senior Master
Yerrrrp, have had those days for sure... Especially those moments in sparring when you're just watching the other person getting hits on you, and you just watch. And watch. You try to think of what you can do to retaliate, but no. Let's watch a little more! Lol
It's as though you've forgotten what class this was, and no matter how much you want to go for it, absolutely zero combos come to mind, you try to block head shots with your feet, and there are multiple shin on shin incidents XD
It's as though you've forgotten what class this was, and no matter how much you want to go for it, absolutely zero combos come to mind, you try to block head shots with your feet, and there are multiple shin on shin incidents XD
_Simon_
Senior Master
Yeah that's the thing, these times happen, best to remember that it's bound to happen, and go in fresh next time
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