Early on when during the early years of my training, I trained 6 or more hours a day, 6 days a week. I would run, lift weights and go to class or work out with other people during off days of class. Then as time went on I became burnt out. My progress was substantial to a point of getting the basics down, and memorizing the techniques to becoming a reflex action, Working harder was fine, but there was a point where I needed, I felt, to work smarter. Hitting a point in my training where I plateaued and age, there was a realization of a need to better understand the mechanics of the techniques. Thinking back that may have been a natural progression. I cut back my training. I started training three days a week doing conditioning and going to class. The off-days where spent investigating on how to improve the application and principles of the techniques. The results of that where better results physically and in class. My instructor kept insisting to train hard like I was everyday for the rest of my life. At the time, it was my thinking that there where greater benefits of doing things differently. I felt I needed to change things up. When I did, there was a spike in my development. I became much more tighter and powerful in my technique. Giving my self time to contemplate what I was doing, and not just remotely perform it, improved my mechanics redefining my performance goals. Working hard isn't wrong, rote practice and conditioning it is a required skill, a great platform to start with, but at some point there needs to be a change toward expanding developing the mechanics. I understand my sensei's point of view of the demands of being disciplined, developing stamina, and a laser beam focus, ultimately will lead to the same thing. That being the longest road didn't had many pot holes and bumps. Developing the mental and physical strength of a world champion Ironman Athlete, may have been traditional and made fine warriors with great mental strength, but not it wasn't about improving on something that already existed. Similar to the idea that the Japanese are known for improving on something that already invented, making it better. I came to the understanding to improve there must be a reconfiguration, a re-thinking on the approach of training for it to be the most beneficial thing all the way around. I conclude after the several decades of training, it is the middle road, is the best road, you need both training philosophies, to really get the most development and improvement.
