You Have My Permission to Fail

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Over the years as both a martial arts instructor and trainee, I’ve learned many valuable lessons to help my students learn martial arts, feel great, and ultimately be the best version of themselves. However, I think one lesson—possibly stands above all the rest.

It’s NOT a lesson about techniques, self-defense tactics, how to get strong or anything of the sort. In addition, it’s a LIFE lesson that can and should be used when wanting to accomplish anything. I certainly have used it as an entrepreneur, and I’ve come across countless others from kettlebell business clients of mine to my most successful mentors…

One of the benefits of training in martial arts for nearly three decades now, performing at a very high level on the collegiate tournament scene, operating the Dragon Gym for nearly 10 years and working with other martial arts and fitness professionals from all over the world is the opportunity to see so many successful and frankly so many wannabe martial arts students and instructors.

It’s been an “in the trenches” lesson in human behavior that has given me insight into the mindsets of those who “defeated the odds,” as well as those who just faded away accomplishing nothing, generally placing blame on the outside circumstances.

I’ve seen folks with the decks stacked against them, so to speak, become incredibly successful on the training floor, in the ring, or in the personal lives. Conversely, I’ve seen people with all the right things “on-paper”, athletic ability, financial resources…TIME…unable to take action and reach their goals be it physical, personal or professional.

What I’ve seen is the most successful people have the ability and willingness to work through tough times, change and uncertainty. These tough times can present themselves as roadblocks, plateaus, or even resistance from both people and circumstance, but those who achieve can somehow push through.
They stay on the path instead of taking a left turn every time there is a bump in the road.

That isn’t to say there isn’t need for course corrections, but as Dan John has famously said: “Plan the hunt, hunt, THEN discuss the hunt”

Then there are those who never seem to get anywhere. They simply go through the motions or, worse, bounce around from one program to another, chasing daily deals or looking for the instructor who will tell them what they want to hear. Many of these people have the perfect or near perfect scenario to achieve their goals—but they don’t.

What is the difference?

The second group hasn’t given themselves the permission to fail.

Why do we need permission to fail in order to reach our goals?

A few quotes come to mind:

  • “A Black Belt is a White Belt than Never Quit”
  • “Nothing Fails Like a Little Bit of Success”
  • “You must know your limitations in order to transcend them”

Really, the second group doesn’t have the ability to put failure into context while the first group can see the big picture.

Part of this has to do with how our society is trending towards instant gratification. Everything is practically “on-demand” these days: entertainment, information, even food!

So, when we want to elicit change in ourselves, mental—physical—or—personal, many want to see those results immediately.

This is the second group of people. If they don’t “succeed” right away, if they face difficulty they jump off what seems like a rocky path in search of a smoother down hill one.

They see tribulation in the short term as failure and they think that is NOT OK.

This second group is getting much, much larger.

Conversely, the first group has, or seeks, the qualities that enable them to be successful. They realize that short-term obstacles or just that…short term. They’ve given themselves the permission to try and fail and try again.

Of course, “the magic” is in the try again part. A bump in the road is not the end of the road, or is it reason to get off the path to success. You need zoom-out in order see that every wall and every plateau are really just steps in a larger journey.

Obstacles, roadblocks, and failures are really just additional stimulus, inputs into the system that will help you move forward. They actually elicit change, growth…progress.

But, let’s face it: plateaus can seem dauntingly long and obstacles insurmountably high and when you are “in it” thinking about the big picture is not so easy. That’s when you have to remember that you are not alone. Do your best to surround yourself with people that will push you forward or pull you up, not crabs that will pull you down. Training partners are along side of you.

Their hand will be there to help you, but you must put yours out in order to take it. Think about that for a moment. Sometimes, you need to put your hand out to help others and that will take you to the next level.

If you want to fly with the eagles, you have to leave the nest. Take a chance on yourself, be OK with failure, and if you do miss your mark, you’ll have more information to work with so you can adjust your plan accordingly and keep moving forward. Besides, you only actually fail if you quit.

Sincerely,

Somnath Sikdar

Master Instructor

Dragon Gym

instructor somnath sikdar

Taekwondo and Hapkido Classes in Exton PA

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Father and Son Team shows that martial arts is for the family

http://www.dragongym.com/adult-martial-arts/ - 610-363-7575

Here are two exton martial arts students, a father and son team, speaking about their training experience with taekwondo and hapkido over the last several years. It is interesting to hear how the training has enhanced their relationship.

It is cliche, but often said that the family that kicks togethers sticks together.

Taekwondo and Hapkido are martial arts of Korean origin but they also draw from chinese and japanese martial arts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_m...

The Dragon Gym Martial Arts program is located in exton pa. For directions to exton pa and to see our taekwondo and hapkido facility, please visit this link to google maps: http://bit.ly/DGMAP

If you are interested in learning korean martial arts, please visit our main website and sign up for a trial!

http://www.dragongym.com/adult-martial-arts/

Or, you can fill out the form below:


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Martial Arts Training, Stretching and DOMS

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Good Morning,

Some tactical advice for you this morning.

Recently, Lonnie Beck and I surveyed our Adult Muay Thai Kickboxing and Adult Martial Arts (Taekwondo and Hapkido) students. One of the questions asked what else folks would like to be doing in classes.   Many students asked that we do more stretching, both before and after classes / workouts.   This is somewhat expected knowing how we run our classes and the focus of our class formats; however, more interesting was the reason why students were asking for more stretching.

Students were asking for more stretching because they were sore and specifically stated that they needed / wanted more stretching to help alleviate the soreness.

Quick aside: DOMS stands for "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness"   Essentially, it is when your muscles feel sore a day or two after a workout.

Stretchingextonpa

Now, I had thought, assumed really, that the idea that stretching would help alleviate DOMS had largely been abandoned over the last several years.   But, clearly many of our students still believe this.  Unfortunately, it is a myth.   It is a misconception that stretching will do anything at all to help out with the post workout soreness that we call DOMS.

I say unfortunate, because it really is.  Wouldn't it be great, if we could just do a simple thing like some passive stretches for a few minutes after class thus eliminating soreness, enabling us to work harder, train more often and reap the benefits we seek in a shorter time frame?   But...the human body does not work this way.

Where did this myth come from?

It's hard to say, but probably from the realization that stretching feels good.   Because it feels good, we are all quick to make the leap that stretching has some curative properties....it does not.

What do we know about stretching?

It will not make your muscles longer, prevent injury, or prevent/alleviate muscles soreness.  So, is stretching bad?  No, but it's just not effective before training (maybe even dangerous) to prevent injury or increase performance or effective after training to alleviate pain.

It is effective in increasing your range of motion over the long term, but you are still going to get DOMS at times.

You see, the body adapts to the demands that you, we, put on it.  We call this the SAID principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.  When you introduce something new, or more strenuous, your body needs to adapt and this is often felt as soreness.

For example, the first time you came to class you probably threw more kicks and punches in one hour than in the whole sum of your lifetime and you were sore.  This soreness wasn't because you didn't stretch enough, but because your body wasn't used to kicking and punching so much.   Over time, your body will continue to adapt and you will need more and more stimulus to get the same amount of soreness.

That's a good thing.

Taking class, working out, and training causes adaptation...change.   But, this change is specific to the demands that you put on your body.   What is the change that you seek?

More specifically, what are the side effects that the demands of training will incite through adaptation?

Huh?

We all have goals for training and they vary quite a bit from person to person.  For some it is weight loss, for others it is learning to fight, and for many it is a combination of things.   What we often call goals or benefits of training are really side-effects of training.

How will you map our your training journey so that you get the side effects you desire?

That brings me to my next point.   The answer is knowledge.

Many of you thought that stretching would achieve a helpful side-effect, less soreness, but that is not the case.    Sometimes we accept conventional / colloquial wisdom to easily and it can be to our detriment in the long run.

(also remember, the placebo effect IS AN EFFECT)

There is an over abundance of training information available now.   It is important to give all of it a discerning and skeptical eye and to be constantly re-evaluating our processes, our training map.

The great thing about being a teacher is the constant learning and development that occurs.   The way we teach now is quite different than how we taught 5-10-15 years ago and for good reason.   We are continuously skeptical, even of our own methods, seeking to not only keep the edge sharp, but surpass previous sharpness.

Be similarly discerning and skeptical in your own training.   Does something you are doing make sense?   If it "works", then it should work.   Does it fit in with your goals (desired side effects)?

If you if have questions about what you are doing, or why you are doing it, please ask us.

It will make you a better, more successful student and it will make us better teachers.

Sincerely,

Somnath Sikdar

Master Instructor

Dragon Gym.

Post Script:  This is by no means an exhaustive list.  Just a point.   Here are several "scholarly articles" as google calls them on the studies examine the effects of stretching as related to DOMS.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1999.tb00237.x/abstract
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/8002121
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1998.tb00195.x/abstract
https://ajs.sagepub.com/content/34/6/1000.abstract
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1993.10608784#.VRr1clx8uJU  (Static stretching leads to more DOMS!!!!)
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1989.10607463#.VRr1k1x8uJU
http://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/abstract/1994/04000/effect_of_stretching_on_the_intensity_of.3.aspx
https://www.painscience.com/articles/stretching.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1318445/
http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SORT200605028.htm
http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsr-back-issues/jsrvolume5issue3august/delayedonsetmusclesorenesswhatisitandhowdowetreatit

 

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes in Exton, PA

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Some pictures and videos from the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class at the Dragon Gym in Exton, PA. At the Dragon Gym we teach BJJ classes for both kids and adults. The program is run by Chris Taylor and classes are taught by Black Belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We also train under the auspices of Balance Studios and their system of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

In this video, there are pictures from class as well as a few local tournaments in no gi and gi jiu jitsu.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an evolution of the japanese martial arts of jujutsu and judo.  The martial art was introduced to North America from the Gracies and made famous by the early UFC and MMA competitions.   Since then, BJJ itself has evolved quite a bit to become a suitable martial arts and fitness regimen for people from all walks of life and physical abilities.

If you are interested in learning BJJ or trying a class, please visit our main website: www.dragongym.com

For more information on the history of Brazilian jiu jitsu click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_jiu-jitsu

Reflections on Martial Arts Preparation

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Students in our martial arts program have belt tests coming up soon. But, I think this is still relavent to all of our students even though many of you don't have "belt testing". There are still periodic tests and milestones to your training, and this is applicable.

Even though you may not be going through a formal test, you need an objective way to evaluate your progress towards your goals and you need to clearly define what's required to reach those goals.

So, with that in mind, I thought this might be helpful...

TEST PREPARATION

The simplest, and best, advice for test preparation is to know and be clear on what the expectations of testing and belt promotion are. If you are unclear, make sure to ask either your instructor or one of the advanced students. Even if you know the requirements, it doesn’t hurt to confirm them either. Belt testing is not an all encompassing review of everything that you have been taught, rather it is an evaluation of a sampling of techniques to ensure that you have developed the requisite proficiency for your current rank and level of experience. From quarter to quarter we may be focusing on different aspects of martial arts training and you need to find out what that is. Although, the focus may vary, we will always be looking at the following elements: Forms, hand and foot techniques, partner techniques, and board breaking. For higher level students, we also will need the sparring requirements to be fulfilled.

Beyond that, regularly attending class and practicing will ensure the success of the students in our children’s martial arts programs. Remember, the martial arts system is based upon a hierarchy of goal setting. Our long term goal for every student is to reach the Black Belt (and beyond), but that is broken down into smaller, short term goals. By achieving these goals, our students will feel successful and develop confidence.

For our adult students, the goal is the same: Black Belt, and the same idea of goal hierarchy still applies. In addition, the aspect of time-sensitivity becomes increasingly important. Without a concrete time frame, a goal can quickly become meaningless. A common example is weight loss. “I want to lose 10 lbs”. Without a set target date, this goal is nearly impossible. Lose 10 in one month? 6 months? A Year? Only with a set target date, can we formulate a concrete plan that will ensure our success.

Adult martial arts students can have their requirements broken down into five categories: Form, Falling, Flexibility, Fighting and Strength. For every level, confirm with your instructors what the specific requirements are, and follow a plan to fulfill those requirements in the next three months.

Remember, your goals should be SMART

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Attainable

R – Relavent

T – Timely

WHAT IF THINGS DON’T GO WELL AT TESTING

Belt Testing and Promotion can put a lot of pressure on adult and children students alike (as well as their parents). Sometimes external stress is a good thing, and this is one of those times. We know, through research and experience, that stressful situations reinforce information in the brain and improve recall. Stressful situations, like testing and competition can allow this reinforcement to happen in a positive way.

Sometimes students don’t perform at their best during the test. This may be due to anxiety or some other outside factors. Although, we want all students to pass, this is not always possible.

AND THAT IS OK…

I don’t know of an instructor at the Dragon Gym that has a 100% pass rate. Every test is a learning opportunity regardless of the result. When you do well, and pass, is a great time for introspection and self-evaluation. What are the things you did well? What enabled you to do so? What are things that you need to do better? How will you motivate yourself to do so?

Similar reflection is also appropriate when you do not pass a test; however, now you also have some external feedback on the things you need to work on.

How do you move on?

Recognize that not passing a test is not the end of the road, merely a bump in the road. It is not different from losing a match at a tournament (or any other game for that matter). Sure, it is upsetting, but it gives us a chance to improve. When a bone is broken, it heals stronger.

As parents, we need you to encourage your children to keep training and persevere through the short lived adversity. We need you to support our decision and let them know that they can, and should, seek out our help in order to be successful in the future. Leverage testing to teach your children about hard work, diligence, and commitment. The first time a student doesn’t pass a test, or loses a match, is always the most devastating. But, now that the FEAR has been realized it can be overcome. Anxiety will be much less of a factor in the future, but only with your positive support. You need to help your child understand that learning the martial arts is not easy, it’s not supposed to be.

As adult students, the aforementioned points still apply. You must just apply them to yourself, which can often be more difficult. A key for testing, success, and progress is trust. You must trust our instruction and our decisions but also trust in your own abilities.

Take the time to re-evaluate your training approach. Did you follow and fulfill the program we laid out for you? If not, what will it take for you to better adhere to that plan? If you did, what were your obstacles? Not everyone has the same physical and mental attributes, you need to seek us out, so that we can optimize your training regimen. Working harder is only part of the equation; you need to work better and smarter; this is an opportunity to do so.

Remember, martial arts testing is not only a means of demonstrating and evaluating ability. They are a tool for the student to develop the patience and will to reach a goal.

The only way you can possibly FAIL in your training is to simply give up.

“A Black Belt is Just a White Belt That Never Quit”

Sincerely,

Somnath Sikdar

Master Instructor

Dragon Gym