Motivation

[BadgerFu57]

I am sure everyone knows what I am talking about. I've been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for a few months, and today, I just had this horrible feeling like I am getting nowhere. I know that's not very pragmatic or true, but it feels like it. I guess I have reached a mental plateau. What do you do to stay motivated and keep learning and improving at this point?

[m.artist]

I am sure everyone knows what I am talking about. I've been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for a few months, and today, I just had this horrible feeling like I am getting nowhere. I know that's not very pragmatic or true, but it feels like it. I guess I have reached a mental plateau. What do you do to stay motivated and keep learning and improving at this point?

i have had this feeling many times, and not with just martial arts...but what i do to keep motivated is think about the reasons im doing what i am doing...like i want to make a living doing what i do now...i want to be skilled and good enough to train with the masters in china and japan and korea...i do it for that...and no body else...when it comes to martial arts u do it all for yourself...it's one of the few places where u can be selfish and it be ok. and once u do ur first competition. ur gonna wanna train even harder to be a better competitor the next time..i have been there and expericance(sp?) and have the feeling often i.e" what am i doing here?....what am i thinking doing this? am i ever really gonna use this at all?" just think of the reasons ur there. and train hard....never give up and go for it dude
good luck

[BadgerFu57]

I am training about 300% more than usual because a tournament upcoming this month. While training 2-3 days a week is easier, my coach wanted me coming in 4-5 days a week, plus I am doing supplemental training after class.... It's just a rigorous schedule and very demanding for me.... It's pushing me, and I just need assurance it's for the best. Personally, I like training 2-3 days a week, but my coach wants me coming more, so I will trust him since he has the color on his belt.

[IPON]

I am training about 300% more than usual because a tournament upcoming this month.

Well it can just be over training or being overwhelmed with training for your first match. I would visualize to actualize your goal. What is your goal, just improvement champioships, fun etc.

[Seifer2399]

It's pushing me, and I just need assurance it's for the best.

Get used to breaking out of your "comfort zone". Being pushed is the only way to truly test if what you've learned has sunk in. Your coach is pushing you to fully prepare you for you tourney. Preparation is the key to winning that tourney. If you know yourself, your strategy, and know that you're prepared, you're going to win. He wants to leave you with no doubt that you're ready to perform. Why go into a tourney thinking "man, I should have worked on my guard breaks a lil more before this" when you could be thinking "I've trained my ass off for this - this guy's toast".

Good luck at your tourney!

Best regards,

Seifer2399

[Maxetai]

I am training about 300% more than usual because a tournament upcoming this month. While training 2-3 days a week is easier, my coach wanted me coming in 4-5 days a week, plus I am doing supplemental training after class.... It's just a rigorous schedule and very demanding for me.... It's pushing me, and I just need assurance it's for the best. Personally, I like training 2-3 days a week, but my coach wants me coming more, so I will trust him since he has the color on his belt.

Seems to me that you are not "hungry" right now. Talk to your coach about it and perhaps a small break like a couple of days will bring the "hungry feeling" back again. If your coach won't give you a break in the training schedule, then you "starve" yourself by keeping busy with other activities so that when you go to training you will look forward to it. Just make sure that the other activities are not physically demanding or you will overtrain (burnout). Meditation is good. If meditation is not for you, go to a library and read for a few hours a day. Do something passive in order to want "to compensate" by doing "something active" like your training. Yin and Yang my friend: You move to one extreme, then you would want to move toward the other extreme for balance. Keep on shifting from one extreme to the other and you will be looking forward for your upcoming match!

Almost forgot: Sleep as much as possible. You gotta recharge the batteries!

[TylerDurden]

Have a talk with your coach, maybe you can change things up a little to help you stay motivated. Are you training with a gi? Maybe twice a week you train without it instead. Its a very different feel, but it helps your game alot.

Maybe you train just take downs once a week. Mix it up a little.

[BadgerFu57]

I train gi 4-5 days a week, and no gi usually twice (on the same day that I do gi). I think I am getting better, it's just hard to see it in my own eyes. A blue belt who had taken a break from our club for a while (his wife is having a baby) came back last night and said I have gotten a lot better, and to take that compliment seriouslyt because he doesn't compliment people often. It's just strange to hear that and get the crap beat out of you.... but I havfe put it in perspective.... +3 years and <6 months are huge experience differences.

As far as the tourney goes, I want to win. But I don't want winning it to be everything.... I think the training is half the fun.... I have pushed myself harder than I ever have before, and of course it's tiring, but I just keep telling myself to keep trucking on and I'll get better. It's only a month anyways, then I can go back to more moderate training. At worst, I can use the tournament as a real measure of progress since both people are going full-speed (even though they beat me, I would think the blue belts in my school go easier on me, as I go easier on people who are brand spankin new.) I can also find weaknesses and strengths in my technique through the tournament. As bad as I want to win, so long as I get better and learn from mistakes, it won't be a complete loss regardless of what happens.

[mcox]

Feeling like that with just a few months trainning?? try to get into some competitions, to face different opponents, that might help.

[shadowkiller]

Another suggestion would be to branch out and maybe after your tourney, if you still feel the same way, take up boxing or some other stand up. You might just need something new in your scheduel to make it fun again.

[BadgerFu57]

Another suggestion would be to branch out and maybe after your tourney, if you still feel the same way, take up boxing or some other stand up. You might just need something new in your scheduel to make it fun again.

After the tourney, I am going back to JuJu 2-3 times per week, and I have the option of a free Judo class which I might take advantage of.