Posts tagged Strengths And Weaknesses
Ways to Practice Kata
Dec 4th
Kata, the formal exercises of karate, are central to this art. Kata are patterns of movement that are passed down through the centuries and are practiced by all students of the martial arts, particularly karate. These forms contain all of the punches, kicks, strikes, and all other moves that make up the art of karate.
In one main style, Shotokan, there are 25 kata. They range from farily simple “forms” to very complex ones, containing up to 65 or 70 moves. The first, and most important thing is to practice the kata enough so that you have attained a “muscle memory” of them- that is, you do not have to think about what you are doing. That means that you will have practiced that kata hundreds, if not thousands of times. Each kata has a particular rhythmn, and cadence/pace. Some katas accent strength, whereas others stress graceful form and movements. An example in Shotokan is jion- for strength, and the kata, Gankaku- for grace and poise.
After you have mastered the movements and pace of a kata, here are some things that you can do to make it all more interesting- and better:
1) practice your kata at a faster pace- possibly very fast- that is, “blow through it”.. You should find this exhausting;
2) Practice the kata at a very SLOW pace- accenting each move with super-fastidiousness- make each move seem like it’s the whole kata;
3)practice the kata using hand weights and also, if available, leg weights. Make sure not to overextend your joints- that is, take care, when using weights as add ons, not to strain your joints.
Doing any or all three of the above 3 variations will make your kata practice go to a new level- and it will give you the variety that you may want to make it all more interesting. You will also get faster, stronger, and just better.
Finally, you may want to consider creating your own, personal kata- one that reflects your particular likes and dislikes- and your personal strengths and weaknesses. You may want, for example, to create a kata that accents kicking. Or one that stresses movement- sidestepping, or other such concepts. Creating a good kata is not easy- but it can be a lot of fun- and it will make you think about karate- and what it takes to make something that you can call your own- and that is the essence of any art. Of course, to create your own kata, you should be at a very good level- at least brown belt or above. This will help to ensure that you already have a very good grasp as to what kata- and karate- are all about. But, if you are at or near that level- don’t be afraid to create your own kata- it will help you to think about what aspects of karate you most favor- and it will make everything more interesting for you- and that is very important for your karate future.
Build Your Self-Esteem Through Self-Awareness
Oct 12th
If you want to work your way towards gaining a healthy amount of self-esteem, start building self-awareness. Self-awareness means having the courage to come to terms with every single aspect of your self – physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual – including both your strengths and weaknesses in each area.
If you’re unhappy with yourself for any reason, deal with what’s troubling you immediately before it can cause permanent damage to your self-esteem. The only things that we can change about ourselves are those that we are willing to acknowledge. When we deny that someone, or something, is robbing us of our self-esteem, we become passive and refuse to take action.
The first thing to do is to ask yourself, “What triggered my low self-esteem?” Was it an unkind remark, a poor body image, rejection, a major setback in your life, etc.? Try to be as honest as possible and pinpoint the exact cause.
The next step would be to find solutions to eradicate the cause. I don’t suggest that you start plotting revenge to every person who’s been mean to you. And certainly, you can’t turn back the hands of time and wish that you’ve done something different. The feasible way has more to do with your thinking. Change the way you think about the people or things or situations that gave you low self-esteem.
It’s a normal reaction to retreat further into your shell if you’ve been hurt or rejected in the past. But how long are you going to allow people or circumstances to keep you from achieving your fullest potential and live a satisfying life?
Redeem the hours you’ve spent feeling sorry for yourself. Get a new perspective about life. Immerse yourself in books, music, and movies that inspire you. Cut out anything in your life that makes you feel bad about yourself.
Another way to build self-awareness is to watch the way you talk to yourself. Do you tend to put yourself down whenever you make a mistake? If so, stop. Treat yourself kindly and say, “Next time, I resolve to do better.”
Learn to validate yourself. Sure, you may have weaknesses, but you have capabilities, too. One of the best ways to build your self-esteem is to identify those areas where you’re good at and capitalize on them.
Also, be aware that from this point you and you alone are responsible for your self-esteem. So like yourself. Like yourself enough that even when you’re not in the company of others, you can be at peace.
Now that you know yourself better, get a clearer idea of what you want most out of life. With a higher level of self-esteem, you can afford to risk more, achieve more, and reach out more to people.
