4 secrets for perfect martial training (beginners)

4 simple tips of 6 Dragons Kung Fu’s practitioners to start a high-quality training plan

When we start a new martial path, we often lose focus on our real goals and from active elements of the learning process, we become passive.

This is wrong especially in terms of:

  • Training duration
  • Training frequency
  • Training effort

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

In a normal gym, this is very common and happens trusting too much on the generic indications of:

  1. The instructor (especially in classes that have more than 2-3 people)
  2. The martial art (especially the traditional ones)
  3. The “advanced” training partners (especially in low-quality courses)

A note by Master Kongling – Here you can read part of the bad experience I had while I was a student (read Master Kongling: facing the other martial arts).

Is it correct to listen to the others?

Let’s be clear, a novice must always listen and trust what these 3 entities say but never completely turning off his rationality:

  • On one side, there are things that are too far to be understood by a total beginner (eg. how to manage the muscle chain)
  • But at the same time, there are things that are clear as the sunlight (eg. without fighting, it is impossible to learn to fight)

A note by Master Kongling – A simple example: if we want to be ready for self-defense, we can certainly follow a course without sparring (if its teachings are worth) but we have to compensate for that lack externally (with other courses or with skilled training partners, read 5 effective ways to find a training partner).

What happens if we completely exclude our rationality?

The consequences of totally excluding our mind from our martial growth are very risky:

  • To miss our goals exchanging them with the ones of the instructor (or the ones imposed by him)
  • To never learn / focus / train fundamental aspects of martial arts
  • To lose years and years to discover one day that instead of getting closer to where we wanted to go, we beached ourselves
  • To get completely deceived by dishonest or deluded people (read Recognize a good / bad master: 5 characteristics)

A note by Master Kongling – The first starting point is to rationally address the martial training: in this article, we want to list some of the most important points of reference on which to focus our martial workout.

4 tips about training planning (for beginners)

1. Never get tired (at first)

If we want to reach the capability to sustain long training sessions, in the beginning, we have to:

A note by Master Kongling – We will have all the time to endure fatigue but only in a second phase (when we are nearer to the concept of self-discipline, read also Discipline is the key to freedom).

2. Never interrupt the workout: no pauses (especially at first)

If we want to get the best from our training time (especially if short), at the beginning we have to:

  • Never remain totally inactive
  • Move fast even in the secondary tasks of training
  • Avoid pauses, alternating instead the limbs’ effort

A note by Master Kongling – This may seem wrong but the level of effort that we endure at the beginning is relatively low and we do not need useless recovery times. Recovery times are forcibly needed when we explore higher level of stress.

3. Never skip a training session (especially at first)

Self-discpline is based on continuity, even the smallest interruption (especially the first years) leads to exponentially dangerous risks to leave the practice (read Resume training after a period of inactivity):

  • Only 1-2 (voluntary) skips per year are acceptable
  • If we are tired let’s train in a lighter way (but always for the entire established time)
  • It is like choosing a general direction, we want to train gradually more or less? Better or worse?

A note by Master Kongling – These indications may appear strict but in the economy of a martial life, these are the small things that can make our path a total waste of time or a constant growth.

4. Cover the time, not the effort (at first)

If we want to get our mind used to the idea of the irreplaceability of the martial workout, we have:

  • To learn to identify the time we want to cover as a part of our fundamental body functions (like drinking, eating, sleeping, etc.)
  • To learn to cover the time without mental stress (focusing on the tasks we are performing and never on the time that passes)
  • To learn to use timers with alarm (for our exercises) but never looking / thinking them during the execution

A note by Master Kongling – We will have all the time to add variants to increase the effort but only in a second phase (read also Same exercises, different execution).

In-depth articles

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

  • What is the most useful tip in your opinion?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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