Martial arts training might get repetitive. Thus staying consistent is challenging. However, if you notice results sooner, keeping up with your training schedule will be more manageable. So this article is just what you need to stay more consistent since it’ll help you do just that!
Before we dive in, I don’t want you to stay on the edge of your seat from all the expectations you have! (or don’t have) Therefore, I’ve decided I’ll list all 11 tips right here, right now. Here they are.
Here are tips for martial arts beginners.
- Don’t hesitate to begin
- Don’t expect to notice results
- Results will flow naturally
- Eat healthily
- Set weekly milestones
- Combine training with more activities.
- Choose a suitable martial art.
- Train at home
- Trust the process
- Understand that martial arts aren’t just about fighting
- Know the benefits of martial arts training
If you follow these tips, you’ll notice benefits flowing more quickly. Additionally, because you’ll progress faster, you’ll become a solid fighter quicker.
From personal experience, staying consistent in training is the most challenging part. If you’re able to do so, you’ll ensure progression. That said, many people quit at this stage. Because of that, if you can ensure you’re staying consistent, you’ll notice many benefits.
1. Don’t hesitate to begin
In life, the challenging parts are at the start of a process. Because of that, starting something new will be the most demanding part. It’s the same with martial arts. If you can begin training and progress a bit, you’ll be solid for the rest of your journey.
When starting to train in martial arts, you’ll feel negative emotions flooding you. Understanding that it’s completely natural is crucial to becoming a solid fighter. Your mind starts something new. Thus you’ll feel hesitant and fearful of the future. You must continue training in this part.
The first phase of anything in life is called the “ghost town.” You won’t see any results and also invest plenty of effort. At times, it’s when you sweat the most. Because of that, knowing it’s natural and not quitting as a result of motivation running away from you—will ensure you’ll progress.
When I began training in martial arts, I didn’t know what to expect. All I had in mind was becoming a solid fighter. I wanted to learn to use self-defense and be capable of beating any attacker. Because of that, I stayed consistent even though I didn’t see any results.
Understanding and writing your goals will help you remember why you began training. As a result, you won’t quit when starting to study the fighting style.
Lastly, choosing a fighting style you’ll love to study is beneficial. Because you’ll be eager to learn more, staying consistent will be effortless. I wrote an article on the best martial arts for beginners. I highly encourage you to check it, as it may insight you on various styles.
2. Don’t expect to notice results
This section is a bit like the previous one. Yet, it’s different.
Knowing that you must begin to notice results is one thing. However, understand you won’t see any results in the beginning. Because of that, when you commence your training, adjust your expectations.
If you’re unfamiliar with the benefits you’ll gain from martial arts training, follow the link to an article of mine.
Don’t expect to notice results when you begin martial arts training. As you’ll progress, you’ll experience physical and mental benefits. For instance, by staying consistent your confidence and self-esteem will increase. However, it won’t occur in the early stages of your learning.
That said, expecting may motivate you to keep up with training. Let me explain. If you know the end goal, which is highly desirable, you’ll be more likely to stay consistent.
One of my goals was to know self-defense. Because of that, I kept reminding myself throughout training to stay consistent. Eventually, I learned to use physical force appropriately. However, that shouldn’t be your sole motivation.
“The findings from this study suggest that a single training session may be sufficient to learn and retain KM strike techniques relatively permanently.” (Source)
Various fighting styles will grant you more results sooner. Krav Maga is one of them. Thus if you train in it, you’ll shorten the time when you don’t notice any results. Consequently, staying consistent becomes more manageable.
3. Results will flow naturally
If you meet two terms, you’ll be solid. First, you must stay consistent with training. Secondly, you’ll have to work hard and sweat. If you do both, results will flow naturally.
Martial arts trainees who stay consistent will notice results eventually flow. Because of that, you shouldn’t worry about changing yourself for training. Instead, the opposite will happen. You’ll develop yourself, and the classes will adapt to you.
I was worried about managing my body weight when I began attending fighting classes. Honestly, that wasn’t helpful in any shape or form. Thus when I didn’t notice my body changing, I was discouraged and on the verge of quitting.
If I knew results would flow naturally, I would’ve progressed more quickly.
Boxing Trainee
You shouldn’t get too stuck on a single goal or pursuit. Instead, you should try and love training. If you do, you’ll notice results flowing naturally.
That said, motivating yourself with these goals can be valuable. As I previously mentioned, I wanted to learn self-defense. Thus whenever I desired to quit, I reminded myself of that pursuit. That allowed me to stay consistent even when I wasn’t feeling it.
Eventually, if you enjoy martial arts training, you’ll stay consistent and invest effort. As a result, results will flow naturally into your life. Your confidence and self-esteem will increase, and you’ll get into shape.
4. Eat healthily
Knowing which foods to consume daily will assist you in progressing faster. Because martial arts training is an intense workout, your body will recover post-training. Thus it needs you to feed it appropriately.
Studies proved that martial arts training is a workout that meets the ACSM guidelines for managing body weight. (Source) It’ll cause hypertrophy and will assist you in losing body fat. Because of that, you must consume healthy and appropriate foods to recover your muscles.
From personal experience, I managed to get in shape and lose body fat quickly from training. As a result, I learned which foods are healthy and unhealthy.
Well, that made a considerable difference in the results I experienced. I felt good about myself and how I was developing my mental and physical state. Thus my self-esteem increased. Such changes are highly desirable in today’s world. Well, you can achieve both.
Since I’m not a dietician, I’ll link to an article you should read to know what you should consume. This post is from Healthline on what to eat post-workout.
However, you must consume appropriately to notice any results. Eating healthy foods will assist promote your results. You’ll manage your body weight while developing your mental self.
Read more about whether martial arts will get you in shape by following the link.
5. Set weekly milestones
Having controllable milestones will assist you in progressing more reliably. Let me explain. If your sole motivation is noticing benefits and seeing results, you’ll most likely quit. Because you can’t control these outcomes, you’ll feel discouraged.
By having controllable goals, you’ll ensure progression and consistency. As a result, you’ll notice benefits flowing into your life naturally. For instance, setting a challenge where I need to learn a particular kick is more achievable.
Consequently, learning to kick is more manageable than increasing your confidence. Because of that, the odds of you achieving the first goal are higher. So, if that’s your pursuit, you’ll feel encouraged and motivated. Thus you won’t quit.
Another weekly milestone can be to attend two classes. Such a goal is achievable. If you manage to do so, you achieve more than you thought.
First, you attended two classes in a week. Because of that, you progressed more in that week than your average one. As a result, you’re now one step closer to results.
Secondly, you accomplished your weekly milestone. As a result, you’ll feel a wave of motivation. Thus staying consistent will become effortless. Because of that, you’ll notice benefits sooner.
Now you understand why setting weekly milestones can be beneficial. Essentially, it’s another source of encouragement and motivation. If you follow this tip, you’ll feel more motivated than ever. Thus you’ll stay consistent and progress faster.
Learn more about setting appropriate goals by watching the following Ted lecture.
6. Combine training with more activities
Incorporating further exercise and activities will promote your martial arts progress. Because you won’t focus as much on your training if you participate in other activities you won’t expect results. As a result, you’ll stay consistent and more manageably.
Combining training with more activities will assist you in not focusing as much on martial arts. As a result, you won’t expect any benefits because your focus will be on another activity. However, when results come, you’ll use them for encouragement.
A few examples will be to continuously work out. If you can go for a run or go to the gym 1-4 times a week, you’ll progress faster in martial arts. You won’t focus on fighting classes training as much, and you’ll get into shape quickly. Thus there’s no losing in this case.
The activity I chose for myself was dog training. I know it sounds silly. However, it worked. I focused some of my efforts on learning to train dogs. As a result, I wasn’t expecting any results since I was busy with another hobby. Thus I progressed faster because I stayed consistent with training.
Eventually, if you think about martial arts post-training, you may be building up expectations. Thus you’ll begin inspecting your results every day. So, if you don’t notice any, you’ll feel discouraged and desire to quit.
When I started blinklift.com, I checked my analytics five times a day. Thus I wasn’t noticing any results whatsoever. Because of that, I felt discouraged and took a break from it. Today, I focus my efforts on writing and fill my time with different activities. As a result, I feel motivated and consistent.
7. Choose a suitable martial art
Today, there’s a variety of martial arts. Thus you may get confused and choose an unsuitable one. As a result, you may get discouraged because you’re not enjoying training. To ensure you stay consistent, having fun while attending classes is beneficial.
Choosing a suitable martial art is crucial because distinct ones pursue different goals. As a result, if the fighting style doesn’t fit your goals, you won’t achieve your desires. For instance, if you want to know self-defense, learning Tai Chi isn’t suitable.
I’ve invested plenty of time writing articles on choosing an appropriate martial art. I feel as if that’s the most crucial part of training. Because having fun while practicing is beneficial, it’ll help you stay consistent.
That said, every martial art holds some value. Some people believe that some are impractical and invaluable. However, that cannot be further from the truth. Although Tai chi and Qigong are impractical, they teach many valuable lessons.
Additionally, they’re more spiritual than other fighting styles. As a result, they’ll develop your inner self more than your outer self. Because of that, you’ll be calmer and less aggressive post-training.
If you want to know which martial arts are the deadliest worldwide, follow the link to an article of mine.
If your goal is learning self-defense, choose a martial art that teaches that, such as MMA or Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. However, if you desire to develop your spiritual self, Qigong may be suitable.
Before beginning your training, I recommend watching videos of masters in your martial art. That way, you’ll know what to expect when staying consistent with it for a long time. If you fancy what you see in these videos, you’ll know you’re solid to start.
The following video is a demonstration of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at its finest. I recommend watching it and seeing if you enjoy it.
8. Train at home
When you train at a martial arts gym, you’re limiting yourself to the results you’ll get. When you add home training, you’ll benefit because your progression will immediately increase. As a result, staying consistent will be more manageable.
Training at home is beneficial because you’re not limited to your martial arts classes. As a result, your rate of progress and the number of benefits you’ll experience will increase. For instance, you’ll burn more calories. Thus get in shape quicker than if you hadn’t trained at home.
Contrary to most peoples’ beliefs, training at home is incredibly easy. The sole thing you need to do is buy the essential equipment. Then, all you need to do is follow an instructor.
There are a few ways to do so. First, you can buy an online course. I recommend doing so for more advanced trainees. If you’re a beginner, you shouldn’t buy one as the basics are available for free.
Secondly, you can find a YouTube channel of someone you like who teaches the martial art. Then all that’s left is to watch the videos and begin practicing. Such an option is favorable because it’s free. Thus all you need to spend your money on is the essentials.
I wrote a complete guide on training martial arts at home. If you desire to know a step-by-step guide on doing so, follow the link to the article.
Overall, you’ll have to buy two fundamental pieces of gear a punching bag and gloves. That’ll allow you to train in any martial art or technique you desire to do. I’ve seen success using this punching bag and these MMA gloves. I recommend you check them out if you’re interested in buying them.
Eventually, training at home will shorten the time you’ll progress. As a result, you’ll notice more results and therefore stay consistent. However, you’ll have to invest more time and effort in training. That said, I recommend any trainee buy the essential equipment to practice at home.
9. Trust the process
Eventually, martial arts training is valuable because it works. If you stay consistent, you’ll notice some benefits after some time. All you need to do is keep up with training. If you do, you’ll benefit in some way.
Many studies showed that martial arts training provides the trainee with many benefits. As a result, one will develop his physical and mental state. For instance, you’ll get in shape, learn to fight, and increase your confidence and self-esteem.
If you’re full of doubt, you won’t reach as much as you could have. Because of that, knowing the process works is vital. You’ll be open to learning new skills and be consistent. As a result, you’ll progress faster than ever.
Furthermore, if you’re unsure of whether you’ll start noticing results, talking to other trainees will be helpful. You may stumble across an individual who has a similar background to you. Thus you’ll trust the process to a better degree.
10. Understand that martial arts aren’t just about fighting
Although most people believe that the sole purpose of martial arts is to teach fighting techniques, such a statement is partially true. The number of benefits you’ll gain from doing one justifies training for them. For instance, one can practice it for his confidence.
Martial arts is more than just learning to fight because you’ll gain many benefits from training in it. As a result, you don’t have to want to study self-defense to practice in one. The number of benefits you may get is enormous. Thus doing martial arts is more than what it seems.
When I think about it, I can’t find a single reason why one wouldn’t want to train in martial arts. In fact, the one I may think of is procrastination. I’m aware that in today’s world, starting something new is challenging. Because of that, if you can overcome this barrier, your life will change.
When I began training in Boxing, I knew my life was about to change for the better. I immediately noticed a difference in my mindset toward life. I became aware of my strengths and what I had to offer. As a result, my self-confidence and self-esteem skyrocketed.
Take the Shaolin monks as an example. These groups train in Kung fu for most of their lives it’s their purpose. Because of that, they’re solid fighters. However, they use Kung fu for more purposes than you may initially think.
The Shaolin monks meditate for many hours every single week. As a result, they’re calm and peaceful. However, they can use physical force and plenty of it when they need it. That’s what Kung fu teaches its trainees. Essentially, to become solid fighters while being stress-free.
11. Know the benefits of martial arts training
Generally, knowing what to expect from participating in any activity is valuable. You’ll understand the consequences of your actions positively or negatively. So, if you miss a lesson, you’ll progress less. Thus you’ll feel bad.
Knowing the benefits of martial arts training will grant you the perspective you may lack. Thus you’ll know what to expect while aiming high. Eventually, it’ll assist you in staying consistent and progressing faster.
When I began practicing martial arts I was clueless about the road ahead. As a result, I didn’t know what to expect. All I thought was that I would become a solid fighter, and that’s it. However, so many more benefits have flown naturally into my life.
If I had known about them earlier, I would’ve been at a much different place in my life. I would’ve invested more effort and therefore experienced them sooner.
The following list is the benefits you’ll experience from martial arts training. (Source)
- better physical shape
- increase self-confidence
- improve pain tolerance
- teach you to use self-defense
- decrease overall stress
- assist you in controlling aggressiveness
- shorten reaction time
- improve your performance under stress
- enhance self-esteem
- better social life
- martial arts are a form of self-help
As you can see, the list is lengthy. Additionally, these are all desirable traits in today’s world. If you can experience just one, your life will change for the better. Now, picture yourself noticing all of these benefits in your life. Wouldn’t you be in a different place from where you’re now?
I wish I were to know about them sooner. If I would, I would be in a different spot from where I’m now.
I experienced all of the mentioned benefits at some point in my life. Because of that, I know why these are valuable.
Can I teach myself martial arts?
Teaching yourself martial arts is possible and beneficial. While attending classes will be the optimal option, some people can’t afford it. Because of that, training martial arts at home is a viable alternative because it’s effective and cheap.
How can I be good at martial arts?
To become good at martial arts, you must stay consistent and invest effort into training. As a result, you’ll progress and notice physical and mental benefits. For instance, you can expect to experience increased confidence and better physical shape.
How to progress in martial arts outside training
To progress in martial arts outside training, you need to train at home. The equipment you’ll buy will be the essentials, such as a punching bag and MMA gloves. As a result, you’ll boost your progress by training and investing more effort.
Conclusion
Knowing how to progress faster in martial arts is crucial because you’ll ensure you stay consistent. As a result, you’ll notice more benefits and do so more quickly.
Training in martial arts highly benefits its trainees. You’ll notice both physical and mental changes. Thus it’s an activity that indulges in self-development. I encourage everyone to start training in one.
If you’re hesitant about starting and don’t know which one you should begin to learn, I wrote an article on the best martial arts you should train.
Here are other articles you’d enjoy reading:
Pros and Cons of Martial Arts – Are They Worth Your Time?
What Martial Art Really Works? 5 Popular Examples
5 Best Martial Arts for Dealing with ADHD | Helpful Guide
Is Martial Arts and Fighting the Same? | A Helpful Guide