Living Proof…the Secret to Training

Whenever we learn something new there is a bit of frustration. This is only natural. In self-defense training this frustration can be a bit more taxing since what you are learning is crucial for surviving an encounter. But fear not! The secret is right before you - LOL.

Practically every class, I tell my students, “If I can figure this out and do it, anyone can.” And this is so true. When I was learning as a student, I was not the most coordinated, fastest or strongest. It took me a while to learn and to retain new curriculum. It fact, I can still hear my private instructor yelling at me, “Holzer, why can’t you do this??” LOL. Those are fond memories for me now. At the time, it was added anxiety. But the one thing I was good at was the secret.

So what was/is the secret??? Practice… Yes, I know, not exciting. But it is true. And not just practice, but consistent practice. That’s the real secret formula. Do a technique 10,000 times and now you start to own that particular technique. It becomes yours. You don’t have to think about it anymore. It becomes automatic. And when that happens, you start to notice everything else around you. And then you can start to play with things. Change things up, etc. And that is when the real fun begins.

TIP: Practice. Consistently. Duh. LOL. But seriously, you MUST practice. And not just during class time. Take some time out at home or at work, and go over a few things. I found it to be a great stress reliever when I was working in the corporate world. Every time I was in the elevator, alone, I would go over my knife flows. I’m sure there is some great video footage of me that still exists somewhere in the Gateway building downtown. LOL.

Start your self-defense journey now!