Martial Mastery: Time & Sculpting

There is often a misunderstanding that mastery of the martial arts occurs when one turns up to class once a week and periodically grades for new belts until a black belt is reached. But what is the meaning of progression without substance?

Though training in proper martial arts holds many advantages to physical, mental and emotional health, the true reward (when done right) is the mastery of self.

When a student begins their training it is perfectly fine to attend class once a week, be present, absorb the information and practice earnestly. Doing training outside of the dojo during this stage is always beneficial but not really required for advancement, it simply dictates how quickly you enter the intermediate skill level.

Entering into an intermediate skill level (12-18 months of training), a student definitely needs to be training at least three other days outside the dojo to truly solidify the foundations that have been taught and to grasp a deeper level of understanding.

Expert skill level (3+ years of training) is only reached IF the student has taken the intermediate level training seriously. This means if a student has been training at the dojo for over three years but has not bothered to do any self training then they are still at the intermediate level regardless of time frame. At this level you should be embracing more martial arts into your life by finding like minded individuals to share techniques with and exposing yourself to martial arts media but remembering to do so with an open yet critically analytical mind.

Of course the sifu (teacher/master/mentor) has a massive responsibility in a student’s training and finding the right one is extremely important. What we need to remember is that a sifu is a sculptor trying to make the most perfect statue possible and what determines the end product is skill, tools and raw material. Your sifu should already have the skill (hopefully) otherwise they should not be calling themselves a teacher. The tools are the foundations and techniques taught to you but the one thing you have to give your sifu is the raw material. If you want to be the highest quality clay then you must train according to your skill level otherwise the sculptor will be missing a key ingredient and there will likely be no end product.

And for those that wish to become teachers down the line, your training towards that goal is where you will be given the skill and tools to be a future sculptor; yet another reason to train earnestly.

The path of mastery in any field is long but few paths give the same benefit as one spent training in the martial arts. What you plant in the beginning of your journey is the reward you will receive when you mature and it is a reward that will keep paying off for the rest of your life so put in the effort now and see what you could become.