‘Do not think that karate training is only in the dojo’
Practicing karate in class will only get you so far unless you are willing to make time to practice outside of it. The object of karate is to grow the mind and body, this cannot be accomplished in the hour or two that we manage to set aside each week in our busy lives. Karate practice must go beyond the dojo just as bad habits such as excessive eating, drinking, and sedentary lifestyles seep into the training hall – and into our karate.
Mental and physical effort should become part of our daily routines in everything that we do. Don’t rush to get something done because the end result will never be your best. Always go that extra mile; slowly and continually strive to do your absolute best in everything that you can even when it’s difficult. This attitude will find its way into your karate, making it better and making you feel like you can accomplish anything. You will learn faster and be taught more in classes because of it, karate becomes your life and your life becomes karate. This does not mean you will be obsessed or train physically in all of your spare time but you will notice that every day tasks (such as hitting a nail with a hammer) improve by looking at them through your ‘karate eyes’ and you will become more motivated in every part of your life..
By Karly West