During my childhood I played the piano. It was my passion and I put in thousands of hours of practice until I was about 20 years old. Needless to say I got pretty good at it. Even after a 20 year break from music, I could still play the piano well. The key was not only lots of time spent practising, but also making sure that the practice I did was of good quality.
Martial arts is no different to learning a musical instrument. To become good at it you need to practice a lot. As a general rule of thumb, you need to put in about 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. For most of us who do martial arts recreationally, we will never achieve this level of practice. Even if we train for 5 hours a week for 50 weeks of the year, it will take 40 years to reach 10,000 hours. While mastery may not be achievable for most of us, any practice will make us better. However, in my experience many people who train in martial arts either do not practice at all, other than during class time, or do not know how to practice well. It is not simply a case of repeating something over and over again, mindlessly. Practice must be deliberate, mindful, and structured to be effective. Here are some of the practice traps people fall into. 1. Unstructured practice: Most people practice without a plan. They just go through their material in sequence, practicing everything once or twice. While any practice is probably better than no practice at all, the benefits of this type of practice are limited. The time that most of us can devote to practising is relatively short, so we must plan for how we are going to use that time most effectively, to ensure everything is practised properly. 2. Only practising what you are good at: It is common to focus on the things we are good at as this makes practising more enjoyable. However, we will improve more by practising those elements that are the hardest. This means we must break down our practice into components to ensure we devote practice time to the hard stuff, even though this might be difficult or less fun to do. 3. Always starting at the beginning: Most people practice by starting at the beginning. For example, when practising forms in Kuk Sool Won™ (patterns in Taekwondo or kata in Karate), most people will practice the entire form from start to finish. This approach makes you good at the material at the beginning and the easier components of the form. A better approach is to break the form down into segments and practice those. This ensures you practice and get better at all elements, including the harder parts. 4. Not being mindful: Many people just go through the motions when they are practising without thought or awareness. Practice must be deliberate and mindful to be effective. This means we need to really think about what we are doing. By being aware while we are practising, we can pick up and correct any mistakes we are making, refine our skills, and develop a deeper connection with and understanding of the material we are learning. There is a saying that practice makes perfect. It doesn’t. Practice makes us better. It increases our physical skills, as well as our knowledge and understanding. Effective practice is not something that simply happens. We need to consciously develop good habits. This requires effort, thought and self-discipline. However, the rewards from disciplined practice are significant. You will get better, more quickly, and develop a deeper understanding of your martial art. In my next blog I will focus on the third of the three P's; perseverance and martial arts. JKN Jane Hurst First degree black belt and school owner Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero Copyright © 2018. Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero. All Rights Reserved.
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As a white belt, I was often frustrated with all of the things I couldn’t do well. My balance was terrible, I couldn’t remember the moves, and I was constantly annoyed by the physical limitations of my 45 year old body. However, no one at my school expected me to have great kicks, or to remember everything easily, or to have great balance. In fact, they would have been surprised if I had. But I put huge pressure on myself and would easily become despondent. Martial arts brought me face to face with my nemesis, patience, and I didn’t like it. As a black belt, instructor and school owner, I now find myself helping students with similar challenges with patience. Everyone’s challenge is different, but here are four of the common ones. 1. Unrealistic expectations: Martial arts training is neither easy nor is not meant to be. In many ways, white belt is the hardest level of training in martial arts. You have never done it before so why would you be good at it? It would be like expecting to be good at playing the piano within a few weeks or months. We know it takes years of patient practice to become good at playing a musical instrument, so why would martial arts training be any different? Managing our expectations to ensure they are realistic is a key part of developing patience. 2. Physical limitations: A fortunate few are blessed with athletic prowess. For most of us though, we have physical limitations which affect our ability as martial artists. I have two herniated discs in my neck and I am not very flexible. I am also middle-aged. All of these limit my martial arts training in some way. It is easy to become frustrated with physical limitations and either push your body too hard (risking injury) or give up. The patient option is to accept your physical limitations, minimise their impact, and work to your strengths. For example, I don’t do falling techniques as they hurt my neck. I also accept that I can’t kick very high, but I do gently work to improve my flexibility. By being patient with our bodies, we can gain many benefits from martial arts training without hurting ourselves or becoming despondent. 3. Challenges with memory: Many people struggle with their memories. This can be particularly challenging in a martial art like ours (Kuk Sool Won™), where there is a lot of material to learn and remember. It can feel very daunting in the early stages of learning a martial art, particularly as you are also trying to remember new ways of moving and using your body. Developing your memory is like any other skill. You need to work at it. At first, your memory won’t be great, but over time it will improve. If you get stressed and frustrated though, it will make your memory worse. By being patient with your memory, you will enjoy the process of learning a great deal more and by being more relaxed, your memory is likely to improve. Even if it doesn’t, you will still benefit from your training. 4. Competitive nature: I am a competitive person by nature. I want to be good at what I do and I am always looking to push myself to be better. It is common for our students to be competitive with themselves. This provides a high degree of motivation to train and to improve, which can be a good thing. However, it can also lead to frustration and injury. As well, it is easy to miss the joy of training and learning. Patience involves being in the moment and enjoying the process of training for its own sake, rather than as a process to enable the achievement of a goal. Patience is something that must be practiced and developed. It comes naturally to very few of us. By becoming more patient, we learn to accept our limitations and show ourselves more kindness. This is an important part of martial arts training, which will have flow on benefits to many other aspects of your life. In my next blog I will talk about the second of the three Ps, practice, and how this is relevant to martial arts training. JKN Jane Hurst First degree black belt and school owner Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero Copyright © 2018. Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero. All Rights Reserved 
Martial arts teaches us many things. A lot of what we learn are physical skills, such as kicking and striking, self-defence techniques, and how to use martial arts weapons. Less tangible are the character building skills that come with martial arts training. In this category are what are often referred to as the three Ps: patience, practice and perseverance. At various times during our martial arts careers we will all struggle with one or more of the these. I certainly have and continue to do so.
Patience is often an issue for new students (and particularly adults) who can become easily frustrated by how long it is taking them to get to grips with the new skills they are learning. Practice is an on-going challenge for most of us. Our busy lives mean that we can struggle to find the time and motivation to train outside of structured class times. It is also a particular issue for children, who have a tendency to leave what they have learnt at the door at the end of their class. Training also requires a high degree of determination and perseverance. It is hard to continue training over the many years required to reach black belt (and beyond) and in our experience, a lot of people drop out of martial arts within the first year. Over the next three blogs I will discuss my views on patience, practice and perseverance within a martial arts context and the challenges each of these bring. If they can be overcome, they provide fantastic opportunities to learn and develop both as a martial artist and as a person. JKN Jane Hurst First degree black belt and school owner Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero Copyright © 2018. Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero. All Rights Reserved. 
Most people probably consider that some level of black belt is the hardest rank to achieve in martial arts. While first degree black belt and beyond are difficult to gain, in my opinion they are not the hardest ranks. For most people, the hardest is white belt. It takes many of us years and even decades, as well as a great deal of motivation and courage, to make the commitment to start martial arts training and gain our white belt. For me, it took nearly 45 years. For some it takes even longer. For one woman in our school for example, it took her 72 years!
So why did it take me so long to earn my white belt? I had been interested in martial arts for many years. I tried two different styles before finally committing to Kuk Sool Won™. In my early 20s I tried a popular style of martial arts. I recall finding a place amongst the large number of students and doing my best to copy. No one from the school talked to me or helped me and I didn’t have any one-on-one instruction. It was a rather intimidating and demoralising experience. After two classes I decided not to join the club. In my early 30s I tried a different martial art. It was a small club but I had a similar experience. These experiences really put me off martial arts. It was not until I was in my forties that I stumbled across a martial arts school that was very welcoming towards new students and where I felt comfortable and safe as a beginner. It took me over four decades of life experience to finally earn my white belt. By comparison, the four years or so it takes to get to black belt is relatively quick and easy. If you are currently a white belt, wear it proudly. You have truly earned it. If you have always wanted to try a martial art, but are not sure where to start, check out our blog on how to find a good martial arts school. JKN Jane Hurst First degree black belt and school owner Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero Copyright © 2018. Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero. All Rights Reserved. 
Martial arts training is great for women, both physically and psychologically. However, we often talk to women who would like to try martial arts, but never actually give it a go. Our experience has shown us that there are generally five reasons or “buts” holding women back.
1. But I am not fit, strong or co-ordinated enough. Very few people are when they start training in martial arts and no one expects you to be. Martial arts requires a specific type of physical conditioning which you only gain by doing it. You get fitter, stronger, and more co-ordinated as you train. 2. But I need to lose weight first. If you go into most martial arts schools, you will find people of all different physical shapes and sizes, including instructors. We are not all young and skinny. You don’t need to be lean and toned to train and benefit from martial arts. Over time, your body will get stronger and better conditioned, and you may even lose some weight as a natural part of your training. 3. But I’m not confident enough. It can be intimidating walking into a martial arts school for the first time. There are schools around like ours that try to make this process much friendlier for new people from the moment you first make contact. Take a friend or family member with you for company and support. If you persist through this initial phase of feeling uncomfortable, you will find your confidence dramatically improves. It is part of the many benefits of martial arts training. 4. But I don’t want to fight. Many women are put off by the thought of fighting as part of martial arts training. I know I was. There are though, many martial arts like ours (Kuk Sool Won™), that are self-defence focused and do not involve fighting for belt gradings or as a regular part of training. You don’t need to fight or get hit to learn martial arts. 5. But it’s too blokey. Martial arts is one of the few sports where men and women actively train together. This can be a little intimidating for some women at first. However, there are plenty of schools, like ours, with women instructors and women students. These are a good option for women who feel uncomfortable in a male-dominated environment. Are one of these “buts” unnecessarily holding you back from something you have always wanted to try? JKN Jane Hurst First degree black belt and school owner Kuk Sool Won™ of Onewhero
Perhaps you've thought about taking up a martial art, but feel you’re not fit, young or healthy enough to fight others? You may not want to go head to head with a large, muscly young man to win your belts. However, not all martial arts are about fighting, especially those that base their principles on self-defence. Some welcome all ages, whatever your ability, as long as you have no serious health issues.
The benefit of taking up a martial art later in life, is that you can slow the ageing process, some even say you can even reverse aspects of it. You also get to have lots of fun and do things you never thought possible. I started Kuk Sool Won™ in my 30's and still enjoy teaching and training now I'm in my 50’s. Yes, there are some things I cannot do, but there are many more things I can do I’m also now a 4th degree black belt, something I never thought I would ever achieve. It is said that martial art training slows the ageing process, I think there are a few extra benefits some of which I have described below: • Emotional Well-being: There is a fair amount of research outlining the benefits of endorphins on the body and mind. People who have fun, challenge themselves and keep active, always feel better. They lead healthier lives and have a greater sense of achievement. When you find a friendly martial art school, you may find yourself having lots of fun and the benefits can be long lasting. • Physical Strength: In Kuk Sool we focus on body posture or stances, practice self-defence techniques and body conditioning movements know as hyung or forms and learn how to fall safely. This activates a variety of muscle groups around the body, even some you never thought you had, making everyone stronger over time. Muscle burns more fat, and can help to lower cholesterol levels. Everyone benefits from the strength and cardio training for better health and fitness and women can reduce the risks of osteoporosis in older age. • Mental Growth: Taking up any new hobby stimulates the mind. We know doing crosswords and Sudoku slows memory loss in older age. Challenging yourself by taking up a new sport can help maintain or even build mental agility. A martial art with an extensive amount of material to learn, can be the best thing for improving that fading memory that happens as we get older. • Spiritual Healing: Through the practice of meditation and body conditioning movements, known in Kuk Sool as hyung, the mind can be calmed and stilled. The stilling of the mind is difficult in our very busy lives. By practicing martial arts, we can focus on being present whilst meditating and still our minds in the movements we learn. Self-defence martial arts are really good at creating a life that is much calmer, less stressed and freer to make those important decisions. |
Caroline and Jane Hurst
Caroline is a 5th degree black belt and Jane is a 2nd degree black belt in the traditional Korean martial art of Kuk Sool Won™ . They run 2 Kuk Sool Won™ martial arts schools in New Zealand. Archives
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