Persistence Pays Off

Persistence is the key to learning any form and making your goals in kung fu in general. In today’s world, learning kung fu the way the monks did, eight hours a day is impractical, if not impossible, because of work and family demands. I am sure that some do find the time to do this however.

As with everything, one must keep a happy balance of yin and yang. We must work to support our family. We must allow time for our families. We also must allow time for ourselves. This is the one thing that generally gets put on the backburner. For most, kung fu training would fall into this last category and, if all else is not in balance, will tend to suffer.

The problem is a lot of times that one looks at their martial training as something that one does with his/her spare time. For kung fu practitioners, one must look at kung fu as a way of life. Something that enhances and blends with our lives not something that takes away from it.

The number one reason one takes kung fu is for good health. This is a very important reason and one that truly shows that kung fu training is an integral part of our daily lives.

I often ask my beginners at their first test; “When do you use your Kung Fu?” I often get many answers. “To defend myself”, “because I like the art of it”, “before I go to school”, etc. are just some of the things I have heard. The answer to this question is "every second of every minute of every hour of every day." In other words, we use our kung fu in everything we do. It helps us pass the math test, solve problems at work, handle stressful situations, deal with overwhelming odds, helps us stay alert and aware, and keeps us healthy on a day by day basis. These are just some examples. Many beginners are unable to see this fact outright and, even then, may be unable to understand it fully. Thus, we as Sifu, see a lot of beginners struggling to be consistent. (As a side note, I recommend coming to class as much as possible. But, if you are limited, try to get to class at least twice in one week. This has been proven to be the least one should attend classes in the martial arts and be able to progress sufficiently. However this is not to say a one-day a week person cannot achieve his/her goals. It will just take longer.)

To achieve any goal one sets forth, one must be persistent. It is essential to master a kung fu style. It is essential to master one form…one move even. One must work toward clearing the mind and focusing on the task at hand and be persistent to finishing it.

The payoff? You will be able to master a move, a form and even your kung fu style one day. Be persistent and do not let up. Your Sifu will know where you are in your training and will be there to give you the extra push and motivation if you need it. Trust in your Sifu! For he is more knowledgeable of what you are doing than you are and is experienced in guiding you to your goal.

I am sure your Sifu will be persistent in his quest to make you a great student of your style of Kung Fu.