Chuntian Academy International

Remember, you must walk before you can run.

Baby Steps

CAI Systems concepts and ideas should be easy to grasp for beginners. The System is based on the natural body structure and common sense found in fighting. However, in reality beginners can be overwhelmed with the amount of information, theories, strategies, and ideas that CAI has to offer.

Here are several tips and suggestions to help you the beginner, in you're training.

1) The best way to improve quickly is to focus on the basics.

I believe all beginners walk similar paths. The need to “show me something new bug” will always enter their skin. Nothing to be ashamed of, everyone goes through it. But, the key thing to remember is that if you want to get good and improve quickly, you need to focus on the basics. Its not how much you know, but how much of what you know that you've really mastered.

2) Regular partner to train inside and outside of class

It’s true that when in school, it’s good to work out with as many people as possible. The variety of different sizes as well as different skill levels gives you a taste of the many ways you need to adjust depending on your opponent. But, from my teaching experience it’s also good to have a regular training partner who’s at about the same level that you’re in. Together you can help each other grow in the art. Thus, I've made it clear to all my students, that your partner is your best friend. All too often I see people use the drills as a way of building ego and beating on each other. This achieves nothing and you also risk the possibility of hurting one another. You hurt your partner, you lose your partner, you hurt your training in return.

3) Concentrate on what you have to train, not what others are doing

Otherwise referred to as mind your own business. Sometimes in your training you’ll get that itch of curiosity, and see your older brothers and sisters working on other things. Focus on what’s at hand, not what others are doing. Everyone learns at their own pace, studying at CAI is not a race to see who learns the most quickly. Your teacher has designed drills for you specifically for a reason. Don't sway off the path.

4) Don’t waste too much time on the net

When you first start training in the CAI Styles and Systems, it seems like you can’t get enough information about it. So, you spend your time reading and checking out more information about it from videos, books, and the net. While all these are good ways to spend the time, don’t focus too much on it. The time spent reading on the net could be time spent practicing skills and drills. No one ever defended themselves and kicked ass by just reading.

5) Listen and trust your teacher

If you picked your teacher, then trust him. It’s okay to ask questions, but if you keep second guessing him, you’ll stall your own progress. Listen to your inner self, if you don’t trust what he’s saying, then its time to leave and find someone you do.

6) Time tables are okay, but look at it as a lifetime of learning

Belts, sashes, certifications, or levels should not be your motivating factor to push you forward. The fact is all those are meaningless measures of determining ones ability. I believe its okay to say, “I want to learn this or get good at this particular drill or exercise within, such n such a date” But, keep in mind that the total CAI System one can become proficient in a relative short time, but it takes a lifetime to master, and you have your entire life to learn it. Don’t look at it like a diet. Most diets fail because people don’t realize that you have to change your entire life style forever, not just for a 3 to 6 month period till they lose the weight.

7) Focus more on the drills than anything else

The drills are the #1 most important thing to focus on once you gets the basics. But, spend more time, learning the proper motions than anything else in the beginning. Don’t be so concerned about attacks and defending, until you got a decent reflex first.

8) Be consistent in your training

Whether you show up once a week, or three times a week the key is being consistent. Everyone has busy schedules but I’ve told my student even if you only practice at home 5 to 10 minutes a day, at least your building on something. Coming to class and then letting a month slide brings you back to the beginning every single time. Its understandable that this will happen on occasion, but the 5 to 10 minute practice is doable by all.

9) Teach to learn more

Digesting what you’ve learned doesn’t come full circle till you start to teach. Thus, it’s true that you have to teach in order to really learn the art. You cannot be a student your entire life, if you follow the path you’ll only know half the art. But, in the beginning don’t get so caught up teaching, till you’ve got at least an understanding of the main basics. Usually, you’re Sifu will ask you to teach certain things when he feels your ready. When the time comes embrace it and find out how difficult it is to teach. But, you’ll come to understand when you can explain it, do it, and teach it to someone else, then you’ll really know the details behind the motions and theories.

10) Ego

Almost everything that you do always comes full circle. A ego plays an important role, there is no such thing as having no ego. Having no ego in itself is an unnatural balance in things. But, the ego's job is to push you to want to be better, to drive you further. At the same time you must learn to control it, since it will kiss your ass in making you think your better than you really are. There is always work to be done, you can always improve. Appreciate the gains from hard work, but don't rest on it.

11) Don't be so concerned with fighting

All to often, beginners get so caught up in the fighting aspect of martial arts. Yes, you take martial arts in the beginning to defend yourself. But, I guarantee you even if you've never taken it before your mind is already filled with the ideas of how movies and TV represents martial arts to be. You train in the beginning to unlearn what you think you may have learned. Just because you can whack each other in the ring for 5 minutes, does not make you a better fighter. Without structure in the training first you will not ever achieve the proficiencies of being a good fighter. imagine you in a cooking school, and I just said in day 1, okay I want everyone to just make a cake. Sure you can whip something up, but that doesn't mean you know what your doing. Bottom line, beating on each other doesn't mean your developing fighting skills.

12) Keep it up

All too often when new students start a CAI program or any program really, the excitement of something new and different can be intoxicating, but can quickly fade. Be mindful of that, although the CAI System is exciting and if you keep on course you will notice a great increase in your performance. But also remember it's not always fun and games. We will sometimes do drills and develop skills to the point you will become exhausted. But keep it up as this system will rapidly make you proficient and you will have no regrets and in the future pat yourself on the back and thinking "this is one of the best decisions I have ever made - to stick this out". Take that on experience.

Next up:

Enthusiasm plus Discipline- The two ingredients that will keep you going

Enthusiasm

(Ancient Greek: ἐνθουσιασμός enthousiasmos) originally meant inspiration or possession by a divine afflatus or by the presence of a God. Johnson's Dictionary, the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language, defines enthusiasm as "a vain belief of private revelation; a vain confidence of divine favor or communication." In current English vernacular the word simply means intense enjoyment, interest, or approval.

Discipline

In its most general sense, discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a disciple. This sense also preserves the origin of the word, which is Latin disciplina "instruction", from the root discere "to learn," and from which discipulus "disciple, pupil" also derives.
To discipline thus means to instruct a person or animal to follow a particular code of conduct, or to adhere to a certain "order." Consequently, "in the field of child development, discipline refers to methods of modeling character and of teaching self-control and acceptable behavior."

Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would really rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of 'self control'. Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for motivation, when one uses reason to determine a best course of action that opposes one's desires.

Martial art schools, gyms, workout routines are usually the product of a burst of enthusiasm that often fades after a few months if not weeks. In particular many martial art schools have an 70-80% drop out rate in the 1st year, why?
One reason, by instinct men like to think of themselves as providers and hunters for their family, this translates in modern society as, yeh, if I had to I could defend my family and yeh, I am good in bed and can pro-create, and in some cases I can drive and navigate well. In martial arts classes you join thinking you will be Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan or Chuck Norris in no time.
However, you find out its going to take a long time and a lot of discipline, but most of all, before believing you could defend yourself and yours and now realizing you are not even close to this and must humble yourself to continue.
This humility part is a big cause of drop outs, next is the hard work it will take, and soon the students enthusiasm will quickly dissipate.
Like many things in life as life itself, there are many ups and downs, peaks and valleys so is that in martial arts training. Some days you will look forward to training other days you will not. That's where enthusiasm and discipline part ways, you must make yourself go as for each step is a step closer to your goal. Discipline will bridge the valleys and along with your increased skill, you will reach "Mt. Enthusiasm" again.

Also as a new student, it's important to make sure though you are in the right school and have the right teacher for your goals. Be realistic, don't start training 7 days a week 3 hours a day, that will be a major disruption to your usual routine and will most likely drop to 0 days a week and 0 hours a day. Start in moderation, In addition to your classes, I suggest 20 minutes a day, stretching and mobility one day, forms, drills another and isometrics another for an example. 20 minutes a day at first is a good starting point, take that 20 minutes for "me time" as you spend most of the time supporting your family and so on. What's so great about martial arts and developing discipline, is it rubs off on all aspects of your life. So this "me time" develops into "you time" as your relationships with your friends, family, co-workers and even your mind and body improve.

Good Luck,

Matt