Whether you realize it or not, the gym is a microcosm of life – we work hard to become successful, trying to achieve our training goals each session. As much effort as we’d like to put into training, we sometimes get sidetracked or distracted, pushing us further away from progress.
We at Evolve Daily understand that everyone, even World Champions, tend to lose focus. Many things get in our way: career, family, school — we can’t help but get distracted, even during training. We know that everyone’s mind tends to wander every now and then. But what’s important is that we should be able to quickly shift back to the present and focus on training.
Do you find yourself having trouble focusing at training? Today, Evolve Daily shares 8 Sure-fire Tricks You Can Use To Stay Focused In Training :
1) Challenge Yourself
UFC Lightweight World Champion Rafael Dos Anjos practices his Muay Thai at the Evolve Fighters Program.
As martial artists, breaking our limits and getting out of our comfort zones are ideas that have always been ingrained in us. Sometimes, we get so comfortable that we slack off and lose focus of our intentions. The minute we get better at whatever martial art we practice, we have to seek another way to challenge ourselves. Whether it’s working towards a new belt or mastering a new technique and trying it during sparring, we need to remember that it’s OK to be uncomfortable every now and then.
2) Get Off Your Phone
Muay Thai is one of most powerful and effective martial arts in the world.
We understand that everyone needs to stay in touch, but the whole world doesn’t need to know how many submissions you pulled off during training or how many classes you attended that day, right that minute. If you can’t help yourself, just wait after class to Whatsapp your friends, take pictures or update your Facebook status. Remember, staying off your phone keeps you focused on what’s really important – getting better at martial arts!
3) Keep A Training Journal
The most successful martial artists, including ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki keeps a training journal. A training journal not only helps you keep track of the techniques you’ve learned, it also shows you what you need to work on. Having a clear idea of what your training program is will undoubtedly keep you focused during training.
4) Be Consistent
ONE Superstar Benedict Ang’s favorite techniques are the double leg takedown, twister, and liver kick.
It’s hard to stay focused if you train sporadically. If you’ve trained hard for one week and slacked off the next, you’ll definitely lose focus. Many martial artists find themselves training hard for several weeks and get discouraged and stop, causing them to lose momentum or even stop training altogether. This is why being consistent is critical for success. To stay focused and see progress, you need to train a minimum of 3 times a week.
5) Stop Competing With Others
Everyday is a chance to learn something new and work on becoming the best version of ourselves!
We all have that one “rival” in the gym – the person who we badly want to beat, the person who constantly gets the technique right on the first try or someone whom we’re always partnered with. Instead of wasting all our energy and focusing on what the other person is doing, we should step back and focus on our own journey. Remember, there is no end to the comparison game. We will always find something in that other person to compare ourselves to.
6) Socialize After Training
The friends you’ll meet while training martial arts are friends you’ll have for life.
When you train martial arts, you’ll make lifelong friends who’ll be there for you during your roughest training days and cheer you on during competitions. While it’s great to make these connections, it’s also important to set these friendships aside during training. When you’re in class, you should focus on learning techniques and pushing yourself instead of catching up with your friends. Not only is talking during class a hindrance on your learning, it also shows disrespect towards your instructor.
7) Have Fun!
The Lee siblings have been training martial arts since they were old enough to walk.
The more you enjoy training, the more you’ll want to focus. You’ll do anything in your power to be truly successful because you truly love what you’re doing. In order to stay focused, you need to have strong enough reasons to keep on training and reach your goals – and if having fun isn’t one of them, you need to start back at square one!
8) Think Positive
When you love what you do, everything else falls into place.
Very much in line with having fun, thinking positive allows you to block your negative thoughts, which could be distracting. Instead of focusing on learning new techniques or getting better at martial arts, you keep on going back to what you can’t do, what you didn’t do right – and these thoughts aren’t helpful at all. Remember, having negative thoughts is a waste of energy. Feelings of resentment, bitterness, and regret will never improve your quality of life or training.
As martial artists, it’s imperative that we maintain our focus at all times as we work on becoming the best version of ourselves possible. This is the only way we can ensure our success on the mats and also in our daily lives.
So tell us, which of these tips will you use today?
