Okay anyone who has trained for a bit has either witnessed this or fallen to it! Complacency! Throughout the years I have observed allot of people become complacent in their skill sets and once that has set in the erosion of skill begins. The martial journey is a never ending one and truthfully their is no room to become complacent. Every class, every week, month, year you need to be improving your skill set even if it is only minor. If you are not complacent your skill set of techniques, timing, distance, attributes, etc. will improve if you work hard enough at it. Sometimes you may only see a little improvement and in other areas you may see allot.
Some of the ways to not become complacent is to always train with an instructor or different instructors. Personally I have many teacher’s and they all bring something unique to the table that help to augment my training. You can attend special classes, intensives, seminar, etc. If you do this then you will make incremental improvements and continue to grow. However, if you ever think you are done or have gone beyond or arrived then guess what you are slowly creeping into complacency and it is only a matter of time once that happens that the erosion of skill begins.
The erosion of skill happens when someone feels they have arrived or that they know enough. As soon as that begins then growth stops and skill sets either become stagnant or not trained enough and the individuals skill sets diminish. Throughout the years I have witnessed this happen to many skilled practitioners in many different systems. Truthfully it is not a hard thing to stop. If you continue to practice, train with your instructor or instructors and attend special training or intensives and also make it to as many seminars as possible you will see your skill sets continue to grow. Even a high level practitioner will see growth if they do the above. Though at the higher levels growth is sometimes very, very small. Still those small amounts of growth are very, very precious and can in the end make all the difference in the world. You owe it to yourself not to become complacent and not to let your skills erode!
Train Like Your Life Depends On It!
Copyright Instinctive Response Training LLC 2008
Brian R. VanCise
Note: This Blog is opinion only and Instinctive Response Training LLC nor Brian R. VanCise is responsible for any third party actions taken.
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