Is your martial arts training working for you?

One of the reasons that I keep teaching martial arts is because of all of the benefits that I have received from my training. What benefits?Well the most apparent would be self defense and health.
Lets take a look at self defense. Are you sure that you can handle yourself?This one is a must. You have to be very honest with your self and your self defense tools and be sure that it really will work for you. Test it and make sure. You would not want to hunt bear with a rifle that did not work, right? I do not want to waste my time learning something that does not work well.Nor do I want to teach something that does not work well. This is martial art pride.

Lets look at health. How do you feel about these so called martial art instructors that look obese and out of shape , and yet they have no shame in sporting that worn out black belt! Good gosh!
That should be a dead give away that their Martial arts training is not working for them. Say what? That is right ! What happened to all this discipline they told you about. You see,the ability to use your discipline is one of the biggest benefits of martial arts training. Conquering yourself and not giving in to your superficial wants and desires is what happens when you apply your martial art training. How? Well the same way that you had been trying to achieve executing the most effective throw until you could do it . That's how! Willing it to happen until you could make it happen.
The focus that it takes, attention, the dedication, coordination, perseverance and week after week you were at the Dojo applying all of that. This mindfulness is a direct by product of all that hard work. So the same way that you approach your techniques is the same way you should approach all of the things that you are involved with. Especially your health. It is the source of everything you are!
It is a shame to see students that have been in a dojo for a while and are very good at technique, but do not apply their skill in other areas in their lives. Your discipline is your strength, especially as your body gets old and can no longer do good technique. When you get older is when you must rely the most on your martial art training. Focus, patience, perseverance, attitude, etc. You are going to need those skills. So take a look at your training and be honest, is it working for you?