Well into the new year’s training, but numbers are still down.

I have never quite understood why that is always the case. Of course, some people are still on holidays, and others have ongoing health issues, but surely the attitude should be one of, cannot wait to get back into the dojo.

I remember many, many years ago when I would close the dojo for the christmas – new year break, one of the senior students would always say, “But you are not going to stop training are you?”
They were right, I did not; I would always meet up a number of times with my teacher over the break and continue to train. Not sure whether the student was angling for an invite, or simply pleased to know their seniors never really stopped. Ironically, both that student and my teacher have since left the Path.

Which brings us yet again back to the old cliché that martial arts is a way of life, not a hobby. Too many people see it as little more than something they do one or two nights a week for fitness, or to feel cool amongst their friends, or whatever ephemeral reasons they might have. Too few have the courage to make a Real commitment. Without that Genuine commitment, however, your ‘martial arts’ training is destined to go the way of the stamp collections of your youth.

Make a worthwhile new year’s resolution this year and look deeply into the value of true martial arts training, then, actually make a True Commitment to the Way.

Kai Cho
www.warriorway.net