Category: Health

  • The Most Costly Opponent

    One of the biggest barriers to your accomplishments is probably procrastination. Whenever you hear yourself saying “someday” or “when I get time” or any number of delay tactic statements, you are procrastinating. If you let it continue, you will find yourself under constant stress and self-loathing. You may even start to dread things that you used to love.

    Everyone becomes a victim to procrastination as some point in their lives. The sense of procrastination will often hold us back from our goals and prevent us from truly reaching our potential. There is, however, a way to combat it and allow you to come out on top.

    Step 1: Identify if you really need to do the task

    Often we find ourselves procrastinating over items we’ve tasked ourselves to do. Sometimes these items are critical but there are times when the things we try to do aren’t actually necessary. This ends up causing us undo stress and unnecessary burden.

    So the first step to combatting procrastination is to be honest with yourself in identifying if the task is truly something that needs to be accomplished. If the answer is no then stop beating yourself up and let go of the task.

    Step 2: Identify why you’re procrastinating

    Once you’ve eliminated all the unnecessary tasks, you are left with the things that must get done. Now you need to go through each and clearly identify why you’re delaying. What is it about that job or task that is making you not want to accomplish it? Unless we face what we fear and dread, we will never be able to overcome it.

    Step 3: Seek help

    Often why we procrastinate is because we aren’t the expert in accomplishing the work or we don’t have the right skill set to do it. In other words, we’re beating ourselves up over something we just aren’t able to do in the first place. Stop hurting yourself like that and be open to seek help. There is nothing wrong with finding and receiving help. For instance, if you’re procrastinating on doing your taxes, maybe it’s worthwhile to find a CPA to help you.

    Obviously you can’t get something for nothing in life so seeking help may involve returning something. It may not be monetary in nature. Thus, it’s important to consider what are your strengths and what can you offer to someone else that might be of value and help them with overcoming their procrastination issues. Create a win-win situation and both of you come out on top.

    Step 4: Break it into bite-sized chunks

    Bigger tasks can be daunting, even with the help of others. So the next step is to break the overall task into small subtasks. Make the steps reasonably sized that you’re able to finish the task quickly and efficiently. Then, focus your attention on the smaller tasks and you will find it easier to accomplish the overall job without even realizing it.

    Step 5: Reward yourself

    Don’t forget to reward yourself for overcoming the procrastination and getting the task accomplished. If the task is big, setup goals and milestones along the way that allow you to celebrate while you’re working through your bite-sized chunks. Pick an appropriate reward that makes sense and doesn’t end up causing you additional stress in other areas.

    Procrastination can halt the progress of even the best person. Left unchecked it will trickle into other aspects of your life and begin to make you dread even unrelated things. Don’t let it stop you from accomplishing your dreams!

  • Go Outside Already!

    With all the nice weather, I hope you’re taking advantage of this great opportunity to extend your training to the outdoors. Being outdoors is a wonderful experience when training Martial Arts. You get a sense of being closer to nature and the world around you. In addition, it teaches you some valuable lessons on how to handle different terrains and situations… all of which will heighten your understand of yourself.

    The Setup

    Pick a day or time to accomplish this. Make sure you’re not rushed and you can truly take the time to appreciate what you’re about to do.

    Pick a form/kata/routine. Choose something you’re familiar with and can practically do in your sleep. The last thing you’ll want to do is stop to think about the basics. This is a time to explore beyond just learning the steps and movements.

    Pick a location. Find somewhere where you have lots of space. If you’re uncomfortable about having an audience, pick somewhere isolated.

    Absorb and learn from your surroundings

    The ground beneath you

    Consider the location where you picked. What is the surface like? Chances are if you’ve been practicing inside the whole time, the outdoor surface will be very different. Even a simple grassy field can pose different challenges. The earth is not smooth. It has ridges and rocks, dips and folds.

    On grass

    If dry, it’s crunchy under foot. If green, it’s probably at a different temperature from the air around it. The grass hides the earth beneath. It could be soft and muddy or hard and rocky. You won’t know until you step down. Depending on the length and type of grass, it could tickle against your feet, trying to distract you as you move. Can you compensate for these things? Can you keep going?

    On rocks

    Much of the coastal area around me are rocky. Rocks pose a different challenge from grass. You can see the mounds of rocks and their unevenness. But visual cue is not always enough and the path is not always linear. Maneuvering on rocks requires you consider your next move and plan how you choose to step. You must adjust your step and balance to the surroundings and compensate for the gaps and rises.

    On sand

    Sand is one of my favorite surfaces to walk on. Regardless of if the sand is wet or dry, your feet naturally sink into the surface and you need an extra effort to make the next move. When working in sand, you have to be careful you don’t twist too quickly or move without first breaking the grip the sand has on you feet.

    On water

    I love working in and around water because there’s natural energy that fills the air around any body of water. With that being said, working on the water poses its own challenges. Not only is every slippery and you need to be conscious of where and how you step, water has its own flow and movement. Working in water is a great test of balance in the presence of forces pushing against you. But for all the struggles, water is also great to work in if you pains or struggle to move in certain manners under full gravity.

    The air around you

    Beyond the surface, being outside means dealing with the environment. Is it cold? Is it hot? Is it sunny? Is it windy? Each of these different environmental changes can impact how you perform even the most basic of forms. Understanding your personal limits in these environments and how you compensate for these distractions is a powerful lesson in understanding yourself.

    The sounds and smells

    When we’re training, we primarily use our sense of sight and touch. Being outside provides us with a unique opportunity to develop our other senses. As the air drifts in and out, we are introduced to new sounds and smells that we wouldn’t have found on our training floor. Allow oneself to become aware of all this helps to build a total body training.

    Enjoy your training

    So as we enjoy the nice weather, don’t forget to take the opportunity and train outdoors. Become closer to nature and the roots of your Martial Arts and gain a better understand of yourself and your style.

  • Make sure to hydrate!

    Make sure to hydrate!

    The weather is starting to get warmer again. While it’s always good to be hydrated when you do any sort of physical activity, it is particularly important when temperatures rise. As you practice your Martial Arts, make sure to keep your hydration levels in mind.

    drinkwaterOur bodies are made up 70% water. It is a key that keeps our bodies running. Fluids help to regulate our body’s temperature, lubricate joints, and remove waste. Without water, our bodies would cease to function.

    When we do any sort of physical activity, we naturally sweat as a means for the body shed heat. The more intense the workout, the higher the level of fluid loss. Sweat is the body’s natural way of shedding harmful toxins. But even a loss of as little as 2% of the body’s fluids through sweat can cause your blood to thicken and your heart to work harder to circulate.

    Not properly hydrating can also affect your performance. Dehydration can cause a reduction in your ability to concentrate and increase your chances of cramping and injury.

    What you sweat out isn’t just water either. Contained within the sweat are normally a lot of salts, referred to as “electrolytes”. These salts are what allow your cells to carry electrical impulses that move muscles and send signals to the brain.

    Electrolytes naturally occur in the body through the kidneys. If you lose too much fluid too quickly, your kidneys have a harder time trying to catch up. This is why many athletes will drink special sports drinks that provide a boost to the sodium and potassium in their bodies. However, it’s important to remember that the body works on a balance. Too many electrolytes in the body can be just as bad as too little.

    Signs of dehydration

    You will often feel dehydration long before others notice it. Here are some signs that you need to stop and take a drink break:

    • Dry mouth and/or eyes
    • muscle cramps
    • headaches
    • decreased sweating despite increase in activity
    • darker color urine
    • trouble urinating
    • nausea or vomiting
    • heart palpitations
    • light-headedness
    • confusion and blackouts

    How much should I drink?

    Every person and situation is different. Ideally, one should try to replace the same amount of fluids they lost during exercise. While it is not always possible to figure this out, the general rule of thumb used is a before-during-after regiment.

    Before

    Make sure to drink at least 15-20 fl oz around 2-3 hours before you exercise. About 15 minutes before you exercise, try to drink another glass of water.

    During

    As you exercise, make sure to drink a glass of fluid every 10-15 minutes of exercise. If you’re planning to exercise more than an hour, consider introducing a drink with electrolyte replaces every other drink break.

    After

    Drink at least another 20-24 fl oz of water. The best is if you can determine how much weight you lost during your routine. You should drink at least 20 fl oz for every pound you lose.

    Don’t forget to also eat afterwards to replenish the other nutrients of the body.