Are you a Martial Arts Quitter?

I was recently told that the dropout rate in Muay Thai was 50% the first six months, a further 25% by the end of year one and 15% more in the first 3 years leaving around 1 in 10 sticking to the art.

So why is this? Personally I believe its because people underestimate what going to happen, they haven't done any research on the art, the club or instructor. Many have just watched UFC and have delusions of grandeur, they want the matrix download that gives them 3000 years worth of knowledge when the reality is years of pushups & drills.

Most of the time dropping out is a conscious decision made by someone who's bubble has been burst, they quickly find out there is no download and they just can't commit time, energy or money to a very difficult system to master..  All martial arts require a lifetime of study.

Another very popular dropout excuse is from people who have hit the wall or slump, they are finding something difficult and rather than asking for help the tell themselves they will take a break and return after there holiday / Christmas, Wedding etc... Most of them will never come back.

From personal experience I've found three times in Martial Arts training that students are most likely to quit.

1) Early grading success, this is where most students drop out, the first couple of gradings come around quickly, they are easy and because of this the pass rate is high, then the realisation sinks in, to achieve there 10th grading they have several more years or blood sweat and tears to go through, they may even have to do some academic research for later gradings - like going back to school? This isn't what Bruce Lee shows in his films so they get disillusioned with the future. Why not before the grading saving money? Well they want something out of it, a certificate, Kruang etc - something to show for the last few months training.

2) Brown Belt Quitters, By the time your 6th grading comes around your very nearly complete, its time to start thinking about sharing your knowledge and sowing the seeds for the next generation. Our syllabus requires you to learn about language, culture and history to progress. There is also a teaching element to the later gradings. Many people fear this part the most - standing in front of a class and delivering a lesson. The fact is that this makes you a more rounded martial artist - it makes you think about your performance before demonstrating.

Another closely connected fact is that by the time a student reaches brown they are already quite accomplished in self defence, fitness and often competition - the thought of another 9 months trained to get the next level is often off-putting.

3) Kru misconceptions, most people who start a Martial Arts system have one goal - to call themselves a black belt in any particular discipline. Muay Thai doesn't have a black belt, we have replaced it with a red belt (arm band) this takes explanation at every possible occasion - you will get fed up of saying "Red is equivalent to black" etc.

Getting your red band (black belt) is not proof that you have mastered the art, its likened to passing your driving test - its now the learning begins.. Sharing knowledge is high on the agenda and this level requires practice to maintain standards.

Its only when you have proved yourself in this aspect then you will be awarded the title of Kru (Teacher) If your not passing on your knowledge and actually teaching people - how can you be called a teacher? This bursts people bubble and again they leave with the misconceptions that they have learned everything there is to know!!

Wrong.

Getting back into training

Thinking of returning to the gym? Been away for some time? 

One of the hardest things to do is to get back in to it, your goals seem so far away at this stage, But your determined, you've told everyone on social media that your doing it and bought some new equipment that will help - right? 

Most people fail because they try to train at the same intensity as they used to before having a break, you push yourself like you were 18 again, you know the pain is coming, your exciting and pleased after your effort but this time its crippling and a complete turnoff.

Everyone at every level can feel an element of pain the next morning, its a reward for doing well, but because you've pushed to hard on this return its broken you and as a reward your already giving yourself a reward of a day off, excuses start formulating and you start thinking of why you shouldn't return to the gym.

Instead of the negatives you have to remember that you haven't trained for ages, your body needs a little time to re-adjust to your new lifestyle change it'll take several weeks of perseverance to notice a difference but it WILL be worth it.

You also need to factor in the potential for injury, training like you left off is only going to promote stress on your body and your more likely to break yourself. Just remember you will adjust again, you will form a new routine that your body will get used to and this happens very fast.

I've always said that you should go at your own pace and not complete or compare yourself with anyone else in the gym, if you can't do 20 sit-ups do 10, next time aim for 15 and so on. If you need to stop there will be no finger pointing or banter directed towards you.

Remember you may still ache for a few days but it won't be crippling, each week just add a little more to your training, give yourself intermediate goals - don't focus on losing 7 stone / fighting A' Class etc, think 1 stone, one inter club and then re-evaluate your goals.

Garden Training

Garden Training.

One of my favourite pastimes is humouring myself at people trying to replicate my lessons in the back garden. Nothing pleases me more than sitting back on a Saturday evening can of Banks’s in hand and watching the Muay Thai equivalent of X Factor.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for people doing extra training in their own time, I’m happy to advise people on what sort of exercises to compliment training and I’m all for people punishing a bag for half an hour after a stressful day at work – but not at the expense of actual classes.

One of the best clips I found on Facebook was a couple of ex-students “training” in the garden, one of the students who I shall name “Venom” cause of his poisonous gossiping was “instructing” and holding frankly inappropriate and poor quality pads while the other ex-student was training. I’ll call the other one “shame” because it’s a shame he was forced to quit by a family member over £2, just because they didn't check the up to date prices before returning from holiday everyone was ripping them off. 

Now “Shame” had massive potential when he was training with me, he was a fast learner and a good listener in the ring, he was destined to fulfil his ambition. Venom was the opposite, a dreamer who believes everyone owes him something for free if there were an organisation called “take what you can and f’off” he would be chairman.

What made this clip worthy of the X factor final was the running commentary – the verbal tuition the advice given and the lack of correctional pointers. Even funnier this was brandished all over FB in an attempt to stick two fingers up at the club for daring to have a price rise of £2 in 15 years – and it backfired in such a massive way because everyone who trained with them before the poison took over could see how fast “Shame” had deteriorated  – what was once a potential champion has become a chump!

On a serious note and excluding the comedic value of the story, training is not just thumping the pads, students can take years to qualify as instructors. 

Anyone can hold the pads up but without years of working knowledge you are just replacing the heavy bags. A good pad man is vital for progress but a bad one undoes all the previous hard work FAST.  There are so many vital factors to take into consideration when holding the pads, at the minimum - movement, weight distribution, balance, timing, accuracy, speed, power, guard, blocks and counters.

So in summary, absolutely YES to training outside the gym - but get a training plan that compliments what your doing in class.