Can Form Training Turn The Economy Around?

Can form training really turn the economy around? And how does it improve your fighting skills? All good martial arts have some sort of form training. Form training allows a practitioner to exercise and study particular movements and techniques without any interference from the outside (an opponent or sparring partner). It also serves as meditation and relaxation from the daily challenges and craziness we encounter. If form training is done right, it greatly enhances one's fighting ability. In a fight or a sparring match, neither fighter has the time nor the mental focus on the proper execution of specific techniques and movements. All you can do is "do your Best". But if that "Best" is not good enough you will learn this painful lesson quickly. In traditional martial arts, the first thing a student learns are the forms. This has two reasons:

• As a beginner, you have to learn how to step, how to punch and how to execute specific techniques


• As an advanced practitioner or even as a Master of the art, you will find tremendous joy, enlightenment and help in practising your forms.

In fact, what does every Master do in order to stay on top of his game? They practise their forms. And that for hours... The beginner often finds this training boring and sometimes even unnecessary. That is quite understandable - hence the term "beginner". A beginner is there to learn something that he doesn't know yet. So, everything is new. And many times, a beginner cann't (fore)see the importance of a particular exercise. That is where a beginner puts faith into the training and trusts the teacher that he will help the beginner along his path.

This faith and trust is another extremely important lesson to learn - it is a spiritual lesson that will serve the practitioner in many difficult situations for years to come. We are currently in a deep recession and many people are freaking out. Their are afraid of what will happen next. And these are people who are well educated and have high paying jobs. A very good friend of mine said it best to describe the current situation: "It is a test of character!"

Please let me describe this on a very basic model. I also want to say that I am not a stock broker or financial guru of any kind. Over the past twenty years we have experienced a boom and more and more people tried themselves in different investment categories. One of the first rules you may have heard was: "Buy Low and Sell High!"

That is a great rule and when you follow it you have a very good chance of being extremely successful, wouldn't you agree? So, where is the difficult part? Why doesn't everyone do it? And more importantly, what if everyone would be doing it?

So far that is the theory. In reality, we know that not everyone is doing it that way. The difference between successful people and not successful people is "Leadership." Successful people are doing things that most people don't do. What exactly does that mean? It does not mean that they eat at expensive restaurants and buy expensive clothes and gifts. That is not what it means. This kind of leadership almost equals rebellion. It is almost like as if they are looking around to see what most people are doing and then they do exaclty the opposite. For example: Do you remember a few months ago when the financial industry crashed and everyone was scared of buying anything? Warren Buffett went out and bought Goldman Sachs. What a great sign of leadership. And now ask yourself: Why didn't you do it? Is it because you don't have that kind of money? Or did you hesitate because of the negative influences around you? Your lack of faith and spiritual strength? What has to be there first? Money or Determination to a goal?

Well, maybe money was the reason. But Buffett aquired his wealth from doing the same thing on a much smaller scale, many times over. And with great discipline. If you don't have that kind of money you can start on a much smaller scale. But you have to get started... And eventually, you will be successful in your own way. And you will lead the way, a new way. Today's most successful and richest people started with a dream. It was their own dream of something that didn't exist yet. And they made it happen despite all the obstacles. "Following Your Dreams" is used a lot nowadays but not many people seem to understand it. Follow your own dream and you can create your world and you can help other people create their world.

And that brings me back to form training in martial arts. The form training is a great exercise for your mind and your spirit. It teaches you "Mind Over Matter!" When your body tells you: 'i don't want to do this anymore.' you keep going. When your inner voice wants to test your mind and tells you: 'This is boring. I don't see any immediate results.', you keep going. When life throws you into a difficult situation you keep going. When you loose your job you keep going. When life knocks you down you keep getting up. That is what form training teaches you. That is the lesson a Master learns and appreciates from his form training. And that is why you should do the same. It is the difference between a Master and a beginner, between success and failure.

It is extremely difficult to stick to your convictions and be determined to accomplish your goals when everyone else around you tells you "not to do it", "you cannot do it", "it is too risky" and so on. Just because other people are afraid of doing it does not mean it is wrong... as long as you believe in yourself.

Always remember that there is only room for one person on top of the mountain. But there are many mountains to climb. Pick one that nobody has climbed before and get started. If somebody already climbed your mountain before you then you will not be the first. You will always be behind someone. Find an empty mountain and do your best. Form training and martial arts training will help you along your way to the top.

For More tips and information, go to http://www.FreeSelfDefenseAdvice.com

All the Best,