One Minute Martial Artist
Your guide to gaining focus and preparation before, during and after a training session.
part two

In the last issue of Total Warrior we talked about focus and preparation before class. In this issue we are going to talk about what the One Minute Martial Artist does during training.

Do you have a minute? - Put your energy into the right actions
Outcome oriented - Focus on outcome
Tic TOC you don't stop - Organize your training
Stop, drop and roll - Interrupt your patterns when in a stuck state
Spirit move - Create a powerful state of mind

Do you have a minute?
Have you ever reached the end of the day and thought "hey, I forgot to kick my Body Opponent Bag (see BOB issue 5)?" Okay, so not everyone has BOB to kick around, perhaps it is just as simple as forgetting to call someone or as basic as leaving the refrigerator door open. The fact is that sometimes we get so caught up in the activity (such as training) that we lose track or forget to focus on all of our goals. I bet you know a few people who do this when they talk. They are so busy talking, they really don't know where they are going with it. We are all victims of this type of verbal confusion at one time or another. We get into arguments and instead of focusing on results or what we want the outcome to be – we focus primarily on winning the debate. This kind of energy isn't very productive and if you want to get from A to Z, then you have to learn to stop getting stuck on B, C, and D. You will need to learn how to be outcome oriented.

Outcome Oriented
As you may have learned by now the key ingredient behind the 1 Minute Martial Artist concept is FOCUS. In the first article we talked about OPEN focus. This issue is going to focus on OUTCOME focus. Although your outcome is an end result of your training, you won't reach completion unless you focus first and during the training session. So, how do we become outcome oriented? Well, we start by understanding that it is the end result we are striving for. Naturally we are working towards an end result but we need keep in mind all the things we want to accomplish along the way. If you get too busy you may end up missing out on focused or outcome oriented training. You can avoid this trap if you simply take a time out to focus on what it is (exactly) you want to accomplish. 

If a student is sparring and gets angry and then afterwards kicks himself for forgetting to stay calm - to me this is an example of not being focused. We all get out of focus at times, so this isn't about being perfect - it is about having a strategy and improving your performance. Outcome orientation is needed if at any time you go, "uh I forgot to do that and that. Oh, and that too."

This article is to help you maintain focus while you are training in order to ensure you complete all your goals - large or small. The key is to take time out for evaluation and focus. Taking a time out can be as little as 1 minute to review your training. Often when you take a step back it is easier to see the whole picture. So what is the picture you are looking for when you train? The answer is in itself the answer. In other words, you are looking for answers. But getting answers is only half the battle. What do you need to do first in order to get an answer? That's right, you need to ask a question. 

Questions

1. What will have to happen for me to get what I want out of this lesson, class, program etc?

2. What do I want to learn, remember, enhance or practice during this lesson?

3. What specific goals mentally, physically and spiritually do I want to focus on?

You can change or adapt these questions to better suit your needs. The key is to remember that you are focusing on the outcome - not just what you want to start with. 

Tic TOC you don't stop
Another concept that will help you with your training and organizing you thoughts is T.O.C. or what I call, "keep in the Tic TOC."

The TOC stands for Timing, Organization and Completion.

Timing
Timing is priority and getting things done that need to be done. It isn't just when to do something, but also the motivation and desire to get it done in that moment. As many people have said, "Timing is Everything." Well, that saying is pretty close to reality. Why sell rocks when people are hot for Beani babies. Knowing what has priority is part of this timing. It has to start from the top and work down. We can think of this as long and short term timing. One year to one minute. What needs to be done this year, this month, this week, this day, this hour and finally this minute. Knowing your timing is key in order to fulfill the tasks you create during organization.

Organization
This is probably the hardest task in training. Staying organized takes work and since so many people are focused on the work - they spend little time getting organized. When things are not organized you have no timing - when you don't have timing you can't reach completion and the balance is off. Without balance your training does not thrive with an even flow - instead it spurts with success and failure - this can be nerve racking. So, if you want a healthy training program you need to get organized. Part of organization is knowing what the timed priorities are. But, the main power to organization is an individual endeavor. Organizing yourself is the key. This starts with being prepared - getting things organized to do the training - then you must do the training in an organized manner. Most people fall prey to either just jumping in to the activity without being organized, or they spend time organizing but they do their training in an unorganized fashion. This doesn't help. Balance is important and an equal level of thought has to be put into each one. 

Completion
Without finishing or accomplishing your goals, the training is never really complete. When it comes down to success and future growth, what matters is when a job is completed. Working on something for hours on end is only a waste of time until the training produces a finished result. That is the goal for every task. So, make sure you start and finish each task with the same energy. Don't leave things hanging in the background. Naturally you will need to work on what is of priority, but part of staying organized and having good timing is knowing what should be completed. Back flips are not priority if you have yet to learn your stances.

If there is anything I have learned in all my years of action and training - it will be the importance of the above 3 words. They will not do you or the training any good simply as thoughts.  They need to become a part of your character and you need to find a way to keep them on the tip of your head.

With them your training will thrive and continue to grow - without them, time will just pass... "Tic-Toc, Tic-Toc, Tic-Toc, Tic-Toc."

Stop drop and roll
What do you do when you are on fire? As you may have remembered from childhood classes on protection - you stop, drop and roll. I use this simple strategy and the title for my concept on pattern interrupts. A pattern interrupt is something you do to interrupt a pattern. You use the strategy when you are in a stuck state. A stuck state is more easily described as a negative state of mind. If you are angry, upset, confused or simply in a state of mind that you do not enjoy - you can use my strategy for stopping, dropping and rolling.

Stop
First you will need to stop what you are doing. This means stop thinking, moving or reacting in or with the pattern you are used to. Simply stop where you are.

Drop
Next you want to drop any mental reactions you might have going on at the moment. In the physical realm you want to drop to the floor. Yes, the floor (or mat).

Roll
This next technique is what will actually break up the pattern. You need to do something really odd. A simply forward roll will do the trick. 

That's it - you stop, drop and roll. I know this might sound silly or totally unrealistic, but it is a part of mind control (mind martial science) and by understanding the concepts you will see how and why it works. In the training hall the rolling tactic fits right in, but any unique interruption will work just fine. Let's say that you were to stop, drop and stick your finger in your ear while you sang the national anthem. That too would work. 

A pattern is simply a state of mind that you find yourself in more frequently than needed. Just like a record - it plays the same tune over and over. In order to stop this tune from playing you need to destroy the record. This requires a pattern interrupt. When the record (mental state of mind) begins to play - you simply react with something physically unusual. After doing this a few times you will no longer be able to get into that exact mental state. 

Spirit / Power Move
After you have performed a pattern interrupt you will want to do a power move. This will add a positive empowerment to get you back on your feet.

A spirit move is designed to release an anchored state of mind harnessed by the rapport of your teammates. The move will eventually become personal and soon a worthy opponent against your mental demons.

1. A shout, yell or sound with its own unique personality.

2. A move, like making a fist and throwing it in the air, performing a kick or stance.

3. A feeling of power and confidence

These three ingredients are combined to create a powerful state of mind. Spirit moves can be practiced while performing a specific drill that requires team spirit or energy. Spirit Moves can vary according to your situation and needs. If you want a lot of energy, then you would move fast as if you were energized. If you want to relax, then move slower and breath with a relaxed body. So forth and so on.

All of the above can be performed in about 1 minute. Practice these techniques so you can be prepared for your next class. Also understand that these techniques can be transferred over to every day life. Try it.

Until next time - take a minute out for yourself.

Sensei Tew
RTMS Head Instructor