How-to-Bounce-Back-from-a-Setback-Classic-Fight-TeamCoaches and instructors want to see their athletes and students succeed. Parents want to see their children succeed. And as practitioners, we do our best to keep learning, growing, and improving. We learn to be strong and resilient because, at some point, we’ll experience a setback.

Some common setbacks you might face in martial arts include:

  • Training plateaus
  • Injury
  • Mental blocks or fears
  • Disappointing performances at a competition
  • Struggling to learn a skill

Some setbacks will take you away from your regular training routine. But most setbacks aren’t permanent; they will pass. So, how can you bounce back from a setback?

1. Focus on what you can control.

Some setbacks are the results of things that are beyond your control. If you are hyper-focused on “fixing” something outside of your control, it probably won’t help. Instead, focus on what you can control, like your thoughts and your response to a situation. For example, if you’ve hit a training plateau, rather than dwelling on feeling stuck, come up with a plan to get past it. If you’re injured, shift your training to movements that you can still do.

2. Focus on moving forward.

No one is immune to setbacks. Obstacles show up in martial arts, as well as almost any area of daily life. While there is nothing we can do to prevent a setback, we can choose how to handle it. Instead of getting stuck and continually asking, “why me?” focus on moving forward. Use a setback as an opportunity to improve your resilience.

3. Focus on taking action.

Rather than only concentrating on feeling frustrated or disappointed, focus on how you can take action. If you are injured, then focus on physical therapy or the skills you can still do safely. If a setback results from a past competition, shift your focus away from the past. Focus on what you can improve on in the future. Don’t dwell on whatever caused the setback. Instead, let it go and focus on how to take action in the future.

Contact us today to learn more about the programs we’re currently offering at Classic Fight Team in Fountain Valley.