When you’ve been practicing something like martial arts for a while, it’s common to experience a training plateau. You might realize that you no longer seem to be improving, or it feels like your training has come to a complete standstill. You might even feel like you’ve taken a step backward.
Plateaus aren’t caused by practitioners doing anything wrong or not working hard enough. And unfortunately, it will seem to drag on forever. If you’re experiencing this kind of slump, focus on the things that are still within your control.
Changing up some elements of your training can help with getting past a frustrating plateau. Here are a few ways to get past a training plateau in your martial arts practice:
1. Basic Skills and Drills
As much as you might want to do more in your training or keep pushing through your current level of fitness and skill, it might end up prolonging the plateau. Instead, you might be better off with getting back to the basics. Your body might need some time to recover, and focusing on foundational skills can help you take a step back.
2. Sparring Partners
Another way to get through a training plateau is by changing up your current routine. One way you can vary your training is with your sparring partners. Rather than always training with the same people, find new partners. Pair up with practitioners who are both more experienced and less experienced than you. Focus on what you learn in each new match up.
3. Training and Workout Frequency
Training plateaus can be the result of either too much or too little training. As mentioned previously, you may need to back off your training and workout frequency to give your body time to rest and recover. On the other hand, you may need to adjust your workout frequency by adding one or two more sessions so that your body responds to the increase in training.
At Classic Fight Team in Fountain Valley, our mission is to build resilience, self-discipline, and confidence in practitioners. To learn more about the programs we offer and how to get started, contact us today.
