March 9th is the WKSA New Year

It’s time to set your goals!

The ninth of March is the anniversary of the founding of Kuk Sool as the traditional martial art of Korea. Fifty-nine years ago, our Grandmaster, In Hyuk Suh, organized and systematized Korea’s indigenous martial arts, becoming one of the most important figures in Korean martial art history.

This anniversary is the perfect time to reflect on the past year and make plans for the next. If you’re like me, you typically do this kind of thing in the last week of December, after the holiday rush is over. You can still do that, but concentrate on your personal and professional goals then, and make the first week of March about examining your martial art life.

Need some ideas? Here are some questions to think about:

• How often do you practice outside of class?
  • Is it enough?
  • Is there wasted time that you could use for practice?
• Can you do your techniques in your head?
  • What about your forms?
• How long does it take you to do four direction forms?
  • How is your breathing?
• How long does it take you to speed-drill your techniques?
  • Where are the swampy places in your memory?
• How often do you make it to class?
  • Can you fit an extra day into your schedule?
• Do you have a regular meditation practice?
  • What about dan jun ki bub?
• When was the last time that you practiced off-side forms?
  • Off-side techniques?
• Have you competed in a tournament?
  • How did you do?
  • What do you need to work on to make your next one better?
• Do you have all the gear for your current level?
  • Textbooks?
  • Handbooks?
• How many push-ups can you do?
  • Sit-ups?
  • Jump front-kicks?
  • Low spin-kicks?
• Have you told your friends about the school?
• How are your stances?
  • Do you know how to make them better?
• Is joint mobility or muscle stiffness affecting your flexibility?
  • What are you doing to fix it?
• Are you strong enough to do your techniques?
  • Do you know how to get stronger?
• Do you know the differences between working out, practicing, training, and studying?

Examine your martial art life. Take responsibility for it. Of course, my email inbox is always open, but feel free to talk to any of the Blackbelts in the school if you have questions. You might go back through the articles on the website for more inspiration.

I’d love to hear about your goals for the coming year. Feel free to share them with me in class, via email, or in the comments below.

Now go practice.