4:41 AM
Fang Shen Do, Toronto - Beyond Martial Arts
One common thread I have noticed in the blogs is the fact that they center on personal development. Of course, there is a reason for this – Fang Shen Do. As any student of the art will tell you, the DO part of it means “the way”. Fang Shen Do is more than just a superior combat system; I truly believe that it teaches students the path to success in any field that they choose to follow. How? By ingraining in the student the perseverance, confidence and focus that they learn in their training and applying it to any other path they decide - to success.
With your indulgence, I would like to use a physical example of this, although there are many personal development examples I can use. The Experiment;For fun, 6 weeks ago, I decided to take the FSD mental training & Focus and incorporate that into the strength training that you would find in a gym. Towards that end, I picked 12 exercises that I would monitor. I was looking for increases in strength (weight being lifted) and endurance (number of reps per set). In order to not interfere with my FSD Training, I performed this workout twice a week for 4 weeks, a total of 8 workouts in a one month period. My martial art workouts (DFA, Triangle of Fun, Armageddon, etc) remained the same during this period.
Among the many things I have learned is that numbers do not lie…..it doesn’t matter if you are talking finances, workouts, or anything else. If you want absolute proof, look at the numbers. This is one of the reasons that counting your reps in class is important. I am often a little skeptical when I ask an advanced student how many reps he/she got and they tell me they never count…. If you don’t count, how do you know if you are improving? Perhaps they are not as happy with the numbers as they might have liked, and do not want to share them for that reason….? The ResultsComing back to the experiment, I will share the results with you for the first exercise – bicep curls.
Keeping with the above, that numbers tell the truth, I examined the total weight moved in each exercise. To determine this, I took the number of reps x the amount of the weight x the number of sets to give a total amount moved. On the first workout, I moved 2,850 lbs. during bicep curls. On the eight workouts, I moved 3,120 lbs. or an increase of just over 9% Analysis.
So, what caused this increase in strength and muscle endurance? It was not the number of workouts (I only did 8), it was not the gym or a trainer (I was by myself and spoke to no one) it was not technique or fancy equipment….. At the end of the day, it was the FSD training, the little voice that our FSD training has imbedded in us that says ”don’t stop, keep going…”.
As a personal reflection, this is why I see the gym as only a supplement to martial art training. With Fang Shen Do, you never plateau, because you have been trained for growth and success. I would wager that if I had done the same experiment without focussing on the FSD concepts, I would have been lucky to show half the gains that I did.
Recently, I had a student try a class in Toronto, but he was not convinced he could join because he had just entered into a gym membership. I told him that he should join, so he could make the most out of his membership, and that growth will translate into every other aspect of his life as well…..
Our Takeaways….? Remember to keep track of your workouts and strive for betterment.
I have heard Sijo describe this many times as CNEI – Constant-Never-Ending-Improvement. As a good friend of mine always says “ we are all works in progress” I would just add that it is our personal responsibility to ensure that our progress is forward….
Note: If you have attended one of Sijo’s Focus on Results seminars, I would be happy to share the workout with you, as I know that you will be able to mentally apply the training and maximize your growth.
Stay Solid
Sifu Scott
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