You don’t need more speed; you need control.
Stop rushing through techniques.
Slow down the movement.
Bring awareness to your body.
Bring awareness to how you’re moving.
Bring awareness to how you’re NOT moving.
Aim to understand the task and goal fully.
Make it as beautiful as possible.
Only then should you add resistance and speed.
This is the way. (said like a Mandalorian🙂)
Imagine yourself in class, striving to refine your techniques. You start off slowly getting a feel for the move but then start to rush, upping the pace. Your partner reacts to this, thinking that they should add more resistance. You find yourself making mistakes. Your frustration grows with each failed attempt.
It doesn’t stop there. We all know those “chill” rolls tend to escalate into hard rolls pretty quickly.
This isn’t to say it isn’t important; there is a place and time for that.
Frustration is a familiar struggle for many practitioners who can’t understand why they aren’t progressing in their movements.
Slowing down is the antidote to this common frustration.
Doing this establishes a sturdy foundation for mastery by prioritizing precision and movement quality over speed.
The Framework
The next time you step on the mat, take immediate action by slowing down.
Use this framework:
Choose a partner who understands the session’s goal. Their job is to ensure that you take your time with the movement.
- Pick a single movement pattern. Here are a few examples.
- Practice the movement pattern at a snail’s pace.
- Once you feel very comfortable with the movement pattern, have your partner add a bit of resistance while you continue slowly.
- Gradually ramp up the resistance and add a bit of speed to the movement.
- If, at any point, the quality of movement breaks down, bring either the resistance or speed down.
The ultimate goal is to precisely perform the movement quickly under full pressure.
While it might sound counterintuitive, this approach can be the game-changer you’ve been searching for on the mat.
You miss the little nuggets of knowledge along the way when you rush.
Seriously, slowing down is the surprising secret to making rapid progress.
Become A Better Problem-Solver
Mind you, we aren’t simply focused on “perfecting” a technique.
It is about improving problem-solving and movement quality within a specific task.
This approach not only guards against the formation of bad habits but also reduces the risk of injury.
Moreover, slowing down nurtures muscle memory, a cornerstone of proficiency. As you better understand the movement, slowly speed things up or have your partner add incremental resistance.
Training at a measured pace allows your body to internalize the actions, making executing flawlessly during live sparring easier.
A deliberate pace fosters heightened awareness and mindfulness on the mat.
By paying meticulous attention to your body mechanics and positioning, you will gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of each movement. This heightened awareness translates into sharper execution and quicker reactions.
Starting with slow, controlled movements enables a gradual ramp-up of intensity and complexity over time.
This systematic progression ensures continuous improvement while guarding against stagnation in your growth as a martial artist.
Invest the time to slow your movements down, prioritizing quality over quantity. This dedication to bringing better awareness to your movements by slowing down will serve you well for years to come.