If you’re reading this article then you have probably already begun your study of the martial arts and in all likelihood have progressed through the first few belts. You now understand what karate is about and you are fully familiar with your weekly training schedule. The question that you may still have though is “How do I make the most out of each and every training session?” The following are some suggestions to help you answer this question.

There are several things that you can do to maximize your overall training experience, all of them are easy to implement, and will help you take your karate to the next level. I have presented these tips in a simple cheat sheet that you can post on your bulletin board and look at before each training session.

So here they are:

1.Go to class regularly – When it’s time for your next class, get up out of your chair and go straight to class. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, GO TO CLASS! Half the battle of karate is getting to class. Don’t lose this battle, or you are doomed to failure from the start.

2.Always give your best – Don’t ever accept anything less than your best effort. You are more than likely paying good money to attend your karate classes. Don’t waste your money, and especially don’t waste your time by being half-committed in your training.

3.Ask questions if you don’t understand something – You are the customer, you are paying your instructor to provide you with quality karate. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something. Any good instructor should be more than happy to answer your question, no matter how insignificant they may seem to others.

4.Set specific goals for your training and an appropriate timeframe in which to achieve them – Put this list of goals on your bulletin board (preferably next to this article!) and look at them every day or at least before every training session.

5.Write a diary of what you did in each class – OK, OK, I know this is a tough one, and yes I promised to keep



it simple, but quite honestly if you do only this one thing I can personally guarantee that your karate will improve dramatically. There is nothing more valuable than keeping a written record of what you did each lesson to keep you on target and help you understand what you learned and where you need to improve.

6.Use your diary notes for your benefit – Oops there I go again, more work for you but hopefully you’re listening by now. A diary is not much use unless you re-read what you wrote and then find out the answers to any questions you had from each lesson. Remember tip #3, it’s OK to ask questions after the lesson too, or even before the next lesson.

7.Find a great training partner – There is nothing worse than going to class and then having to pair up with someone who doesn’t want to be there. Avoid these people like the plague! Find a good partner who shares your same goals and values and make sure you both know that you will work together at every opportunity.

8.Attempt to understand the overall theme of each class – Most good instructors have an overall theme or objective that is carefully woven into each class. Through the content of each lesson many greater insights can be gained by understanding how each content item relates to the overall lesson, and by understanding the general context of each class. This integration of big picture concepts helps to take your karate training to the next level.

So hopefully this quick cheat sheet will help you to glean some extra benefit and insights from each lesson and if nothing else it should serve to better focus your efforts on effective training strategies.

For more information on improving your Karate, please read my FREE Report, “Achieving the Black Belt: How to Successfully Take Your Karate to the Next Level”. You can download it at http://www.freekarateinformation.com.

Good luck and best wishes on your journey in karate.