Plateau
noun
- 1.an area of relatively level high ground.
- 2.a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress.
verb
- 1.reach a state of little or no change after a time of activity or progress.
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| The learning curve? |
I didn't know it at the time, but these plateaus are a natural part of the learning process.This is where the real detailed learning actually happens. My body, without me knowing, was concentrating on learning the details, and building a sensation database. The best part is it is usually followed by a huge leap in abilities. And I actually experienced this. One day, I was just moving better. My timing was better, and my intuition for attacks were better.
There are a some things you can do while plateauing.
1. Stick with it.
There are going to be plateaus in any learning pattern. How you deal with them is also part of the learning curve. You will get through it, and you will be better for it. Your skills are improving, but not necessarily as quickly as they were before..
2. Specify your practice
Pick one thing you want to improve on, and no "martial arts" is not an answer. The more specific the better. Work on one particular technique. Or your footwork on one particular set of movements. Or your hand position while punching. Something like that.3. Change your focus
If you are having trouble with the physical aspect of martial arts at that moment, pick another aspect. This may be a good time to learn more of the history or philosophy of your art. I've yet to find a martial art that doesn't have a dozen or so books on it. And libraries are great resources. I check out the books from the library, read them, and then decide if they're worthy of being in my collection.
So if you experience a plateau, be grateful for it. Don't try to force your way through it. Even though it is frustrating, it's part of the learning process. The most important thing to remember is to not get frustrated and think that something is wrong. Enjoy it.
