This time I'm upping the ante and listing not just the best kick, but the best martial arts training montages of all time. That's no mean feat as there are some epic sequences to consider.

As I began my research this time around I decided to create a series of criteria upon which to grade each montage. This helped me in ranking them and deciding which ones would make the cut and which wouldn't. Here is a quick description of each criteria I used (this works on a 5 star system, * as the poorest grade and ***** as the best):

• Training Intensity: How hard is the trainee working? 1 star means things aren't too intense, 5 stars means I broke out in a sweat just watching.
• Campiness: Does the scene hit all the heartstrings that make montages a classic piece of cinema corniness? 1 star is not at all campy, 5 stars is deliciously so.
• Music Awesomeness: Part of a successful montage is epic music that makes you want to run out your door and do situps. 1 star is not too inspiring, 5 stars is chest poundingly awesome.
• Montage Purity: How closely does the scene follow montage format? A good montage will show many cutscenes of the protagonist first struggling, then growing, and finally demonstrating super skills. 1 star means it's a montage (but not that pure), 5 stars is perfect montage gold.

 Ready? Here we gooooo:

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11. Ninja Assassin - Raizo's Routine

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                *
• Music Awesomeness:  ***
• Montage Purity:          **

This montage is decidly low on camp, and doesn't follow the strictest guidelines of montage purity. Nevertheless, the action is undeniably cool and has a unique style that makes it a pleasure to watch. Directly after the clip shown below, the movie takes us into Raizo's past and shows us more of his development. That is why this movie makes the montage list in place of others like The Matrix, which have singular training scenes.

Take-away exercise to try: inverted pushups on nails.

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10. Kill Bill 2 - The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                ***
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          ***

This scene features one of the best characters in all of martial arts cinema: Pai Mei. Pai Mei is a "white browed" taskmaster that has appeared in some classic kung fu cinema, and indeed this whole training sequence honors the campiness of those old movies. It also features the talent progression in our hero that explains her highly refined skillset.

Take-away exercise to try: One inch punch. Or the five point palm exploding heart technique.

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9. Mulan - Let's Hear it For the Ladies

• Training Intensity:      **
• Campiness:                **
• Music Awesomeness:  ****
• Montage Purity:          ****

You didn't think I was too tough and hardcore to ignore this montage did you? I don't remember many scenes out of Disney movies, but this one really sticks out. It hits all the great montage notes of a helpless hero, a band of doubters who are eventually won over, and a tough but honorable teacher. Throw into the mix a message about gender equality, and forget about it! It was a tough call between this and Kung Fu Panda, but the inspiring music put Mulan over the top.

 Take-away exercise to try: Breaking concrete with your face.

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8. Ninja: The Final Duel - Water Spider Madness

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                *****
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          **

I almost wanted to break my own rating scale and put 6 stars for campiness here. The ninja techniques demonstrated are exactly the kind of weird nonsense that makes old kung fu movies so fantastic. Sure, it perpetuates some bad stereotypes...but...you know. It's fun. This clip would have ranked higher if it followed the montage format a bit more closely and had more mind blowing music.

 Take-away exercise to try: Water spider assault.

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 7. Batman Begins - The Will to Act

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                *
• Music Awesomeness:  ***
• Montage Purity:          ***

Modern films don't feature montages quite as much as they used to, and when they do it is often for comedic effect. Batman Begins is a serious affair and displays a well polished training scene. In a lot of ways, this clip rates lower than some of the previous entries. However, when you take into account the quality of the film and acting I believe this is the appropriate place for it.

 Take-away exercise to try: Dealing with emotions and stuff.

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 6. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow - Jackie's Ring Work

• Training Intensity:      **
• Campiness:                *****
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          ****

This movie is one of the Grandaddies of Kung Fu Cinema, and the training sequences are just as influential. Movies like Kill Bill and The Matrix would not have been the same if it wasn't for efforts like Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. Maxed out on campiness, this montage deserves it's high placement.

  Take-away exercise to try: Egg based workouts.

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5. 36th Chamber of the Shaolin - We Get It, You Train A Lot

• Training Intensity:      ****
• Campiness:                *****
• Music Awesomeness:  **
• Montage Purity:          ****

You wanna talk about training? How about a movie that's filled with it. 36th Chamber revolves around the protagonist progressing through his Shaolin training. Every skill a monk needs is presented via a separate chamber. Has any premise been better setup for a progressive montage?

 Take-away exercise to try: Bo circling with pointy, injurious consequences.

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4. KickBoxer - A Tree's Worst Enemy

• Training Intensity:      ****
• Campiness:                ****
• Music Awesomeness:  ****
• Montage Purity:          *****

If you didn't know Jean-Claude was going to make this list then shame on you. JCVD has an almost supernatural talent for creating training montages, and Kickboxer is one of his finest masterpieces. Who knew coconuts and palm trees could be so nightmarish?

Kickboxer training (full video) by bRu7-eXeC

 Take-away exercise to try: Just don't kick trees.

 3. The Karate Kid - Daniel's Private Training

• Training Intensity:      ***
• Campiness:                ***
• Music Awesomeness:  *****
• Montage Purity:          *****

Here's the thing - this isn't even the best montage in this movie. That's how insane the original Karate Kid is. As we all know, the tournament sequence at the end of the movie is one of the best montages of all time. However, that's not really for training, and thus doesn't make the cut here. But that doesn't mean Daniel's private training isn't a fantastic moment. It gets such a ranking due to the scope and emotional charge of the movie. A real classic.

 Take-away exercise to try: I'd say the crane kick, but I'm not sure you can handle that yet.

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 2. Rocky IV - U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.

• Training Intensity:      *****
• Campiness:                ***
• Music Awesomeness:  *****
• Montage Purity:          *****

Say the words "training montage", and "Rocky" will be the first word uttered in response. I probably could have picked any of the Rocky movies for this, but I feel like IV is the most monumental. You might argue that boxing isn't a pure martial art, and therefore Rocky should be disqualified from this list. That's a tricky call, and since it's so close (and Rocky is such a dominant montage force), I decided it was right to include it.

  Take-away exercise to try: Draaagooooooooooooooooooo.

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1. Bloodsport - To Keep an Open Miiiind

• Training Intensity:      ****
• Campiness:                ****
• Music Awesomeness:  *****
• Montage Purity:          *****

In the purest sense, Rocky is a better montage. But since we are listing the best martial arts montages, Bloodsport rules as King. This sequence is the perfect collection of campy 80s music, training development of the protagonist, hardships endured, winning respect from the hard nosed teacher, and techniques just real enough that we want to try them. Surely Bloodsport holds a special place in the montage hall of fame.

   Take-away exercise to try: Unnecessary splits. Blindfolded tea. Everything.

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That's it! I hope you enjoyed this journey. I won't keep you any longer because you probably want to go running through the woods, carrying giant rocks on your back while hitting yourself with sticks. I understand, I'm pumped up too.

Don't forget to add your two cents in the comment section below. Do you think there are any other movies that should have broken the top 11? Do you think some of these movies should be swapped around in rank? Let me know!

Bunkai is the key to developing useful and effective techniques preserved for us by those individuals who developed and tested them in fierce, life protection situations. Over the course of time much of the true meaning of these movements has either been lost or purposefully disguised. If your desire is to unlock some of the skills of our predecessors, you'll need to know the right questions in order to find the best answers.

The following are seven things to ask yourself that might illuminate your kata in a different (and hopefully productive) way. These are in no particular order and are not prescriptive. Use some when you can and invent others.

1. Can I change the angle in which I address my opponent?

Many times during bunkai we assume that an opponent is coming straight from the front or from the sides, and that we must stay directly in front of them and try to defend. What happens if you cut a 45 degree angle during your technique? What if turning from left to right allowed you to arc around the same opponent instead of addressing a new one?

2. What came just before and what is coming right after?

When we learn kata, it generally occurs in a set cadence. Step1 - block up. Step2 - block down. Step3 - punch kiai! That being the case, our mind generally sections itself off in those little boxes. It is our job to look at what is occurring right before our current technique and right after and how the body moves from one to the next. Stringing techniques together makes for a more devastating outcome to your opponent.

3. Am I utilizing all of the technique or just the end piece?

Techniques are often more dynamic than we give them credit for. Take for example the knife hand block. When we perform a knife hand block we generally step somewhere, prep the block, and then shoot the block out. The block itself is what we use to defend against an attack, but what about all the stuff that came before it? Can't we use that too? Can't the body shift be used to off-balance or attack our opponent, and can't the prep be used to either defend or attack?

4. Can I condense the number of opponents I have to face to get through my applications?

If you find yourself going through a dozen bad guys for your bunkai you may be too segmented. In order to mentally escape from a tricky technique we often dismiss the current bad guy and invite a new one in from a different direction. Worse yet, if we are using two hands at once and don't really know what's going on we might invite two bad guys to attack us at once from different directions. Multiple opponent training is valuable, but kata is not suggesting that GuyA is likely to kick low while GuyB punches from behind. Those scenarios are too unlikely and miss the real intent of what's happening. Condense the number of opponents as much as possible.

5. Are my opponents behaving naturally and with likely techniques, or am I forcing them into increasingly unlikely scenarios?

Patrick McCarthy Sensei developed the acronym HAPV, or habitual acts of physical violence. The point of HAPV is to keep focused on the techniques you are most likely to encounter. Furthermore, the longer you make the string of actions done by your uke the more unlikely an actual attacker will follow that pattern. Therefore, when performing bunkai, we want our opponents acting as naturally as possible. If the opponent has to punch, step back punch, step back punch, step back block up and receive your strike, you've asked your uke to behave in a way they never would in real life.

6. Have I affected my opponent in a way that makes more technique work?

Let's say you manage to block your opponent (so far so good). You then put them in a wrist lock or arm bar in order to control them. That progression seems very effective, especially after years of training, and generally works in the dojo. However, if you've ever come across a live opponent who is experiencing adrenaline dump you'll know that manipulating that arm is extremely difficult. Your attempts to bar or lock it will be met with iron resistance and counter punches to your face. Always be sure to negatively affect your opponent as soon as possible, then go into more technique.

7. What is the emotional content of my encounter?

What kind of scenario is your kata taking place in? Is it a school yard pushing match? Is it a life or death home invasion? The emotional environment you place yourself in is going to alter your bunkai dramatically. Your technique may need to restrain or it may need to kill.

Mental Gymnastics

With all of these questions/problems/complications we have to address the concept of simplicity. In a real life altercation, your simplest and most effective techniques will be the ones that help you. Thinking about responses in the heat of the moment will keep you one step behind your opponent.

Why then bother with all of this business about bunkai? Shouldn't we simply practice a series of basic, effective techniques and avoid the mental gymnastics?

The short term answer is yes. For the first 5-6 years of your training you need to become "brilliant at the basics", as Bill Hayes Sensei would say. Without a rock solid foundation and instinctual integration of your style's stances, punches, and basic techniques nothing else can be built firmly. However, once you do achieve that level of proficiency, you acquire the privilege of exploring your art even deeper and improving the way you go about your business.

Simple techniques practiced a certain way seem like the best option until you learn how to improve them. That doesn't necessarily mean complicate them. Instead the goal is to find ways to improve your angle, distance, timing, striking locations, and technique progression in order to enhance what's already been built. This style of study leads to an understanding of tichiki, or "what the hand is doing", which can be used extemporaneously with great percentage of success.

It was a difficult process as there are many great movies with sweet chin music, but the following stood out to me. Hang around until the end of the article and I'll give a few runners-up that didn't quite fit the bill.

Here we go...

7. Billy Jack - Face Whopin'

This iconic kick comes from the Movie "Billy Jack" and is delivered by Tom Laughlin. Laughlin plays an ex-green beret Hapkido do-gooder who runs afoul of the law. Find out what happens next when they back him into the proverbial corner:

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6. The Transporter - Bicycle Kicking

When you think of bicycle kicks, you probably envision a skilled soccer player making a diving hit over his own head. This is much different. In the following clip Jason Statham finds a way to put the boots to all of his oiled up opponents:

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5. Ong Bak - Knee of Doom

Have you ever heard of a knee technique referred to as a "knee kick"? I hope so, because I am using that as an excuse to include this hit from the movie Ong Bak. After a good minute or two of being taunted by his opponent, Tony Ja prepares something extra spicy once the round starts:

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4. Enter the Dragon - Ohara Gets His

Almost every scene in Enter the Dragon is ground breaking and awesome. But there is one kick that actually led to physical injury of the cast and crew. When Bruce Lee finally fights Ohara, he lines him up for an absolutely brutal sidekick. The actor Bob Wall was ok afterwards, but one of the extras in the background broke his hand during the fall. That's no joke:

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3. Karate Kid - The Crane Kick

While it may not be physically impressive, is there any kick more iconic? The crane kick is what every d-bag relies on when they try to mimic or make fun of martial artists. It also inspired a generation of future karateka (yours truly included). It's over Johhny yea, you did it!!!:

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2. Kickboxer - The 360 Split Spinning Hook Heel Foot Kick

Is it possible to build an entire career on one face slapping technique? Yes. JCVD did just that and kicked his way into our hearts. The thing that makes this kick so powerful is that no matter how many times you see it (and no matter how many movies he uses it in), it still rocks. For your pleasure, this montage:

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1. Enter the Dragon - Han's Skull Crusher

I've never actually felt the vibrations of a kick through my TV until I saw this armageddon-inducing swat from Bruce Lee. In the final epic fight against Han, Bruce puts the beat knuckle down until Han is in a dazed state. At that point Bruce lines him up and delivers a blow so powerful that my nose is starting to bleed just thinking about it. If you watch carefully it seems obvious that they use a Han-doll as a stunt double, and I don't blame them. In fact I hope there were no live crew members within a 20 foot radius. Enjoy the number 1 kick ever put on the silver screen:

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Runners Up

The martial arts universe is home to a lot of awesome kicks, and here are a few that I thought deserved mention as well. Check out the following links if you want more foot flying action:

Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick - Certainly Chuck Norris's famous roundhouse kicking meets the pop culture criteria to be a winner. Yet, despite the fanfare and entertaining jokes, I just don't think there was enough here to trump the kicks on the list. I also discovered that Chuck Norris throws hook kicks far more often than roundhouse kicks, which made it difficult to find good footage of him from a movie (as opposed to Texas Ranger). I also had a tough time siphoning out all of the spoof and joke videos in order to try to find Chuck actually in action. You'll notice the video in the link is a spinning hook from Return of the Dragon. Best I could do.

Captain Kirk Dropkick - Seriously famous, but from a TV show so I couldn't include it.

Drunken Master Kick Fight - There is a fight of massive kicking in the Jackie Chan film "The Legend of Drunken Master". Unfortunately no one kick stood out so I ultimately decided against it.

Wayne's World II Flying Kick - The fight between Wayne and Cassandra's dad is awesome, and everytime I see the dad pull off the flying kick I laugh out loud.

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This one's wide open - any kicks that stand out in your memory?

Check out the following videos and images to learn why you should feel good about yourself. Consider this your day's confidence booster.

Bad Idea #1 - Mini Makouts With Your Opponent

I understand having respect for your opponent, but this is a little too much. Watch what happens when one unfortunate competitor gets it in his head to kiss his challenger:

Why would you do that!? If he was trying to play head games, it backfired.

Bad Idea #2 - These Pants

Think that the old-school karate gi is a bit stodgy and dated? Check out the alternative from a decade ago:

Yes, why be traditional? You too could look like an asshole. Just kidding Joey. I wonder if he still wears these out?

Bad Idea #3 - Persistence

I always say it's a good thing to have that never-give-up attitude, but sometimes you gotta knock it off. Like this guy:

Stop it. No really. Stop it. Also, that huge guy holding your boards is not the problem.

Bad Idea #4 - Martial Arts Demonstrations With Fire

Breaking 20,30,500 bricks is awesome enough - can we skip the fire? I guess not:

I wouldn't want to fight him unless I had some flaming bricks lying around.

Bad Idea #5 - Martial Arts Demonstrations with a Live Blade

Just because you have the ability to obtain a sword doesn't mean you should use it. Ever. For example:

Not only did he almost kill that guy, but his swings were ridiculous! At least show some decent technique. 9th Dan ehh - right.

Let us all make a communal bow to these brave souls who have showed us how not to do things. Let us avoid their mistakes and never wear those awful pants.

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Are you on facebook? Meet me there! Click here to join the Ikigai page.

Unlike his cousin Regular Santa, Martial Arts Santa isn't concerned about your religious denomination.  Instead he's been watching your sidekicks and checking his list to see when your last promotion was.

Now, during this most joyous of seasons, I ask MASanta to grant me some holiday wishes.

Wish #1: Make the New Karate Kid Disappear

I'm sure many of you are aware, but there is a new Karate Kid in the works. If MASanta has the ability to visit every house in the world in a single night, certainly he can make one upcoming movie disappear.

One of the goals of the holidays is to promote peace on Earth, right?  Well what better way than to avoid the rage and angst of martial artists all over the planet that grew up with the original Karate Kid series?  This one seems like a no brainer.

Wish #2: Bring Bruce Lee and Musashi Back to Life and Make Them Fight

Man, what an epic showdown that would be! They'd be kinda like zombies, so we could pit them against each other in a variety of ways.

First, I'd have them go at it open-hand. No tricks. No weapons.

Second, I'd let them pick a weapon of choice.  I imagine Bruce Lee would use the nunchaku while Musashi would use a katana.

Third, I would toss them both Lirpa and let things go down just like this:

Wish #3: Settle Once and For All Those Mandatory Martial Arts Questions

Every martial arts blog and forum seems to inevitably run into the same couple of questions.  Things like:

1.  What's the best style?

2. Does chi exist?

3. Do no-touch knockouts exist?

4. How many fights end on the ground?

5. Is MMA a real martial art?

6. etc. etc.

My request to MASanta would be to make a list and just answer these questions definitively.  If anybody questions him, MASanta would then have the authority to use his secret holiday-figurehead style to wipe out the offending parties.

I've never pondered what it would be like getting stabbed by a sharpened candy cane...and I don't think I want to find out any time soon.

Wish #4: Bring me an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle (BB Gun)

with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time.

Wish #5: Grant Me Ten More Wishes

What? MASanta isn't a genie? FINE.  Then I guess i'll wish for a quick recovery for all of our martial arts brethren who are currently dealing with injury.  Also, continued success to all of my readers who have been generous enough to stop by from time to time!

So what's your wish? Get it into MASanta before it's too late!

Don't Stress About...

10. Learning Super Quickly

This first one is more common than you might think. There are always a few individuals who can pick up kata or technique very quickly. While that's fortunate for them, it can leave a residue of anxiety in other students. People who have an ingrained self consciousness about their own progress will pay special attention to students who pick things up quickly, allowing themselves to feel discouraged when they can't do the same.

I think we all suffer from this at one point or another. It's just like in Karate Kid:

"Daniel: Hey - you ever get into fights when you were a kid?
Miyagi: Huh - plenty.
Daniel: Yeah, but it wasn't like the problem I have, right?
Miyagi: Why? Fighting fighting. Same same.
Daniel: Yeah, but you knew karate.
Miyagi: Someone always know more."

What a great movie. And it also helps prove my point - no matter how awesome you are, there is always someone better. So, with that inevitability in mind, just focus on your own personal progress and forget the comparisons!

Final thought about #10: karate is a lifelong endeavor. If you stay in the martial arts while others come and go, I guarantee you'll make it to the head of the class.

9. Keeping Up With the Joneses

This is connected to #10.  In keeping up with the Joneses, which of course means trying to outdo your "neighbor", trying to learn a lot quickly can cause even more stress.  You'll see kids do this a lot:

Kid A (the jerk): "Hey, do you know kata ____ yet?
Kid B: "No. Why?"
Kid A: "Ohh, cause I do.  Snicker."

Annoying when kids do it, but forgivable. Extremely annoying when adults do it. And they do do it. If this happens to you, try to let it roll off your shoulders and remember the long term benefits of training.

If you're the one prodding at your classmates...knock it off.

This same concept applies to physical possessions as well. Weapons, uniforms, books, dvds...that whole business gets rapped into the martial arts very easily. Don't feel compelled to spend money because everyone else does.

8. Looking Stupid

You're gonna look and feel stupid from time to time. Keep asking questions and participating. Seriously. This is the best way to learn, hands down.

7. Gi Flair

As far as I am concerned, there is no good reason for your uniform to look like the flair guy's getup from OfficeSpace.

Patches...buttons...it's all flair.

I understand some patches, but things can get a little out of hand.  If you find yourself creating a patchwork out of you or your child's gi, just take a step back.  Remember, all of these external distractions can take away from the internal goals of the martial arts.  Let your personality and ability make you stand out, not eye catching gi accessories.

6. D3ADLINESS

Have you seen Kill Bill?  Do you remember the five point palm exploding heart technique?  That was pretty cool.  Unfortunately, some people can get overly caught up in that razzle dazzle when pursuing the martial arts.

Kyusho, or vital point striking, is experiencing a bit of a boom in popularity.  When done correctly, the results can be very deadly indeed.  This has led a lot of people to worry about the deadliness of whatever technique they are practicing.  So much so, in fact, that some students try to learn vital point strikes off of video tapes or from snake-oil instructors who claim to have mastered them.

Don't get too caught up in this hype.  The truth is, most karate styles have kyusho integrated into them already.  The trick to unlocking the techniques is a matter of becoming an expert at fundamentals. As Sensei Bill Hayes says, become "brilliant at the basics."  After that is achieved, kyusho can slowly start to seep its way into your training.  Don't rush this one.

5. Trophy Count

This Can Be Yours if The Price is Right!

Time + money = a ton of trophies.  Yes, it helps if you're good, but its not a mandatory prerequisite.  There are so many tournaments with so many divisions that sometimes you'll be lucky to get three people in your division.

If you want to, acquire a couple of trophies to prove to yourself that you can do it.  After that, put that money and mental focus to better use.

4. Kata Portfolio

This is one that yours-truly had to work on. For awhile, I was very concerned about my kata portfolio.  I wanted to learn a whole lot of kata and I wanted to learn them all very well.  Unfortunately, what I REALLY wanted was to have my cake and eat it to.

Take it from me, don't worry about slowing yourself down to learn fewer kata.  Much like #10, learning quickly, pacing your kata intake shouldn't be perceived as a bad thing.  This is especially true after black belt.

In many martial arts, there are certain requirements as you progress through kyu ranks.  Once you hit black belt, you are "ready to begin learning", and that means taking charge of your martial destiny.  It's easy to ride the kata train, going for higher and higher material.  But, ultimately, it might leave all of your material a little soft.

3. Kata Flash-and-Dash

Can't kick the ceiling?  Can't do a triple blackflip into a split with kiai?  Don't stress.

A lot of the acrobatics and physically impressive maneuvers you see today are not really part of traditional martial arts.  In fact, it was extremely rare for the old Okinawan Karate Sensei to kick above their waist!

Listen to what your body can and can't do, then try to make small improvements from there.  Listening to the natural rhythym of your body will result in much better technique than trying to force Van Damme style kicks.

 ...maybe next year...

2. Ass-Kicking Ability

Martial arts tend to have self defense at their core.  Some styles are for aggressive fighting, while others are for flowing defense.  But, ultimately, you should learn how to fight.

Where people tend to get tense is when they don't see dramatic results immediately.  This is especially true for traditional arts.  Styles like boxing and MMA can show initial progress pretty quickly, which is nice.  Unfortunately, old styles were designed for the long haul.

Traditional martial art basics can actually hinder your fighting ability for awhile.  They make you mechanical, and force movements into your body that you aren't used to.  It isn't until years of practice sink in that you can begin to feel those movements naturally.  Once they start to become natural though, it's a real treat.

1. Rank

This probably isn't a huge surprise.  "Rank" being at the top of this list is like Stairway to Heaven being at the top of "The Greatest Rock Songs" list (which it should be, because it is great).

Rank is very valuable, and very dangerous.  It helps motivate us to achieve, and symbolizes skill and experience.  Unfortunately, rank can also be a business. Stripes, colors, and titles are abound these days.

No matter how your school addresses rank, don't feel driven by it, in and of itself.  If you are a green belt, but have focused on improving your basics, your self defense, and your mindset, you'll be on your way to achieving real results.

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Navigating through these troubles, and a forest of others, is essential when pursuing the martial way.

  I'll meet you somewhere in the woods, and maybe we can give each other a hand

Unfortunately, we can also become dependent on our instructors. When we go to class, we receive a steady stream of information and corrections designed to make us better. Much like television, it is easy to get hooked on that kind of access. Furthermore, when watching an instructor or receiving advice, it is more like passive learning rather than active. During passive learning, we aren't challenging ourselves to discover improvements for ourselves. Therefore, we are never really following our own path, we are merely tiptoeing behind our teachers, trying vainly to step exactly where they stepped.

That is why, in addition to going to class faithfully, a martial artist must spend time by him/herself.

Here's the top 5 reasons I think solo training is worth the time and effort:

5. Resolving Stress

Like most people, I get those days where I am stressed out. Rough day at work, car troubles, rude waiter...whatever the cause, there are just times when the fuse is short. It's during these times that training on your own can have miraculous effects. Frustration and anxiety are energetic emotions, and kata/bag training serves as an excellent means for giving those tensions an outlet.

Anger driven emotions aren't the only things that can be resolved; also consider uneasiness, restlessness, and depression. These are states that drain energy and life out of a person. Kata training (both dynamic kata and breathing kata) serve to build spirit and resilience in the practitioner. Often times getting back to the most basic elements of living - breathing and movement - help to put extraneous matters into perspective.

4. Confronting Inadequacies

One of the scariest things about martial arts training is confronting all of that which we don't know. Many practitioners prefer never to look it in the eye; instead, they focus on proclaiming their excellence in what they do know.

When training alone, you'll be confronted with this decision as well - will you just run your kata pattern a couple of times, and then hit the bags? Will you focus only on making changes that will help you win trophies?

Or will you take that deep plunge, asking who, what, when, where, and why for every movement?

3. Internal Discussion

Because of all the great info you are receiving in normal martial arts class, there is little time for internal discussion. Integrating corrections and new techniques is hard enough! When you're alone, you can allow your mind to wander. You can take the time to ask yourself questions.

One of the highest goals of martial arts training is to achieve mushin, or a state of no mind. In mushin, reaction and instinct are in command. The mushin of a trained karateka can only be achieved after martial matters have been internally argued to complete death. Much like in zen satori, the mind just gives up, and all that's left is technique melded with instinct!

2. Experimentation

Experiment too much in class, and you're likely to get a raised eyebrow from your instructor. Think about it - how can he/she be sure that you're experimenting in a growth-productive manner, instead of just screwing up? Experimenting with technique and body movement on your own is an embarrassment-free alternative.

Of course, this one comes with a caveat - you have to be careful your experimentation doesn't lead you away from the core principles of your style. The hardest thing to break in the martial arts is a bad habit...so don't get yourself locked into one if you don't have to.

1. Developing Questions

My final point here I recommend to you with trumpets blowing in the background, arms flailing, and anything else that gets your attention. All too often, in a state of apathy, practitioners expect their instructors to deliver grand martial secrets to them. One day, they suspect, sensei will unsheathe a scroll; and on that scroll will lay the shadowy death touches they've been longing for.

I hate to burst bubbles (that's not true), but the way to success is a bit less dramatic. Basically, you just have to ask the right questions. This is a remarkable, built-in function of the martial arts. You can't grow as a martial artist until you ask the right questions to elicit interesting and provocative responses from your instructors, and you can't ask the right questions until you've put in exhaustive efforts into your training.

Pretty clever stuff, huh?

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One final note - training alone in different locations can have different effects. Training alone in the home can serve to comfort you with familiar surroundings...but it can also lead to easy distraction. If possible, secure some alone time in the dojo. A dojo has an innate sense of purpose and helps keep you focused. Furthermore, the quiet watches of the dojo help connect you with the true spirit of your martial art.

Finally, if you have the means, train outside with nature.