Training in the art of Kenpo, like anything in life, at times can be arduous. All students will feel from time to time that they simply are making no progress toward their goals. For the kids that train at our studio, it is a sense of “boredom” that they will encounter usually during the time between belt promotions, when they have learned all the new material they are required to learn for their test and then are told to simply “work on it” to get ready to test. This is the point at which their focus and determination are most challenged. For the adult students, the art they are learning is more technical, intricate, and sophisticated, thus the standards of excellence are much more demanding. For this reason the adult student will often feel a sense of “sequential stagnation” and just can’t seem to put any sequence together with any conviction. At this point the adult student -- much like the younger student -- will find his or her focus and determination most challenged. All students must remember, however, that sharpening our focus and fortifying our determination is in and of itself one of the primary goals of training in the art of Kenpo! The forms, sets, freestyle, and techniques that we learn are the tools with which we sharpen our skills -- skills such as focus and determination. These are “life” skills that will enhance our every endeavor.

Like Richard E. Byrd in the below story, we must “have faith in the outcome,” especially in our Kenpo training and especially when that training is at its most difficult or frustrating point

“Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death.”

Richard E. Byrd spent the winter of 1934 at Bolling Advance Weather Base in Antarctica, where the temperature ranged from -58° to -76° F. By the time he was rescued, he was suffering from frostbite and carbon-monoxide poisoning. He wrote in his book, Alone: “I had hardly the strength to move. I clung to the sleeping bag, which was the only source of comfort and warmth left to me and mournfully debated the little that might be done. Two facts stood clear. One was that my chances of recovering were slim. The other was that in my weakness I was incapable of taking care of myself. But you must have faith -- you must have faith in the outcome, I whispered to myself. It is like a flight . . . into another unknown. You start and you cannot turn back. You must go on . . . trusting your instruments, the course you have plotted.”

With faith as his only guidance system, Byrd forced himself to do the necessary things for survival very slowly and with great deliberation. At times he felt as if he was living a thousand years in any given minute. But at each day’s end, he could say he was still alive. And that was enough.

Some times the only thing left to do in a situation is to press on in faith. And so . . . . press on!