Keep Fit and Healthy at Home | Jujitsu Ann Arbor
It’s a little strange to think that the COVID-19 lockdown began way back in March. As things gradually get back to normal, many of us are still spending a lot of time indoors. In addition to its many health benefits, exercise is also great for your mental health. Everyone knows this, but it’s easy to let this slip!
Keep reading for some great information on staying motivated and healthy (spoiler alert—it might include some Jujitsu with Ann Arbor’s best online instructors!)
Get in Gear with Jujitsu!
A while ago, Suino Sensei wrote a book called 101 Ideas to Kick Your Ass Into Gear. It’s got some great advice for getting out of funks and getting motivated. This won’t come as a surprise to martial artists, but something that can really kick your ass into gear is martial arts training! Here’s an excerpt from Suino Sensei’s book:
I imagine taking a martial arts class will also get you LITERALLY kicked in the ass on occasion, but the fact is that when pursued with the right teacher, and with the right attitude of discipline and commitment to the timeless values of an evolved martial art, the results will be as much a kick to the head as to the other end of your body. Few activities will hone your mind, spirit, and body in the way that focused martial arts study will. Plus you can make sound effects!
Jujitsu is based on grappling, and it might seem counterintuitive to practice this at home. After all, the whole point is that you grapple with someone!
Believe it or not, there are many Jujitsu skills that can be practiced at home, like falling properly, katas, strikes, and more. If you didn’t already know, JMAC has been streaming Jujitsu during quarantine, practicing just these things!
Martial arts can be energizing, but maybe you’re at home and having trouble getting motivated. If that’s the case—check out our tips for getting the most out of your at-home workout!
Staying Motivated
Ok, so maybe some Jujitsu got your ass in gear, but you’re having trouble staying motivated. It’s all too easy to have burst of motivation, have a good workout, but be a couch potato for the rest of the week!
If a little bit of Jujitsu isn’t cutting it, here are some tried-and-true tips on staying motivated!
- Reward yourself! Nobody’s saying that you can’t ever eat that bowl of ice cream. But you shouldn’t just eat it absent mindedly, either. When you meet a goal, don’t be afraid to reward yourself. But you should feel like you earned it, too! So eat some ice cream, but only after you’ve worked out for the day!
- Break it down! If you set yourself an optimistic goal, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Maybe you want to bench press more, or lose some weight. Instead of telling yourself that you want to bench press 300 lbs. or lose 20, break those down into reasonable goals that you can measure over time. Tell yourself that in a month you’ll increase your max by 20 lbs. or that in a month, you’ll have lost 5 lbs. Once you’ve achieved that, keep going!
- Do something new! Everyone gets stuck in a rut sometimes and it can be hard to overcome bad habits. Maybe take a weekend trip to somewhere you’ve never been before, try a new recipe, or rearrange your room. It doesn’t have to be dramatic, but little signs that something is different can be psychological cues that allow you to break into new and better habits! Suino Sensei’s book is full of ideas just like this!
- Make a list! Have a lot to get done? Sometimes it’s the simplest things that work the best. Try it sometime, really! You might be surprised at how getting something out of your head and putting it down on paper can hold you accountable.
Try these out, and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and how much more you get done!
If you haven’t already, check out our classes for Jujitsu in Ann Arbor!