I hope you enjoyed the Christmas dinners and you got to attend some awesome New Year parties. Well, the holidays are over. Time head back to the barracks. But let’s first pause a bit and engage in that time-honored tradition of making New Year resolutions. Near resolutions are there to set you on the right path to having a blastin’ successful year as martial artist.

Still don’t have New Year resolutions? You’re in luck. We’ve got just the thing for you. Our editorial board has whipped up a list of New Year resolutions over some still-edible Christmas ham sandwiches. Take a whiff of our 11 New Year Resolutions for the Resolutionless Martial Artist.

Hopefully, you will pick one or two or more of these suggestions to set your on course this year. Probably, they’ll inspire you to think of some better ones. Let’s roll!

1. Learn a weapons art

Most people who are in empty-hands combat don’t stray into the realm of the weapon arts. Face it, when faced in a combat situation, a weapon is an excellent force multiplier. You can try venture into Filipino Martial Arts, such as arnis, and learn fighting and defending against sticks and knives. You can try Krav Maga, which deals with a lot of real combat situations. You can even pick up nunchakus or ninja throwing stars and start practicing with them.

If you are one of those funky guys who is into weapon arts (I mean that in a good way), maybe you could try some empty handed combat martial arts.

2. Start a martial arts journal

Start a martial arts journal. Preferably, on a notebook made out of real paper, not on your tablet, smart phone or computers. There is something about journaling that creates a sense of continuity and accomplishment in martial arts.

What to write? Write down the new techniques or insights. Write down your goals. Write down when you’ve had a good or a down day. Write what’s important to you.

3. Introduce a family member or friend to martial arts

There is nothing as fulfilling as sharing your life’s passions with a friend or loved one. Commit to giving introducing someone to your martial art. It can start with just taking him or her to watch competition or showing them some interesting related videos on YouTube. Don’t worry if the people you try introduce your martial art to is no receptive. Sometimes it takes time, and sometimes it’s just not for them. Don’t be discouraged. Look for another person to share you martial arts interests in.

4. Mentor a younger martial artist

Through the years you’ve been practicing you’ve accumulated experience, wisdom and skills. As our fire becomes dimmer, find a younger student to pass down what you know. You do not always have to choose the most promising student in the dojo, but the ones who needs and who wants your tutelage most and will benefit most from it.

5. Make a crazy martial arts movie

This is one of the funkier new year resolutions. Ever thought of making a martial arts movie with your friends. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment and editing skills. Your phone camera probably is a lot better than the professional cameras all the old classic martial arts movies were captured in. There’s a lot the free, easy-to-use, video editing software out there too, that easy to learn… and easy to find someone good at.

Well, okay maybe a martial arts movie with a plot and bad acting is a bit of a stretch. How about a training video or a video promoting your club? It could be a highlight reel of your club’s training sessions or a competition. Put one some troll-proof jacket and throw the thing up on YouTube

6. Take a First Aid class

First aid is one of the thing everyone has to learn but no one wants to attend a class on. With all the action that goes on in a martial arts club, there’s bound to be some use for first aid, in the future, even if it’s something simple like attending to a bruised knee, or a mild concussion. Make this year the year you finally take a First Aid course and really learn the skills you really need to respond to injuries and perhaps even save lives.

7. Get fit and healthy

It’s time to get fit. Kick out the bad habits and burn in some new ones. Out with smoking, drinking, sugary garbage and other stuff you don’t need. In with healthy eating, good whole foods. Try get in some good exercise, even if it’s just once a week.

I’m not talking about just losing weight. Throw out that “lose weight” emotional baggage. You probably are sick and tired of hearing about losing weight. I’m talking just about eating clean, avoiding junk and getting good exercise in. But if you are overweight, shedding some excess pounds will be a good side effect of eating healthy and getting some good exercise in. Martial arts relies on a triumvirate of body, mind and spirit. Keep the body part of the equation in check.

8. Righties work on your lefties, and vice versa

This one is more on the quickly actionable technical side. What’s your favorite move, whether it be a strike or grappling move? Let’s say its arm bars. What’s your strong side? You are probably more adept at doing it on one side compared to the other.

Are you not confident with your strikes with your left hand? What if you spend an entire year just focusing on getting rad knock out power from that hand! Try become just as good, if not better, with your signature moves on both sides. It can make you twice as deadly.

You get the picture.

9. Cross-train in a new discipline

There is nothing that will upgrade your fighting skills like cross training in a new discipline, especially if they are your perceived weakness. Having identified myself as a grappler my entire life, I felt the greatest progress I had in my raw fighting skills is when I crunched down and focused, and I mean really focused, on my striking skills with a proven striking coach.

When I say cross-training, I don’t mean just throwing in a session or two every so often. I mean really getting deep in the skills and appreciating the arts. Perhaps you can even target competing, even if as a novice, in the cross-training discipline of your choice. For example, if you are a Judoka, why not aim for competing in a novice competition before the year ends. By the time the year is over, you’ll definitely have much, much better handwork.

If you’re into mixed martial arts, cross-training in a new discipline is absolutely essential in moving up to the next level. BJJ enthusiasts, can try getting some blitz-like takedown and takedown skills freestyle wrestling. Hardcore kickboxers can get some schooling in the ground game with a little BJJ. Wrestlers can pick up some of the finer techniques from a knowledgeable BJJ instructor. It’s an exciting wild, world out there.

10. Train for self-defense

Martial arts is one of the best ways to prepare you for a self-defense situation. It will give you the skills and presence of mind to neutralize a perpetrator. However, there are a lots of martial artists out there who have become too geared towards competition. I’ve fell down that path and I sometimes feel that I neglected one of the basic reasons martial arts exists: to protect you and your loved ones.

This year could be the year you incorporate self-defense training in your regiment if you are one those guys. It doesn’t have to be anything big, maybe a couple times a year you set a day when you focus on martial arts for self-defense. Scenarios like multiple attackers, attackers with weapons, being attacked from behind, should be covered. If you are one of those martial artists who has a heavy focus on self-defense already, good for you guys. For the rest of us, it’s time to be sure we can use our skills on the streets as well as in the dojo, mat or ring.

Better yet, how about get your kid involved in martial arts for self-defense? (Check out: Top 5 Martial Arts to Bully-Proof Your Child)

11. Join a competition

Why not target joining a competition this year? It doesn’t have to be the UFC or the Olympics in Judo. Any competition, just be sure you join a competition. Win or lose. Just for the heck of it. Having a hard time rolling with the youngsters? You can try looking for competition in a sport that has a Master’s Division for older competitors.

The younger guys don’t get it. I was always told growing up by my coaches that it’s not winning that counts. I can’t blame them, as a former YCP I’d I always think to myself. “Naw, winning is all that matters.”
No competitions nearby? It probably means it’s time to organize one. I doesn’t have to be a big, fancy one. It can be a dual meet or an invitational for a few select clubs you know.

But the more I’ve come to terms on how temporary the nature of human strength and health is, the more I see the true value of competition. To quote the founder of the Olympics “The most important thing… is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Closing words:

So that was it! You probably thought a hundred other New Year resolutions that are better for you while reading this list of 11. I hope you have a swell time implementing any of these resolutions or your own resolutions this year. As they say, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Take those steps. Happy New year, MFTWM’ers!