November Total 360 Karate Blog-Training nameless goal Part 1

November Total 360 Karate Blog-Training nameless goal  Part 1

As a personal trainer, yogi, martial arts instructor, and detective, I am often asked to train for this or for that.  I have learned to prepare, master, and teach the material.  This blog will discuss training the nameless goal.  

It’s easy to put a goal in the universe, whether it’s societal or personal.  We become so fixated on the goal we lose presence in the moment during training.  Thoughts like I have to do this to get to that.  I need my hands to move this way to get to my goal.

As a student of Karate, I can’t tell you how many times I trained my body to do something, only to lose what I was trying to do.  Japanese martial arts are famous for 4-hour classes focusing on the basics.  Just punches, stance, kick over and over again.  There is a certainty that the move will be executed properly.  After 20 years of studying martial arts, training, and pushing myself to be better, I have found that training for a nameless goal has allowed me to meet my goals faster.

I know what’s going to be said: “Sensei, you train us to train to pass a test; you train us to be  better in any other sport. This doesn’t make sense.”  In the beginning, you absolutely have to train to a benchmark, whether it's a belt test or competition.  Your focus needs to be taught and dialed in to be sharp.  

The sharpness of your focus does not change as you gain experience; it’s the way we train that should.   It is not uncommon for my students to see me in the gym before a class doing a black belt workout, running down the street with an endless dedication.  My training style, while still tough, has changed to train to be ready, so you don’t have to get ready for the nameless goal.  

I am no different than anyone else; I put a goal out there. I want to run 10 miles straight by the end of the year, or I want to complete the 3000 challenge.  Once I put the goal in the universe, usually I write it down, I allow it to be forgotten.

My workouts are designed to meet any physical goal if I do the workouts I build. They are designed with functional, CrossFit, balance, plyometric, yoga, Pilates, and many more styles of exercises.   Only one day a week is martial arts.   The second week is a recovery week full of yoga, stretching, and Pilates-based exercises.  Cardio is built into both weeks.   I made these changes a few years ago and found all of my goals were met.  All of the trainings labeled out for my occupations, and the goals therein are met.  

Remove the occupations, remove the goals, and build training that sustains life, functionality, and recovery.  Once you have this in place, add back the nameless goal.  Within the parameters of the training, you build in the numbers, reps, and heart rates that help support meeting any goal.  I have given my students a glimpse of this training in our black belt classes.  It is an art to train for the nameless goal; you may find that all your goals are met by letting go.  Part 2 is in the yoga blog for November 2026.  Arigato.