The window of ‘maximum depth and efficiency’ in your training session.

You cannot waste this precious time.

In coaching and my Tai Chi Programme we talk about preparation and warm up for this phase, how to structure it and how cool down from it. The important thing to understand is that with practice, how deep, profound and insightful this window can be and why it’s important to recognise and not waste it.

In our sessions we talk about ‘waiting for Tai Chi to arrive’ Tai Chi being the perfect balanced state.

Preparing to train is important, the acts of hygiene, dressing, etiquette, meditation, inner and energy work all play an important role to bring us to this point. When this has been trained and internalised and become an essential part of us, the ‘waiting for it to arrive’ is unnecessary as we have ‘become it’ and can turn it on in an instant, this is the goal of champions.

During this unique window of ‘maximum depth and efficiency’ we are ‘in the zone’ where thought doesn’t exist, mind, body, energy and spirit are one and we are at our peak, able to spontaneously react to any outside stimulus with perfect balance and control.

If we don’t recognise this stage, and all its precursors it’s easy to mindlessly waste it and the magical alchemy that each session gives us for profound growth is spent in a distracted or apathetic state.

Take the time to prepare, understand what you’re working towards, recognise each stage as you get there, make the most of it and as you cool down go back over each part in your mind and then rest and recuperate to allow it to happen next session.

This process is inherent in any good martial art coaching programme and if you want more than just gym burnout and need growth, find a programme that offers it.