JERRY Diaz, a National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer, said it can take up to 3-4 weeks to form a new habit followed by 3-4 months of continuous programmed practice to master a new skill.

He said we must also remember that each individual’s athletic development and progress varies.

Last year, Diaz entered the WKO Shinkyokushinkai 2023 Guam Full Contact Karate Championship and won the blue belt division title after defeating black belt Bernard Sacayan in the finals.

Diaz believes that the capacity to work hard, which was instilled in him by Karate Kata, was the key to his success.

He noted that other martial arts use Kata forms significantly such as Karate, Taekwondo and Kung Fu.

Among the benefits of Kata:

• It can be practiced alone.

• With Kata, you can practice dangerous techniques without injuring a partner.

•  It teaches a variety of techniques including kicks, strikes and blocks in different combinations.

•  It reinforces the knowledge of basic techniques and stances through repeated practice.

• It requires total concentration and challenges an individual’s memory.

• It involves bodyweight movements that can improve an individual’s fitness and conditioning.

Diaz said training with a partner strengthens the lessons learned in solo Kata and shows how Kata techniques are applied to a “real” opponent.

He noted that Kata, which has been taught for centuries, honors the ancient traditions of martial arts. Slow Kata can also be used as a form of “movement meditation” or “dynamic movement preparation,” he added.

How to practice until it becomes second nature

First, Diaz said, identify the specific movements and techniques related to your workout or sport.

Focus on the specific type of endurance required to maintain conditioning.

Understand the purpose of the movements.

Practice, practice, practice.

Diaz said recovery includes having enough energy from nutrition and rest to fuel exercise workouts and sustain each training session.

He reiterated that mastering a movement or technique requires 3-4 weeks of properly programmed routine sessions.

 “When training athletic clients who want to enhance their performance and abilities, I help them create a specific program focused on the specific principles of their sport,” Diaz said.

 These include continuously practicing movements until they become second nature to the individual, he added.

For professional fitness inquiries, contact Jerry Diaz through Instagram at @BBJ_Athletics or Facebook.