“Stuck in the Mud?” – 7 Ways to Overcome the Feeling of No Progress in Martial Arts

 

“Stuck in the Mud?” – 7 Ways to Overcome the Feeling of No Progress in Martial Arts

By Restita DeJesus

---

We’ve all been there.
The form feels clumsy.
The techniques don’t land right.
The progress you thought you were making suddenly feels like it’s vanished.

If you’ve ever muttered, “I feel like I’m not improving,” you’re not alone. Martial arts is not a straight path—it's a winding journey full of plateaus, setbacks, and moments where growth hides beneath the surface. But progress is still there, even when it doesn't feel like it.

All too often, we track progress based on the new techniques, that cool new jump kick, or a new throw. Sometimes, we might forget that a good teacher will teach us what we *need* instead of what we *want.

Here are 7 simple but powerful ways that i've learned through the years and have applied to my own training,  to shift your mindset and navigate those murky moments where you question yourself:

---

1. Track Small Wins—Not Just Big Milestones

You don’t need to earn a new belt or perfect a form to mark progress. Did your stance feel more solid today? Did you stay calm during sparring? Write it down..... Keeping a training journal helps you see how far you’ve come.

Progress isn’t always loud—it’s often quiet, consistent, and easy to overlook.

---

2. Ask for Feedback from Your Instructor

Sometimes we’re too close to our own progress to notice it. A fresh perspective from your instructor can reveal gains in timing, footwork, or attitude that you’ve dismissed or didn’t even notice. Even if it just a simple "Sifu, can you please look at my form to see what I need to work on?", feedback can ignite that fire again.

What feels stagnant to you might look like growth to someone else.

---

3. Change the Lens: Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome

Martial arts is a lifestyle, not a checklist. When we chase only the next belt, rank, or skill, we risk missing the beauty of daily discipline. Reframe your goals: Instead of “get faster,” try “move with more intention.”

---

4. Teach or Help Someone Else

You’d be surprised how much you know when you're explaining a concept to someone newer than you. Teaching solidifies your understanding and gives you a sense of purpose beyond self-comparison. Just be sure to get permission from your teacher first.

Helping others grow reveals how much you’ve grown.

---

5. Remember: Plateaus Are Normal—and Necessary

Growth isn’t linear. Sometimes your brain is quietly rewiring, even when your body feels stuck. These plateaus are not a failure—they're a pause before the next leap.

Trust the plateau. It’s part of the process.

---

6. Celebrate the Internal Wins

Not every victory is physical. Maybe you overcame self-doubt. Maybe you showed up even when motivation was low. Maybe you showed up even though your just "felt tired and didn't want to get up off the couch". That is progress. That is strength.

          Strength is not just the physical aspects.

---

7. Take a Breather—Then Return with Fresh Eyes

Sometimes you need a short break to restore perspective. Walk. Stretch. Breathe. Watch videos of your first classes and compare. When you come back, you’ll often notice growth you had forgotten.

           Step back and regroup. Remember where you are now compared to when you first joined.

---

Final Thought:

Feeling stuck is not the end of your martial arts journey—it’s a signal to reflect, reset, and recommit. Like muddy water, clarity comes when things settle. Give yourself the grace to keep going.

Because progress, like mastery, isn’t always visible right away. But it's always being built.

---

Train with intention. Trust the journey.
—Sifu Restita