Much like the way many of my musician friends teach their students how to play a musical instrument, the same similar basic principals of learning to advance in Martial Arts may still apply.

First, you'll have to overcome the strenuous and unnatural positioning of your hands and fingers thru hours of repetition and practice. Realigning posture or stances to accommodate continuity and overall feeling. Then you'll struggle with simple timing signatures and rhythms while trying to give it proper form and structure.

You'll need to achieve at least a basic understanding of music theory itself to gain true insight. Then you'll have to remember and recall all this new information until it finally begins to feel less mechanical and a bit more natural.

After much more practice, now you're able to form a series of simple chords in sequences with enough knowledge and ability to mimic patterns that sound a lot more like real music!

By methodically studying lessons and examples, before long you should be playing songs or executing techniques with a certain amount of confidence. You now have a well-rounded understanding of music or Self-defense and a good grasp on your own abilities.

You're now playing to your own beat! Suddenly you can improvise just like Jazz! Now you begin to write your own music. You find yourself in touch with your mind and body at a higher level. Almost in a subconscious state, you exude the type of individual creativity some are never lucky enough to experience.

Without thinking, you should soon be able to teach others what you've learned ... to make Martial Arts like beautiful music!

The similarities between learning to make music and building a foundation in Martial Arts are nearly parallel.

Since I was a kid, I've always asked myself about the connections that I might find in being so attracted to the practice of music as well martial arts.

They're so closely related...

It is even shown in an ancient book called: "Flute Sword" a form of self defense in which the flute is used as a weapon, which is practiced by musicians / martial artists in old Vietnam.

Personally, martial arts and music have taken me on a long path of discipline, knowledge, practice and enlightening introspection.

Starting from the proper way of breathing, good posture, structure, a sense of rhythm; these base elements are so important in both music and in martial arts. They can become an act of defense or way to show and express the forms of harmony.

In this way, even the interpretation changes on a sheet of music as well through the movements of the Martial Artist by following what is appropriate in that specific moment.

For example, a deep feeling of sadness could be expressed outwardly by involving the whole orchestra, then falling into a strong explosion of sounds and tempo to display other emotions, but, it could mellow to be followed by a moment of sweet love that is captured by the delicate flying notes of a solo violin.

So, in martial arts, whether fighting or practicing a kata form...softness may become hardness, brutality can invoke greater beauty.

The same can be made into music. Emotion is the KEY for both of those arts.

Practicing martial arts or learning to play a musical intrument throughout the years, you will become clearly aware of who you truly are, how you may better perceive the world surrounding you. It's good to push yourself towards this healthy type of growth in order to evolve your art-form and your personality, to better enable yourself to face the challenges of your own inner weaknesses and gain more strength.

They can be the expression of your intent.

The practice of a purely harmonious connection of the body and mind is the practice of perfection...they become enlightment on your personal journey. Both of these arts will surely feed your soul and effect positive change.