I’ve only been playing for a few weeks. Maybe 1-2. I spend at least 2-3 hours in training mode a day, and yet when I get online I still get stomped out. I feel like part of the problem is that I’m not comfortable using a controller to play a heavy game like this. I ordered a Fight Stick off Amazon but it won’t arrive till next week, so I have to endure it for now. But yeah, I feel like using a standard controller is a hindrance and limits my ability to play. I’m hoping once I switch to a stick I will play slightly better? But for the time being, I do lose a lot. I don’t mind losing though because it allows me to get better but it does feel like the time I spend training isn’t paying off if I can’t win any matches? If that makes sense.
Yes.
But I don’t want to lose. 
Then get better…at whatever game you are trying to get better at.
There are plenty of threads in this forum with information that can be useful.
Everybody loses a lot, even the pros had to lose a lot before they got “good” that’s a part of literally anything competitive. You’re going to suck before you start winning, and it’s going to happen A LOT. As long as you put your focus on learning instead of winning you’ll eventually stop losing.
Also you’re playing online, which is a terrible way to learn a new game unless you have training partners.
Also watch this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyeDlrIC-z8&index=34&list=PLDK2VQXbtG1l6_-S_BehCxvRd4FHFTO1p
Sometimes you plateau and just have to deal with losing. Take a break and reconsider your gameplan.
Also this from Juice box on whiff punishing. I recommend watching it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQQCan5oo90&index=37&list=PLDK2VQXbtG1l6_-S_BehCxvRd4FHFTO1p
Profound! You’re absolutely right. I shouldn’t focus on winning. I should focus on learning. I certainly feel like every day I learn more and improve. I doubt I’ll ever reach the level of pro players like Daigo, but that’s okay. I am happy being the best that I can be! And thanks I will check out both video’s you linked!
What are you doing for 2-3 hours in the training room? Starting out you need to work on fundamentals. That is learning what to do in the neutral game, wake-up game, etc. Execution worries should be limited to normals, specials and basic non-linking combos (on Ryu, for example going from c.mk to hadouken). Working on advanced execution without developing fundamentals is like building a house without a foundation - it may look good at times but is bound to crumble.
Yes losing alot should be expected and welcome. How ever you should also be having fun or at least a drive of some sort. If you only experince anxiety and fustrtaion, then you need to take break ( 15 mins the least) to evalaute whats going on and how to proceed.
Right now im not having the most enjoyable experince with some fighters I’ve picked up recently.
Yes, for someone who has been playing for a few weeks, you should probably be losing about 70%-95% of your matches.
That Juicebox video (above) is very good, but it’s definitely not something you should be thinking about now and I don’t understand why people suggest that beginners watch it. Beginners have enough trouble punishing whiffed DPs or Ultras.
There are a million more things you need to be thinking about before you start thinking about whiff punishing normals.
Learn to anti-air, poke, dash and last but surely not least block.
Doing that shit consistently nets you a good 10K BP, bonus points if you learn to read your opponent along the way.
If you’re good at sitting down for multiple hours in a row and learn combos and clean inputs, that helps as well but is no way necessary to play SFIV and win more than you lose.
Don’t get discouraged and intimidated by difficult execution techniques, you really don’t need them if you pick a solid character like Ryu or Guile.
Combos are importaint, but more importaint is learning when you can land single hits that do damage when the opportunity presents itself. Watch this tournament match, in the 3rd round of the 3rd game (match point for both) PGFX Kiu has a huge life lead and is about to take the match when SRM White Beast lands a couple of quick well placed pokes that steals the lead and the momentum and ends up winning him the match
http://youtu.be/A7urddyjq6A
I’m not against this suggestion the concept pretty easy to grasp, the issue is the execution maner, which some character is more harder than others.
Yes. Especially in the beginning of learning a fighting game, you take your lumps. I spent the better part of Vanilla SF4 complaining about losing, but after fighting tons of people you pick up on strategies and tactics. I’m pretty sure after three years, my win/lose is is still below 1.
My theory on this (and learning everything in life) is - you wouldn’t teach a kid in 1st grade calculus. Let the child learn and master simple addition and subtraction first, then he can advance to multiplication and division, and so forth. I agree the concept of whiff punishing is easy to grasp, but I think the application is the hardest thing about fighting games.
I believe in learning things with steps. Master the easier stuff first, then graduate to the next challenge.
I’ve been playing for about 4 months against my bf who played for years. I lose a lot but I try to keep my spirits up. I’m starting to lose a lot less these days so, there is hope!!! 
I wouldn’t bother with the pad if you’re waiting on the stick. Maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t want to get used to using a pad if I’m just going to switch later. Good luck!
“Soul crushing” is how I would describe my online experience. I’ve decided to take a break from SF for a bit, but DB xenoverse’s retarded RNG might just make come back sooner. 
It’s normal. General tips to improve:
- Get a combo that you can hit reliably, all the time. Something you can do without thinking. For instance, maybe settling for lead attack into low MK to Hurricane Kick.
- Learn also to recognise when finishing the combo is a bad idea, and then stopping at a safer point before. In the above case, you want to hit the low MK, then do the motion for the Hurricane Kick. If you can see/hear the MK hit, you press the button, otherwise you hold off. If not sure or your reactions aren’t good enough yet, better to stay safe generally.
- Don’t panic.
- Study your character and see what’s possible. YouTube your character’s best players, and try to understand why the pros play the way they do.
- Learn how your character moves. Super important, as it’s something that’s easy to forget especially when new. Once you get a good grasp of how your character moves, you can look at your own character less and start observing opponent more.
There’s a lot more to this of course but I think these are a few easy starting points that most can pick up.
Your aware different cultural have different academic system? the environment while not entirely contributes. Its why people who go to college try to go to particular prestige university than a college that offers the same course. Due to prestige place High standers, highly competitive nature, the environment conditions you to do so or you wont survive.
this applies to games and more so in fighters
Sf4 whiff punishing may be challenge because what options are use as punishes or if the character is even capable at all. How ever in other game like Samurai showdown/Spirirts where whiff punishment is the name of the game then the concept becomes second nature in little time because the environment conditions it.
Which is one of the reason why I can’t support the “SF4” for being the game to introduce fighter because it forces condition that you can’t apply in most other games. In other words when you learn sf4 you only know sf4. Because Whiff punishing is basic of fighter but SF4 keep you from this if you don’t meat is execution barrier let alone a character who can do it.
Only thing Sf4 help is your execution and polish stick techniques but this practice is obsolete as most game have been design with better command interpreter or find ways to make commands lenient. Outside of execution character most other fighter don’t reward your execution but your ability to adjust under pressure.