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Training...

15:29 / 28.01.02

I guess this applies well to active martial artists, but it can be very much the same for anyone. Who's active here? In the sense of...walking out on the floor or designating time to workout and train? Anyone's approach less social?

I've been irregularly meeting with the black belts from my ryu on occassion but it certainly lacks a structure. I also opted out recently since it's not the right thing to do for me right now (trying to get back on my feet - food, clothing, shelter, job). Is anyone else in similar circumstances? And if so...what's your approach? This has been giving me some trouble since I want to keep going but don't have the right things in order to feel I'll be true to it. Interim recommendations?

15:58 / 28.01.02

I go regularly at least 3 times a week to my academy.

When my partner and I were in Oaxaca last summer for 5 weeks we obviously couldn't go to class. We practiced at least every other day to not lose ground.

When we returned we both received some good words from our teacher on how we had been keeping up with our practice. Most people when they are away from class don't.

That seems to be the best interim recommendation: Keep practicing on your own as much as you can. There's always plenty of stuff to improve upon even when you're not learning anything new.

16:21 / 28.01.02

I hold down about twice a week, currently. I'd like to do more, but life gets in the way. I'm terrible at practicing at home. Seems I need to get myself to the mat before I can really get busy.

What's really kept me going is when I agreed to teach an intermediate Kung Fu class there. That comittment will drag me out where otherwise I might blow it off with lame excuses.

23:21 / 28.01.02

I am in a similar situation. I had to drop out of the school shrotly after gaining the black belt, because my family had problems and I had to help.

Tried training by myself, but this time I lacked the discipline (I trained alone some years ago)

Now things are better, but I feel a little afraid of going back, because I am totally out of condition, and I know My teacher is not going to be happy about that, so...

15:21 / 29.01.02

quote:Now things are better, but I feel a little afraid of going back, because I am totally out of condition, and I know My teacher is not going to be happy about that, so...

In many ways...I identify with it in the same way...fortunately, the whole organization is a self regulated one. The dojo itself, didn't exist much after I went to college. The relationship is active and still extends to the black belts or people who were there long enough to keep things going. And as far as training...most people aren't as physically fit as when the dojo stood. Since it's not functioning under the same demeanor, people visit when they can and it's not quite a regular thing.

It's also difficult to do it on your own...you also get out of sorts with being able to get back out on the floor. I still find myself looking at things daily and walking into a motion that later becomes some exploration of technique. What's interesting though is that the journey never really ended. I'd say my understanding is better. But that can also be the problem...

Since then, my approach has changed. There's a bit of self-guilt involved in the whole thing. Part of me wanting what I did when I was a bit younger but the older and new found experienced me is looking for things that tend to depart from the fold...kind of confusing...

15:26 / 29.01.02

quote:Keep practicing on your own as much as you can. There's always plenty of stuff to improve upon even when you're not learning anything new.

I agree. What's cool about being a black belt is now...you have the tools and the foundation to actually learn something. I feel that the sense of accomplishment rank gets you is when you learn that you really don't know that much but you're on the cusp of something very interesting. I've been actively trying to understand and improve on my punch for over ten years, for example. Would be nice to have something to test it on...that's the problem with training on one's own...

18:22 / 29.01.02

I go to tai chi class once a week when sifu is in town. Currently, it's been about three weeks since the last meeting - and I'm a terrible slacker. None of the classmates live near me, so it's really hard to find someone to train with. And I'm a lazy fuck.

Sigh.

I tried to do some expansion/contraction exercises while sanding doors the other day, and there have been other sort of functional practice moments, but they're all catch-as-catch-can. Hmph.

16:36 / 30.01.02

I find poles and other vertical inanimate objects to be of great use when I'm bored or have the opportunity to "size" them up. Its funny though when you get the look from everybody around you after you leap at the pole, forgetting where you were at the moment.

Does anyone use maka-wara (sp?) boards for conditioning or hit bags of shotput, etc. to build strength? I've found and felt (ouch) the effects of such training beneficial since it keeps the form of the technique in check (so you don't hurt yourself) and it puts a very heavy drive behind the impact. One black belt I used to train with got very good at this...it made sense to get out of the way.

I also recommend tapeing phonebooks together and having someone hold them so you could beat on them. Feels about as real as hitting someone as you can get...without your friend holding his chest too much. Plus the holder gets to feel some impact and practice breathing. A little more responsive than pads.