Patterns in public?

[RED]

Time is tight for me. I work 12 hr days and I've got 3 kids in soccer and baseball. I go to class once-twice a week and I find time to go to the gym three times a week. I would like to start doing patterns and work out with a heavy bag at the gym but with all the people around I get a complex going. The arobics room is in the front of the gym, there is nothing else to look at while one is using the Cardio equipment.

1) I don't want the reputation of the middle aged guy at the gym who does "those Kung Fu type" moves.
2) I don't want anyone desciding to challenge me to see how tough I really am. Even though I never act like I'm the Alfa dog.
3) I don't see to many people kicking the "Tae-Bo" bag or doing patterns at the gym myself.

Do you do patterns in a public setting?

 

[Kacey]

Well, when I lived in a condominium, there wasn't room in my house to practice, so I was practicing on the grass by my building or on the tennis courts (wear shoes - court cement is deliberately rough). I never had any real problems, although one day a guy from a WTF class that did the same pattern class stopped to talk to me.

I've never tried it at the Y except right before or after my class, when there're a group of us, so I'm really not sure what the reaction would be. If you're worried about spectators, is there a racquetball court you could reserve and practice in? There'd be a lot fewer spectators that way.

 

[Flying Crane]

Time is tight for me. I work 12 hr days and I've got 3 kids in soccer and baseball. I go to class once-twice a week and I find time to go to the gym three times a week. I would like to start doing patterns and work out with a heavy bag at the gym but with all the people around I get a complex going. The arobics room is in the front of the gym, there is nothing else to look at while one is using the Cardio equipment.

1) I don't want the reputation of the middle aged guy at the gym who does "those Kung Fu type" moves.
2) I don't want anyone desciding to challenge me to see how tough I really am. Even though I never act like I'm the Alfa dog.
3) I don't see to many people kicking the "Tae-Bo" bag or doing patterns at the gym myself.

Do you do patterns in a public setting?

All the time. I do my private personal training sessions in a gym where I have a membership. Mostly its business type people coming in to work the stairmaster for 20 minutes before work. I use the group room when it is empty, and do my own training. I've been there longer than most of the staff and trainers, and they are actually pretty respectful. I've even had a couple trainers and a couple gym members ask if I might start teaching a class at the gym sometime.

In the beginning, I knew there were a trainer or two who thought what I was doing was kind of funny. One of the other trainers even told me that the other trainers thought this. It didn't really bother me, 'cause I had a feeling the guilty parties were kind of stupid people anyway. Those trainers left the gym years ago, and I'm still there, doing my stuff. People mostly leave me alone. Sometimes other people come into the room to do their own thing, we share the space and work around each other and it's worked out well.

I have also spent time working in a park, nobody has ever hassled me. Maybe it's because I'm in San Francisco, and this type of thing is fairly common.

 

[Laurentkd]

I always felt self-conscious when working on forms at my university's rec center, and I was able to use a room (the same one I taught my class in) which was separate from the other work out areas. I have to admit, I would have a hard time gaining much when I was worried about what others were thinking when they popped their head in to see if the ping-pong table was available. However, once I just focused on myself I seemed to get past this, and it was really just something I had to get over (the other other option would have been not training- and that was no option!).
Like Kacey said, a racket ball court would be perfect. I have even practiced in bathroom stalls before! But, if you have no other option, just put your back to everyone else, put on some headphones (if you enjoy that) and focus on yourself. You'll feel better about yourself by practicing your stuff and being afraid of looking goofy than you will by not training. Good Luck!

 

[crushing]

I feel ya with being self-conscious about doing forms. I had the wonderful opportunity of going to Hong Kong and was kind of jealous of the people doing tai chi in out in the public parks and people weren't stopping to stare (well except maybe me for a minute or so).

When I'm not in class or the comfort and privacy of my own home I use visualization to do the forms. I really got lost in my visualization one time at work and didn't realize that I was actually physcially involving my arms and a coworker asked me what in the heck I was doing. I was a little embarrassed.

We have had classes at a township park and at the beach and I still felt a little funny about that. Oh well.

I know I shouldn't be so self-conscious about it, and that I should think that THEY are the ones with the problem.

Maybe I'll turn my sig to: "Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt, And do forms like no one's watching!"

 

[Marginal]

The instructor that presided over my first belt test (Master Hups who kindly drove down to Durango to support the FLC TKD club) ended up drawing U2's attention while working patterns in a gym at a Holiday Inn back in the 80's. He ended up getting invited to their concert etc.

Every situation's gonna be different though.

 

[Miles]

I do forms in my backyard but we have a privacy fence. I would feel a little weird if there was anyone watching, but that's me. On the other hand, we have a group which gets together Sunday mornings at 7am and we do forms in a parking lot until just before it starts to snow, but there is no one there at that time.

Miles

 

[Xue Sheng]

Do you do patterns in a public setting?

Only when my Sanda sifu makes me.. and if someone wants to challenge him they're insane :uhyeah: Sorry just had to say that

I have done Sanda, Taiji and Xingyi in a public setting. I was once in a long line at a bank thinking about a Chen form I had just learned when I realized that the line had pretty much moved away from me because I kind of forgot where I was and was doing the stance and movement of a posture (long bank lines are boring) But regardless who cares what anyone thinks if it is something you enjoy and you only have limited time.

As for challenges, never got one from practicing in public.

Besides not many people want to challenge a guy beating up a tree :uhyeah: Sorry couldn’t resist…. OK…. I’ll go now

 

[Kacey]

The instructor that presided over my first belt test (Master Hups who kindly drove down to Durango to support the FLC TKD club) ended up drawing U2's attention while working patterns in a gym at a Holiday Inn back in the 80's. He ended up getting invited to their concert etc.

Every situation's gonna be different though.

Okay, this is a little off topic... but is Master Hups' full name Kent Hups?

 

[Marginal]

That's correct.

 

[Laurentkd]

As for challenges, never got one from practicing in public.

Besides not many people want to challenge a guy beating up a tree :uhyeah: Sorry couldn’t resist…. OK…. I’ll go now

Ok, I have read post after post about you beating up trees... I just can't hold back any more! Please tell me the story behind this!!!!

Thanks

 

[RED]

Well, when I lived in a condominium, there wasn't room in my house to practice, so I was practicing on the grass by my building or on the tennis courts (wear shoes - court cement is deliberately rough). I never had any real problems, although one day a guy from a WTF class that did the same pattern class stopped to talk to me.

I've never tried it at the Y except right before or after my class, when there're a group of us, so I'm really not sure what the reaction would be. If you're worried about spectators, is there a racquetball court you could reserve and practice in? There'd be a lot fewer spectators that way.

Nothing else is available. There's only the one room. If I keep up with the dog, practicing outside is great, but I don't have a privacy fence. But it's OK if the neigbors think I'm weird, I think they are weirder.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

I do it all the time. At our local YMCA, I'll kick the sandbag if noone else is using it. I prefer noone else be in the room because the bag does tend to fly around when I hit it, much to some peoples' amazement. I'll use the aerobics room after the classes are finished and do forms, basic kicking, or whatever. I try to avoid using gyms or other rooms that are being used-I'm a little too self conscious for that. Other than that, I'll use what is available.

 

[IcemanSK]

I've trained in a few public places in my life (the Y, at work, at Church) just when no one is around. Heck, even when I train by myself in the space where I teach I close the shades so I'm not bothered. I admit I'm more self-conscious than a lot of folks when I train (see my thread about "getting caught in public doing forms") but I still do it.

I'd recommend finding a place, any place where you can train without being bothered or bothering others. As long as a space isn't being used, it can be a private space for you for a while.

All the best in the Arts, Red!

 

[WMKS Shogun]

I have done forms while waiting outside of a dressing room while my girlfriend tries on a million outfits:uhyeah: I also sometimes do forms in the local park, and used to do them on the campus lawn while I was in college. I have done forms during my planning period when substituting, during my lunch break, etc. The way I see it, all martial artists have a duty to help pass on their art, and if my doing forms in public raises awareness about the arts I practice, then I am doing my part!

 

[bookworm_cn317]

Time is tight for me. I work 12 hr days and I've got 3 kids in soccer and baseball. I go to class once-twice a week and I find time to go to the gym three times a week. I would like to start doing patterns and work out with a heavy bag at the gym but with all the people around I get a complex going. The arobics room is in the front of the gym, there is nothing else to look at while one is using the Cardio equipment.

1) I don't want the reputation of the middle aged guy at the gym who does "those Kung Fu type" moves.
2) I don't want anyone desciding to challenge me to see how tough I really am. Even though I never act like I'm the Alfa dog.
3) I don't see to many people kicking the "Tae-Bo" bag or doing patterns at the gym myself.

Do you do patterns in a public setting?

Yes. It beats standing around, dying of boredom, waiting for the teacher to show up.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

I say no. Martial arts are for martial artists, not the gawkers, muffinheads or idly curious.

Besides which, If it does come down to you having to fight, what the hell good was your training if the person/group assaulting you now knows how you prefer to move/fight, or comes armed to deal with you since they now know you can at least defend yourself better than an average person since you spent the last however long in public broadcasting it to the neighborhood like an idiot.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Ok, I have read post after post about you beating up trees... I just can't hold back any more! Please tell me the story behind this!!!!

Thanks

There is really no story here.

My Sanda sifu prefers hitting trees instead of a heavy bag. Palm strikes, kicks, forearm strikes and elbow strikes. But to be honest I just can't get myself to elbow a tree just yet. I recently got a new heavy bag and told him about it, and although he did not say anything beyond "Why?" I got the impression he thought it was silly, to soft and for whimps.

His sifu had him train with trees in China and that is the way he wants me to train now. So that is why I am hitting trees

It is just that I have joked about it WAY to much here on MT and I really need to stop doing that.

 

[Laurentkd]

There is really no story here.

My Sanda sifu prefers hitting trees instead of a heavy bag. Palm strikes, kicks, forearm strikes and elbow strikes. But to be honest I just can't get myself to elbow a tree just yet. I recently got a new heavy bag and told him about it, and although he did not say anything beyond "Why?" I got the impression he thought it was silly, to soft and for whimps.

His sifu had him train with trees in China and that is the way he wants me to train now. So that is why I am hitting trees

It is just that I have joked about it WAY to much here on MT and I really need to stop doing that.

Thanks for the response, it all make sense now!! When we train outside we hit trees on occasion, but I guess we don't look at heavybags as whimpy. Maybe we got it all wrong through huh?
Thanks again, and joke away (now that I am in on it )!!

 

[Xue Sheng]

Maybe we got it all wrong through huh?

Maybe, at least my Sifu thinks we do.

He is out in the snow, rain, cold, etc. doing this stuff so I guess by comparison I am a whimp for preferring the indoor heavy bag in upstate NY in the winter.