Does anyone..

[jkdhit]

does anyone here train at the park or outside or anywhere public? and do you ever feel a bit embarrassed or feel like you're showing off?

just curious

i noticed a lot of times i'll practice at the park or in the train station then i'll stop because i hear or see someone coming. it happens to me pretty much all the time. i remember i was practicing my slips, weaves, and counter punches at a pillar in the train station then stopped because i realized someone was behind the pillar watching me. another time i was at a train station and i didnt see or hear anyone around so i was stretching and practicing a few kicks then i stopped because i saw someone standing behind a machine watching me

 

[arnisador]

I practice in the back yard at a friend's house (and have done that often over the years). Training in the park makes me a bit uncomfortable. It can attract the wrong sort of attention, sadly.

 

[Phil Elmore]

I've done a lot of practice outdoors, including on the property of instructors whose homes were in residential neighborhoods and in parks. I've also done some photo shoots in parks.

I never felt like it was showing off to use the space available to me when no other place was available, but once or twice we did stop or relocate when we drew attention from passers-by. Kids, in particular, are very drawn to this type of thing; it's generally harmless, but I would imagine most people wouldn't want children to see them practicing anything that could be misused.

 

[Knarfan]

I usually practice in my backyard . I think my neibors think I'm alittle weird when they see me , because I usually have a training blade or a stick in my hand . I try not to do any knife training outdoors in any public places because once I was practicing a couple of blade moves out front of a dojo that I used to train at & some passer by must have thought that I was really attacking my training partner & called the cops & I almost got shot . The officer & I laughed about it later , but it was a very stupid move on my part . So now I won't even exspose a training blade in public , because you never know what people will think . Shadow boxing & practicing kicks do it! who cares what people think, as long as your not putting yourself in danger . Besides , if they give you any crap you can always beat them up ! Calm down I'm just kidding LOL !

 

[MA-Caver]

There's a graveled walk just outside my apartment about 50 yards away with a nice river running next to it. I'll go out there to meditate and to do a few techs or forms or even a kata or three. I don't worry about looking weird.... usually it's about 1 or 3 am in the morning when I go out there. Heh...
But I do practice indoors and usually my roomie isn't at home anyway so I'm not worried about being interuppted... got a decent sized living room with sparse furnishings so it makes for another good place to brush up and such.


note: In Utah what we call a river most folks east of the continential divide (and especially the Mississippi) call a stream or a creek. Don't know how they can call what's outside my apt. a river after seeing the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

 

[Pale Rider]

I have at times practiced in the park. Yes, it is true that it does attract the wrong people, but it does also attract the right people as well. This is a good way of promoting your art without spending alot of money to do it.
Here is a pic for example where I am with Progressive Tactics Martial Arts Picnic...
I am the one breaking with my head (Master Barker is in the background to the immediate left of me wearing dark blue shorts)

​

 

[arnisador]

Photo shoots are different, to my mind.

There was a woman arrested in town a few years back for practicing a Tai Chi sword form in the park.

 

[jkdhit]

but thats a sword lol i think its understandable.. maybe if she had a foam encased sword or wooden sword then it would have been fine

 

[MJS]

I'll workout with one of my training partners in his backyard. Its good to train outside as it'll give a more realistic feeling compared to always training indoors. As for the park or public place...as it was already said, I tend to not do that as the attention it could draw may not always be the best.

Mike

 

[Shaolinwind]

does anyone here train at the park or outside or anywhere public? and do you ever feel a bit embarrassed or feel like you're showing off?

My wife and I do because we don't have any other space for it. Never had any spectators but if we did draw a crowd I'd probably throw some change in an open tote bag and see how much I can rake in.

 

[jkdhit]

haha can help pay your tuition

 

[Andrew Green]

Would you be embaressed if you where playing football or baseball?

Why should martial arts (just another sport) be any different?

 

[Bammx2]

I have done quite a few training sessions at parks and the such,but the one thing I do not do is go train on my own.

I have attracted the wrong sort on occasions,but only once did it become nasty....real nasty.
And I was on my own.

I have had incidents that were nothing in comparison...and even recruited new people!
Heck...I even got aproached by the police and ended up doing a small seminar right there on the spot!

But again....I won't do it on my own anymore.

Get some friends and go have a blast!
But it may worth telling the police ahead of time..........
just in case

 

[searcher]

We train in parking lots, back yards, on our towns park square, and anywhere we can get different terrains. It can be a little stressful with the public watching, but it is good for PR and recruiting. As long as the students don't let their minds wander it is a good training experience.

 

[Shane Smith]

We train in Historical European Swordsmanship,armoured and unarmoured,in the local park every weekend;No problems. We use real swords frequently and have done so for years. The general orderliness of our training sessions keeps onlookers and Authorities in their comfort zone as opposed to us looking like nuts swinging steel blades or wooden wasters on the lawn. As long as you look orderly and competent, you should be fine.

 

[Spook]

Very cool pics Shane Smith, thanks!

I also practice in local parks on nice days usually with a group. I can't get outside enough especially when its nice out. Way better than any dojo.

 

[still learning]

Hello, It is true most of us feel a little embarrass practicing our martial arts in a public place. Most of us do it, not to show off, but because it is an open space to train in, and it does feel different. I go to a nearby park and prefer to go when no one is around.

In the Asian countries it is a common thing to see people practicing their art outside in public. In America it can attract the wrong people who want to test you/harrassment and so on. Maybe that is why most of us prefer not to be seen in public. In a group it seems a little different.

It is a very different feeling training in a open outdoor space, everyone should do this as often as they can. On grass, cement, or dirt grounds, Hawaiian sand beaches, anywhere. Don;t forget to Ki-eye! Loudly? ....enjoy the outdoors......Aloha

Ps everyone is invited to practice on the sand beaches here!

 

[arnisador]

In the park, people looking for trouble will sometimes show up. It's a problem. I prefer to avoid that issue.

 

[Shaolinwind]

haha can help pay your tuition

LOL maybe once I'm worth watching, sure.

 

[jkdhit]

andrew.. practicing football or baseball is very different compared to martial arts because when you practice those other sports, you're normally with other team mates.

if you're practicing batting, you're in an environment with batting cages, pitching machine, etc

if you're playing basketball, the hoop is there

with martial arts, it just seems a bit odd being in a setting other than your home or dojo. sometimes i feel odd even in the backyard because i feel like someones watching .


i have to agree with arnisador, a lot of people always come looking for trouble and its just something you want to avoid as much as possible. also it feels weird to attract attention or to just be watched. don't you feel a bit weird if you're just sitting somewhere reading and you notice someones staring at you? you ignore them and continue reading only to find that 15 minutes later they're still staring at you?

chobaja if people drop money seeing a group practicing tai chi then why not eagle claw kung fu?