How many times a week should a beginner train?

[Yokozuna514]

And when people have gloves and foot pads on, they think they can hit harder. I had the same mentality.

What goes around definitely comes around. But it wasn’t like that during my test. They were all trying to push me right to my breaking point. There’s a fine line there between enough and too much. They didn’t cross it. They were all black belts who’d been through it themselves and knew me well enough. I did the same thing when others were coming up. That builds the family atmosphere. People taking advantage certainly doesn’t. Anyone who took advantage was dealt with accordingly by the head honcho. Didn’t happen often, but it wasn’t pretty the very few times I saw it happen.

Yes, the funny thing about going through the grading is that it is a reflection of everything you have gone through up until that point. It not only considers what you know on the day but it brings out how you prepared and the will that was forged from hundreds and thousands of hours polishing your craft. It is a kind of rebirth as you now have the understanding of what it takes to succeed so when you look at someone else going through it, you know intimately what they are going through and how well they prepared. The tests may vary slightly but you understand what is being asked of you and what it will take to pass.

People that take advantage at a grading show more about themselves than the person they are taking advantage of and either are oblivious as to what is going on (which shows they have missed the concept of 'showing the way') or they are so insecure that a minor victory in someone else's test gives them the little boost of confidence to make their own lives bearable. Sad either way......

 

[JR 137]

Yes, the funny thing about going through the grading is that it is a reflection of everything you have gone through up until that point. It not only considers what you know on the day but it brings out how you prepared and the will that was forged from hundreds and thousands of hours polishing your craft. It is a kind of rebirth as you now have the understanding of what it takes to succeed so when you look at someone else going through it, you know intimately what they are going through and how well they prepared. The tests may vary slightly but you understand what is being asked of you and what it will take to pass.

People that take advantage at a grading show more about themselves than the person they are taking advantage of and either are oblivious as to what is going on (which shows they have missed the concept of 'showing the way') or they are so insecure that a minor victory in someone else's test gives them the little boost of confidence to make their own lives bearable. Sad either way......

Also reminds me of something related...

Before my test, there were a few black belts in the dojo who I questioned why anyone give them a black belt. After I took my test, it made me realize they definitely earned it.

If all goes well and my back issue straightens out, I’ll hopefully test for shodan by the end of the year. Not that it’ll be the same test I took back then, but from what I’ve heard it’s the same thing at its core. Different techniques, different format, same challenge of bringing you to that breaking point.

I don’t care about the rank. Been there, done that. I really want the challenge of the test itself. Not to walk out with a new belt. Not to learn new stuff. Just the test in and of itself. My shodan test was the single most physically demanding thing I’ve ever done. I was 22 years old. At 43 by the time the test is available, it’ll be interesting to see how I’ve changed, physically and mentally. I’m pretty sure I’m far more mentally tougher now. Only one way to find out. My test at 22 was on a Saturday. I was back in the dojo Monday night. I wonder how long it’ll take me to recover this time around.

 

[Yokozuna514]

Hopefully your back will allow you to do the grading the way YOU want to do it. I agree, it is not about the new belt or the new rank, it is about proving to yourself that all the time spent training was worth it and that you are capable of doing what you set out to do so many years before.

Many different people approach the test in different ways with varying results. Some just look to survive and that is fine if that is what THEY want to do. I was 51 when I graded for Shodan and I wanted to prove to myself that all the hours training at the dojo would allow me not only to survive but to thrive regardless of what was asked of me on the day. I wanted to excel and set a new standard of what it means to be a 50 year old doing the test. I didn't want any allowances for age because truly I did not want anyone to look at me in my new belt and say, 'well his test was easy'. I was the oldest person taking the grading that day and it does make me feel good when the other people taking the test who were much younger said they gained encouragement seeing and hearing me push through the difficult portions. There was a particularly difficult part of the test that I struggled with. Everyone was finished far ahead of me and were able to do it easily (holding a belt taught in two hands and jumping over it without letting go x 10). I tried backwards, then forwards but fell many times. The last 3 were extremely difficult as I pretty much hit the floor on every attempt. If it wasn't for the encouragement of my Shihan and the other students, I would probably still be there trying to do it. All he said, was I had taken enough practices now it was time to do it. So just do it.

Spend the time to get ready, JR137 and do the test the way you want to do it. If you want to be back in class on Monday, you will. I know I was. I also came back to teach the kids class right before my own because being 50 to me doesn't mean people should take it easy on me. That would just piss me off.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'll have to go back and try to find it. I rarely take actual notes of these things anymore (I used to keep a list of useful articles, until the list got too long to be useful, itself). PM me if you don't hear anything in a few days, as it probably means I lost interest and wandered off to read about Joe Pesci or something (Aziz Ansari reference).

I'll do that, if I dont get distracted and forget about it. I'm half tempted to pm the hobbit to remind both of us...something tells me that will be more effective

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I'll do that, if I dont get distracted and forget about it. I'm half tempted to pm the hobbit to remind both of us...something tells me that will be more effective

That's my usual strategy.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I'll have to go back and try to find it. I rarely take actual notes of these things anymore (I used to keep a list of useful articles, until the list got too long to be useful, itself). PM me if you don't hear anything in a few days, as it probably means I lost interest and wandered off to read about Joe Pesci or something (Aziz Ansari reference).

Any luck on this?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Any luck on this?

Not yet. I found several articles that came close, but none were about the individual differences. I'll try a different search today. Heck, maybe I'll check my saved notes...maybe I did save the article to OneNote or something.

 

[dvcochran]

@jobo said it well. For everyone, training of any kind goes smoother and is more effective and productive when it is balanced with the rest of a persons everyday lifestyle. Age is definitely a factor, meaning the younger we are the easier it is for most people to handle physicals stresses. Conversely, as we age we should be able to handle mental stresses better. In regards, physical exercise (martial arts) as a pastime or hobby, 3 times/week is a very good target number. All the martials art I have experience in require copious amount of muscle memory to be effective. So repetition is vital for success. Something that doesn't seem to be emphasized any more is how important personal training is for maintaining and progressing in MA. I often tell people they can practice the pattern of a form in a box in their office, mentally going through the form with tiny steps. Practice like this is only a supplement to regular classroom practice, but if time and lifestyle are a issue it is better than nothing.

So you can answer the question better than anyone else. Can you afford 3-4-5 classes/week? Does it affect getting to work, taking care of the kids, or other daily life matters of higher importance? Then the answer is easy. The excitement of being a new student in MA can shroud this obvious answer because it is fun and exciting. But MA should be a long haul endeavor. Finding a workout schedule that doesn't cause friction with the rest of your lifestyle makes the ride much easier.

 

[whitebeltforever]

@jobo said it well. For everyone, training of any kind goes smoother and is more effective and productive when it is balanced with the rest of a persons everyday lifestyle. Age is definitely a factor, meaning the younger we are the easier it is for most people to handle physicals stresses. Conversely, as we age we should be able to handle mental stresses better. In regards, physical exercise (martial arts) as a pastime or hobby, 3 times/week is a very good target number. All the martials art I have experience in require copious amount of muscle memory to be effective. So repetition is vital for success. Something that doesn't seem to be emphasized any more is how important personal training is for maintaining and progressing in MA. I often tell people they can practice the pattern of a form in a box in their office, mentally going through the form with tiny steps. Practice like this is only a supplement to regular classroom practice, but if time and lifestyle are a issue it is better than nothing.

So you can answer the question better than anyone else. Can you afford 3-4-5 classes/week? Does it affect getting to work, taking care of the kids, or other daily life matters of higher importance? Then the answer is easy. The excitement of being a new student in MA can shroud this obvious answer because it is fun and exciting. But MA should be a long haul endeavor. Finding a workout schedule that doesn't cause friction with the rest of your lifestyle makes the ride much easier.

that's such good advice! i mean if i were to do this for the rest of my life i can't just sacrifice my life because ultimately i'l start wanting to do those things and resent MA lol so so tru that it should be a life long pursuit... this is also why i try to train smart like cycling through training routines to recover better... because its during recovery that you build strength... so that can def be applied to the can i afford this many classes a week question... thanks again that was really helpful!

 

[Buka]

My advice is to play the long game. Train when you can, don't let it interfere with everything else in your life, make training a fun supplement.

And doing it just a little less than you want.....making you want more, is a good thing. Stoke that fire for the long haul.

 

[spidersam]

@jobo said it well. For everyone, training of any kind goes smoother and is more effective and productive when it is balanced with the rest of a persons everyday lifestyle. Age is definitely a factor, meaning the younger we are the easier it is for most people to handle physicals stresses. Conversely, as we age we should be able to handle mental stresses better. In regards, physical exercise (martial arts) as a pastime or hobby, 3 times/week is a very good target number. All the martials art I have experience in require copious amount of muscle memory to be effective. So repetition is vital for success. Something that doesn't seem to be emphasized any more is how important personal training is for maintaining and progressing in MA. I often tell people they can practice the pattern of a form in a box in their office, mentally going through the form with tiny steps. Practice like this is only a supplement to regular classroom practice, but if time and lifestyle are a issue it is better than nothing.

So you can answer the question better than anyone else. Can you afford 3-4-5 classes/week? Does it affect getting to work, taking care of the kids, or other daily life matters of higher importance? Then the answer is easy. The excitement of being a new student in MA can shroud this obvious answer because it is fun and exciting. But MA should be a long haul endeavor. Finding a workout schedule that doesn't cause friction with the rest of your lifestyle makes the ride much easier.

Definitely sound advice. When I first started, I was going 2x per week. A few months in, I started 3x per week. Now I’m a couple years in and I have high goals, so I do 3x MA classes per week plus 3x exercise/training in between (cardio, core, body weight exercising). Do what you enjoy and add more or less as you desire. In the end, it’s just you, your journey, and your life experiences.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Not yet. I found several articles that came close, but none were about the individual differences. I'll try a different search today. Heck, maybe I'll check my saved notes...maybe I did save the article to OneNote or something.

I had to read through the thread again to remember what I was even asking you for. Turns out I was right with "'I'll do that, if I dont get distracted and forget about it."

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I had to read through the thread again to remember what I was even asking you for. Turns out I was right with "'I'll do that, if I dont get distracted and forget about it."

Yeah, I looked a bit more as tried some likely searches, but I can’t seem to scare up any reference to the article I have in mind. If I manage to come back across it, I’ll let you know.