how often do you train?

Icewater

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2 classes a week minimum. They are 2 hours classes. And typically 1 day a home.
 

Navarre

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I think it would have added a better sense of reality to have also asked whether the respondants are in school, working part-time/full-time, how many kids and what age, handling unusual responsibilities, etc.

For the first 9 yrs of my training (high school through college) I trained on my own 7 days a week approximately 3 hrs per day and attended 5 classes per week in addition to that at 2 hrs per class.

For the next 4 years (grad school plus two Education degrees) I went to 2 classes per week at 2 hrs per class and trained 4-5 days per week outside of class for about an hour.

For the next 4 yrs I had a live-in job as Residence Director for a state college. I taught the karate class there as part of the school's curriculum and many of my residents were also students. I had also just gotten married. - - I taught my class 2 days per week at 90 minutes per class. I trained on my own about 3 days per week for about an hour.

Now I have a wife, full time job (where I sometimes leave for work at 6am and get back home at 11pm), and two 3 yr old twins.

I have struggled for 4 yrs to stay with my regular class schedule down here but my job makes it impossible to attend all the time. This class (where I am assistant instructor) I attend for free but felt that I wasn't able to be dependable to the instructor.

I started going to a different school (different style too) that was closer. But I had to pay there of course (being a white belt there) and much of my money was being wasted because I was gone for work.

So now I don't attend classes regularly. I still work out on my own but it's still about 3-4 days a week for an hour or so. I'm not happy with this because I don't practice as much as I'd like to.

I'm sure it will change when my kids get older. I'm sure those who have their own class have an advantage.

I wonder how much difference we'd see in the factors I mentioned between those who work out 3 hours a day every day versus those who do a couple of times per week.
 

Eternal Beginner

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Navarre said:
I think it would have added a better sense of reality to have also asked whether the respondants are in school, working part-time/full-time, how many kids and what age, handling unusual responsibilities, etc.
For myself, I train 6 days a week but fortunately 4 of those days I train with my husband and two children (not necessarily in the same class - but we are all there together). I have BJJ and karate Mondays, kickboxing Tuesdays, BJJ Wednesday, kickboxing and karate Thursday, ladies BJJ Friday and BJJ on Saturday. I used to train MMA on Sundays but I decided it had to be a family day.

It also helps that my kids are not very young children. I didn't even bother trying MA until my youngest was 7.

I also try to run 3-4 times a week...not so good on that one:idunno:.
I wonder how much difference we'd see in the factors I mentioned between those who work out 3 hours a day every day versus those who do a couple of times per week.
I think you would see a huge difference. We had a black belt from another school attend a local club as a drop-in once. He was horrified to see people he had estimated training at about a couple of months have over two years of training!! But they can only train a couple of times a week and a small training partner pool. Whereas he felt the other clubs (of a comparable style) in the city, that train a minimum of three times a week and a larger pool of students with more diverse skills, had people of far higher calibre. So maybe it isn't how often you train, but who you train with?

Of course, this is only one anecdotal story...I'm sure there are great teachers producing outstanding MA'ists with training only twice a week.
 

OnlyAnEgg

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It's true that practicing schudules change to reflect the constraints of our world. I'm fortunate in that my children are a bit older and attend class with me. My wife does, too; so, it becomes a family event and that's good. My job is a typical 7-3:30 affair that rarely, if ever, goes into OT. If any of these things were different, my practice would be different, as well.
 

Navarre

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The hardest adjustment of my life, even harder than marriage or parenting, has been in adjusting my martial arts practice to fit the demands of my current life.

I really hope my children get into The Art when they are older. Right now of course they are too young to go to clas with me.

If I had married someone who didn't abhore any sort of physical activity I would have at least had a partner who appreciated the dedication it takes to remain physically active. As it is, I guess I'll hang in there for another 4 yrs or so and see if my kids like martial arts when I get to take them to their first classes.

I am incredibly grateful for MartialTalk because it helps me keep focused on all The Art provides. I really need that environment, even if it sometimes seems I just dropped in to be weird.
 

Icewater

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Yup. Its the job that keeps my training down. I would love to work out every day, but I travel a lot and its just not possible. Although I have been getting better at working out on the road.
 

OnlyAnEgg

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Thanks, Navarre. It's fun and it'll fill the time until I become some other master...
or commander...
or something.

Hey, that's really Yoshimitsu from Tekken; not Icewater, at all. Sorry about that.
 

Navarre

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OnlyAnEgg said:
Hey, that's really Yoshimitsu from Tekken; not Icewater, at all. Sorry about that.

Oh, really? .. Whew! Thank goodness!.. I was all, like, "Man! I'm never fighting Icewater!!"
 

Sam

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me personally

Monday Group and Sparring class - 2 hours
Tuesday Group and Sparring class - 2 hours
Wednesday Group and Sparring class and private lesson - 2.5 hours
Thursday Group and private lesson - 1.5 hours
Friday Group class - 1 hour
Saturday Group and Sparring class - 2 hrs
sunday - studio's closed :(

soooo - 11 hours a week at the studio. I don't practice much at home but I just bought a wavemaster and I I'm gonna start practicing more and drilling on the bag.

I should mention theres at least an hour and a half of sitting around time in there in additon to the training because sometimes there's 1/2 an hour in between group and sparring or private lesson and group.
 

ed-swckf

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I train every day, weather this is just 15 mins or a couple of hours. I can't actually tell you how much i train as i just do it without thinking about it whenever i have spare time.

I teach my class on monday and tuesday, 2 hours a time. I participate in teaching and training in my sifus class on wednesday and sunday. I have one on one with my sifu on sunday mornings for 2 - 3 hours.
 

Navarre

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Sam, that's still good though. Comes out to a couple hrs a day any way you look at it.

It's good that you can get private lessons too. That's usually well worth the money.

Using a Wavemaster, huh? Good thing you practice Kempo and not Kali I guess! lol
 

OnlyAnEgg

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Is there a benefit differential between a wavemaster and a similar size heavy bag?
 

Navarre

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The bag itself is foam covered by vinyl I believe. I think the main benefit is that you don't have to have a place to hang it, thus making it easier to use anywhere.
 

OnlyAnEgg

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Thanks. The logistics between the two I could understand; but, hanging bags are considerably less expensive, if not a bit more cumbersome.

Cost is always an issue when children and a wife need stuff like medicine and food and stuff.
 

Navarre

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I agree and I might be very wrong. There might be other benefits of which I'm unaware. As far as I know though, it's just that the Wavemaster seems cooler.

Although I don't have a good place to hang a heavy bag myself so I'd consider buying one...but then little Paris would have to go without Mac'n'Cheese this month, so...
 

Navarre

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Yep. My little girl's name is Paris. My son is Alexander which is my wife's maiden name. We call him Xander though, because she and I are huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans. (Our cat's name is Druscilla.)

We had thought of naming Paris "Faith" or "Willow" but thought ppl would think we picked Faith from Faith Hill or refer to Willow as "weeping Willow" every time she cried.

I do like Paris though even though some ppl think it's after Paris Hilton. I hear tell there's a city out there by that name.
 

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