Morning training.

[bscastro]

As training time in the evening is found wanting, I'm considering have a couple training sessions in the morning before work. How many of you do this? What time do you get up? Have you found this to be beneficial? What type of training do you do (e.g. technique work, exercise like weights or running, bag work)?

Earlier in the fall, I got up a half an hour early to go for a run, but I found it difficult to get up in the morning. I most likely will make the effort, but just wondering what others' experience is.

Cheers,
Bryan

 

[tonbo]

Some time back, I did morning training a couple of days per week. Since I normally leave the house at about 7 am for work, and was a single parent at the time, I would get up about 5 am or so and work out for about an hour. Then I could have a decent breakfast, get my son up and ready for school, and have a nice, leisurely shower.

My routine would vary, depending on what I wanted to work on, but I would normally do about a half hour of weights and a half hour of MA/stretching. My MA workout was usually pretty low-impact, mainly working on forms or technique instead of speed & power. I would do stretching throughout, so that I would be "warmed up" for the day.

All in all, I liked that quite a bit. However, I am NOT a morning person, so that routine didn't last very long, and I haven't been faithful about getting back into a similar routine.

Peace--

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by bscastro

As training time in the evening is found wanting, I'm considering have a couple training sessions in the morning before work. How many of you do this? What time do you get up? Have you found this to be beneficial? What type of training do you do (e.g. technique work, exercise like weights or running, bag work)?

Earlier in the fall, I got up a half an hour early to go for a run, but I found it difficult to get up in the morning. I most likely will make the effort, but just wondering what others' experience is.

Cheers,
Bryan

I'm not a morning person, besides, I'm not in the best of moods either.My luck, I'd have a heart attack.LOL!

 

[Despairbear]

My work and my life style don't go well with early mornings. I do not even roll out of bed untill about 10:00 but if you can do morning training, why not? More training is always good.




Despair Bear

 

[theneuhauser]

the question of morning training really can be boiled down to the issue of time management. how much sleep do you need? how often and how late do you train at night? and what is your goal?

in my case, i love practicing taiji in the morning. if you also practice any internal, or meditative aspect of martial arts, the morning is a great time to do it while still leaving plenty of energy for yourself to practiceat night. for me, all it requires is getting up from bed about 40 minutes early allowing 20-30 min of excercise.

when i used to excercise or practice hard in the morning i found that it was always more of a chore to get up, and train hard due because i had either practice hard that previous evening or the upcoming one- that leads to skipping your regiment or physical burnout-

so if you would like to do hard forms, bagwork or training-just make sure that it agrees well with the rest of your weekly schedule. and dont forget to leave yourself some time to enjoy other entertainment-

 

[jeffbeish]

IMO the best time of the day is early morning, say 5 am, and MA training then is tops. My mind, nimble as it is, is fully aware of the planet I stand on then and everything seems to work great -- even at 62!

The only problem I see with training early is that working people, I was one for 45 years, have to get to work and time does not permit one to become bone tired, a time when Judo or karate practice is fully realized. I mean that one only utilizes their abilities when they are tired and using strength is curtailed.

My teaching techniques included getting student very tired, nearly dragging off the tatami before we would practice serious techniques. Randori would then make them use more technique than strength. So, morning training has only that drawback for t5ose who have limited time. Training at night is usually what we do and the only problem I ever had with that was that people tend to bring their day problems with them. A good workout is great to work off the days work problems or life, but practice is not for that stuff -- it is to learn technique.

But, I could be wrong, huh?

 

[Cthulhu]

We don't train quite so early, but we do have a Sunday morning training session around 8:30am. It's also outdoors in a large park. We usually work a little technique to warm up and get the cobwebs out. Then we gear up and stick spar. If the warm up didn't get the cobwebs out, the sparring will knock 'em out

I usually work later on in the morning on Sundays, so that helps to get my day started.

Cthulhu

 

[donald]

We(35&up)need to be careful in attempting a morning work out. I read a few yrs. back. That heart attacks most often occured in the morning. In other words, not giving the system time to warm up properly. Before engaging in a heart stressing activity. I am not trying to tell anyone not to do it. I am saying BE CAREFUL, and give your body time to awaken. Better safe than drooling on the carpet...

Salute :asian:

 

[jeffbeish]

Even for us 62&up that is good advice A good point indeed. For me the best time of the day is at dawn, just before the Sun comes up. Who needs a bunch of exercise anyway!

 

[theneuhauser]

Even for us 62&up that is good advice A good point indeed. For me the best time of the day is at dawn, just before the Sun comes up. Who needs a bunch of exercise anyway!

jeff, when i reach 62, if i can get out of bed without the help of 3 assistants, an adrenalin shot and 2 bionic knee implants, i will be a happy man cheers to you

 

[jeffbeish]

If someone would have let me in on the nasty little secret about this age thing, when I was 35, then I might have been prepared for it. What really happens is that one day you’re 35 -- then you wake up and you’re 62! I kid you not. It’s like “beam me up Scotty.” And poof, you’re an old fart! I had a shot in the left knee and I can wake again! Judo can be detrimental to one's old age

But, you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun.


Getting up isn't the problem -- it's getting to sleep and staying alseep. I sleep around 5 hour each night for three nights, then one hour then maybe 6 hours. It's weird. :soapbox:

So, don't let time fly by -- it is a valuable commodity.:asian:

 

[vincefuess]

Training first thing in the morning is tough for me anymore due to arthritis. I used to really enjoy an hour or two of intense bag work, and especially forms since the mind is fresh and crisp in the morning. Nowadays I find it beneficial to let the body loosen up through the course of the day before getting into anything intense.

A few points to bear in mind with morning training:

1. Your blood pressure spikes in the wee morning hours- it is a good idea to gradually warm up before getting into any stressful training.

2. Our bones tend to get misaligned during sleep due to sleeping positions and mattress conditions- it is VERY EASY to pinch a nerve or pull a muscle. A good warmup is a must.

3. Training in the morning, even (especially) if it is light makes a great way to start your day. It will give you more energy and a great attitude boost throughout the day. It makes me much more productive.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[Shinzu]

my school actually offers morning classes which i feel are better than evening ones. the one on one time is better and you get to learn, review and train in different aspects.

evening classes are good also, but the morning classes have more advantages.

 

[jeffbeish]

Yes, the old arthritis. It is not a good thing. But, I feel much better in the early morning even though I and stiff and hurt like crazy. A few Motrin and off the arthritis it is.

When I spoke of early morning training it was form memory of my youth. I joined the Air Force in 1959, when only 19 years old, and they made an early morning person out of me. Ever since I get up before the chickens. In my competition days we would always begin training for shiai (tournaments) at 5 a.m. and go until lunch. It paid off because when our small merry band of Judoists hit the mat we took most of our matches and wet on to higher merriment. That was in the “good old days” when it came natural to do that stuff.

By the time I semi-retired from Judo and karate (kajukenbo stuff) I was completely burned out, hurting, and in bad need for new knees and some other replacement ornaments on my body. That has been some years now and I am just suffering the same things anyone who is 62 years old suffers. Actually, I attribute my "good" health to all those years I did practice the Martial Arts. I began Judo/jujitsu in 1952, 50 years ago!!!! And stopped active practice ten years ago.

Occasionally I will do all those kata I learned at Nagamines’s and Miyazato’s dojos on Okinawa 40 years ago. Too heavy and hurting, and after taking my blood pressure pills I still run through several kata each morning as the Sun comes up. I would love to be on the Judo mats though, but unfortunately the just isn’t any Judo clubs nearby.

 

[Cthulhu]

Well, had our usual Sunday morning training/sparring. Got kneed in the solar plexus pretty hard. Owie.

Thanks a lot, Al

Cthulhu

 

[DWright]

I teach a Sunday morning class. It starts a 9am, but I am available for forms at 8:30. I have usually been up for at least 4 hours prior to class time.

Students come in red eyed and groggy, but by the end of class they have more energy, and hang around to practice with one another.

I find mornings more refreshing. In the evening I'm tired before class even starts.

 

[bscastro]

I'm inspired. I've been stressed out at work and with wedding planning, and your stories of your morning workouts have inspired me to try to get a couple in each week. It sounds like those who do it get a lot out of it. I think I'll try a couple days a week on the days I don't have martial arts classes. I'm going to take it easy to start and warm-up well, working on techniques and stretching as opposed to some heavy training. In any case, thanks for the anecdotes.

Bryan

 

[AvPKenpo]

Originally posted by bscastro

As training time in the evening is found wanting, I'm considering have a couple training sessions in the morning before work. How many of you do this? What time do you get up? Have you found this to be beneficial? What type of training do you do (e.g. technique work, exercise like weights or running, bag work)?

Earlier in the fall, I got up a half an hour early to go for a run, but I found it difficult to get up in the morning. I most likely will make the effort, but just wondering what others' experience is.

Cheers,
Bryan

I lift in the mornings usually I get started by 6:30, I do this Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday Mornings. I also do some cardio between sets, such as forms, or jump rope. Tuesday, Wensday, and Thursday I go to class from 6:30 pm to 9:30-10 pm.
I do find that I have much more energy, when I excercise in the mornings, get the ole blood a pumpin'.

Michael

 

[Kirk]

I have trouble with time for repetition. I go to kenpo class 4 times a week (mon. through thurs.) and stick and knife class
on saturdays. The rest of the time I spend at work, sleeping,
doing chores around the house, or tryin to be a good
husband/father. If we learn new things during the week in class,
I don't have time outside of class to work on it. This hasn't been
a problem yet, there was enough repetition in class for yellow and
orange belt stuff, that I knew what I needed to know at test time.
But purple seems a bit more complex, and plus ya gotta stay fresh
on what you've already learned. The earliest I get to class is
about 15 min. ahead of time, which seems like the only time to
practice. I was thinking about taking 2 days out of the 4 and
staying home to practice ... any thoughts?

 

[DJDragon]

I only really do it sometimes when I'm on holidays or on weekends. I usually wake up 10am those days, and do some push ups, sit ups, etc. Not too many cos I'm still tired!