Okay how often do you push the envelop in your training? Whether to physical exhaustion, mental or spiritual. How often do you take yourself out of your comfort zone and go beyond? What do you personally like to do to raise the bar so to speak?
Okay How Often Do You Push The Envelop?
- Thread starter Brian R. VanCise
- Start date
One of my favorite things to do is get in a horseback riding stance and hols two glasses of water in each hands to see if I can make it longet than the last time. Well I'm up to 43 minutse before I have to stand up without spilling a drop.
The other thing is to push my mental aspect of training with a blindfold on to see if I can personnally get around my school while I'am training, it help my memory and my execution of my training.
The other thing is to push my mental aspect of training with a blindfold on to see if I can personnally get around my school while I'am training, it help my memory and my execution of my training.
I don't push the envelope as much as I use to. I hate to admit it but I've become too 'comfortable' in my life and that seems to make it a little more difficut to train on the level that I use to.
My training partners are in their 20's (I'm 49) and that doe's help me to take it to a higher level than I normally would. And I've been doing this for well over 30 years so that helps when I'm working out with the younger guys. I try to work out to exhaustion twice a week and moderately 3 times a week.
My training partners are in their 20's (I'm 49) and that doe's help me to take it to a higher level than I normally would. And I've been doing this for well over 30 years so that helps when I'm working out with the younger guys. I try to work out to exhaustion twice a week and moderately 3 times a week.
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
Push the envelope 
I guess only when I mail a letter
Whats so hard about that.. :idunno:
But seriously folks .
Try standing in Santi shi for 10 minutes and you will be well outside your comfort zone. That is unless you train Santi then go for 20 minutes. This is only on 1 side by the way.
I use to do Taiji forms with 5 to 10 pound ankle and wrist weights and do the forms slower than usual but I dont do that anymore adnd to be honest I found it counter productive to Taiji.
Now the only ways I push the envelope are in stance training and applications training with my Sifus.
My Xingyi Sifu likes to push the envelope a lot... most unfortunately I tend to be IN the envelope at the time. :uhyeah:
I guess only when I mail a letter
Whats so hard about that.. :idunno:But seriously folks .
Try standing in Santi shi for 10 minutes and you will be well outside your comfort zone. That is unless you train Santi then go for 20 minutes. This is only on 1 side by the way.
I use to do Taiji forms with 5 to 10 pound ankle and wrist weights and do the forms slower than usual but I dont do that anymore adnd to be honest I found it counter productive to Taiji.
Now the only ways I push the envelope are in stance training and applications training with my Sifus.
My Xingyi Sifu likes to push the envelope a lot... most unfortunately I tend to be IN the envelope at the time. :uhyeah:
Every few months I find I need to do something to ramp up my training, once it becomes clear to me that I've basically acclimatized to the demands of my previous routine. It usually takes me a week or two to... well, summon up the courage to extend my workout routine in the necessary way. I'm actually at a point like that right now, so it serves as an illustration. What I have started to do, still tentatively, is modify my balance training in kicking so that I add a second or third kick to every rear leg side kick and roundhouse kick off the same balancing leg. Instead of chambering and pivoting, kicking, returning to the chamber and them pivoting back, I'm trying to launch the kick, return to chamber, kick again (in perfect balance) and return to chamber and then either pivot back to my start position or, preferably, launch a third kick from that chamber, before pivoting back... all done very slowly at least some of the time. It's a new and severe test of balance for me; if experience is any guide, it'll take a month or two for it to become completely normal and comfortable, and then I'll need to find some other way to push the envelope...
I try to push it when I feel I have hit a plateau. It helps me get moving again and I hit new highs when I do this. If I don't push it then there is no need for me to kepp training for myself. I am currently working hard to get off some added weight and to get myself up for the next level.
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About once a month I'll do a kata, usually Tensho, for as long as I can. The whole thing is in a "pigeon toed" stance (Sanchin Dachi), so I get a really nice burn after a few iterations. Doing this also really gets me detached from everything and really allows me to concentrate on all those little things in the Kata.
Jeff
Jeff
Laurentkd
Master Black Belt
wow! very impressive. How deep is your stance?
Seeking Zen
Yellow Belt
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My Sesei takes care of pushing at this point. He loves to push us to our limits. Preparing for my last grading I had to perform Sanchin with my Sensei restraining my fists and arms on every movment, blind side pushes and abdominal strikes. I failed my fist attempt and had to try again the next week to be accepted for the grading. I was successful but I actually got faint, I was shaking afterwords. However as a result, when it came to my grading and a BB doing the interference it seemed much easier. Overall it pushed my limits in every way!
jdinca
Master Black Belt
Every single class.
If I am not sweating like crazy and out of breath, what's the point of training?
-Marc-
Ditto! Pushing the envelope is part of the path.
charyuop
Black Belt
Usually it is my Sensei that seals the envelope and push it for me. Every class (well sometimes it can't happen depending on if we don't get the basics of new techniques) Sensei pushes us to go faster and faster and faster. He clearly says that if we do not fill the dojo windows with steam from our hard breathing we are not working hard enough.
I personally reached a point of feeling dizy and on the edge of throwing up for how tired I got. I remember one time that I couldn't even get up on my feet and crawled into a kneeling position. Sensei told me no crawling on the mat, but I guess he realized I was at my limits. He called class over then and we did some breathing excercises to try to calm down our heavy breathings (didn't really work for me hee hee).
I personally reached a point of feeling dizy and on the edge of throwing up for how tired I got. I remember one time that I couldn't even get up on my feet and crawled into a kneeling position. Sensei told me no crawling on the mat, but I guess he realized I was at my limits. He called class over then and we did some breathing excercises to try to calm down our heavy breathings (didn't really work for me hee hee).
Shaderon
Master of Arts
My instructor pushes me as hard as I can go each lesson, he usually singles me out for a bit more pushing too because he knows how serious I am. I push myself more twice a week in weight training, "pushing it" is part of my training, even though my envelope isn't that big yet. ;-)
Every chance I get because on the streets the sheet can hit the fan in the blink of an eye..It rarely happens at the beginning of the shift when you're wide awake..
Brian R. VanCise said:
See first answer...
Brian R.VanCise said:
Work out with some that is WAY better than me...
Laurentkd
Master Black Belt
Wow, that is really great!! For some reason I have been really hung up on horse stance for awhile now- I really want to have a good one that I can hold for a long time. I don't know why I have a strange fascination with it, but I just think a good stance is really impressive. It is just such a MENTAL task really. I think a strong stance shows a lot about a person, especially about their will, desire, and spirit. It's nice to hear others' achievements... makes you know the limits you are putting on yourself are truly self-imposed. I'll be thinking of you next time my legs are shaking!
Mike Hamer
Green Belt
Starting Sunday about once a month.
zDom
Senior Master
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Pretty much whenever it is required of me in class and my instructor is pretty good about making sure that happens on a frequent basis.
The envelope seems to get pushed a little futher on Sunday workouts (which are only for advanced students purple, brown, red and dan ranks).
The envelope seems to get pushed a little futher on Sunday workouts (which are only for advanced students purple, brown, red and dan ranks).
bookworm_cn317
2nd Black Belt
On occassion I 'push the envelope'. The most recent time I did so was in March, when I sparred with one of the black belts (it's a tradition at my school to spar on your birthday. Can you guess what JUST took place a couple of days earlier?). He told me he was surprised at my willingness to 'push the envelope'-- I'm usually not too fond of sparring.
What can I say--maybe I'm maturing?:idunno:
What can I say--maybe I'm maturing?:idunno:
HKphooey
Senior Master
I like to spar to the point of exhaustion and then try to kick it in even more. This way, when the time comes to use my training, I know I can go the distance. I have seen some good "technicians" that could not go 2 rounds in the ring.
