So you're in your yard, minding your own business, swinging around weapons...

[Carol]

I had a rather...interesting...discussion with my mom when I was visiting her over Thanksgiving. When I am in NC, I like to visit my friend Bill Parsons' school for a nice Kenpo workout. Unfortunately that didn't happen this time due to family plans.

I had a good bit of gear in the back of my car so I spent some time in my mom's back yard swinging some sticks and a few other toys. My mom seemed a bit bemused by it. Her back yard is fenced in, but it would not be impossible for one of her neighbors to see me practicing. I suspect one of them did, because when I came in from practice she asked me what my neighbors think of what I do.

I said I didn't know. The environment where I live is a bit too urban for me to comfortably practice outside, so I generally get in my outdoor practice at work, once people leave.

Do any of you folks practice MA in your front or back yard? Do your neighbors still talk to you?

 

[jarrod]

i have a heavy bag in my backyard & do boxing out there. for a while me & another guy were sparring with sticks once a week or so.

who cares what the neighbors think? i'm the guy with the stick.

jf

 

[K831]

When I was single and in college, I used to shadow box and practice forms with my shirt off near the girls dorms. Does that count?

 

[wade]

I like to shoot air soft pistols and rifles in my back yard. My neighbor, a 65 year old woman was watching me and came over and asked me what and why was I shooting at the fence that separates our yards. Well, long story short, she has now bought her own weapons and joins me on a regular basis. A few beers, some high velocity air soft pellets, we do shoot competition grade weapons, and life is good.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Years back, I used to work out with a variety of stuff in the back yard. Never had a problem and my yards viewable from 2 streets.

 

[Sukerkin]

I live in England ... need I say more?

 

[Zero]

I have not always lived here but I'm in the UK now and train with nunchuku, bo and katana in my back yard...I'm not quite sure what the issue with living in England is? Maybe I am breaking some social rules I'm not aware of? Surely there are grim/dodgy parts in every country/state that you just don't want to make a scene waving weapons, or even dummy weapons, around but otherwise I don't follow you Sukerin. If you have your own private garden or yard do what you want.

 

[Sukerkin]

Right up until the moment the armed response unit shows up :lol:.

I was more referring to the weather than anything else but you practise with a katana in your garden at your own risk. All it takes is one phone-call to the police from a neighbour you have unknowingly annoyed.

 

[dancingalone]

I have a private dojo in my back yard built as a separate structure. I also have a deck attached to my home and I frequently train kobudo on it (bo, sai, kama, etc). My neighbors don't pay too much attention, although they do get occasionally annoyed when I have a lot of students over and they park in front of their homes.

 

[harlan]

Even though I live in a more rural setting, my yard is clearly visible to my neighbors and the police park across the street (the local 'speed trap'). I prefer to not have to answer any questions at local gatherings, and practice kobudo after dark.

 

[Zero]

Right up until the moment the armed response unit shows up :lol:.

I was more referring to the weather than anything else but you practise with a katana in your garden at your own risk. All it takes is one phone-call to the police from a neighbour you have unknowingly annoyed.

Sorry, should have been more specific, I meant boken, I only train outside on my own or with friends with wooden training swords.
As for the weather (and I'm sure he grabbed it from somewhere else) didn't Bruce say regarding training "in Summer we sweat, in Winter we shiver"? That said, it is snowing at the moment so I might head to the gym rather than go for that run!!

 

[TKDHomeSchooler]

No weapons training yet, but the sparring gets some looks from time to time.

I get more looks from people when I return from a day at the range, no one is sure what is in the long cases in the trunk and I don't think they want to know :ultracool

 

[fyn5000]

Although I live right in the center of my city, my backyard borders on a natural area park. My neighbor to the south really doesn't have a backyard of her own, but she can see my backyard from the windows in the back of her house. My neighbor to the north is blocked off by trees and a wall of blackberries, but she could see my backyard from her garage. The natural area park behind us is a fairly deep ravine with a pond at the bottom and it is full of large Douglas Firs and Maple trees. I'm quite secluded from prying eyes when I practice out in the backyard with my jian, sword & buckler, or quarterstaff.

So far my two neighbors either haven't seen me practicing or if they have they don't care about it because they both are still friendly.

fyn

 

[Stac3y]

Used to spar with my husband in the front yard quite a bit. We got some strange looks, and questions, but no complaints.

 

[searcher]

I try to train with My Wife in our back yard. I have a convicted sex offender that lives next door, so I also try to help him understand that he will get throttled if he enters my yard.

Nobody complains, but the high school kids up the street have given me a reputation for my town.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I have always practiced out doors quite a bit as I simply love to be outside and closer to nature. I think people in general think I am a little off the deep end.

Then again no one gives me grief and everyone is always nice!

 

[Grenadier]

I practice in my yard regularly. There's a particular bo kata in Yamanni Ryu, Shirataru No Kun, that requires a lot of overhead space, and since I can't do the full arm extension in the dojo (or else we'll see shattering light bulbs), I practice at home. It feels great being able to take the full extension, and full swings, without having to worry about anyone near me.

Nobody in my neighborhood has complained. I've had a couple of passer-by's ask me what I'm doing, and a good discussion with another passer-by fellow who studies Mateyoshi Kobudo.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Do any of you folks practice MA in your front or back yard? Do your neighbors still talk to you?

Over the years in my backyard my previous neighbor (who moved... not because of me...I think :EG saw me swinging around a staff, a triple section staff, a dao and a jian, and a kendo match (not me but a friend and his wife) as well as assorted sparing and forms work. After he moved an LEO and his family moved in and I was not quite as brave with the weapons in the backyard but I was beating trees and I am pretty sure he thinks I am insane... he too is now moving...but then so am I

At the new house the basement is big enough so likely I won't be out in the yard much

 

[kingkong89]

I practice around the back and front yard mainly because of the space especially during the warmer months my neighbors have seen me before but the dont pay much attention because they know me and my background

 

[Steve]

When I was single and in college, I used to shadow box and practice forms with my shirt off near the girls dorms. Does that count?

I don't know... are you a girl? If so, it would get MY attention.

I roll in my garage. Not too many problems with it.