Tell Me If You Think This Is Stupid.

[SensibleManiac]

For the past 2 years I've grown incredibly busy and find it increasingly harder to find time to spend on improving and maintaining my martial arts skills and fitness level.

I have gotten so busy this past year with becoming a father and several other responsibilities that my training has taken a dramatic backseat to all my other responsibilities.

I've been contemplating severly simplifying my training both in martial arts and fitness by limiting it to a condensed version.

It would basically consist of 20-30 minute sessions 2-3 times a week.

I am considering this because my training has become more and more erratic and infrequent as I struggle to find the time to train consistently.

I was having difficulty with 1 and a half hrs of BJJ once per week. Just being able to clear up that amount of time once a week (give or take another 30-40 minutes of travel time) became increasingly difficult.

So I am considering this short duration limited training as an answer to at least maintain a framework of my skills. Depending on my training partners availability I would alternate training sessions with weight training and calisthenics.

What do you think?
Has anyone ever experienced anything like this and have any tips to offer?

 

[jks9199]

Let me offer two points of view, being there and doing that myself! (Work and family have severely curtailed my own training...)

First, anything is better than nothing. If you can block out a couple of short sessions through the week, it beats doing nothing.

But... if you try to do two or three short sessions, it's also going to be easy to make an excuse. After all, if you miss Monday's session -- you still have Wednesdays, right? Excuses like that have an amazing ability to reproduce...

My own personal practice is literally a few minutes at various points throughout the day, with a dedicated day when I teach. I've found that having one night guarantees I don't miss it. Nor do my students. But if I have a couple of nights -- then the excuses start... If I can get more time in during the week, I do. I'm working on adding more time; I have some things I really need to start working more often than I've been.

 

[xfighter88]

Workout of the day on Crossfit.com. It technically is 3 days of working out and 1 day off. Rinse and Repeat. There's nothing wrong with only doing it a few times a week though. Workouts take anywhere from 15 min - 30 min. If you don't have the weight equipment they have exercises that you can substitute.

I have been doing it for about 2 months and love it.

 

[seasoned]

As was mentioned, something is better then nothing. Maintaining, at this stage of life "very busy" is a good option. It's kind of like going into neutral, the car is still running. The important thing is to not turn the key off. Work and family are demanding, but things will even out. Don't give it up, it will be much harder later on.

 

[searcher]

As far as fitness goes, I agree with xfighter88(I am partial to this being a CrossFit Trainer). On the MA side, get a good heavy bag and work your striking. The 2 combined together will work wonders for you andmay even takeyou further than you may think possible.

The key to the whole thing is making a schedule that you will stick to.

 

[MJS]

For the past 2 years I've grown incredibly busy and find it increasingly harder to find time to spend on improving and maintaining my martial arts skills and fitness level.

I have gotten so busy this past year with becoming a father and several other responsibilities that my training has taken a dramatic backseat to all my other responsibilities.

I've been contemplating severly simplifying my training both in martial arts and fitness by limiting it to a condensed version.

It would basically consist of 20-30 minute sessions 2-3 times a week.

I am considering this because my training has become more and more erratic and infrequent as I struggle to find the time to train consistently.

I was having difficulty with 1 and a half hrs of BJJ once per week. Just being able to clear up that amount of time once a week (give or take another 30-40 minutes of travel time) became increasingly difficult.

So I am considering this short duration limited training as an answer to at least maintain a framework of my skills. Depending on my training partners availability I would alternate training sessions with weight training and calisthenics.

What do you think?
Has anyone ever experienced anything like this and have any tips to offer?

My work schedule (4pm-12am with rotating days off) doesn't allow for much in the way of night time classes. Fortunately, the school I attend has 2 noon time classes, and I supplement that with private lessons.

I think you're on the right track and as JKS said, anything is better than nothing, but as he also said, is easy to pass up on one of the sessions. So I would definately make it a part of your day, meaning, just like you wake up, eat, shower, work, etc., that you fit in training time for every day that you've dedicated as a training day. I addition to that, and you may have already considered it, but as I said, look into some private lessons. Even if it was once per week or twice per month, its some added 1 on 1 attention.

Good luck to you.

Mike

 

[SensibleManiac]

Thanks guys these are some great suggestions, I thinking about taking a private once a month and integrating 10-15 minutes calisthenic and weight training twice a day every other day and some martial arts training interspersed.
Great suggestions and greatly appreciated.

 

[Tensei85]

Another thing not sure if its applicable but I found having a brief workout session before I go to work to be beneficial as well that way its out of my way & I can concentrate on the rest of the day(extra time with the misses, kids fam in general), however this may not be feasible for your schedule with kid(s)...(?)

So I just had to wake up a bit earlier, but its a nice feeling to workout in the morning & get charged for the rest of the day.

As far as classes go I would do something that you can get the whole family into maybe once a week, so you have family time & are getting Martial Arts training time as well. (Maybe set up a designated time, but as you said you just started a family they might be too young...)


Good luck!