Training Outdoors

[KenpoTess]

We've been training outdoors for the last few weeks and it's very different in many good ways. We have to deal with uneven grassy terrain, sticks, stones, bugs and slippery spots on the ground along with other things that most of us are unaware of normally. Some nights we train without artificial lighting til after 9 p.m., we've used utility lights which makes it harder to see your opponent when facing the lights. Environmental awareness certainly is mandatory in these conditions. I think all the students are enjoying an uncontrolled environment and this is bringing them a step closer to dealing with a reality scenario.

What are your thoughts?

~Tess

 

[white eagle]

Tess
I find that training outdoors has all the elements you described and also the fresh air helps with the chi our inner power and refreshes the soul
I have a wooded piece of land where I often do my forms and combinations and always feel the serenity of nature.
Besides getting out of a stale dojo is always good
David........

 

[Shodan]

Yes!! Training outside is great for many things. For forms, you must learn to do them facing different directions and without familiar surroundings from the dojo. The uneven surfaces are great for testing your balance, awareness, etc. We used to have an outdoor camp every year we called "Ninja Camp" but it was just a bunch of us Kenpo and Modern Arnis folks. We'd play night games on old forestry paths in the woods by the light of the moon....some were like capture the flag where you had to spar with everyone you encountered until you or he/she reached 3 points (on your honor scoring). If you lost, you'd take that person's place in the woods and the winner moved on to the next person. I guess it was sort of like the gauntlet in a way cuz one person had to try to make it from one end of the group to the other and back, winning all the sparring matches. During the day, we'd do running drills on hiking trails- kind of like obstacle courses cuz we'd carry our sticks with us and the instructor would have us hit certain trees with certain combinations, etc. as we ran past. We'd also do two-man sets/drills or techniques on big rocks out in the middle of the creek..........it was a blast!! Training on the beach is fun too- uneven sand, slopes, etc.

All good stuff to add to your training experiences in my opinion!!

:asian: :karate:

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

Fresh air and environmental challenges are both great for practice. It also lets the practitioner get out of the mindset that martial arts are something just practiced in a school. Do you have students train outdoors in uniform or do you have them wear street attire? Sometimes the wearing of street clothes while trying to do what they do in uniform can be a real eye-opener (not to mention a humbling experience, as I can personally attest).

 

[7starmantis]

I love training outdoors, when the weather is nice we take our advanced class outside as much as possible. We usually end up training on the parking lot though and that can be quite unforgiving!! Our advanced weapons class on saturday mornings is held outside year round. That means snowing, raining, melting, every type of weather, we have to brave it and work out hard. I hate it when its 15 degrees or 115 degrees, but afterwards I'm glad I did it, and all the benefits you mentioned are worth the effort. Its funny seeing people do kung fu with 3 or 4 shirts, couple pairs of pants and 12 socks on when its cold outside!!

7sm

 

[KenpoTess]

Randy,

We do both, Street clothes on Fridays.
And when we're training in FMA, always street clothes.

~Tess

 

[Brother John]

I LOVEtraining outdoors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's great for all the reasons you just mentioned, plus some. But for me, I just love being out-doors. I grew up in the country and now live IN a City of over half a million people.
I especially like training by moon-light + camp-fire glow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your Brother
John

 

[OUMoose]

When the opportunity arises, I like training outside as well. Feeling the ground under your feet instead of wood or concrete is welcome, especially when you're removed from your feet.

Plus, the sunlight and breeze are nice. I do have to say, my favorite place to train is on the beach, though. People become reluctant to throw big flashy kicks when they're on sand. Also, if you get to hot, just jump in the water.

 

[7starmantis]

I do have to say, my favorite place to train is on the beach, though. People become reluctant to throw big flashy kicks when they're on sand. Also, if you get to hot, just jump in the water.

Oh yeah, having grown up by Galveston Texas I trained many a time on the beach! Whenever I get to visit a beach I still do! Nothing like it, especially at night!!

7sm

 

[MJS]

I agree! I think that training outdoors and in street clothes is great!!! It definately gives you a feel for, like you said, the different terrain as well as training in clothes that you'll most likely be wearing on the street.

Mike

 

[Michael Billings]

Camps, fireants, gopher holes, rain (and associated mud), being asked to show how wet the river is ... no run back down there and show me how deep it is.

Ah, the joys of outdoor training.

-Michael

 

[KenpoTess]

Fireants.. *twitches and shudders* Sooo glad I'm not in Florida anymore.. Seig and I were sitting on a RR trestle overlooking Tampa Bay one evening.. I got up and went to pick some wildflowers and the burning pain was horrific.. Stepped into a nest of those beasties ...

Around here we only have to deal with skeeters.. and thingys that drop out of trees.. *inch worms, spiders etc*
course I tend to get distracted during drills and go off trying to catch fireflies *snickers*

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Spent most of my life near the beach...Love training in the water. Try sparring in ankle-deep waves...then transition to knee/thigh-deep water. Add take-downs, etc. makes for a great workout and lotsa fun in the process. (I suspect trying to do jumping kicks out of ankle-deep water may have been one of the first plyo exercises in MA, even though no one knew what plyo was).

D.

 

[Cryozombie]

We regularily train outside... I like it.

I wish we trained more in the snow and the rain, the way my old school did.

 

[Ping898]

My current school does do some things outside. None of the normal classes, but we just had our belt testing outside and promotion and black belt class. it was kewl. I agree with what other people said like about the uneven terrian and such. I think it is especially good for practicing rolls and falls on, cause that is something that I think is easily forgotten even if you train in your own backyard and such.
But man...cleaning the grass stains off the gi's afterwards ...not fun. I was only assisting and still got a bunch...glad I have no patches.
No street clothes for us, though we do have a specific t-shirt we can wear for summer classes with gi pants, but not when testing or at promotion...

 

[Rick Wade]

The first four years of my training was held in outside Balboa park in San Diego. It was great. It was pouring for my green belt test and I made the mistake of calling my instructor at the time and asking him if the test was cancelled. That day sucked in more ways than one if the test wasn't bad enough the rain was just misirable.

Respectfully