What would you do when no ones around?

[ginosifu]

What do you guys do when your training partners are gone, sick, retired, quit?
When there is no one around to practice with what do you do?

1. Practice solo single drills / short combos.

2. Practice Forms (any kind any system even SC forms).

3. Practice Chi Gung / Internal stuff.

4. Hit the heavy bag / pad training.

5. Do nothing until partners come back.

6. A combination of Forms and Drills.

7. Something else.

[SJGuy]

Since I train exclusively alone nowadays, here's my break down:

Monday - Friday:Stances, Arms Grabs program (plus a couple of shorter strength sets), shuai jiao drills.

Saturday-Sunday: Stances, Arms Grabs program (plus a couple of shorter strength sets), forms (not shuai jiao), taiji.

[goju]

hit the bag, weight lifting , cardio

[YouKnowWho]

1. Solo combo drills training.

2. Solo posture training.

3. Equipment training.

4. Health maintenance (running, sit up, push up, stretching, ...).

[mooyingmantis]

Weights, cardio, stretching, iron palm, form and combos. Some of each every day.

[ginosifu]

Everyday I do a strength / Chi Gung set, Iron Palm 3 times a day and Forms practice.

ginosifu

[SPJ]

drilling some single moves.

hitting some bags/pads

--

:)

[YouKnowWho]

This thread just remind me a discussion that I had in Judo forum.

Judo_student: What should I do when no ones around?
Judoka: Do nothing. Training at home without your sensei's watching, you will build up bad habit.
YKW: You may try ... and ...
Judoka: If you train in your Dojo, that will be all you need.
YKW: How can you enhance you skill if you do nothing at home?
Judoka: Are you training for Olympic event?
YKW: No!
Judoka: Then training in your Dojo 3 times a week is all you need.
YKW: :confused:

Here is one comment from that Judo forum:

- if you're new, don't practice on your own. First, take the thing you want to do on your own to your sensei. He can help you with your technique so that you don't get thousands of incorrect repetitions in. Always easier to start with what's right, then trying to overcome what's learned wrong.

Very strange attitude IMO.

[Syn7]

This thread just remind me a discussion that I had in Judo forum.

Judo_student: What should I do when no ones around?
Judoka: Do nothing. Training at home without your sensei's watching, you will build up bad habit.
YKW: You may try ... and ...
Judoka: If you train in your Dojo, that will be all you need.
YKW: How can you enhance you skill if you do nothing at home?
Judoka: Are you training for Olympic event?
YKW: No!
Judoka: Then training in your Dojo 3 times a week is all you need.
YKW: :confused:

Here is one comment from that Judo forum:

- if you're new, don't practice on your own. First, take the thing you want to do on your own to your sensei. He can help you with your technique so that you don't get thousands of incorrect repetitions in. Always easier to start with what's right, then trying to overcome what's learned wrong.

Very strange attitude IMO.

its rigid... but i get it... all you have to do is ask your sensei to give you a home program... that way he knows what youre doing when he isnt around and can work that as part of your overall training... i dont understand why you think thats so strange??? do you think a boxer isnt the same??? or a baseball player??? coach needs to know what your doing with your free time... it matters... surely you see that... but i do feel working at home plus dojo is better than just dojo, aslong as you arent fukcing up your own program...

in cma alot of people do things wrong for long enough that they never get it right... in all athletics, not just MAs...

[SPJ]

just like piano or violin lessons.

you do practice what you learned from previous class,

whatever you do at home

it will be checked and "corrected" by your teacher in the next class.

do nothing at home?

do something alone is part of the learning process.

:)

[ginosifu]

The reason I asked this question is because other the past 20 years I had partners come and go. There have always been times when there was no one around to drill / spar / fight / wrestle with. During those periods I have focused on improving technique thru form and drill work.

Do you think you can become a better Martial Artist just thru forms / drills alone?

ginosifu

[YouKnowWho]

Do you think you can become a better Martial Artist just thru forms / drills alone?

I think solo training can enhance the skill that you have alreadyly developed. It won't help you to develop any new skills. The problem is, if you don't spar/wrestle for 3 days, your arms and legs will no longer be yours. Your brain may give your body an order but your body won't be able to response quickly enough. Your timing will be off and that will be a bad thing. This is why I have never believed that some young guy can go to the mountain and train for 5 years in forms by himself and then come back to become a good fighter.

I had the same problem as you do. When I was in California, I had no training partners. I almost wanted to grab anybody on the street and asked them if they would be interested to spar/wrestle with me. I don't charge much money for my class. I'm more interested in using my students to polish my own skill than just making money out of them.

[David Jamieson]

warm up, bagwork is great for solo training. Good cardio, good force feedback and a good device for correcting structures.

I like to extrapolate from forms as well when solo and as well the forms themselves.

Other things are qigongs, weight work, body work, treadmill and weapons work drills focusing again on structure and retention of the weapon.

...anyway, that's my doings. :-)

[mooyingmantis]

I'm more interested in using my students to polish my own skill than just making money out of them.

Agreed! I teach primarily for my own skill set development.

[Yum Cha]

I train about the same alone as I do with hingdai when I'm alone, minus the two man drills and training, of course.

To my mind, if you don't or can't train alone, you're a sportsman, not an artist.

[Yum Cha]

Agreed! I teach primarily for my own skill set development.

Shhhhhjhhh!

[sanjuro_ronin]

Solo training is about 95% or what I do now.
Bag work, Strength training, stick and knife work, dummy work ( grappling, striking and throwing dummy), IP, Iron wire and so forth.
I need a partner for sparring, nothing else really.

[MasterKiller]

http://i325.photobucket.com/albums/k362/heyzeus79/Intredasting.jpg

[Frost]

This thread just remind me a discussion that I had in Judo forum.

Judo_student: What should I do when no ones around?
Judoka: Do nothing. Training at home without your sensei's watching, you will build up bad habit.
YKW: You may try ... and ...
Judoka: If you train in your Dojo, that will be all you need.
YKW: How can you enhance you skill if you do nothing at home?
Judoka: Are you training for Olympic event?
YKW: No!
Judoka: Then training in your Dojo 3 times a week is all you need.
YKW: :confused:

Here is one comment from that Judo forum:

- if you're new, don't practice on your own. First, take the thing you want to do on your own to your sensei. He can help you with your technique so that you don't get thousands of incorrect repetitions in. Always easier to start with what's right, then trying to overcome what's learned wrong.

Very strange attitude IMO.

the judo coach was right, its easy to correct that which never goes wrong in the first place, if you are really training hard 4 times a week then the other 4 should be rest days or light days

[Frost]

What do you guys do when your training partners are gone, sick, retired, quit?
When there is no one around to practice with what do you do?

1. Practice solo single drills / short combos.

2. Practice Forms (any kind any system even SC forms).

3. Practice Chi Gung / Internal stuff.

4. Hit the heavy bag / pad training.

5. Do nothing until partners come back.

6. A combination of Forms and Drills.

7. Something else.

find other partners :)

lift weights, do cardio, do solo work but you need partners if you are to grow and imporve

[sanjuro_ronin]

It takes a long time and lots of experience with partners to know how to train on your own.
Solo training in ANY sport is done at the higher levels it is, truly "advanced training".
When you are learning and developing it shoudl be under the watchful eye of a teacher/coach and with as many a varied partners as possible.
The lessons you learn in that will then be the ones you apply in solo training when you have built up the experience and the VERY CRUCIAL self-critical eye and feel to your training.

[donjitsu2]

If I've go no one to play with I'll usually do some San Ti, heavy bag/shadow boxing, and some Burpees.

Then I'll go have a beer.

[TenTigers]

Horse, sam-sing, bagwork, makiwara, rings, weights, SBG, stepping patterns, butterfly knives, mook yan jong, Tiet Sien Kuen, stretching, running, noi-gung, hei-gung, beer.
I also spend time just thinking about it. How it workds, when and why, etc. I formulate ideas, shadow box with them, then I play it on a student, and then I go to my teacher with my findings. He then gives me guidance, and I improve.
But you need to think about it all the time. When you walk, walk with your Gung-Fu. When you open a door, sit down, avoid a pedestrian on the street, walk your dog. Everything contains Gung-Fu. The more you think about it, The more you ingrain it into your body and mind.

[YouKnowWho]

When you walk, walk with your Gung-Fu.
This just remind me that when my teacher had tea with me, he always striked his palm edge on the table. Sometime when he walked in the park, if he found a tree that he liked, he would do a "human flag" even when he was over 70 years old.

I like the "4 directions drills". I can apply move (or combo):

- 1 on east,
- 2 on south,
- 3 on west, and
- 4 on north.

I then repeat this drill 20 times everyday. I'll keep this pattern for 3 months and change it into a different set of 4 moves (or 8 moves if I use 2 different sets). The advantage of this kind of drills pattern is I will always have 4 (or 8) moves (or combos) that I'm familiar with on daily basics and I can pull it out if needed. I'll also feel comfortable no matter which direction that my opponent attacks me (front, back, right, left).

Sometime I like to use 4 different "entering strategy" to apply on the same move and not necessary to drill 4 different moves.

[Iron_Eagle_76]

My workouts now consist of weight training, running, bag work, stance training, shadowboxing, Pai Lum Leg Training, and stretching. I normally work out 4 days, Mon-Thur and take off Fri, Sat, and Sun. I have noticed the recovery time is great and I feel rejuvanated on Monday. Overtraining is bad and can seriously hinder you physically if not careful.

This will change when I get my gym open but not much, will lift weights and run Mon, Wed, Fri and teach class Tue and Thur, doing my circuit training before class. I liked what John said on another thread about having training partners/students because I enjoy the workout with my students as well as teaching, always have.

The biggest problem with training solo is lack of sparring, which is essential and one gets rusty when you don't do it. I always try and tell either students or people who ask my advice that basics, bag work, forms, stance training, and whatever else are all good, but it does not take the place of sparring.

[KC Elbows]

Bagwork, chin up bar stuff, abs, shadow boxing, occasional shadow boxing with weapons, stripper pole into spastic shimmies.

But the real answer is "argue on KFM".

[Drake]

When nobody's around I like to.. oh, nevermind. You are talking about martial arts... :eek:

[David Jamieson]

Also, when alone, I recommend drinking scotch and ringing up a call in masseuse!

Hey, why be alone! :p

[tactical-nuke]

weights weights and more weights, practise technique, shadowbox thats pretty much it.

[GeneChing]

...I double-check sanjuro_ronin's pic posts here. Gotta make sure they aren't porn, doncha know? ;)

[sanjuro_ronin]

...I double-check sanjuro_ronin's pic posts here. Gotta make sure they aren't porn, doncha know? ;)

Contrary to what some malicious ninjas have said, I post on artistic pics of the female form, case in point:
http://exoticnudes.net/a_najone_artistic_addiction_creole_nude_babe.jpg

[SPJ]

SR luv tanned skin.

moi preferred pale complexion.

not healthy but

beauty is only skin deep, so they said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0yv6_2wUbk

:)

[solo1]

due to my wifes Effing job I train alone alot more lately. try to get downstairs 5 times a week.

mon-thurs. Alternate between sparring techs and short kata. with pushups situps/crunches etc between sets.

tues- friday. Forms practise at least half of forms i know in a session as many as 5 times a piece , pushups, situps/crunches, pull ups etc between sets

weds- friday. Heavy bag, makiwara, reflex bag, more forms, pushups sit ups/crunches

doesnt replace class by any stretch but you must do what you can when you can.

[Violent Designs]

developing basics, structure, footwork.

and lots and lots and lots of shadow boxing.

[Lucas]

drills, forms, cardio/conditioning, weight train, weapon drill, reading.

[YouKnowWho]

I like this weight training a lot. I work out in 24 hours fitness gym every week. So far I stll have not be able to find any similiar weight training in the modern gym that can replace this TCMA weight training method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUzE5MQhdcc

Some nice solo drills in this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gBJEou8v3s

[ginosifu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gBJEou8v3s

I have this 2 dvd set. Very nice training regime. I met their coach back in 1997. You can see him in white at :13, very nice guy. This team is was so good they killed everyone and took first over all, beating Mongolia, Taiwon and USA in the 1997 world championships. I took a measley 4th place there.

ginosifu

[SPJ]

I like this weight training a lot. I work out in 24 hours fitness gym every week. So far I stll have not be able to find any similiar weight training in the modern gym that can replace this TCMA weight training method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUzE5MQhdcc

Some nice solo drills in this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gBJEou8v3s

modern equipment for weight training is only for flexion and extension of target muscle group, abduction and adduction also. rotational a bit too.

but for conditioning for fighting or throwing for a certain technique we need different training methodology.

I do both.

:)

[MightyB]

Kettle Bell (turkish get ups, swings, clean and press, horn-grip squats)
Every version of push up imaginable
Crunches
Neck bridges
Ukemi ball drills for NeWaza
Entering drills against a wall for speed
Pull ups using my belt to develop grip strength
Shrimping/Elbow escape
Robot Walking (name for a boxing drill at our school)
Duck walk and solo shooting to develop speed
An old school dynamic tension drill for grip and finger strength from Eagle Claw
Dumbell curls
Fancy kicks like the turning back kick or its cousin the jump turning back kick
Bean bag conditioning
Belt Cracking
Any 7*PM form that I happen to feel like doing so I don't get too rusty
Dao/broadsword movements or a form, but mostly isolating a movement
Overintellectualizing movement sequences and fighting in general
Watching instructional DVDs and clips

and arguing on KFM

[Lucas]

and arguing on KFM

I call bull****!!!! :mad:

[SPJ]

It has been raining the whole week in So Cal.

nothing can be done outdoor wise.

so I was crammed in the living room doing dumbell weight training only.

---

:(

[YouKnowWho]

What will be your response when someone said that you should never train MA at home without the supervision of a qualified instructor? Will you response be something like:

- I can't afford a qualified instructor.
- You are right that I still need a qualified instructor to show me how to do a proper horse stance.
- I only do push up and sit up at home. No supervison will be needed.
- My qualified instructor was dead long time ago.
- If I still need qualified supervision at my age, it may be time for me to get a rope, find a quite place, and hang myself.
- ...

[ginosifu]

What will be your response when someone said that you should never train MA at home without the supervision of a qualified instructor? Will you response be something like:

I have been training for over 20 years and I still need tweaking from my Sifu. If you had some training with a good kung fu teacher and you are alone now... eventually your skills may need tweaking here and there. You might be doing something wrong and not know it.

My opinion for personal training is that if you are not trying to improve / tweak / perfect your technique, whether it be a form or a small combo or 2 person sparring drill or lin gung etc etc... you are only exercising.

ginosifu

[uki]

most of my training is solo... actually all of it has been for years now... i just recently built my own grinder/wing chun dummy(i will post pics when available) - i am using iron rods as "arms"(uki fashion of course). i had a laugh when i saw the price of buying your own... wow... 850 bucks for a couple pieces of african hardwood?!?!?! asinine... my eventual contraption will incorporate 3 bags and 3 posts - arranged in an equal=lateral triangle spaced so that the practioner can stand in the center and utilize all 6 objects at the same time in order to train against multiple opponents with resistance(without having to find multiple people to practice with) - the 3 poles will be grinder/wing chun dummies of sorts; this will be set up outside soon because the girlfriend is having issues with the house shaking while i workout and train... LOL

aside from that, i have a 1000 square foot flagstone patio that invites me to train on daily, aswell as the frozen pond down the hill. :cool:

[MightyB]

I call bull****!!!! :mad:

Oh yeah!?!? Well your mama's so stinky she make flies sick! :p

[KC Elbows]

What will be your response when someone said that you should never train MA at home without the supervision of a qualified instructor?

My response would be "Do you really want to get in a long discussion of what I should do with my free time? Have you read my posts?"

I'm unclear on how you can live martial arts and only do it when your teacher's around.

[Lucas]

Oh yeah!?!? Well your mama's so stinky she make flies sick! :p

lol. sorry you have to put up with that. :p

[Lucas]

for me its impossible to not do any training alone. how can you not? if you love watching movies, do you only watch them with other people?

there is a different atmosphere when you train alone, imo. you dont have to worry about interuptions, questions, even corrections. corrections are very important but i also believe that personal reflection and independant development are valuable as well.

i think it might also depend on the person. as an example, ive always been a very independant person. I enjoy solitude more than company. I dislike crowds and people in general. Some people are polar opposite to me and detest being alone. I could see how some people may not be able to find motivation when alone, and prefer a 1 on 1 or group setting during all aspects of training, if they are actively enteracting with others or not.

[pateticorecords]

I train, for myself, 6 days a week from 5-6:30 AM. I do warms ups, stretching, striking drills, and kicks every day.
I work on cardio, strength, and endurance three days of the week. The other three days I focus more on internal cultivation, meditation, and weapons training.

I train with partners every so often. Plus, whenever there are martial artists coming to/visiting the area (Southern Suburbs of Philadelphia) I tend to get together with them for exchange sessions.

To me Kung Fu it is a way of life, everything that I do throughout the day I relate to it(it drives my wife crazy...lol).:)

[YouKnowWho]

My response would be "Do you really want to get in a long discussion of what I should do with my free time? Have you read my posts?"

I'm unclear on how you can live martial arts and only do it when your teacher's around.

People has that kind of attitude usually assume they are the instructors and others are all beginners. The rest of the world will have to be under their supervision in order to do thing right.

Many people stop their CMA training when they move to a new place just because they can't find a school to go to. It's very hard for me to image that people don't have faith in their own judgement. IMO, not doing anything at home and become lazy and fat is much worst that doing a not so perfect form.

[pateticorecords]

People has that kind of attitude usually assume they are the instructors and others are all beginners. The rest of the world will have to be under their supervision in order to do thing right.

Many people stop their CMA training when they move to a new place just because they can't find a school to go to. It's very hard for me to image that people don't have faith in their own judgement. IMO, not doing anything at home is the worst habit to have.

You are absolutely correct:)

Or maybe you move to an area where the Kung Fu instructors are not that great so it is better to practice on your own.