How many times a week do you attend class?

[Jackie Olsen]

GEM's said: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

After many years of experimentation, I've found that students who work out twice a week stays with the program longer than students who practice less or more.

This could sure apply to me. As a white belt mid-way through green belt I practiced 1x/week (only time I could get a baby sitter). Green Belt to Nikyu raised it to 2x/week. The time of Ikkyu I spent 4-5 times a week, because I thought it was needed to attain Shodan. Well, I earned Shodan and promptly was sick for almost 3 months after. Instead of determining with spirit, I "gave" with my body and became unbalanced.

Now at Sandan, I train at the dojo about 2x/week - 2 to 2-1/2 hours at a time. I try to daily do at least 3 Sanchins on my own, plus reading anything martial or philosophical.

Your training depends on whether Karate is a "way" for you or just exercise.

Jackie

[Panther]

For a large number of years, I "practiced" 6 days per week at least 4 hours per day (but the average was ~6 hours per day which included teaching time...) Burnout from a dojo is too easy to happen. At one point, the opportunity arose (not because of burnout) and I left the dojo. I didn't stop practicing, just stopped going to the dojo. Some would say that as a "dan-level", I was capable of maintaining my practice myself. There are problems with practicing with too much emphasis on the physical aspects and without feedback from others... Fortunately, an incident helped me realize that and then I was even more fortunate to have the opportunity to workout with some great and understanding martial artists from the U.S. to Japan. Then another incident occurred which, unfortunately precluded rigorous training for a number of years. I'm back in a dojo now and have committed to twice a week in the dojo.

Having relayed that answer to the actual question asked, I feel compelled to add:

There came a point (~18-19 years ago) when kara-te, ju-jitsu, kem-po... the way, the DO ceased to be something I "did at the dojo" and became something I "did all the time". It became a part of everything. Rubbing the cat, patting the dog, taking out the trash, playing music, hugging my wife, crying over the loss of a loved one, and... yes, even laying in a hospital bed wondering if "this was it"... I enter a dojo twice a week now, but I try to live DO all the time.

BTW, Did anyone else have fun in the snow last Saturday? My wife (and some other folks who were around) thought I was nuts for going out in a foot of snow, white-out conditions and doing Sanchin for 30-40 minutes! What a blast! I wasn't even cold until I lost mushin and then I went inside 'cause I started to freeze my, ummmm, "tushy" off! (No I wasn't wearing a coat, just jeans and a short-sleeve shirt) My German Shepard puts her nose down into the snow and runs along... Get bumped by a nose-down running, 75# German Shepard from behind (lifting her head up into your rear-end to give you a goose) while in Sanchin and see if you don't end up make a snow angel! (I corrected that one... )

[Brian Barry]

"My German Shepard puts her nose down into the snow and runs along... Get bumped by a nose-down running, 75# German Shepard from behind (lifting her head up into your rear-end to give you a goose) while in Sanchin and see if you don't end up make a snow angel! (I corrected that one... )"

Panther,
Mr. Rozumek has a dog that oftentimes spends the day at the dojo and invariably gets loose. I've had the opportunity to have my concentration and control tested during my kata. After all, I don't want to crack up and I don't want to kick Sensei's dog, but when it's walking around in tight circles around you, its tough. (and to anybody reading this who may report back, no, I never have kicked the dog.)


As far as classes, I take about three a week, teach in six or a little more, and do short workouts at home in early morning and right before bed. I'm addicted but unfortunately, my school stops me from going more.

--Brian

[david]

There are cycles to these things. When everything from home to work to workouts flow, it's perfect. If something isn't right, then it's a time for change up until you feel things are in flow again.

Generally, I train 5-6 days per week for at least 45 mins to hour and a half (not strictly in MA's). The shorter trainings are actually more intense to maximize the time.

Right now, I am lucky to get to class once a week. Would love 2-3. No more as I also need to train alone.

When family or job demands, I feel no guilt in letting some workouts go. I also enjoy active vacations away from work and training (and, yes, sometimes from family).

Cycling and trying to stay in the flow of life.

david

[Bill Glasheen]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

People's lives change. We take on more responsibilities with family, work or a new activity...The trouble with an unrealistic schedule, many people will give up karate totally rather than cut back.

- GEM <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

There are cycles to these things. When everything from home to work to workouts flow, it's perfect. If something isn't right, then it's a time for change up until you feel things are in flow again.

- david

I can remember back when I taught UVa students, where someone would come up to me and say something like "Schoolwork is really hard now. I need to quit for a while. I'll probably start back up again when things get better, or maybe just do it when I graduate." Even before I had a family, I would look at them and smirk a bit. "It'll never get any better than this," I would say. "Just wait until you marry and have kids."

Some people will never be able to organize their lives well. Other people just have different priorities. Contrary to what some may think, karate isn't the most important thing to most people. But it is extremely important to a few - the ones that make the dojo what it is. Those that are disciplined and consider it important will find a way to work things in. And interestingly enough, the students in my UVa classes who were the most dedicated and regular were also the ones who actually made it into law school and medical school or got their Ph.D. Hmmm...

On the other hand, life does change and a resourceful person adapts. Back when I had my A.B.D. degree (All But Dissertation), I was in that state of Nirvana where all I had to do was my research and nobody could make me do it. If I finished, I finished. If not...I was the only one to suffer. It isn't unheard of for folks to dive deep into their sport or other activities, and I was no exception. However years later when I moved to Richmond and a new job with a wife 7 months pregnant, I took time off (out of necessity) while I got reoriented. I did get a temporary membership at a club near work and got in a few workouts a week (and my wife pumped iron until one week before our son was born). Six months after the move, I was teaching at two clubs in town.

Things that are a priority will find a way into your life. Those that are organized and disciplined find ways to weave lots of things into their lives, and they lead a rich existence. But the truly mature among us find ways to wax, wane, and adapt in a given activity as life and one's body changes. Change is one of life's certainties, and those that can't adapt to it will find themselves missing out on many possibilities. Today's monster workout can evolve to tomorrow's comfortable routine as life reminds us we aren't going to be young and immortal forever. What we lose with our youth yields to different kinds of gains that can help us continue to enjoy life and stay engaged if we remain young at mind and heart.

- Bill

[david]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

Some people will never be able to organize their lives well. Other people just have different priorities. Contrary to what some may think, karate isn't the most important thing to most people. But it is extremely important to a few - the ones that make the dojo what it is. Those that are disciplined and consider it important will find a way to work things in.

Bill, very insightful. It is true that if something is important, folks will find a way.

I was also thinking there is a personality type that makes training perhaps too important/intense in their lives. But they do this with whatever is in the limited focus at a certain point in time. They overcommit in training until something diverts them, like work. Then they overcommit to that and feel bad about it. Then something comes up in the personal life and that gets all the attention... It's not that they ever really stop or give up but there is this lack of joy and balance in all that they do...

david

[Bill Glasheen]

david

I know the personality type. I used to have a few of them in my karate class, and saw a few in the weight room. Actually I've seen it manifested more in women than men. These are the same (young) women I would see in the grocery story buying Exlax for their binge/purge eating disorders. When they saw me with medication in hand, they knew I knew...

There's an interesting situation here. Not all people who are obsessive/compulsive have obsessive compulsive disorder. The difference between the two may seem subtle to some, but is most definitely there. I know these personality types run in families. I know of one family where a young man dresses perfectly, has militaristic-like life habits, graduated from Johns Hopkins in three years, and is board certified in two different medical specialties. He's a superb doctor. His sister has bouts of obsessive compulsive tendencies that turn into OCD whenever her life gets out of whack. She gets into the germ thing with all the excessive hand washing. Her hands look absolutely awful. At times she turns her tendencies into something very constructive. When life isn't going well for her, she is basically incapacitated and needs some help with Mr. Zoloft.

I don't find obsessive behavior bad per se. Joe Lewis of karate fame is a classic example of an obsessive personality type that has done well because of it. He's successful and by all appearances is very happy. One shouldn't assume that the crazies among us are....crazy.

- Bill