2014 Lenten Challenge

[RickMatz]

Every year, I throw out the Lenten Challenge to my martial arts buddies. It has nothing to do with Christianity or religion (unless you want it to). We are simply using this time as a convenient reminder to rededicate ourselves to our training. It’s kind of hard to miss either Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras, the last day before Lent, which is also Paczki Day!) or Easter Sunday (Bunnies, candy, colored eggs; that stuff). Several of us have been doing this for years now.

The challenge is this: from Ash Wednesday (Mar 5) until the day before Easter (April 19), train every day, without fail, no excuses; even if you have to move mountains. Simple enough said, a little harder to do.

It's not as easy as it sounds; things come up. Some days, you might only be able to get a few minutes of training in; but the point is to do it everyday, no matter what.

It doesn't have to be martial arts training either. Whatever it is that you need to really rededicate yourself to: studying, practicing an instrument, walking, watching what you eat, immersing yourself in something new; anything - do it every day, without fail.
In the past on some forums, people have posted what they’ve done everyday. I think everyone who’s done that has become tired of writing, and the others get tired of reading it. How about you just post if you’ve had some breakthrough, or you’ve had to overcome some unusual circumstance to continue your training? Maybe just check in every once in a while to let everyone know you’re keeping at it, or to encourage everyone else to keep at it.


If you fail, no one will hate you. If you fall off of the wagon, climb back on board. Start anew.

For those of you who already train everyday anyway, by all means continue and be supportive of the rest of us. For the rest of us who intend to train everyday, but sometimes come up short due to life’s propensity for unraveling even the best laid plans, here is an opportunity to put a stake in the ground and show your resolution.

Won't you join me?

[RickMatz]

The Lenten Challenge begins ... NOW!

[Ian C. Kuzushi]

Okay, I am joining this year! I have really been slacking these last few months, trying to get into a graduate program. I finally got an official acceptance and have already recently been getting back in shape with more taiji, running, and will be getting back on the mat for judo and jujitsu. This is just what I need to keep me on task! Every day I shall endeavor to train, not just my body, but my mind and spirit through martial practice.

Thank you for the invite!

[RickMatz]

Ganbatte (do you best)!

[Ian C. Kuzushi]

頑張ります。

[wiesiek]

Pączki zjedzone

I`m in , time to roll !

[RickMatz]

It's Good Friday. We can declare the Lenten Challenge to be finished.

Since I took a new job last October, I've been working from home. Sure I have had to do my share of traveling, but when I am home, I'm home.
I like being really home, but ironically have felt the need to get out of the house. Besides with the traveling, my good habits were breaking down and I was putting on weight.

I was thinking about returning to an aikido class and/or perhaps taking up judo to mix with more people and get more physical exercise.

I found a couple of dojo fairly nearby. One only trained Saturday afternoons, which was the worst time for me. The othe seems to have closed.

As I was thinking about my next move, the Mrs reminded me that a friend of hers has been going to an MMA gym for years and really enjoys it there. I had never considered that, but decided that I would take the free lesson (for the conditioningclass) with and open mind and see what happened.
What happened is that I signed up right away. On Mondays, there is conditioning followed by kick boxing. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I'm doing Brazilian Jiujitsu and conditioning again on Thursdays. There is heavy sparring on Thursdays for the guys who are entering MMA matches and I don't want any part of that unless I am in a full suit of armor.

I have NO boxing skill, although I've been improving. At 56 I am finding that while I can hold my own with the 40 year olds, I can't come close to the 20 year olds.

The young guys are pretty good to me though. I am the oldest guy in the place. They generally dial it back to what I can handle, although I have found that the instructions to "take it easy on the old guy" lends itself to a wide range of interpretation. I picked up my first black eye about a week ago.

I am gravitating towards BJJ. It seems to be easier on my body and I think that I'll have a greater longevity at this gym if BJJ is my main focus rather than the kick boxing. If I do kickboxing for three days straight, for instance (in place of BJJ on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), my knees and feet are really sore for the next four days and it's time to begin again!

I like the gym. I'm glad I found it. My goal is to stick with BJJ as long as I can and to eventually be the toughest guy in the nursing home.

[Ian C. Kuzushi]

Way to be, man! I was doing good with the challenge, at first....I fell of at the end as I have been working full time and also dealing with deciding on Grad programs (I had to turn down Stanford) which was a ton of stress (as was deciding to move and split with my long time lady). I am back on the wagon now, and look forward to returning to my "challenge:" life. Sorry I flaked on the challenge, this year, but it was a help, and I look forward to next year.

-Ian C

[chud]

RickMatz: great post, thanks for sharing. Finding a good group to train with is a real gift.

Btw, my brother is in the same shoes as you: he works from home, so as a result he always wants to get out of the house (I'm the opposite, I go into the office, and then just want to stay home at night when work is over).

Oh and I did pretty good in this years Lenten Challenge. My goal was to do qigong every day, and while I missed quite a few days, I have developed my practice into a habit now, which is good.

[RickMatz]

It's all good! Even the black eye and my newly sore ribs.