Balancing martial arts and life

[Pat]

my job eats my life. like lately. i think i need to find a new job. but anyways...

i have to work out really early before work. 05:45 AM. it stinks, but it works.

[SquattingMonkey]

Hi all, I thought I was one of the few on this board with a similar problem. Back in the late 80's into the middle 90's I trained up to 4 hours a day 5-6 days a week doing praying mantis, hung gar, tam tui and kempo. I was in tremendus shape and didn't understand how some of the older students could only make the time to train 1 hour per session 2 or maybe 3 times per week. I used to look down at them for not caring or making enough time for their art. I took a few years off in the mid 90's to late 90's and then I moved to Boston to study seriously again at a new school trying Yang style TJQ. After 2 years I got homesick and moved back to NY. Eversince I can't seem to train much anymore. I became what I used to look down on, a part-time practitioner. My big problem isn't so much that I don't have the time as it's that I don't see any CMA schools near me that are open 6 days a week anymore. The schools now a days are pay per session and only teach 2x or 3x a week out by me. I miss the days when you paid one fee of like $65 or $75 bucks a month and could train 6 days a week, you were even admonished by the teacher if you didn't train at least 4x per week.

[Sugarshrimp]

My biggest problem is that a few months ago I moved and now I don't have people to work with. I'm good about practicing on my own but without other people to work with... Its just discouraging.

Greetings,

Are you still in Canton? If so and you want to spar or push sometime, let me know. I live very close to Woodstock. I often have free time during the week, but work on weekends.

[kreese]

I think the masters of old also had this problem, albeit with different details. This may explain why internal cultivation is a major part of IMA. You can train your gong fu while doing other things, and if you work in an office or do business you will always have the opportunity to work on interpersonal interaction. You may have to focus what little time you have for "training" on 2-person work and self-defense, but cultivation and regular exercise are necessary for living, not just martial arts. Never give that up.

[Ian]

abandon any notions of a regimen.

stop counting repetitions.

you don't need to stand x minutes per day or perform y repetitions of your form.

train smart and simplify.

targetting your 'suck' areas for 5 minutes is more worthwhile than repeating what you already know for a full hour.

listen to what your body tells you.

[beegs]

squatting monkey-
i hear ya with what you said, i used to train 4-5 days a week 3 hour classes, etc.
martial arts goes with what the markeyt demands, as teachers need to make money, chinese martial arts isnt the big money anymore, now its mixed martial arts, so you can find mma schools where you can train all week.

ima is the weakest of all arts as far as business, because most guys into ima are in their 30's and do get caught up in life, kids, etc, so a school cannot pay its bills on these classes, so most ima teachers have something else for business as well, just to survive.

now that oil prices are crazy here, and electric is increasing again, and taxes are like 9000 a year, its astruggle just to survive!

[Ben]

Thanks for all the good advice guys! Its good to know I'm not alone here.

[bigphatwong]

listen to what your body tells you.

often neglected, but true

[bigphatwong]

On a separate but related note, does anyone else ever find themselves mentally rehearsing applications during the ordinary moments of the day? Example: my billing manager was just in here bitching at me, and the whole time I was silently imagining dropping him with a perfect hip throw, landing on top of him in a side mount, pounding him in the face and choking him out.

Not sure if it's an effective training method, but it definitely helps control the stress level.

[Syd]

On a separate but related note, does anyone else ever find themselves mentally rehearsing applications during the ordinary moments of the day? Example: my billing manager was just in here bitching at me, and the whole time I was silently imagining dropping him with a perfect hip throw, landing on top of him in a side mount, pounding him in the face and choking him out.

Not sure if it's an effective training method, but it definitely helps control the stress level.

I am jacks bleeding aorta!

[Darthwing Teorist]

Here is an interesting blog from my teacher regarding solo training:

The Way Alone--Advice on Solo Training

[qiphlow]

Here is an interesting blog from my teacher regarding solo training:

The Way Alone--Advice on Solo Training

that's some good stuff right there.

[Dmitri]

I just realizied that I have two conflicting self-images. One has taiji, the other doesn't. I'm going to have to think about this.

Nice catch... good for you.
I think it's true, FWIW.

Good luck man.