How often?

[Josh Bore]

How often should I really be training? So far I'm not being consistent and just training when I don't have much to do (which is pretty much every two days) but would like a pattern.

Thanks

Josh

[Bob Davis]

Hi Josh,

Again, opinion will very wildly on this but, ideally you should be in the dojo with your instructor twice a week at this stage (although most beginners only seem to manage once).

Past that, I'd put aside 15 minutes a day, if you structure it right you'll get a lot done in 15 minutes (and it's be about 15 minutes a day more than most beginners manage ). You can probably do your kata 10 times in 5 minutes, which is 80 down blocks, 120 stepping punches and 60 turns (so over the 5 home days that 400 down blocks, 600 punches and 300 turns), so you can see how much you could really fit into 15 minutes a day. It doesn't even need to be a continuous 15 minutes if time is an issue, break your day into drill sessions, you could do 5 minutes of a simple high/mid(outer)/mid(inner)/down block sequence with a reverse punch between each in a static forward stance, change sides for the second session later in the day, that's 2400 punches, 2400 hip rotations and 600 repetitions of 4 different blocks each week, (on top of your moving practice in the kata). Even on a busy day there's no real reason for anybody not to find 5 minutes 3 times a day.

The trick is regular training, a small(ish) amount every day is far better than one long session occasionally and it's far easier to make it a habit that you'll stick to, if you can do more then great but if it becomes a chore then you just won't do it.

One other little trick (as an addition) that I used to try and get mine to do is to do static stance practice morning and evening whilst cleaning your teeth, you are going to be standing there for a couple of minutes anyway so why not use it?

[Josh Bore]

Hi Bob, the club I go to is only open on Sunday (I wish it was open more but I can't do much about that) that's why I was thinking of training more at home.
What do you mean by static stances?
Do I rotate my hips whilst doing a reverse punch or are they square on?
Thanks

[Bob Davis]

Hi Josh,

Static, just standing in place without stepping. Yes you should rotate your hips for a reverse punch. I'll try and look you out (what I consider) some good clips on the basic techniques.

[Josh Bore]

Alright Bob, thanks a lot.
(I'm starting to ask anything I need to know just to try and keep the forum a bit more lively now )

[Bob Davis]

Turns out that despite 1000's of clips on youtube it's remarkably difficult to find anybody with halfway decent technique. However I did come across This practice video, it's not the same as I described but not a bad beginners workout for the basics.

[Josh Bore]

Thanks bob, il be sure to check it out as soon as I get home (I'm on the road right now)
Would you say his stuff is good because I've watched quiet a lot of his content for help

[Bob Davis]

Hi Josh,

I haven't seen a lot of his stuff but from the little I've seen you could do a lot worse at this stage of your training.

[Josh Bore]

Alright good. First thing I thought when I seen the thumbnail was "hey, that looks like a younger ShotokanSensei"

[garage]

Hi Josh

I train everyday for about 2 hours. As training a couple times in a club isn't enough especially if you are the instructor. I ask myself everyday if I am actually practicing the correct thing. Everyone has an opinion and it is all different. There seems to be obsession with the tiny details, and arguing about them.

Get you balance right, and make you movements flow. Power comes from the hip therefore from your whole body. If you can remember how great it feels to train, don't forget 40 years later it helps to remember how great it was and still is.

I feel good just finished training another 20 hours until I can train again. At my McDojo "I am luving it"

[Josh Bore]

Any tips on working on my balance? I was just taught the side thrust kick (don't know the Japanese yet so if anybody could enlighten me) and I find it kind of hard to stay standing once I kick out

[th0mas]

Hi Josh

Once you have the basics of mawashigeri and yokogeri sorted... Then a good exercise which helps both balance and core strength is the following:
Slowly perform the kick and hold it out. Maintain your balance as you raise it up and down whilst it is fully extended. You can begin with holding a wall with the back hand but over time do it without the support.

But only start this once you have the fundamentals of the kicks right.

[D.Ram]

I do 15min/day as well, but on most working days, I land up using my 15 min for a brief warm-up and some "counts" - this is a combination of push ups, squats, squat-kicks, rope-jumps, ab-crunches, etc - I pick a different set of 2-3 items each day and set a decent aggregate goal each morning. Once a week I go to class, and at least one day each week I visit a nearby ground and do about an hour of katas.
______________
More sweat in training, less blood in battle

[D.Ram]

And for the Japanese term a side-kick is Yoko geri, coming in two flavours - keage (snap) and kekomi (thrust); so a side thrust kick is a yoko geri kekomi.
I've seen some schools shortening this and simply calling it a kekomi (rest is assumed ).
______________
More sweat in training, less blood in battle

[garage]

Try bending the supporting leg this can help to control your balance, posted on the balance thing as well so I am recycling?