Upcoming absence from training

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Jaydub, Jan 29, 2017.

  1. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    The nature of my career (I'm in the Royal Canadian Navy), has always made it difficult for me to commit to any sort of training. I've been fortunate enough to spend my last few years posted to a shore facility, and now have three years of steady training under my belt.

    I have now been posted to a ship, and I'm going to sea for five straight months. I want to keep up training as best as I can, but I'm not skilled enough to progress on my own. My plan is to practice some basic combinations and drills while I focus on cardio and strength training. I'm also going to try, if possible, to train at schools in foreign ports. Kind of like my own personal
    "Fight Quest". Perhaps I will find someone to spar with onboard ship as well.

    I'm kind of bummed-out about having to miss 5 months of training. I don't want to lose all my progress while I'm away. I'm going to try to make the best out of a bad situation and do what I can.

    Has anyone here ever dealt with this? How did you deal with a long absence from training?
     
  2. Pointy

    Pointy Valued Member

    I think your plans for working on drills is a sound one. Its easy to gloss over the basics during regular training.

    Rather than seeing it as missing 5 months of training, see it instead as an opportunity to improve/perfect a few things. 5 months of just working on basic footwork will go a long way to improve your speed (as well as your technique). Or focus on improving your flexibility, or 2/3 combinations, etc. Set a goal, keep it small and obsessively train towards it for 5 months.

    Solo practice, even with its limitations, can still be highly beneficial.
     
  3. Aegis

    Aegis River Guardian Admin Supporter

    My advice would be to not worry too much about it. 5 months off isn't as bad as you think, and training will be waiting for you when you get back. Stay fit, practice a few moves from time to time and when you get back you'll find that you get back up to standard in short order.
     
  4. Travess

    Travess The Welsh MAPper Supporter

    I think you are looking at this the right way Jaydub - Opportunities to develop drills and techniques that you already have in your toolbox will be available to you, you just have to make the most of them when they turn up - However 'bummed' you are feeling about it now, will be nothing compared to how bad you'd feel if you get to the end of your 5 months, having done nothing - If you practice Sanchin Kata (especially with the turn) or even Tensho Kata at your club, you should be able to run through those daily, with the most minimal amount of space required.

    Travess
     
  5. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    That you for the insight. I'll take it all into consideration.
     
  6. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Good luck with the deployment, Jaydub.
     
  7. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    Thank you.

    Maybe I'll post in here again during my deployment. Especially if I do end up training in other schools overseas.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2017
  8. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    I'm finding it really hard to set up training while I'm in port. None of the traditional Karate places will have me because of association differences. One school actually invited me, then later retracted the invite because of those reasons. I could literally just show up and say I'm thinking of joining, and be welcomed. However, when I'm honest about being a travelling Karateka, I'm shunned. I've heard people talk of petty politics in the traditional Karate world, but this seems ridiculous.

    However, another option presents itself. The instructors I used to train with at age 14-16 run an MMA school in one of the ports I'll be visiting. They train professional fighters, and everyone on their website is shredded. They said I'm welcome to visit and train, but part of me feels like a fat 35 year old living in the past. Does that make sense?
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2017
  9. cloudz

    cloudz Valued Member

    Good job you're not a fat 45 year old living in the past :D

    But sure it makes sense. My advice go and train with them and enjoy yourself, I'm sure it will be fine. And also just be economical with the truth and check out other styles of Karate. When people are that petty they don't deserve your full honesty, frankly.
     
    Knee Rider likes this.
  10. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    Thank you for your perspective.

    Since posting that rant a few minutes ago, I have actually written my old instructors and asked to come by and visit. I thought about it, and I would probably regret not training more than taking an opportunity to train. That's what it boils down to, essentially.
     
  11. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Wow, they won't let you come to classes because of politics? Seriously? Because you're a karateka looking to try and train in their club? This just makes me thankful that I found a dojo that is open to anyone to come and try anytime...

    I wish you a good luck with finding at least one club that would welcome you. You may just say you did karate before, but don't have access to your club. Unless, of course, it isn't what you're actually saying.

    Your plan with your former instructors sounds great, though! Although the club might seem intimidating, at least they would probably push you to get really good. I suppose, since you are a karateka, the new members they usually get might be much worse off? Then you would have nothing to worry about, right? :)
     
  12. cloudz

    cloudz Valued Member

    Cool, let us know how it goes
     
  13. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    Just for the the sake of clarity, out of fairness to those Karate instructors who can't speak for themselves here...
    It's not "You can't train here because you belong to X association"
    It's more like "I'm sorry, but you can't train here because you don't belong to Y association"
     
  14. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    I'm happy to report that I trained tonight at United MMA in Waipahu, Hawaii.
    http://www.unitedmmahawaii.com/
    Ken and Jewelz recognised me right away and welcomed me like I was family. I participated in a BJJ class and a Kickboxing class. It was an amazing experience. I kept up pretty well, and it seems that I'm not in as bad of shape as I thought. I tried to explain to them, but I'm not sure that I properly expressed the profound impact that they had on my life. It's been about twenty years, but I still remember what they taught me. I am truly happy for having seized this oppurtunity, and not letting it pass me by. Every traditional Karate dojo I encounter could turn me away and this deployment would still be a success as far as training goes. Mahalo, United MMA!
     
    Knee Rider likes this.
  15. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    That's excellent news.
     
  16. GoldShifter

    GoldShifter The MachineGun Roundhouse

    Mental repetitions do wondrous things as well. Going over kata in your head, movements, etc, especially those longer days and you have to be out, you can't really practice your kata movements.
     
  17. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    I found someone on board to train with. She is a high-ranking Taekwondo practitioner. We spent some time just going over some basic combos using focus pads earlier today. It was great fun for the both of us.
     
  18. Jaydub

    Jaydub Valued Member

    Does anyone have any leads in Busan, Korea? I've sent some emails, but it's proving surprisingly hard to find something here. Even my training partner's leads are fallling flat, and she's a 4th Dan WTF.

    I just want to experience a Korean martial art. It could be Taekwondo, Hapkido, Taekkyon, etc. It does not matter which art. I just want to train while I'm here in a Busan.
     
  19. Tom bayley

    Tom bayley Valued Member

    Sorry no personal contacts - but I have a lead to some good stuff in that neck of the woods. The link is to a gathering in 2007 in Malaysia. Some of my kung fu brothers attended and reported that the speakers were world class. You might be able to generate a lead from it.

    Martial Arts Gathering 2007: Masters
     
  20. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    There's dojangs on nearly every street corner in Korea. But a problem you'll have in a place like Busan is finding a venue that can cater to English-speaking visitors.

    I'm assuming you'll come into contact with Korean military during your stay; can any of their personnel provide a recommendation?

    If you ever get to Seoul, do try to visit GM Kang Shin-Chul at the WTTU headquarters in the Jung District. Training with him really is a life-changing experience.

    He's hitting his sixties and can still do this...

    IMG_1221.JPG
     
    Monkey_Magic likes this.

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