So what do you guys do when you practice alone that's different from what's taught or practiced in class? I mean, of *course* I do the stance training, the hard body conditioning, the beginning conditioning form(s), hitting in the air/heavy bag/double ended bag, shadow boxing, etc when I'm by myself. But there are things that I do different. For example, we are taught in class to keep a tight fist, always. But when I practice, I keep a loose fist and then harden upon impact. Now quantitatively, I know that statistically, if you always keep a tight fist, there is never a chance that you'll get caught with it being loose and having it broken. If you always keep it tight, the odds are 0% that you'll get it caught, that's just a truism. But if you keep it loose like I do, there is some chance to get it broken. But, regardless of the chances for breakage, it's different from what I'm taught. Why do I do it? Because I feel the difference in a qualitative sense. And _that_ drives me nuts. There are other things too, stuff that the Sifu hasn't taught us yet, but that I've gotten elsewhere. Like Hung-Gar style angle stepping with all of the basic strikes (what we call the bagua hands). Why do I do this? Because I spar outside of class and it is very difficult for me to do rotating kicks with my right leg due to injuries, so I've stolen, er, I mean, adapted the angle stepping from Hung-Gar to avoid kicks and to close the gap so I can grapple and use first gate to second gate hand strikes (long to medium range). I also do things like stepping at various angles while applying mirror hands, striking while retreating, varying the timing of my combinations depending on what the heavy bag or the double ended bag does, etc. I worry that these kinds of things that I practice outside of class will warp and change the things I'm being taught, especially since I know that CLF has angle stepping and things that are similar and just like the things I'm doing, but it just hasn't been taught to us yet (I'm new to the school, still). Does it hamper what I learn from class or does it just add to it? Or does it depend on what I'm doing?
I do a lot more cardio and targeted stretching (my quads, hams, and a bum shoulder) when training alone. Yesterday I ran and hit the jump rope hard. As well, I did all my single person forms including weapons (my gym is cool with me bringing weapons). I think you are on the right track, Bek. Footwork drills never hurt and always help. As long as you are doing what you were taught in class, you should be fine. Practice until you cannot do it wrong, not until you get it right.
i do a lot more lone training these days.... and a lot less class training but there is no use spending hours training in class with all these other students spending hours also training in class on thin air. I believe that some things, like forms can be taught to a certain extent in class, and then the majority of the improvement is on the student to practise in their own time. What is valueable in class time is to practise on other students, this is the time that you have all paid for to be together. basics should be done in class so your teacher can make sure you are not sailing off track in your own time. so in class: basics, drills drills, sparring, drills, padwork. on your own: heavy bag, shadowboxing, forms, basics, fitness. thats how it tends to work for me. I think the more class time you can attend the better, alone practise is no substitute, but it's better then nothing at all.
Yeah, I think the two things that hold THE most value is practicing on other students and correction of technique. Sure you could be working out with friends or whatever from other schools, other styles, but it probably won't be stuff that your teacher's been trying to teach you and that you've been trying to 'get' and understand with the other students. As for correcting technique, I find that if I've been out of class for a while, and practicing on my own, I tend to get .. sloppy. Not in a finding new ways of applying my techniques kind of way, just .. sloppy. Sloppy and likely to get myself into trouble. So it's back to class I go. Both class and lone practice are necessary. If you're not going to class at all, how do you know you're doing it right? If you're not practicing alone, how do you expect to ever get good at it? If you're not doing either one .. it's probably time to find another hobby. Take up weight lifting or something.
Now that our classes are less often I am finding that extra training is essential. I think I value time in class far more now that we have less and our teacher expects us to train out of class too. Luckily my bf and I both train so if we can get a venue or some fine weather extra training isn't really an issue. Training time in class is the time for getting help with sparring and other stuff,whereas working out of class is time for me getting my head round stuff usually then checking back in with my teacher whenever I can to make sure it's ok. I have been slacking a bit recently,which I realised badly last week when I couldn't remember a form I have known for ages.
For myself class time is spent learning new material, going over basics, drills and partner pad work. Also bag work is important to me and since I don't have a way to do that at my apt. it's a big part of my training. Most of all, hand to hand transmission and sparring with classmates is what rounds out a typical training session. Also working on all the sets after or before class. Outside of class is where I do most of my more introspective work and conditioning. Slapping sand bags, Iron broom, rings, jars, stancework and lots of shadowboxing using techniques from sets and the like. Jumping Rope, running and weight training when I can fit it in. I try to get out to the park on sundays with my training partner to work drills and spar a little. I also do my nei gong exercises regularly as well to supplement my training. My training varies depending on my workload at times. So sometimes I'll have to sacrifice a part of my training one way or another.
chi work. i also do alot of straight sword work both fast and slow. stance training. i find time when watching tv i do stance work and chi stuff. heavy bag work and i do alot of kicking at home for some reason. maybe because im getting ready to move into some choy lay fut stuff.
Cardio, weights and general fitness mostly. Sometimes practising stance, footwork and strikes. To be honest I find it boring though as I do not have a bag anymore since moving house. Rarely practise forms, I do actually find them relaxing and probably should do it more but I think at the moment I have a very reductionist mind set. I will do more in about 20 years time.
Hmm, watts. I generally separate my gym workout with my KF workouts, but perhaps I shouldn't. There's stuff you need to do after working with weights to do your KF, right? I usually drink my protein powder and stretch just to loosen myself up and relax. Anyone else do their KF right after weights and such? Some good responses! I'm happy to hear people are training hard!
Sorry, I don't mean I do them on the same day. I usally only use free weights twice a week, and when finished do the same as you (warm down then a protein/creatine shake). Once or twice a week I do a cardio/plyometric work out, sometimes within these I incorporate the Wing Chun stuff, but I am not very consistent to be honest. So outside of class for me it is more about fitness, although with plyometric's especially this is geared towards improving my martial arts. If I was doing an art such as Muay Thai and had a heavy bag then I think I could happily work all the strikes out on it, but Wing Chun is an odd system to practise alone, IMO anyway.
