Let’s talk about training. Due to the pandemic many gyms are closed. How do you practice your martial art/contact sport while at home? Do you train with a partner? Also what are your options, if you need to be isolated completely alone. If you are not actually training in the art/sport, then what conditioning exercises will you do that develop you as a martial artist? I know the training varies, it depends what martial art you are practicing, but I am interested in all the different experiences. For example, training in striking arts is quite easily imaginable, but what about grappling? Also looking for new interesting training ideas.
I'm lucky enough to have a partner who also training MMA and grappling and lucky enough to have mats and bags at home. I also have weights and conditioning equipment at home and am an experienced powerlifter so can easily train myself. Also one of my gyms was considered an elite gym so was able to stay open partly through the pandemic and run classes so that was useful. I also have a grappling dummy at home for when my other half gets bored with ground work lol. My stick fighting coach also ran zoom classes for when the class wasn't on, which was useful for keeping in touch but no way was a substitute for hands on teaching or training. I'm very fortunate to have someone to train with and enough experience in striking and grappling to be able to train myself and my partner
I have noone to train with at home, and as a group 4 cve I haven't trained near anyone for a year now. I have a dummy at home, I drill on it myself, structured or free drill. My coach runs a zoom session and checks technique over the session. My gym garage has 6x8ft space for practice with the dummy, or I'll use the double end bag, or shadow boxing. I have barbell set with over 200kg, so I'll work with basic lifts and dumbbell to do more relatable work like Turkish getups (great for grappling). It's been a long year, but I feel without this I would have been a lot further behind.
Badly, in my case! No one I live with trains, or is happy to get chucked about, so I've been focusing on lifting stuff. I'm fairly happy with my basic lifts, and I'm lucky enough to have a coach who gives advice if you send videos for the olympic lifts. I watch a lot of Judo, and got a free series on guard when a site had an offer on, so it's just hoping some of that goes somewhere into my brain. I know timing will be off when we get back to Judo, but it will be the same for everyone in my position. I've done the odd weapons session with my instructor, but as he lives in a different town it's not feasible when local travel restrictions are in place.
Ive got a bit of room in the yard where I drill my basics and forms. I’ve also got my heavy bag in the garage where I will train once a week or so. I’m also doing some strength training on my own, and some running in a nearby park where I don’t need to come close to people. So I’m keeping quite busy actually, and this is pretty routine for me because I have always spent time practicing on my own, between class sessions. So in this sense, Covid hasn’t been terribly disruptive in my training. My wife and sister-in-law are also doing a bit of training with me, but they are a bit more hit-and-miss. We are trying to make it kind of a family activity, since we are still unemployed and home much of the time.
