Martial arts discussion thread

[GoktimusPrime]

Gguuuuuhhh... so I scheduled the new year 11 after school classes... and sure enough, one of them is on Wednesdays, so it's going to clash with any future Yang Tai Chi classes this term! Not sure if I can bothered to go to training tonight to attend ONE class (and I haven't been all year) just to give it up again next week!

[Bartrim]

I'm being pushed hard this term as I am grading for my brown and white belt. I had to spar last night with a mask on to restrict my breathing. It sucked!

[GoktimusPrime]

Pppffftt!! I don't need no mask to restrict my breathing! My fatness and lack of fitness does that for me!

[KalEl]

Pppffftt!! I don't need no mask to restrict my breathing! My fatness and lack of fitness does that for me!

LMAO

[Bartrim]

Pppffftt!! I don't need no mask to restrict my breathing! My fatness and lack of fitness does that for me!

LMAO. Classic!

[KalEl]

So it looks like its time for me to continue my karate journey, time to awaken the beast!

[Bartrim]

I'm going for my brown and white belt grading this weekend in Lithgow. I wish it was a month ago, I was at my peak then and I handled everything thrown at me no problem. Since then I have been sick, work has picked up thus restricting my training and I believe I have been pushing my body too hard as I feel weak, tired, my technique is suffering, I've been losing concentration at class and I don't feel mentally "in the game". I'm even at the point of I'm not bothered if I don't get the belt where I should be pushing myself to get it.

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm going for my brown and white belt grading this weekend in Lithgow. I wish it was a month ago, I was at my peak then and I handled everything thrown at me no problem. Since then I have been sick, work has picked up thus restricting my training and I believe I have been pushing my body too hard as I feel weak, tired, my technique is suffering, I've been losing concentration at class and I don't feel mentally "in the game". I'm even at the point of I'm not bothered if I don't get the belt where I should be pushing myself to get it.

There are benefits to training when you feel like crap, because if you can fight when you're feeling crappy, then imagine how much better you can fight when you're feeling good. And it's good training from a self defence POV too, because you can't choose the time of when you might get attacked by someone (hopefully not - knock on wood). So I think it's beneficial to prepare yourself in a way to fight back when you're just feeling lousy.

As for the belt/grading thing... meh. It's not even a traditional part of Karate anyway - what's more important is just focusing on your skills and techniques. As for losing concentration in class - is that just because you're feeling run down, or can the lesson structures be improved to make them more engaging? <shrug>

But hey, it's good that you're still training. I've done nothing since I stopped GKR, and I'm finding that I'm losing motivation and hope in finding a suitable martial arts school in my area. I seem to be stuck in an area that's just surrounded by schools that are either:
* Primarily interested in sports/competitive fighting over combative fighting
* Purely interested in holistic exercise with zero interest in any kind of fighting
* Claim to be interested in combative fighting, but fail to live up to that claim

I'm just getting really sick and tired of trying various schools and being disappointed. Traditional martial arts schools have always been hard to find, and now I can't seem to find any in my area. I guess traditional MAs just don't make anywhere near the amount of money that modern MAs do, especially with the explosion in popularity of MMA and UFC, it seems that traditional MAs are dying a slow death. The only traditional schools in Sydney that I can think of off the top of my head are in Chinatown or around the CBD, maybe some around the Northern Suburbs... all too far for me to attend on a regular basis. So unless I win Lotto and can afford to move into these more affluent areas, I feel like I'm stuck in a rut... I can keep searching, or just give up and do other forms of exercise like cycling (I've recently started doing "baby weight training" which I'll post about in the parenting thread ) etc. But it means giving up martial arts. There's a big BJJ school in my area which I haven't checked out yet... I need to work up the motivation to go and have a look -- hopefully they'll offer a free trial lesson. I just feel really burned out though after my experience with GKR... it's just killed a lot of my enthusiasm for MAs. (T-T)

[5FDP]

I'm going for my brown and white belt grading this weekend in Lithgow. I wish it was a month ago, I was at my peak then and I handled everything thrown at me no problem. Since then I have been sick, work has picked up thus restricting my training and I believe I have been pushing my body too hard as I feel weak, tired, my technique is suffering, I've been losing concentration at class and I don't feel mentally "in the game". I'm even at the point of I'm not bothered if I don't get the belt where I should be pushing myself to get it.

You'll be OK. Just use these people for inspiration and you'll pass with flying colours... brown and white that is

[GoktimusPrime]

Thanks for the laffs, I've seen the first one before, but the second one was new to me! LOL!!