Finding The Time

[qi-tah]

Time is always an issue and you don't need to work 9-5 either to find it difficult to fit everything in! As an artist, my "work" hours are quite flexible, but then i have to travel quite a bit to city galleries (i live in the country) and sometimes everything gets shunted if i have a deadline to meet or a show to organise. It can be quite erratic and occasionally hectic!
I generally try to get in two 2 hour sessions a week outside of ba gua class, in addition to 30-45mins qi-gong each evening and other incidental exercise... stretching in front of the telly, running through forms on tea breaks, footwork and shadow boxing while walking etc. If i'm working from home i try to stop every hour and refresh myself with a few minutes on the punching bag. I find that it is this daily, incidental exercise that makes all the difference. It keeps the body memory of new techniques and forms alive, even if you can't get into the studio for a heavy session.
I also find that visualisation of techniques and forms works wonders as well. I often do this on long train trips, or write/draw in my martial arts diary.

 

[Langenschwert]

You don't find time. Spare time doesn't float around out in the ether. You make time. Or more accurately, you build it. Start by making one day (just one) a day that you practice MA, come hell or high water. Monday is good, since then you actually have something to look forward to after the weekend. Spend half an hour. The TV can wait. Dishes can wait 30 minutes, can't they? Do it right after work... don't hit the couch first, or you're doomed. OK, you've done the practice, now back to your life. Once that's become a habit, pick another day (how about Thursday?) and do the same. Now you're training an hour a week.

The most important thing to practice is the basics. A good fighter does a few simple things really, really well. For longsword, I practice guard transitions a lot, since almost every action can be classed as a transition from one guard to another. Thus I am maximizing my muscle memory. Everything is built on the basics, therefore solidify your foundation. You will die long before you truly master everything anyway.

Best regards,

-Mark

 

[Danny T]

Well, I very fortunate in that I live 10 minutes from work and 5 minutes from work to my school. I work an 8-5 job as a manager with 15 employees and own Progressive Martial Arts Training Center. We have 20 classes per week in Wing Chun, Muay Thai, Kali, BJJ/Judo, Conditioning, MMA, Tai Chi for our adult members as well as our separate our youth classes. I instruct one of each of these classes and both of the Tai Chi classes each week for a total of 9 classes per week. I also instruct private lessons when scheduled. In all of the classes I instruct I perform the same work out as my students. The one area I don’t get as much time I’d like is sparring. I work out in all of the conditioning classes which consist of aerobic, anaerobic and kettlebell training.

My family is grown and on their own and my wife is very supportive in the amount of time spent working and training. (is happy to have me out of her way).

With that I also teach Sunday school for our church, am an active member of our local chamber of commerce, have served on our city civil service board for police and fire departments for the past 8 years, and am a member of two civic organizations.

It is all in prioritizing your time and life. And Yes I have a very good relationship with my wife of 29 years and we do have a social life as well.