Minimum acceptable number of hours/classes per week

[Lord-Humongous]

I run three x a week, swim with the triathlon club on Saturdays and endeavour to attend at least three classes a week. This is alot of exercise that I commit to and I am starting to run into conflicts with family that obviously take priority. The swim is early morning and everyone is in bed when I go so no problem. The running is on my lunch at work. The TKD training is evenings (this is really the only quality training time at my dojang). My issue is that we are having another baby in March and I will need to claw back evening training hours. This may even involve me training Saturday mornings only, which isn't my favourite class to attend. What do you all think? Is it still possible to progress in the art with limited hours? Should I pay my monthly fees to train maybe only 4x a month? I will be discussing with my instructor of course but wondering what the consensus is amongst you all. Any and all advise on how to balance this is appreciated. My other option is to take a 6 month hiatus I guess while we get settled after the baby.

 

[Kempojujutsu]

You may see if your instructor would do private lessons with you. At least time slots that would work for you. May also see if there are some students in class that would train with you on the side, if private lessons are too much for you.

 

[searcher]

If you still put in the time at home with forms, basics, bag work, and MA specific conditioning, you should be fine.

But it begs the question of why you are training. It can have a huge influence on how much time you need at the school.

 

[Lord-Humongous]

Private lesson. Good idea, I hadn't considered that. There are a handful of guys that get together to train outside class but they tend to practice grappling adding their TKD as a stand up component to sport MMA. It's not really what I'm interested in right now. The reason I train is multifold. I won't attempt to list all reasons here but I do have a mid term goal of getting to black belt (currently at red stripe). I haven't set a timeline on this goal for obvious reasons.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Everyone's situation, wants, needs are different.

For me I was doing TKD before I was married and had children. I really never intended to change my schedule due to marriage or children. One solution was to hire someone to help with the kids. If you are gone a couple of hours 3 nights a week, then you are home all night 4 nights a week.

So, if I would be gone for a couple of hours for class someone could be hired to help during that time. Not only would there be the same amount of manpower available, but without a doubt the help was more skilled at helping than I was or wanted to be.

I have missed class for the birth of the Children and took off for our 25th Anniversary. Figured once every 25 years was OK to make an exception. .

A friend of mine similarly situated got a complaint from his wife vis a vis time at TKD and time with the family. I'll never forget his response: "I was doing TKD before I met you, and i may be doing it when I don't know you anymore."

 

[terryl965]

For me it is 6 days week and for some of my top teer people it is everyday 4-6 hours. The norm seems to be 3 days a week for 1.5 hours.

 

[Dirty Dog]

From what you say, it sounds like TKD is the only thing you do that takes any time away from your family. Thats not really very much, but you do need to be sure that your wife has as much time away from the family as you. Hire a sitter. Take your wife out. And keep training.

In my youth, I was very active in the martial arts. My wife objected so strenuously to the amount of time I spent training that I eventually quit, trying to make her happy. It didn't make her happy, and some 25 years after I quit, and 10 years after we divorced, I started over again. Two of the biggest mistakes of my life; her, and letting her convince me to stop training.

 

[StudentCarl]

To me, the simple answer is that perseverence is more important than how many hours a week you train, particularly if you practice outside of class.

I suggest reflecting on your goals and how your commitments match up with them. I recommend that you not take a hiatus if taekwondo is important to you. As a colored belt (I'm one too), so much of what we're building is a sound foundation of technique and muscle memory. IMO, disrupting that would set back your learning more than the time you sit out. I think it would be harder to come back than to change/reduce your training time.

I also suggest including your wife in your thinking process. Some of the comments above don't reflect a healthy marriage, which is what you, your wife, and your kids deserve.

As your kid(s) get older, tkd may be an activity you share. My 17 year old son and I enjoy training together, though his sparring is in a different league than mine. Right now I'm training 6 days a week, so there is more time as your kid(s) get older. Good luck.

Carl

 

[Lord-Humongous]

Thanks for all the advice. A hiatus isn't really something that I am considering. I'll just need to find a healthy balance. I can't wait for my kids to be old enough to train with me. My 2.5 year old practices shadowboxing and kicks at home. On occasion, I let him blast around the training floor in the dojang when no one is working out. When he's a little bigger, he'll attend the kids class.

 

[granfire]

Without reading any of the other replies:

3 times seems to be a good number for the average practitioner. Best with a day of rest between workouts.

naturally, when you prepare for a tournament you might have to step it up some.

 

[Markku P]

To me, the simple answer is that perseverence is more important than how many hours a week you train, particularly if you practice outside of class.
l

I totally agree! .And it's better to think long term so if you have "a slow season" with your training then that doesn't matter.

 

[Gorilla]

6 days per week....hours vary from 1-6hours depending on training cycle...in TKD and Shotokan combined...