What would You Do?

[donna]

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself with nowhere to train. For example if your dojo closed and you lived in an isolated place with no alternatives?

 

[mrhnau]

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself with nowhere to train. For example if your dojo closed and you lived in an isolated place with no alternatives?

Couple of things...

1) just practice what you know. see if you can find someone that might be interested in joining. Does not need to be an expert, just someone to "goof off" with and practice some. If your school closed, keeping in touch with some of the students might be a good option. You could possibly see if a senior student wants to teach a little bit. If practicing w/ someone your level You might not learn alot, but you won't forget what you have learned.

2) Travel further, if you are seriously devoted and going to die w/out training. You can likely find someone in an hour drive. Not the best option, but if you are that fanatic and have reliable wheels, it could work.

3) go to seminars periodically. Might need to travel, but the training seems pretty condensed.

4) I hate to say it, but you could go the book/dvd route. Not preferable, but if no other options are left, you could try that.

There may not be any expert teachers around, but there might be someone w/ a bit of knowledge to share in your vicinity that does not have an official dojo. Keep your eyes/ears open!

 

[matt.m]

That would suck, however I would continue practicing my forms, one steps, basics, and kicking and striking.

 

[pstarr]

Been there, done that.

Train.

 

[tshadowchaser]

me to been there done that

its time to practice by yourslef for a while. Sooner or later someone will turn up at work, a fried of a friend, etc, thathas an interest in the arts.
Or as has been said its time to expand your area of looking for a school or change styles

 

[Gemini]

I'll be facing that very question shortly. The plan so far is that I will keep training myself and my kids. Options will arise. Whether they'll be good options or not will remain to be seen. With support from my instructor and a member of this board who I'll leave nameless out of respect for him, I'll just remind you, as they have both reminded me, you're not alone.

 

[Dark]

Talk to other martial arts in the net, work out and train alone for a while...

 

[Xue Sheng]

Widen my search and travel far..

 

[green meanie]

Been there too and it blows. Keep going with what you've got. Go to seminars when you can. Hang in there until something opens up. :asian:

 

[donna]

This looks like it is about to happen soon, and I am wondering on the best path to take. I will keep training at home. Our nearest dojo of the same martial art is 8 hours away so that is out of the question. The only alternatives here are a Karate club run by a thug with a terrible reputation, and TKD club which is more of a fight club where testosterone laden idiots challenge each other and fight seriously. Both are not the sort of club you would expose your kids to.
All of our senior students have moved away, through work commitments.
So I guess we will just have to muddle through till something else starts up.

 

[Kacey]

Been there, done that - my sahbum went back to college and was working full time, so he wasn't teaching; I worked out with other seniors in the area who were teaching, did whatever I could with the help of my students, and worked out with my sahbum when he was available; eventually, things calmed down and he started teaching again.

 

[evenflow1121]

I would continue to practice what I know and if I could not drive somewhere or arrange some sort of practice schedule at a studio, then videos.

 

[FuriousGeorge]

I used to commute an hour to my aikido dojo...I would do anything to continue practicing with other people, including put up with testosterone driven fools at a dojo I didn't like...if nothing else...I would read, watch and practice solo until I could work something out. For me the martial arts are ultimately about spiritual growth, so if I had no way to practice with others, I would pursue spiritual growth via other means...but I would be totally bummed out about not practicing!!!

 

[Hand Sword]

Clear out the living room or whatever and keep practicing!

 

[terryl965]

Keeep practicing what I was tought and start to order video after video until I found another instructor.
Terry

 

[Carol]

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself with nowhere to train. For example if your dojo closed and you lived in an isolated place with no alternatives?

I'd move! Any place too quiet or too isolated to have a dojo...migod I'd get so freaking depressed so fast. I'd beg borrow or steal to get out of their and get back to civilization...and class.

 

[Last Fearner]

Donna,

I sympathize with your situation. I hope things work out. The first option I would suggest is to re-consider traveling. My first school I joined as a white belt was 8 miles away, and I drove there every day. I have traveled further, over the years, to train with a qualified instructor rather than attend a school that was within a few miles of my home. Continue to look hard. Something might be there that you have not seen yet, but if you can work out a long trip once or twice per week, it is better than no instruction.

Second option, continue to practice what you know daily. Work on basics: physical conditioning, strength, stamina, flexibility (keep stretching!), balance (if you have learned kicks, practice standing on one leg, and extending in all directions slowly). Work on focus and accuracy of techniques, and hang a bag for a heavy impact. I don't suggest trying to learn new things on your own, or from a senior student who is not likely qualified to "teach," because you will probably learn it wrong, and have a harder time undoing bad habits later.

Third option, read as many books on the subject as possible, and view instructional video tapes. Don't confuse this with "learning from books," but consider it research. Learn as much knowledge about the Martial Art as you can to prepare yourself for when your training resumes. In time, you will be able to determine what books and videos have something to offer, and which ones are full of nonsense. Don't believe everything you read or see, just take it in as objective research.

Last option would be to possibly find an internet connection to a qualified instructor. I know that there are some high ranking masters who will take on pupils through correspondence courses (just like colleges and universities do these days). For a reasonable fee, they will send you training material, and testing requirements. You send them video of your performance, and they will critique it, and reply with what you should do to improve. It's not the best option, but it is one option - - just be leery of frauds and rip-off artists.

Actually, I'm considering providing a correspondence course myself in the future, but I'll see how that turns out later.

Hopefully, something better will turn up soon!
Good Luck!
Chief Master D. J. Eisenhart

 

[IcemanSK]

I agree alot w/ Mrhnau. I've been in a similiar situation. I stayed in touch w/ the senior student after our trainer died. While the senior student changed from kickboxing to boxing (to make a living) he would still discuss & train w/ me on occassion. I later changed to boxing also...because it was easier to come by at the time. 6 years later, I got back into kicking & ultimately opened my own school. I waited out the time by doing what was available, but continuing to train.

 

[tradrockrat]

How long have you been training? If it's been a long while and you've reached a level of proficiency that you feel comfortable with, start training friends. Teaching is an excellent learning experience in and of itself, and the back yard can be an excellent training ground - nature opens a whole new world of footwork training . You don't have to start your own school or anything, but you'll be amazed at the deeper understanding you'll develop of your art.

Later, you may just find that dojo you need to continue your education.

 

[Bigshadow]

I agree with Tradrockrat, however, before the dojo is gone, I would make every effort to train as much as humanly possible before it is over. I would want to try and soak up as much as I possibly could, even if it meant private lessons, I would cram every hour I could in with whatever means necessary to get better. This way if I could get my friends interested, I would have something to teach them and also plenty of things to work on for myself (at the same time bringing them up to speed).

On top of this, I would consider travelling to a good instructor at the very least, once a month to get 3 or 4 hours or more of training, so that I had more to work on when I got back home.

That would be my short term plans. Long term I would consider moving.