This article was taken form the first edition of Frank Murphy’s Masterclass Newsletter. I hope you enjoyed looking at the website and that you found something of interest, whether it was an article or simply an old photo that held some good memories. Regardless of the type of training you are involved in,my goal is to keep you motivated with your training (or teaching/coaching if you are an instructor) or perhaps give you the incentive to return to training in some form or manner if you have been out of it for a while. I Hope this article inspires you. Let me know how you get on, and any feedback is welcome.

 

As training goes, picture the ideal training scenario; you can train whatever you want (Taekwondo, Kaizendo Fitness or any other martial art for that matter), whenever you want, as long you want, with whom you want and wherever you want.  

 

 

 

But when we factor in life’s unpredictable events, especially in the world and the pace of our lives today, there may well be times when any form of regular training will prove quite a challenge.

Lets face it… the fact is, moving house, changing relationships, nagging injuries, transport, equipment, accommodation and everyday living maintenance in general, and the odd attack of a mood swing, either within or without our control, can put a damper on training. Typically we may find ourselves in the middle of some career project, or family commitment and deep down we want to physically train but are unable to get the time. What you have to do is first, acknowledge that these occurrences are all part of the flow and pull of the universe and realize these occurrences of life will always be around us, so waiting for them to go away is unlikely to happen. Planning ahead will prepare us for these eventualities. If you have been out of training for awhile, if you are recovering from an injury and you want to get back into the flow of regular training here are some suggestions.

EVERY DAY ACTIVITIES

During the course of your working day look out for ways where you can increase your physical activity. It all adds up to quite a fair bit of time at the end of the week. Leave the car further from your destination and walk to the venue if possible. Park your car in the top section of the car park. Welcome, yep welcome the climb to the top of the stairs when you return. If you’re out with family, why not plan an active outing like going swimming, hill walking or cycling together. All great healthy exercise is mostly free and outdoors.

AT HOME

In your house do some light exercises, the type and duration (start off with 10-15 minutes) does not really matter, but the fact you did something and regular is the first little planned step. This could be anything from light weights, to stretching. I have a single 9kg Kettle Bell at home, takes up a tiny little space and although I’m a bit sporadic when I use it, it all adds up at the end of the week, and this may have been a week when those unexpected time robbers catch up and interfere with regular training time. Even sitting down on a chair you can do a number of exercises, for e.g. You can place one leg on the knee or lap of the other and stretch the adductors & hip joint.You can also do triceps dips just make sure the chair is solid against a wall, and also you could stretch your spine by turning round to each side. You can do alot of stretches while sitting on the floor watching a movie.

NETWORK 

Humans love interrelationships especially with like minded individuals who share the same interests, hurdles and challenges. The Internet is a welcome tool to help you exchange ideas. I personally invite you to use this site to encourage you in your training efforts. When you can give another martial artist positive productive feedback with your own training it will serve you in the long run. Networking will help you source inspiration, put you in touch with training events, classes, DVDs, books, mentors, and instructors. On many social media sites you can compare and discuss new training methods and make new friends worldwide, which will also help the entire martial arts community.

EXPECTATIONS

Try not to be so hard on yourself starting off. Have little or no expectations or comparisons, especially to your past training routines. Martial arts training is a very individual thing. It’s OK to start of slowly again so you don’t do yourself any damage and allow your body to adapt to the exercise, especially if you are older. This can take a while and there may be a few aches and pains at first. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else as martial arts training is very individual. Just be grateful that you can to any training.

FIND A STRONG REASON TO TAKE UP TRAINING AGAIN

Coping with the stress of your work or lack of work, keeping fit for your young family, coming to the realization that you are going to get older and need to look after yourself, are some of the very good reasons why we need to train and keep healthy.

AT A CLUB/GYM

If you were once a fit high ranking martial artist coming into a public class, this may not be the best place to return. Again, try and seek out a few colleagues or buddies with the same challenge of returning to training. Don’t wear your belt if you feel uncomfortable.

KEEP IN TOUCH

I hope you enjoyed this newsletter and that you’ll come back and visit this site again. Don’t forget to check out the related videos on You Tube. Good luck for now.

Frank Murphy