Creative Training Opportunities For A Busy Lifestyle

Have a passion for martial arts yet constantly find yourself simply too busy to train on a regular basis? Far too many, unfortunately, find this the case.

The truth is, however, none of us can train full-time - unless, of course, it is our profession. I can’t speak for others, but the last time I checked my community’s job listings – employers weren’t in the need for professional martial artists.

So, as serious martial artists with limited amounts of time, we must become creative.

Bruce Lee was an advocate of this. One may find some of his thoughts in these creative training ideas to follow:

Physical Conditioning

1. Enhance your sense of balance by standing on one foot whenever possible. Ex. in the morning while getting dressed.


2. Make it a habit to squeeze in a few push-ups, sit-ups, or squats first thing in the morning.


3. Walk - don’t drive. Park the car, purposefully, a couple blocks away from your destination.


4. Lift with the legs while on the job to simulate squats.


5. If waiting for a moment, clench and un-clench the fists to strengthen the wrists and forearms.

Mental Conditioning

1. Acquire an acute awareness – imagine an unprovoked attack made towards you during any daily activity. Visualize - deal with it simply and easily in your mind.


2. Take along a book and read whenever possible.


3. Quiet meditation – even for just 5 minutes a day. Relax yourself, then visualize yourself conquering many random assaults, or defeating the competition.


4. Keep a martial arts journal. It will help you to recall your readings, and training sessions, and allow you to set goals.

Technical Conditioning

1. Practice when you’ve found yourself in front of a mirror at any point of the day. Something simple, like a boxing combination, or knife angle set.


2. Always stand upright. Buttocks slightly tucked, and back of the head held high to align the spine. This posture allows for maximum ease of movement.


3. Focus your breath in the abdomen (hara, tanden, or dantien in Asian cultures), approximately 1 ½ - 2 inches below the navel. Practice this, and achieve a full and efficient supply of oxygen to the muscles.


4. Practice shadow boxing, or forms whenever the opportunity arises at a near-by park.

Although these ideas are excellent ways to train for a busy lifestyle, they should never be ones soul source of training, and exercise. I cannot stress the importance of having a qualified instructor enough; no one has ever become skilled alone.

With that said, do not believe one can reach a high level of proficiency by attending class 2-3 times a week. One must totally involve body and mind on a constant basis, and supplement the training in the dojo with some of these ideas aforementioned. One is bound, following this path, to see leaps of improvement in ones art of choice.

- Sean Gore