This coming fall, I'll be heading off to college. There is no Uechi school within 90 miles and, not having a car, I won't be able to make it down to train very often. I'm trying to find a good book on solo training or something that I can use to keep my workouts interesting and keep improving. I'm also planning on buying one of our Uechi "textbooks". So I guess my request comes in three parts.
1.) Any suggestion on books about solo training (The only things I've seen are the ones by Loren Christenson. Has anyone read those or others and can tell me about them?)
2.) Advice on which Uechi textbooks would be most helpful for me at this point in my training
3.) Any other advice that you can give me. I know that plenty of you have been in the same situation.
In case it makes a difference in the advice you give, I am currently an Ikkyu, hoping to test for my Shodan before I leave next month.
Ideas?
--Brian
Training Alone
Moderator: Available
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Brian Barry
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2000 6:01 am
- Location: Grove City College, PA
- Contact:
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jorvik
Training Alone
hi barry.
I love solo training,and that is something that you have to develop.Most people hate it, that is why they go to clubs.
The best thing for you,would be to get into the habit now, before you go to college..so that you don't suddenly have to motivate yourself. It doesn't need to take that much time either, and you can build up..whatever style you do ..think of it as for the spirit, practise your kata -but not as exercise-.
the actual training should be done as a type of cardio workout.to start with, get a good watch with a timer. and do a couple of rounds shadow boxing, a couple of rounds of skipping, and finnish with a few rounds of uechi type stuff..finger strikes that type of thing..one old workout that I used to do was this( can't do it anymore due to age and arthritis)
start with 2 two minute round of skipping to warm up then do some leg stretches..
then get a pair of weight lifters steel boots and do 10 front kicks each leg,10 side, 10 crescent..then with handweights do 80 punches then lie on the floor and do 10 crunches with the boots still on.. that constitutes one set...I built up to 5...
after that I did 2times 2 minute rounds of fast shadow boxing, using punches and kicks and then finnished with kata ( I took the boots of for the shadow boxing, and your feet are blur fast)...don't know how good that would be for you medically... as I say Ive got arthritis...maybe mr.Glasheen could toss you a few ideas.
p.s. I always train to music, seemes to make it easier..something beaty helps..I like "Moby"
I love solo training,and that is something that you have to develop.Most people hate it, that is why they go to clubs.
The best thing for you,would be to get into the habit now, before you go to college..so that you don't suddenly have to motivate yourself. It doesn't need to take that much time either, and you can build up..whatever style you do ..think of it as for the spirit, practise your kata -but not as exercise-.
the actual training should be done as a type of cardio workout.to start with, get a good watch with a timer. and do a couple of rounds shadow boxing, a couple of rounds of skipping, and finnish with a few rounds of uechi type stuff..finger strikes that type of thing..one old workout that I used to do was this( can't do it anymore due to age and arthritis)
start with 2 two minute round of skipping to warm up then do some leg stretches..
then get a pair of weight lifters steel boots and do 10 front kicks each leg,10 side, 10 crescent..then with handweights do 80 punches then lie on the floor and do 10 crunches with the boots still on.. that constitutes one set...I built up to 5...
after that I did 2times 2 minute rounds of fast shadow boxing, using punches and kicks and then finnished with kata ( I took the boots of for the shadow boxing, and your feet are blur fast)...don't know how good that would be for you medically... as I say Ive got arthritis...maybe mr.Glasheen could toss you a few ideas.
p.s. I always train to music, seemes to make it easier..something beaty helps..I like "Moby"
Training Alone
The advice you get on how to train solo is going to depend on why you train. How much does each of the following matter to you?
--self defense
--tradition
--exercise
--enjoyment
--sport combat
--challenge, spiritual journey, etc
Where I used to train at UVA, I ended up club president and instructor one day when all the more senior people had left, and I and a very few other of the more senior students ran the place, with periodic visits to and from Sensei Glasheen in Richmond. I started to document what I knew and thought about Uechi Ryu, and Tim Ahearn programmed this into the UVA webpage, which was to be left behind for the people who would take over. Tristan and Mike now run the club, and I hope they periodicaly find the mass of stuff useful. It's at
www.student.virginia.edu/~uechi
and it's geared to documenting the steps of all the uechi ryu exercises (with the exception of sanseiryu, currently) and providing instruction and opinion about how to do them, as well as an introduction for newcomers and study resources for students.
I'm training solo myself now, and mostly what I do is kata, stretch, and lift a few weights when i have time. I sometimes run through the partner exercises by myself to keep them in my head. This is afterall how I learned them--dan kumite, I learned on one foot in a dorm kitchen with the other foot sprained, going through the steps as best I could of what I saw the upper belts doing in class.
--self defense
--tradition
--exercise
--enjoyment
--sport combat
--challenge, spiritual journey, etc
Where I used to train at UVA, I ended up club president and instructor one day when all the more senior people had left, and I and a very few other of the more senior students ran the place, with periodic visits to and from Sensei Glasheen in Richmond. I started to document what I knew and thought about Uechi Ryu, and Tim Ahearn programmed this into the UVA webpage, which was to be left behind for the people who would take over. Tristan and Mike now run the club, and I hope they periodicaly find the mass of stuff useful. It's at
www.student.virginia.edu/~uechi
and it's geared to documenting the steps of all the uechi ryu exercises (with the exception of sanseiryu, currently) and providing instruction and opinion about how to do them, as well as an introduction for newcomers and study resources for students.
I'm training solo myself now, and mostly what I do is kata, stretch, and lift a few weights when i have time. I sometimes run through the partner exercises by myself to keep them in my head. This is afterall how I learned them--dan kumite, I learned on one foot in a dorm kitchen with the other foot sprained, going through the steps as best I could of what I saw the upper belts doing in class.
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Brian Barry
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2000 6:01 am
- Location: Grove City College, PA
- Contact:
Training Alone
Ian- I'll go down your list:
self defense- Vital, learning a martial art with no defensive application seems pointless.
tradition- Not sure what you meant by this, but if you mean practicing traditional Uechi (kata, bunkai, kumite, Uechi conditioning, etc.) then it's huge. I love the style. Just doing a generic MA workout won't quite do the trick, I'm Uechi through and through.
exercise- I can get that anywhere, this is not the point of my practicing karate.
enjoyment- Clearly, I want to enjoy what I do. But it goes beyond that. When I haven't done a good Sanchin in awhile... I just don't feel right... like my system isn't functioning as it should. Y'all have probably felt it, where your homeostasis is just screwed up when you don't train.
sport combat- totally disinterested
challenge- YES! I want to keep being challenged so I can improve. How do I do that without critiques and training partners?
Hope that makes things clearer somehow. Thanks for the help.
--Brian
self defense- Vital, learning a martial art with no defensive application seems pointless.
tradition- Not sure what you meant by this, but if you mean practicing traditional Uechi (kata, bunkai, kumite, Uechi conditioning, etc.) then it's huge. I love the style. Just doing a generic MA workout won't quite do the trick, I'm Uechi through and through.
exercise- I can get that anywhere, this is not the point of my practicing karate.
enjoyment- Clearly, I want to enjoy what I do. But it goes beyond that. When I haven't done a good Sanchin in awhile... I just don't feel right... like my system isn't functioning as it should. Y'all have probably felt it, where your homeostasis is just screwed up when you don't train.
sport combat- totally disinterested
challenge- YES! I want to keep being challenged so I can improve. How do I do that without critiques and training partners?
Hope that makes things clearer somehow. Thanks for the help.
--Brian
Training Alone
If your college doesn't have a martial arts club of some sort, I'll run naked down 5th Avenue. Check around, I'm sure there are plenty, even if they aren't well known. That's how I got involved in judo... a free, 100% unadvertised club with a great teacher.
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Malcolm Wagner
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 6:01 am
- Location: Maurepas, La., USA
Training Alone
And if the college doesn't have a martial arts group, wouldn't it be fun to start one. As a fresh Shodan, you should have plenty to teach to and learn from novices. I bet you will also find some people with some experience willing to get together and share ideas. Put a flyer in the student union. Good luck.
Mal
Mal
Training Alone
Brian,
I think TSDguy and Malcom have the right idea. While solo training will help you to remember your katas and kumites, unless you have training partners it can get a little repetitious and stale after a while. We all start off with the best of intentions, but.... Theirs nothing wrong in training in another style, I think you'll be surprised at what you'd lean by training in another style and by what you'll be able to bring back with you when you restart your training at your Uechi dojo.
I've looked at programs that were offered at other colleges and it seems that their is always a Shotokan (or derivative) school in the area, which is a great style for learning strong deep stances and good basics.
Personally, if given the chance I'd like to try a style that explores areas outside our Uechi training. Grappling. Weapons (Kabudo). Pressure points. Even TKD will give you a new perspective on kicking techniques.
Lastly. Following up on Malcom's idea, how many students do you think are facing a similar situation? Wouldn't it be interesting to find out? Why NOT start a club of like minded people? Learn a different kata. Teach someone Sanchin.
You'll find that karate is no different than any other activity, people just need someone to break the ice and get the ball rolling.
I was doing my kata at a gym one time and started talking to a guy who was studying Isshin-ryu. We ended up setting up regular times to spar and talk about what we'd learned. Not only did I end up learning two Bo katas and the Isshin-ryu Sanchin, but I made a friend who stays in touch, even though it's been almost a year since I last saw him.
Have a good time.
dave
I think TSDguy and Malcom have the right idea. While solo training will help you to remember your katas and kumites, unless you have training partners it can get a little repetitious and stale after a while. We all start off with the best of intentions, but.... Theirs nothing wrong in training in another style, I think you'll be surprised at what you'd lean by training in another style and by what you'll be able to bring back with you when you restart your training at your Uechi dojo.
I've looked at programs that were offered at other colleges and it seems that their is always a Shotokan (or derivative) school in the area, which is a great style for learning strong deep stances and good basics.
Personally, if given the chance I'd like to try a style that explores areas outside our Uechi training. Grappling. Weapons (Kabudo). Pressure points. Even TKD will give you a new perspective on kicking techniques.
Lastly. Following up on Malcom's idea, how many students do you think are facing a similar situation? Wouldn't it be interesting to find out? Why NOT start a club of like minded people? Learn a different kata. Teach someone Sanchin.
You'll find that karate is no different than any other activity, people just need someone to break the ice and get the ball rolling.
I was doing my kata at a gym one time and started talking to a guy who was studying Isshin-ryu. We ended up setting up regular times to spar and talk about what we'd learned. Not only did I end up learning two Bo katas and the Isshin-ryu Sanchin, but I made a friend who stays in touch, even though it's been almost a year since I last saw him.
Have a good time.
dave
Training Alone
You can critique yourself.
Go through all your kata strictly focused on staying with your back in rock solid sanchin.
Go through focused on elbows in.
Do whatever feels weak 100 times.
Stuff like that. There's also the option of sending a video to an old instructor, if you can arrange it.
I've learned what I did and did not know by writing out how to do things. Or why. What they're for. Makes you think, gives you things to look for in the kata. So does training with people from other styles.
A senior Uechi person will always be the best, however.
Go through all your kata strictly focused on staying with your back in rock solid sanchin.
Go through focused on elbows in.
Do whatever feels weak 100 times.
Stuff like that. There's also the option of sending a video to an old instructor, if you can arrange it.
I've learned what I did and did not know by writing out how to do things. Or why. What they're for. Makes you think, gives you things to look for in the kata. So does training with people from other styles.
A senior Uechi person will always be the best, however.
