New Student: Training and conditioning outside the dojo.

[Alaskandude]

Hello everyone!

This being my first post, a little about me: My name is Travis, I'm 31 years old, I'm from Anchorage, Alaska, and I just started my Karate training. I have always wanted to learn Karate. It's something I have dreamed of doing all my life, but just never got around to. I have recently signed up at one of our local Karate dojo's, and will be attending my 4th class tonight.

I am nearing 32 years of age and getting a bit of a late start in martial arts. Every time I go to class it is brought sharply into focus for me that the last 16 years of trashing and neglecting my body has taken its toll, and that it is high time for me to lose about 40 lbs and stop smoking cigarettes. I am barely making it through the warm ups, and after all the running, push ups, crunches, etc. my heart is pounding, I am out of breath, and I am about ready to keel over and die... Then we still have to stretch, and do the class.

I always feel amazing after class, which is probably part of what keeps me going there. But I do feel out of place in a Karate Gi, and the class, especially in this physical condition, and I know I need to step it up, get in shape and quit smoking if I am going to continue to do this. Does anyone have any tips on what I should be doing outside of class on a daily basis with regard to exercise and conditioning, so that I can be better prepared for the warm ups, and so I dont feel like I'm holding the class back?

Fire Away!

[MasterPain]

If the class is doing that good of a job at working you out, I'd try to just stay mobile throughout the day. Take more walks, just be lightly active when you'd normally just be sitting around. Things like this should help more than you'd think.

[JusticeZero]

Well for one, you aren't holding the class back.

For two, all the amazing people you see were once in the exact same position you were in.

For three, smoking is a habit that you recognize is not helping you. For the next few days, every time you want a cigarette, jot down what you are feeling and experiencing at that moment. See if any patterns emerge. After seeing the patterns, replace them with short exercise breaks; take your cigarette break, but instead of grabbing the cigarette, do a few exercises that get your heart rate up a bit and get you to breathing slightly harder, stretch a bit, and smile. And believe in it; if you have a stressful thing happen, it's easy to slide back into old habits, but you're better than that.

Four, work exercise into your daily routine. I know the snow is pretty hideous right now, but after breakup you can explore a bit, see if there are places you can walk or bicycle to instead of driving from home. I worked as a substitute teacher for two years in Anchorage using only bicycles and buses. You can get around better than you think. Before you jump into the car ask yourself "Do I really need to drive there?" The answer will sometimes be no. When in a parking lot, grab the first available spot - yes, the one far from the door. You do neither your car nor your body any favors driving in circles looking for the perfect spot by the door.

Five, WATER. Drink a big glass of it right before class, right before meals, and keep well hydrated. The first sign of dehydration is that your stamina falls off drastically, and most people walk around dehydrated all the time.

For weight, here's the easy starter. Go to your cupboard. Take a look at your plates. They're nice big normal plates, probably. Now throw them all out and get 8" plates instead. If I put a certain amount of food on an American "dinner plate" and show it to someone, they wonder "Is that all? I'm going to need seconds." If I transfer it onto a small plate, they go "Holy cow, you expect me to eat all that?"

[Alaskandude]

Well for one, you aren't holding the class back.

For two, all the amazing people you see were once in the exact same position you were in.

For three, smoking is a habit that you recognize is not helping you. For the next few days, every time you want a cigarette, jot down what you are feeling and experiencing at that moment. See if any patterns emerge. After seeing the patterns, replace them with short exercise breaks; take your cigarette break, but instead of grabbing the cigarette, do a few exercises that get your heart rate up a bit and get you to breathing slightly harder, stretch a bit, and smile. And believe in it; if you have a stressful thing happen, it's easy to slide back into old habits, but you're better than that.

Four, work exercise into your daily routine. I know the snow is pretty hideous right now, but after breakup you can explore a bit, see if there are places you can walk or bicycle to instead of driving from home. I worked as a substitute teacher for two years in Anchorage using only bicycles and buses. You can get around better than you think. Before you jump into the car ask yourself "Do I really need to drive there?" The answer will sometimes be no. When in a parking lot, grab the first available spot - yes, the one far from the door. You do neither your car nor your body any favors driving in circles looking for the perfect spot by the door.

Five, WATER. Drink a big glass of it right before class, right before meals, and keep well hydrated. The first sign of dehydration is that your stamina falls off drastically, and most people walk around dehydrated all the time.

For weight, here's the easy starter. Go to your cupboard. Take a look at your plates. They're nice big normal plates, probably. Now throw them all out and get 8" plates instead. If I put a certain amount of food on an American "dinner plate" and show it to someone, they wonder "Is that all? I'm going to need seconds." If I transfer it onto a small plate, they go "Holy cow, you expect me to eat all that?"

\

Thanks JusticeZero, you seem to have a pretty good idea where I'm at, here. I will try out the methods you suggested for the exercise, and food portion control, (dont think my roomate is gonna let me throw out all her large plates) but I get the idea and I'll try just using the smaller ones.

I'm definately going to give the idea you had about the cigarettes a shot. Its something new and definately interesting! I've never heard of it before and Ive tried a LOT of quit smoking stuff. I think it really all comes down to willpower, and a proper environment, but sometimes, you dont have that luxury, requiring even more willpower.

I'll let you know how it turn out, and thanks again!

[Alaskandude]

Not sure why but it tried to post my last comment twice, and wouldnt let me delete it so......Class was awsome tonight, I'm trying to learn the first portion of Taikyoku Shodan kata and I stink at it, but Its only my second time trying to do it.

[tallgeese]

Congrats on getting into class and getting started on the path. Also, welcome to KF. Justice brought up some great points. I'd really focus on losing the smoking and the idea of getting some sort of exercise each day. Almost all of us can do better with our diet. You've gotten some great advice on all already.

Just let me say as well about how you feel like you're not good at a skill yet...this is normal. We were all there with every martial skill at some point. DOn't be discouraged by any of that. It's part of the process. Progress will come, just keep coming back working.

You'll probably look back a year from now and be amazed at how far you've come. You won't notice day to day, you're just too close to it. Over time though something will happen that will just show you the great distacne you've covered.

Good luck and keep us posted on your journey. Please don't let your newness keep you from posting on other threads as well. Everyone here remebers being new and values views from all angles.

[Alaskandude]

Thanks for the warm welcome, and the advice. tallgeese! I am glad to be among you all, and I look forward to talking with you in the forums.

[Ueshirokarate]

Thanks for the warm welcome, and the advice. tallgeese! I am glad to be among you all, and I look forward to talking with you in the forums.

Enjoy and savor your classes. Your physical conditioning will improve in time. You may wish to consider dropping calories and using a calorie calculator to figure out how to enter a 500 calorie per day deficit from your maintenance level (you can google a few good ones online). The last thing you want to do is lose the weight too fast or burn yourself out from working out. That is what the vast majority of people do. So while it is admirable that you wish to carry your conditioning training outside the dojo, remember your muscles and nervous system do need time to recover from what are probably very intense workouts. Given time, your body will adapt and these workouts will be easier to recover from and much less intense for you. You can then start really increasing the training outside the dojo. I like the suggestion of riding a bike or even some hiking.

[JusticeZero]

I'm definately going to give the idea you had about the cigarettes a shot. Its something new and definately interesting! I've never heard of it before and Ive tried a LOT of quit smoking stuff. I think it really all comes down to willpower, and a proper environment, but sometimes, you dont have that luxury, requiring even more willpower.

That's because usually it isn't about "willpower". Most people run on autopilot most of the day so that they can concentrate on other important things. When your routine is such that "when X happens, grab a cigarette and you'll feel better afterward", "willpower" is bypassed completely. You never really made a decision there, it was all rote procedure.

So instead, find out what cues you to get a cigarette, and replace the cigarette with something else that invigorates and refreshes you. In this case, you replace it with just enough exercise to bring up your heart rate, get your blood pumping, and get your muscles moving with that nice lively feeling; it needs to be something that gives you a rewarding feeling at the end. That way, you change the habit so that cigarettes actually are a "decision" again, instead of part of the routine

[JusticeZero]

I should have remembered this, but alas, I was in a hurry..

You should be writing down whenever you have a cigarette, as per instruction above; ALSO, write down whenever you eat something. What time, what you ate, anything else relevant. Don't worry about not eating or smoking when you do this, just record it all. The patterns will become clear as you do it, and then you can figure things out from there, but you want to know what your patterns are.

You can note down other plans for the day, too. But as best as you can, keep a log of anything you're doing that you might want to change. It's your log. If you want to write down that you ate a huge plate of cookies and they were soo yummy, go ahead. It's paper (or memory in a phone, or whatever). It won't judge you. =)