Workout at home

[Safroot]

Hi all,

Currently I am attending only 1 class weekly due to my work shifts and I feel that's not enough !! so I want to do something at home trying to compensate being in the dojo only 1.5 hours a week.

Now I am trying to do the following nearly everyday at home:

1- warm up & stretching for 5-10 minutes

2- 2 sets of push-ups (20-25 each)

3- 2 sets of crunches (40 each)

4- 2 sets of squats (30-40 each)

5- 1 set of lunges (20/leg)

6- 1 set of jack jumps (30)

sometimes I practice the basic kicks, punches and blocks but not that frequent.

I am trying to increase the count every week but is that enough ?!

Any suggestions to add to my daily workout that might help?!!

N.B: I can't practice Kata at home because I am living in a small unit (no space to practice kata).

[sensei8]

Rope jumping, stationary bike, or a few rounds with a hanging bag. The list in your OP, imho, was solid.

Btw, you don't need a lot of room to practice kata. If the size of the room prohibits you from doing said kata properly, then there's other things that you can do kata wise.

You can do segments/blocks of the kata...

Btw. You, for example, could do the opening turn to the left and downward block. Then the stepping reverse punch. Then the 180 degree turn and down block. Then the stepping reverse punch. Then the 90 degree turn to the left and downward block. Then, the stepping reverse punch, alternating each begin and end of each stepping punch. KIAI. Then you could do the 270 degree turn to the right and down block. do the stepping punch. Then turn 180 degree and downward punch. Then do the 90 degree turn to the left and downward block. Then the stepping reverse punch, alternating the beginning and end of each stepping punch. KIAI. Then turn 270 degrees to the right. Then downward block and stepping reverse punch. Then turn 180 degrees and downward block. Then stepping reverse punch. Then back to ready/Yoi. Bow.

You've just done Heian Shodan in very limited space.

If the space is more limited, you can do each individual technique one at a time. Always concentrating on proper execution of said technique.

Don't let space, or the lack thereof prevent you from your kata training. I can do every kata in our syllabus and then some in the most limited space known. It can be done. I work on each one individually while concentrating on its proper execution.

Kicking can be a challenge, especially if a walls in the way. For that, I just bring my knee up, and then mentally visualize said kick. Or, I just do the kick, space permitting, at a different angle from said embusen, then return to the embusen to finish said kata "STEPS".

Kata "STEPS", one at a time, then before you know it, you've done it. Visualizing each and every "STEP(S)". I can do a kata in the circumference of a basketball by just visualizing it.

[Safroot]

Rope jumping, stationary bike, or a few rounds with a hanging bag. The list in your OP, imho, was solid.

Btw, you don't need a lot of room to practice kata. If the size of the room prohibits you from doing said kata properly, then there's other things that you can do kata wise.

You can do segments/blocks of the kata...

Btw. You, for example, could do the opening turn to the left and downward block. Then the stepping reverse punch. Then the 180 degree turn and down block. Then the stepping reverse punch. Then the 90 degree turn to the left and downward block. Then, the stepping reverse punch, alternating each begin and end of each stepping punch. KIAI. Then you could do the 270 degree turn to the right and down block. do the stepping punch. Then turn 180 degree and downward punch. Then do the 90 degree turn to the left and downward block. Then the stepping reverse punch, alternating the beginning and end of each stepping punch. KIAI. Then turn 270 degrees to the right. Then downward block and stepping reverse punch. Then turn 180 degrees and downward block. Then stepping reverse punch. Then back to ready/Yoi. Bow.

You've just done Heian Shodan in very limited space.

If the space is more limited, you can do each individual technique one at a time. Always concentrating on proper execution of said technique.

Don't let space, or the lack thereof prevent you from your kata training. I can do every kata in our syllabus and then some in the most limited space known. It can be done. I work on each one individually while concentrating on its proper execution.

Kicking can be a challenge, especially if a walls in the way. For that, I just bring my knee up, and then mentally visualize said kick. Or, I just do the kick, space permitting, at a different angle from said embusen, then return to the embusen to finish said kata "STEPS".

Kata "STEPS", one at a time, then before you know it, you've done it. Visualizing each and every "STEP(S)". I can do a kata in the circumference of a basketball by just visualizing it.

That's great advice .. Thank you

It's actually not only the space that prevents me from practising kata but also the fear of doing one or more movements wrong and get used to the wrong technique which I guess will be very difficult to fix later, but in the dojo the instructor will monitor and * my technique so I will guarantee the right technique !!!! not sure if I am right or wrong ?!

[sensei8]

You shouldn't get use to incorrect techniques. Why? Your CI has been, and will continue to do so, teaching you the proper execution of said techniques since your first day. You can still do the Steps Kata as I've mentioned because you'll be doing said techniques correctly at all times. The kicking is another thing, if space prohibits it, don't try.

If you pay close attention to what your CI has been teaching you, and you don't stray away from that, I believe that you won't develop any bad muscle memory.

One other thing. I instruct my students to write out the kata steps one by one, and write out said kata over and over until they've memorized it. This is key when learning a new kata for students who can't remember parts and/or the entire kata. There's more to learning kata beyond just memorizing it, and nothing replaces the practicing over and over said kata on the floor, with your CI present. However, in the solitude of your home, you can write the kata out over and over while visualizing.

Sure, many are gifted in the ability to see/execute said kata after having seen/executed it just once, and they've already memorized the kata. Not me. So, I started writing it out on a piece of paper over and over until I memorized said kata steps.

Edited March 9, 2014 by sensei8

[Safroot]

You shouldn't get use to incorrect techniques. Why? Your CI has been, and will continue to do so, teaching you the proper execution of said techniques since your first day. You can still do the Steps Kata as I've mentioned because you'll be doing said techniques correctly at all times. The kicking is another thing, if space prohibits it, don't try.

If you pay close attention to what your CI has been teaching you, and you don't stray away from that, I believe that you won't develop any bad muscle memory.

I will try it for sure ... thx for clarification

[sensei8]

You shouldn't get use to incorrect techniques. Why? Your CI has been, and will continue to do so, teaching you the proper execution of said techniques since your first day. You can still do the Steps Kata as I've mentioned because you'll be doing said techniques correctly at all times. The kicking is another thing, if space prohibits it, don't try.

If you pay close attention to what your CI has been teaching you, and you don't stray away from that, I believe that you won't develop any bad muscle memory.

I will try it for sure ... thx for clarification

Please read the edit of my last post above. I've added another helpful tool.

[Safroot]

You shouldn't get use to incorrect techniques. Why? Your CI has been, and will continue to do so, teaching you the proper execution of said techniques since your first day. You can still do the Steps Kata as I've mentioned because you'll be doing said techniques correctly at all times. The kicking is another thing, if space prohibits it, don't try.

If you pay close attention to what your CI has been teaching you, and you don't stray away from that, I believe that you won't develop any bad muscle memory.

I will try it for sure ... thx for clarification

Please read the edit of my last post above. I've added another helpful tool.

thanks sensei8 .... good tool I might try it