Weekend Warriors

[Alan Armstrong]

"Weekend Warriors" a term used for sports people that practice occasionally usually on the weekend. They suffer from all types of tears and pull to muscles due to not being conditioned enough, or possibly over doing there chosen sport.

Knees and ankles suffer from "Weekend Warrior" aspirations.

As martial artists, the term "Weekend Warrior" sounds like it fits perfectly but perhaps not.

Having a physically demanding job always fitted in with my martial art practice.

Those that work in an office for example, need more conditioning due to long periods of inactivity during working hours, on top of that, the martial art practice it self.

Three years ago, I had to hang up my martial arts Gi. My knees were not able to keep up with my JKD teacher's demands; couldn't walk properly for about three months.

The reason for my knees to not be able to keep up with the rest of me was because of a lack of conditioning. Sure I knew how to throw the kicking techniques but my knee ligaments became weak over time and just couldn't cope.

I know this is the reason because I have taken the time to condition my knees. Taking the chance of a recurrence, I did the same JKD kicking that put me out of action.

The very next day, I was expecting not to get out of bed, very pleased to say there was no ill affects to my knees. A week later I put my knees through the same harsh kicking practice, still no problems. Overcoming my own "Weekend Warrior" syndrome payed off.

The moral of this story is that overlooking my/your conditioning will/could lead to "Weekend Warrior" injuries. It was a lesson I needed to learn the hard way; please don't make my mistake!

[sensei8]

Great OP, Alan Armstrong; thank you for starting the topic!!

The term "Weekend Warriors" has a much different significance to me, nonetheless, the dings, as well as the battering that we all MAists endure form time to time, were fulfilled by our passions, some how and some way, while on our MA journey.

It's THAT drive that propels us to unbeknownst heights in our endless pursuit for that one perfect technique...just one...just once...as the echos of our expenditures reverberate throughout our accustomed familiarity, yet without resolve, with the inevitable recrudescence of one injury or another.

Having just turned 59, I'm slowly surrendering to a realization that I'm no longer that spring-chicken from my yesteryear's begone vitality. Albeit, once on the floor, there's nothing new about my MA highbrow, in my sinking lack of ability with my physical prowess.

Nowadays, I'm more akin to a bowl of Rice Krispies...with all of the unsettling, as well as unnerving of snap, crack, and pop!! Time has finally caught up with me, even though that time has been here for many seasons ago, with the unmitigated gall of its constant reminders that have been brought on by more than 5 decades of MA training.

No pain, no gain!! Yeah...while I've heard about this before, I don't have to like it...still, although I endure through it all; Shugyo comes to my mind!! To be or not to be; that is the question!! Yeah...while I've heard about that as well, I, again, don't have to like it...still, however, to be IN PAIN is the downside of anything physical; and that perfectly defines the side effects of MA training.

Rewards are aplenty, but as with anything that's riddled with rewards, there are oftentimes, punishments; and these my friends, are the Yin and Yang of the MA. Minimizing pain on one side of the coin, has to be overshadowed by the flip of the coin that maximizes rewards more often than not.

The enemy of pain, in the hopes of thwarting it, is exercise, and all it contains. The ally of pain is ignoring that a problem exists, and to heal the problem first comes with admission of said problem.

Sometimes, it's much more easier said than done, yet, doable with the right mindset!!

[Alan Armstrong]

Weekend warriors are also (colloquially known as) military personnel in the United States such as the Army National Guard, Air National Gaurd and the Air Force Reserve.

Over doing a sport or activity can also be considered a Weekend Warrior injury, usually resulting from over estimating one's own abilities.

[Bulltahr]

Weekend warriors are also (colloquially known as) military personnel in the United States such as the Army National Guard, Air National Gaurd and the Air Force Reserve.

Same in New Zealand and most western countries I believe.

Weekend warriors, cut lunch cowboys.....................

But in MA? Never heard it used, considering most MAs are not professionals that would make most of us Weekend warriors???

[Alan Armstrong]

I believe martial artists to be warriors. Not modem day warriors with fighter jets, tanks and machine guns but more like samurai warriors or medievalist types like knights. Going even further back in time with Spartan warriors, are very much akin to martial artists; with minimalist ways of training and fighting.

Could also consider martial artists to be peaceful warriors.

The military consider everyone that is none military to be civilians. Personally I consider everyone that are none martial artists to be civilians; including military personnel. The reason for this is that...

Once a person leaves the military they usually become a civilian.

Martial artists deal with conflict face to face. Not with sophisticated weaponry. Martial artists never run out of bullets.

Martial artists also need to deal with strategys and on going muscle strains, twisted ankles, bruises, joint pain, perhaps some cracked or broken bones at times. Neck whiplash, head trauma, migraine headaches, back pain, pinched nerves, black eyes, bloody noses, cut lips, bleeding knuckles...

Martial artists can suffer from traumatic stress and not be treated for it, whereas it is recognized and treated if that person is military.

Yes, I consider martial artists to be weekend warriors and many other days of the week included.

[bushido_man96]

Getting older definitely plays into those weekend warrior injuries, too. Now that I don't have the time to train like I used to, I have to take body preparation into consideration.

[Nidan Melbourne]

"Weekend Warriors" a term used for sports people that practice occasionally usually on the weekend. They suffer from all types of tears and pull to muscles due to not being conditioned enough, or possibly over doing there chosen sport.

Knees and ankles suffer from "Weekend Warrior" aspirations.

As martial artists, the term "Weekend Warrior" sounds like it fits perfectly but perhaps not.

Having a physically demanding job always fitted in with my martial art practice.

Those that work in an office for example, need more conditioning due to long periods of inactivity during working hours, on top of that, the martial art practice it self.

Three years ago, I had to hang up my martial arts Gi. My knees were not able to keep up with my JKD teacher's demands; couldn't walk properly for about three months.

The reason for my knees to not be able to keep up with the rest of me was because of a lack of conditioning. Sure I knew how to throw the kicking techniques but my knee ligaments became weak over time and just couldn't cope.

I know this is the reason because I have taken the time to condition my knees. Taking the chance of a recurrence, I did the same JKD kicking that put me out of action.

The very next day, I was expecting not to get out of bed, very pleased to say there was no ill affects to my knees. A week later I put my knees through the same harsh kicking practice, still no problems. Overcoming my own "Weekend Warrior" syndrome payed off.

The moral of this story is that overlooking my/your conditioning will/could lead to "Weekend Warrior" injuries. It was a lesson I needed to learn the hard way; please don't make my mistake!

Solid Post Alan; personally i do see a lot of students who are "weekend warriors" because they are not physically active and may be classified as Inactive or Sedentary (two different classifications).

Conditioning is a life long pursuit and as such people later in life find that they cannot keep up with the demands of the instructor because of it OR due to pushing their bodies for too long causing damage. Often this is due to people training and conditioning for say only Flexibility instead of a combination of Strength, Flexibility and Cardiovascular.

[Alan Armstrong]

Overcome my knee issues with stair walking, then sprinting.

Continued my knee conditioning by walking wearing ankle weights.

Stair sprinting with ankle weights.

Also going for walks wearing a backpack full of weights.

Over did the back pack walking idea and came back home totally drained and exhausted and caught a cold or the flu from being so run down.

I have 20 kilos of ankle weights to use. I weight about 76 kilos. That is about one third of my body weight sitting on my ankles and calves. I use a stretchy rubber and nylon material around my calves with the weights on top for protection.

Doctors don't recommend my method and neither am I as it is supposedly hard wearing on the knee joints. I gradually built up my endurance for this, it didn't happen overnight.

Have been off using the ankle weights for a few months now; looking forward to using them again. Will need to build up my endurance once again, not overdoing it, or it will just hinder any previous gains that I've made.

Having used the weights so much so, that they spring little leaks, spilling out the fine pellets. So maintaining the ankle weights takes time. Fixing them with glue and rubber patches.

I like the feel of heaviness on my ankles, part of my propreceptive training.

Don't recommend kicking while wearing ankle weights due to the damaging jolt action on all the joints from the hip down.