Couch vs Dojo

[Alan Armstrong]

How much time have you spent more with, the Couch or Dojo?

Or course I am joking here a little, but I find that the most difficult thing about karate is showing up at the Dojo.

Yet knowing, once there, after class, was well worth showing up for.

When working long hrs it can become more challenging to show up for class, overcoming this situation, by learning how to power nap, is a practical way of spending quality time with the couch.

As there are thousands of reason and excuses to not show up for a class and one reason why you do, because you are on a personal journey full of challenges and experiences.

Entering the Dojo, leaving the comfort zone of the couch, where all of your senses are either to be sharpened or tested.

Developing new habits and ways of moving, standing, sitting and kneeling.

Using unfamiliar words that seem like from a far away ancient civilisation.

Barefoot and wearing a GI, for most this looks like getting, ready for sleeping, however very far from the truth as the Gi is a funeral garment.

For outside the Dojo the world routine you know continues for a short time without you but when you go back noticing that little or nothing has changed except you.

When asked.

How was class?

"Intense"

Seems like a good enough answer, as defining it can come across sounding pretentious, or as to say; with an honest answer could sound something like this.

"Can I have a rain check on that question, due to the need to reflect on it for a while, as with the adrenaline rush and covering new material, it seemed overwhelming and challenging, as not sure if I was doing anything right or can remember any of it right now"

Yet later something happens that can reminds you of what happened in class.

Nothing happens if you do not show up for class.

The couch is a powerful adversary, it uses softness against your hardness, some have been known to have the power to knock people out...

So why does the Master sleep on the floor, could it have something to do with the couch?

Testimonial 8 Week Challenge: From a school girl in Brazil

From Couch Potatoe To Fighting Fit

https://youtu.be/y2ROPTvQwF8

How has the Dojo changed your life?

Or in other words, how has the couch kept your life the same?

Weird Al couch potatoe

[sensei8]

Well, I suppose that I've spent more time on the couch than the dojo in my 62 years. I mean, while I've been training in the MA for 55 years, I have sat on many a couches an untold amount of time, whether that couch me in my home or elsewhere...I even have a few couches in my dojo, of which I am sure I spent quite a lot there as well for numerous reasons...shoot, I've even slept on them too.

Please don't misunderstand me because the floor to me is sacred, and it always shall be. Having been in the MA for 5 decades and a half, I've spent super duper chunks of time on the floor, whether that be my floor or someone else's floor.

[Bulltahr]

HHHmmm, Life for me has been a pretty transient but active experience up until the last 10 years where I have had a chance to put down some roots. Currently I am training 6 hours a week at Karate and that will shortly increase substantially as I prepare for my shodan grading some time next year. Couch and TV aren't my thing theses days, If I am sitting down at home it's probably at my desktop surfing interesting topics on the interwebby.

[Lupin1]

Couch and TV aren't my thing theses days, If I am sitting down at home it's probably at my desktop surfing interesting topics on the interwebby.

That was my thought. I'm not very big on TV and only watch a few things each week, but I'm always on the internet. Way too much. I know I should be spending more time practicing my karate, but the internet has a strong siren's call....

[JazzKicker]

One of the things the discipline of karate teaches you is sometimes you have to push yourself to get off the couch and go practice.

As I got more experienced, and older, this idea became more nuanced. I realized, if you're going to show up, you have to "bring it". You can't necessarily control how a class is going to go, so if you really don't have the energy, it might be better to stay home.

When you're young, learning to keep at it, not become lazy or distracted, is important. When you're older, recovery time is longer and more important.

[Alan Armstrong]

Here are some helpful reason why to get off the couch and get training

The cure for laziness

[Bulltahr]

Here are some helpful reason why to get off the couch and get training

The cure for laziness

Thanks so much Alan! The 5 second rule really resonated for me, I'm going to apply it immediately!!!!

[Alan Armstrong]

Here are some helpful reason why to get off the couch and get training

The cure for laziness

Thanks so much Alan! The 5 second rule really resonated for me, I'm going to apply it immediately!!!!

No thank you Bullthar

Another trick is, to get out of bed and stand up when the alarm rings; a type of standing to "Attention" if you snooze you lose!

Stand at ease soldier

Sleep 6hrs instead of 8hrs; it can be done, just sleep a little faster

"The trick to getting ahead is getting started"

[Wayofaswede]

Being a father of 4 children (2 toddlers) what keeps me home the most from evening practice is that they grow so fast and I really don't like missing out on our "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines

That's what's great about training Saturdays, daytime

Try to compensate by training evening sessions in the living room - more often than not the toddlers join in and try to imitate what dad's doing.

[sensei8]

Being a father of 4 children (2 toddlers) what keeps me home the most from evening practice is that they grow so fast and I really don't like missing out on our "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines

That's what's great about training Saturdays, daytime

Try to compensate by training evening sessions in the living room - more often than not the toddlers join in and try to imitate what dad's doing.

I'd not trade what you're doing at all because the dojo, of some type, will be there for learning and training when the time is right, while being "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines are paramount over the MA.