One of the main challenges around training is know when to do what for how long. Please understand that martial arts is a time expensive activity and because of that people like me who have chosen to abandon the normal to train sometimes ask for more then our students can give (because they have lives outside of the dojo). So with you working peoples in mind here are some tips on how to priorities your training outside the classroom.

1. Movement

There are many basics to consider and with all the styles I do I would run out of day. However all styles have basic footwork that is key to all the set ups for combos, evasions, distancing and what not that you need to be able to do without thinking. This should be your focus no matter level you are at.

2. Conditioning

Every style also has unnatural movements (these are movements we don't do daily) like lifting our feet about our waist, side splits and walking on our hands. So identify this and do them everyday.

3. Consistency

One of the hardest things about doing a daily routine is keeping it up. I have found that the first two weeks are always the hardest after that I am golden. The key is to start small do only ten reps a day nothing to difficult to begin with for the first two weeks. You will burn yourself out otherwise and give up for a month and then burn yourself out again your goal is to make the movements natural and instinctive and this takes time.

4. Intensity

Intensity is a difficult thing to judge and if you have little time to give (being working types with your lives and meetings) doing a little often is better then a full blown workout once in a blue moon. The best thing to do is to be flexible in your repetitions and alter them fortnightly. This way if you start to lose consistency then you can drop back to whatever the stage before that was instead (some people even have a training diary to keep track). So if at week 3 you start doing 20 reps but half way though your not up for it drop back to 10 for a fortnight before pushing it again (I just reread this and hope it makes sense).

5. Listen to your body

Not all pain is good pain. If there is any stiffness that doesn't go away then you should ask you teacher about it and get some advice on stretches or warm up phases. If you are injured then you can't train. If you don't have a lot of time this sometimes means cutting the number of basics to train in order to warm up properly. We can't train everything at once you have your whole life a head of you.

6. revision

Okay this is just a me thing but if you have time (and it's not a priority it's just handy) on the days after training at the dojo run the class the night before. See how much you can remember it really helps.

So consistency over intensity, avoid injury with good warm ups and stick to a few movements and conditionings.

Jory