In my next few blogs, I will be answering questions that people have posed to me regarding Kenpo Karate or the martial arts more generally.
Here is a question I was just asked: “When is the best time of day to train outside of class?”
Let me first say that I believe the key to training is to train consistently. So often today people have such a hard time devoting huge blocks of time to exercise because they have so much other work that needs to get done. I think it’s best to try to find a time (however short or long that may be) when you know you are most likely to follow through on your commitment to train. For example, if you have a hard time sticking to an early morning workout (that’s me), how about taking your lunch hour and devoting that time to your training? For instance, if I am not teaching Kenpo over my lunch hour, I usually take that time to work on my forms, sets, self-defence techniques, weaponry, stretching, and push-ups and sit-ups. Other times, I use that hour of opportunity to go the gym. I usually spend at least 30 minutes on cardio machines, and then finish the workout with some weight training. I also recommend pad training and sparring to work on one’s cardiovascular training if possible. Indeed, working out over my lunch hour has become so routine to me over the years that I now have a hard time refocusing in the afternoon without it. As a martial arts instructor, of course, I also workout in the evenings as well, either through training with my students, or spending some time alone to train.
It is also important to consider that each individual is different. For example, some people have a difficult time falling asleep at night if they workout too late. This happens to me only on occasions where I have put my body through a very intensive workout and my body feels too tense and sore. Typically, however, a hot shower and some relax time unwinding with my wife allows my body and mind the time to relax and get back to its normal state. Conversely, there is also some evidence that working out in the morning can improve sleep patterns. The evidence for this finding is not overwhelming, however, and it may be that the reason for their better sleep patterns has less to do with their morning workout and more to do with the fact that these individuals have better mental health, wake up earlier than most people to be able to get their workout in, and eat more healthy foods throughout the day.
Lastly, although I believe it is possible to over-train one’s body (we all need days of rest), to be the best you can be you have to learn to practice even when you don’t feel like it. Mediocrity in whatever one does in life results from only practicing when you are in the mood. Hence, learning to discipline one’s mind by programming the brain to develop strong work habits and to persevere is something that we should all continue to strive for. Nobody gets to the top of what they do by only training when they feel like it.
