How Long Will YOU Train?

[Great Sage]

Okay, how long do you guys intend to train? What’s the scoop on most of you guys? Beginners, competing in sports competitions or just training for the heck or it? I’m asking this because there’s a recurring theme surrounding many martial artists, including myself. Many of us are training off and on, depending on periodical lifestyle changes.

For instance, most of us start off young and we really enjoy the martial arts... We enter tournaments, competitions, etc... Then we get a little older and we’re still training, but we begin to take interest in girls, social gatherings and events... Our training becomes less intense... The pressures of high school either push some of us to train harder or train less. In my case, girls and friends got the better of me.

Then we reach college and almost all training goes out the window... There are too many distractions, not to mention all the women and parties. By junior year, we begin to wind down and maybe begin to train very hard again. Some join professional sports or compete in amateur competition, kickboxing etc..

You graduate from college and find a professional career and enjoy the life for a while, then start training again just for the heck of it. However, you then get married and take some more time off to accommodate yet another lifestyle change.

When marriage finally settles in, you begin to train again but find yourself very rusty. Then, you find out that your first child is on its way... Your martial arts training becomes more or less an exercise regiment to stay in shape, since you realize you’re not doing anything in the field of martial arts.

After the baby comes, you barely have time to train. Your training becomes very simple. Some give up at this point. Others, like myself, devise a simple routine or visit a gym every now and then. This is basically where I’m at right now.

If I have more kids, my training will probably diminish even more, at least until my kids are old enough to train with me. Then I’ll be an old guy just training for the love of training.

[dkm]

I'll be training until I physically can. I'll be competing as long as I am not consistently losing. When I first started 7 years ago (at the age of 26), I use to train three times a week. Since then, I've gotten married and I still trained three times a week. After that, I have a baby daughter and I still train three times a week at night. During my lunch hour, I either go swimming or weight lifting. Recently, I felt like giving up martial arts training. Yet, I force myself to keep going because I think to myself that each day that I don't train......someone else is training and getting better at kicking my a$$. Even after I have my 2nd child, I'll keep going. I'll keep doing it until one day I am standing in front of a mirror and saying to myself "I don't want to do this anymore".

[ryanhall]

Tough question. I'd like to say that I will train hard until it's not healthy to keep doing it, but you never know. Looks like my studies are carrying me into a field where a knowledge of hand to hand and armed combat is essential, so I'll be keeping it up. Been training for years, and I don'l plan on quitting anytime soon. May get into professional boxing at some point, but I'll have to step it up a bit if I want to be serious.

[yenhoi]

Ive trained nearly every day for what seems like a long time (but isent) and I dont plan on stopping, ever.

[brokenelbow]

Got the wife, the kids, the job, the mortgage and little time. Recently way back on sparring and replaced it with more self defense, cut time in the dojo and added more time lifting in the gym. The trick IMO to longevity in training is to stay as injury free while still training hard. If at at 27 you're walking around like an old man from training injuries you'll have a hard time by the time you hit 40.

[ceasarx]

I have three kids and until recently I trained every day. either in a class room setting or in my private dojo that my brother an I have set up in his basement.
I have just now had to slow down on my training because of my new job that takes me on the road. I wish I could train more but I am limited to train when I am home or if I find a school in the area I am in I stop in ang work out. As far as long term plans for training, I intend on working out and training hard right up to the point that I take my last breath.

[SweepEm]

I train 2-3 times a week and it's become a part of my life. Diabetes runs very high in my family and so, I have to watch my weight, sugar intake and exercise.
I can go to the gym and work out but I'd get bored in a short time.
Jiu Jitsu gives me the oppurtunity to hang out with friends, learn and compete.

I'm really enjoying myself now and believe I've found the right place.
I started BJJ pre-UFC days and plan on continuing until I physically can't. But at that point, I'll probably just teach, at least teach what I can if there are physical limitations. Otherwise I'll be training and training.........

[MinisterofDeath]

I'll train for as long as my body allows me to. Its a bit hard right now due to school and work. Nevertheless, I'm getting a bunch of strings pulled at work so I can have more time to train. Its a pain in the arse sometimes, but ya just gotta keep on going.

[Paul Wilson]

I train 7 days a week. 7 of those days in Martial arts. 6 of them Weight training.

Weekdays I will train for about 4 to 6 hours because of school and Weekends; my favourite days I train all day.

My weight training is from Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Sunday= Arms
Monday=Back and shoulders
Tuesday=Chest and abs
Wednesday=Legs
Thursday=Arms and abs
Saturday=Legs and abs

I train my abs with weight's 3 times a week but also do a abs workout with no weights everyday.
It's just the way I want to do it.

With my weight training I do Max OT (Maximum Overload Training).
It cut's out the fatigue.

I spar 5 times a week. Grapple 2 some times 4.

I really love training like this. I get results efficiently and fast.

..................................................................................................
Feel free to visit my website.

[Paul Wilson]

Originally posted by MinisterofDeath
I'll train for as long as my body allows me to. Its a bit hard right now due to school and work. Nevertheless, I'm getting a bunch of strings pulled at work so I can have more time to train. Its a pain in the arse sometimes, but ya just gotta keep on going.

Try to get a routine going. Not just allowing your body to train until has had enough.
You will find more injuries will happen.

.................................................................................................... ..
Feel free to visit my website.

[BJJ_White_Boy]

I train 3 times a week, monday, wedsday, and friday. Soon though, around x-mas, I'm buying mats and matting up my sisters old room. I'm only 17, so I have time to train hard. in about 5 years I'll be in my prime to compete in NHB fights, which is my goal. When I get my mats, I'm training everyday for as long as I can.

[swan104]

I'm trying hard to stick to a routine, which is quite difficult because of work. I try to do martial arts two to three times a week this past month or so (one or two classes of JKD, one class of Kali/Escrima/Silat and one class of Grappling). On top of that, I go to the gym about twice a week and do a general workout. A lot of the time, I like doing cicruit training.

I've started getting into grappling. The problem with this is that I find it difficult to train in it without a partner. Sometimes, I can see the submissions in my head when I think about things at home but it's always a different matter when I'm actually rolling! I'm trying to learn to keep a clear head when grappling, and practice all the stuff I have learnt. I sometimes even forget about things like shrimping when trying to get out of a mount. Hopefully, this will come with time, training and experience.

[Tom Yum]

I've started a 3 days on, 1 day off routine. My workouts are usually done in 1.5 hours and no longer than 2 hours. Plenty of time for work & relaxation.

1st day is weight training. Either explosive high rep and low weight or a circuit.

2nd day is cardio/technique. I run 2-3 miles, skip rope for 4 x 4 minute rounds and shadow box for 5-6x 4 min rounds. The shadow boxing round focuses on a technique like boxing, elbows, knees, kicks etc. Some pad work.

3rd day is interval training/power. I do plyometrics - jumping, medicine ball drills, sprints and non-stop punch/kick drills for 15 sec intervals.

4th day I rest, read or take a walk.

[mr. bond]

i admit that it's tough a lot of the time to fit in the training program you want sometimes. (i cannot, for the life of me, remember a time when i was doing everything i wanted to be doing with the MA as well as my life.) however, there are always times where you can increase the intensity as things slow down. enjoy those times, and stick with it and train as much as you can when you've got a ton of other stuff going. it's persistence in making yourself go and never letting yourself get bored that'll increase longevity.

just remember, that no matter what, there is always something new to learn, and there is always room to improve.

as for me, i'll do MA till i'm a frail old man doing my t'ai chi soft styles.

[B.M.S]

I need to train because I'm leaving to Thailand in like 2 years to learn Muay Thai. The reason why is because well it seems right to me. I did sports I look into jobs I want after High school and they don't seem to have the thing I'm looking for so thats why I guess I train (stretch) for Muay Thai and I hope to find a well a forcefull job in the future.