How much do you actually train? I have a feeling that we generally vastly overestimate how much time we actually spend training. I’ll gladly consider any art-specific training as “training,” but I hesitate to consider running and weightlifting as “training the art.” For instance, I do a circuit routine 3 times a week that incorporates specific movements from BJJ, designed to improve my cardio, but I don’t consider any other extra physical activity I do to be training in my art.
I generally work out twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, for a total of about 2.5 hours a day, and generally 4-5 days a week. I have a 4-5 hour stretch of training on Saturdays.
All told, I’d say I train about 12-15 hours in an average week. If I had to have guessed without actually tallying it up, I probably would have guessed about 4 hours more that that, but I’d be wrong
The reason I question is because I see some people claim 25 or more hours a week and I just don’t see how you can do that unless it’s practically your job. I know that 13-15 hours feels like a second job. And some of those 25 hour a week guys have wives and kids etc…
So, tally it up!
Just curious–not trying to pick an “I train more than you” fight
I have 3 classes a week, each at about 2 1/2 hours. I do my solo about 1 hour 3 times a week, maybe 2 hours on Sunday.
I’ll disagree and say that running, lifting weights, etc IS martial arts training. MA are 50 % technique and 50 % attribute. Some are more like 80 % atttribute and 20 % technique.
Or if you like to be more Chinese, The time spent strengthening the body is long, the time spent defeating the opponent is short/
As a teen (…the beautiful careless days…) used to train 15:00 to 20:00 (5h), 6 days per week, total 30h.
As a busy adult (the past 10 years or so) I manage to fit in (weekly):
3h CMA training
2h weights
2h stretching
1h endurance
…for a weekly total of about 8h or so. I tend to do short intense workout, so say on the average evening I’ll do 10min run, 20min stretch, 40min CMA, 30min weights: so average training session is about 1.5h.
Lift weights 3-4 times a week, approx an hour each time
Heavy bag work (with conditioning thrown in in intervals) 4-6 times a week - about 4-5 hours a week total
Bodyweight exercises 4 times a week approx 45 min each
Occasionally go jogging, maybe a couple times a week for about 30 min each time but I don’t really count that since it’s kind of sporadic
16-18 hours a week total, but that’s counting everything.
I’ll disagree and say that running, lifting weights, etc IS martial arts training.
In an oblique way, of course, you’re right. I just think the line has to be drawn somewhere, and this seemed logical to me as you aren’t actually training your art at this point–not grooving any movements, etc. I mean, otherwise a pick-up basketball game could be “training,” which i think is silly.
I’m taking away from attribute training, mind you. Just a particular point of view.
well, is it the activity that determines whether or not it’s ‘training’ , or the focus? or both?
if you’re just going through the motions (not saying you are, just giving an example), is it ‘training’? or idle exercises perhaps?
if i’m playing a basketball game with intent of improving my skills, working cardio, etc… i suppose in a roundabout way it could be considered training, but i wouldn’t say necessarily training the art… training my attributes, sure… but because my system benefits from ‘carried over’ attributes acquired from other activities doesn’t necessarily make those activities paramount to the system. hopefully that makes sense…
so maybe it’s both… the specific activities as well as the intent and focus, that really determines meaningful training time? some thoughts…
there are definitely people who’s schedules can allow for a lot of practice time. but for most take this into consideration. Let’s assume someone says they train 20hrs a week. Let’s assume they train 6 days a week. That’s a little over 3 hrs a day. Let’s assume they have a regular job 8 - 5, and that it takes them 30 min to get to wherever they practice. a few minutes to change and 10 to fifteen more to stretch and warm up. so roughly they can actually start training somewhere around 6 oclock. For 3 hrs until 9 oclock, then they get home around 9:30 - 10:00. If you have a wife/husband and kids, or even just a wife/husband then you won’t for very long. No marriage lasts on having time for the other only on sundays. I’m sure there are exceptions but for the most part it seems very unlikely that someone with a professional career and family would have more than 12 -15 hrs a week to train and that is if they were fairly dedicated and balanced (with time). I think a lot of people definitely take liberties when describing how much they train.
I spend 6 hours a week in class; 3 hours of boxing, 3 hours of wrestling. After class I spar or roll, which probably accounts for another half hour or so.
I spend 6 hours a week in the gym lifting weights.
Two days a week, when I get home from the gym, I either do rounds on the heavy bag, spinning and hip heist drills, or wind sprints. That probably accounts for another two hours or so a week.
If you don’t include cardio or weight training, although I try to target areas to compliment my martial arts training - For example I do the 3 day a week circuit as well and on other days I may do an intense punch/kick workout for cardio.
However, not including that I do an hour in the morning and about everyday an hour in the evening. I also shoot to do a little bit during my lunch hour a couple of times a week mostly just to maintain the discipline. I usually do about 2-3 hours on saturday or sunday and usually an hour on sunday if I can get it in but I go light if at all.
So I guess I average about 12-15 hours a week of technique or drill specific training.
Twice a week with my master for 6 hours (unless there’s good surf or caught up at work or traveling)
5 hours a week chi sauing or sparring with friends.
Officially then, 11 hours.
But there’s lots of short power drills and what not when walking up the block for pizza or to check the surf at night, and just being hit with the desire to train internal. Those I’d add up for another 2 hours a week. But 11 hours hands on training.
For three years, I trained about 1.5 hours a day, very MA - specific. Then I would have a 2 hour semi-private lesson, high intensity on the weekend. I made consistent progress this way.
However, I think for hours spent/wasted surfing KFO, I have most of you beat. Check my post count.
I’m at my school 5 days a week, minimum 2 hours, so about 1.33 hours I would concider, “training.” I’d say I get a solid 7 hours a week in taiji, and about 8 hours a week in long fist. I also work out some of our kickboxing girls… which I don’t concider training, but is a decent workout if I do some of the workout with them. Especially holding the pads for some of our better girls.
EDIT>>>
Thats at the school, out of school I prob. get another hour- 1.5 hours in a week (read occasional lunch break stuff). If there is a tourney coming up I’ll add three to four solid hours a week and up my efficiency too.
I do 7 hours a week in class (2 of 2 hours 1 of 3), then I train 3-4 times a week at my teachers house on bags, nei gung etc for between 2 and 4 hours if I have a fight coming up.
As a guess when I have a fight coming (most of the time as we train 8 weeks before and I can do 3-4 a year) I do about 14 hours but only 7 hours if no fight.
Added up, it comes to about 6 hours per week of straight MA group training with Saturday being about half or more of that time.
Plus any solo work I put in like bag work, shadowboxing, footwork drills, weapon drills, but that could range from a quick 15 minutes to over half an hour when I have the urge and time.
I also hit the gym 3 times per week right now for about an hour, maybe a bit more, each time I go.
Im so lucky to have found a Vale Tudo club that has training hours of about 7 hours a week, and soon we’ll start in a gym where we can train all day, train with heavybags etc, + equipped with weight training facilities. and we can at all times have someone to roll and spar with, since its also the main gym of world champion Shooto fighters and Japanese JJ’kas.
Real fantastic.
My former MA training has been only 2-4 hours a week, and at the same time ripping me for money, and not teaching me sh!t.
