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Ryan Danks
Ryan Danks's picture
Getting Back in Shape

Hey all,

As far as knowledge in the martial arts goes, I'm somewhat advanced, but due to injuries and life events, it's been a few years since I've practiced full-time. Now that everything is healed up I'm trying to get back at it, but finding that my mind and body are at different levels. I simply can't do what I used to do (high kicking, running longer than a minute or two, lifting heavy, etc.). Lately, I've tried so many different things that I used to do (Crossfit, running protocols, bodybuilding...whatever I can to get back in shape) but I think I'm just going too advanced for my current fitness level.

I'd appreciate any advice that can be given for me to get back into the groove of training. Since my instructor moved to Spain in 2010, I haven't had a dojo to train at, so it's all at home or the park for me. I do have access to weights, but not much martial arts equipment (will be investing in a heavy bag in the next few months). Thanks for any help. Getting back at it, and realizing how far my fitness has fallen, is quite depressing. I'm motivated and positive, because I know it won't stay here, but I'm just not used to creating routines for beginners (most of the people I've trained in the past were advanced practitioners already). ––Ryan  

Andrzej J
Andrzej J's picture

I sympathize - I did something similar myself, returning to karate after a huge 10-year break. It took me about four to six months of solo training before I set foot in a dojo again, but I'm back into it now as of about a year ago. It's been a challenging process, no doubt about that.

I think one of the most important things is to accept a "beginner's mind" attitude - don't constantly compare yourself to what you were before you stopped training and take every step forward you make now as a win. If you focus too much on living up to what you remember, it can be pretty disheartening when your body keeps falling short. Eventually, you'll build back up - but don't think of that as your goal. Just focus on making progress.

To get fit, I built up from a basis of cardio and bodyweight exercises. I ran several times a week at a steady pace for half an hour to 40 minutes and worked my way back up to being able to complete the fitness requirements for a shodan in my style (push-ups, sit-ups and squats). I also incorporated increasing numbers of basic punches, kicks, combinations and kata into my regular routine. You just have to be careful initially to keep the training easy-ish, otherwise old injuries come back and bite you if you don't strengthen yourself gradually.

Discovering Iain's web site added to my motivation by helping me see techniques I've known for years in a whole new light - and by making me less fixated on the idea that spectacular high-kicks are required of a karateka. So, yeah, for me, learning new stuff is an added motivator.

Once the steady-pace work became easier and I could do a reasonable number of bodyweight reps, I started to give myself fitness challenges (there are programmes online which take you to, say, 100 push-ups in six weeks and so on) and do more interval-type training, which produces good results fast if you don't overdo it and hurt yourself. I've also focused on trying to eat better - I'd recommend the book 'The Fighter's Body' by Loren Christensen and Wim Demeere as a guide if you don't already know what you're doing on that front.

At the same time, I attended classes at  few dojos of different styles from what I did before, which was easier in a way, because I could honestly go in there as a beginner, pick up some new takes on old knowledge and get my muscles moving again without the pressure of being a senior grade. I'd absolutely recommend doing that before you even decide on joining a dojo full-time again.

But now I've returned to the style I trained with before and am wearing my old grade again. That has been a painful experience at times - in the past year I've picked up a couple of cracked ribs and a dislocated finger from a combination of being overambitious and lapses of concentration - but absolutely worth it. I'm 48 now, but in better shape now than I have been for a long time and am holding my own technically with others at my level. For me, the biggest remaining challenge is improving flexibility, but I'm working on that.

Doing it on your own is tough, but not impossible. I have to travel a long way to train at my current dojo, so I only manage it a few times a month and do a lot of solo training. Thankfully, there is a lot you can do on your own (download Iain's "25-minute solo workout" and "Cardio Workout" podcasts for a start and there are books, videos and a ton of material online full of solo training ideas).

So overall, what worked for me was tackling the job from every angle (cardio, strength, technique, flexibility, diet), finding new ways to train, experimenting with other styles for new ideas and motivation, then finally finding a dojo to join. I also got a lot out of attending a couple of Iain's seminars over the past year - again, a fresh take on familiar themes that reminds me there's a whole lot of new stuff I still have to learn.

Hope some of this helps - good luck and gambatte!

Ryan Danks
Ryan Danks's picture

Andrej J, thanks for the advice.

You coming back after a decade of downtime is an inspiration. I've only been maybe 3 years out of part-time training, and maybe another year before that from hard training.

I'll try to start the way you did: some basic bodyweight exercises, running, and basic martial arts repetitions. There's a park that my children enjoy where I could train and they could play. It has a running track with resistance stations at regular intervals. I could run that (with one set of each station), do some striking and kata reps, and then run it again, and let that be my workout. How does that sound for a start? Should I maybe include...actually, is it maybe too much? (Here I am trying to include things because it seems like it might not be enough to what my aspirations are, which has been my problem up until now –– biting off more than I can chew.)

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Hi Ryan,

Ryan Danks wrote:
Thanks for any help. Getting back at it, and realizing how far my fitness has fallen, is quite depressing

Ryan Danks wrote:
Here I am trying to include things because it seems like it might not be enough to what my aspirations are, which has been my problem up until now –– biting off more than I can chew.

Been there my friend! I’ve never had a break from training, but I have had injuries and life events which have meant I’ve not been able to train as I would ideally like. I then return and seek to carry on as if nothing has happened, and that invariably results in overtraining and further injury. In addition, frustration at not being able to “fire on all cylinders” makes training less enjoyable.

Fitness tend to return pretty quickly if we take a measured approach to things though. And feeling that improvement is a major motivator. I would start very light and easy … easier that you want to go. I’d also give yourself a time period in which so slowly ramp up training. Six weeks is typically a good time period. It takes at least that long for the effects of regular training to make themselves apparent.

It will be far better (physically and psychologically) to train at lower levels of intensity and enjoy the process. Cut yourself some slack and put thoughts of “I was fitter” out of your mind and replace them with notions of simply enjoying the training experience sure that progress follows process.  

You’re far better doing an enjoyable light 30 mins which motivates you to do more, than a gut busting 90 mins which leaves you exhausted and demotivated.

We martial arts types tend to be quite “driven” and this is one scenario where that can work against us. If you commit to gentle and fun training for the next six weeks, I think it will motivate you more and be more productive in returning the fitness levels to their former glory.

All the best,

Iain

Ryan Danks
Ryan Danks's picture

Cut yourself some slack and put thoughts of “I was fitter” out of your mind and replace them with notions of simply enjoying the training experience sure that progress follows process.  

Sage advice. Thanks, Iain. I'm putting it into practice. I had a blast at the park last night, though today was super busy with the family and I didn't get out, but I'm eager to get back at it tomorrow, which is a good sign, I reckon.

Ian H
Ian H's picture

Iain Abernethy wrote:

Been there my friend! I’ve never had a break from training, but I have had injuries and life events which have meant I’ve not been able to train as I would ideally like. I then return and seek to carry on as if nothing has happened, and that invariably results in overtraining and further injury. In addition, frustration at not being able to “fire on all cylinders” makes training less enjoyable.

Dang, that sounds just like me!! 

All of Iain's advice is spot-on.  

I will add an emphasis on "finding time not to train" ... as in, give your body rest and time to recover in betwen training sessions.  And be sure to work on your flexibility and such ... "foam rolling" is great for smoothing out the kinks.  As we age, our bodies are far more in need of good maintenance, and the results come from consistency.