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Alan Armstrong
Black Belt
Joined: 28 Feb 2016
Posts: 2468
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 Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:35 pm Post subject: Couch vs Dojo |
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How much time have you spent more with, the Couch or Dojo?
Or course I am joking here a little, but I find that the most difficult thing about karate is showing up at the Dojo.
Yet knowing, once there, after class, was well worth showing up for.
When working long hrs it can become more challenging to show up for class, overcoming this situation, by learning how to power nap, is a practical way of spending quality time with the couch.
As there are thousands of reason and excuses to not show up for a class and one reason why you do, because you are on a personal journey full of challenges and experiences.
Entering the Dojo, leaving the comfort zone of the couch, where all of your senses are either to be sharpened or tested.
Developing new habits and ways of moving, standing, sitting and kneeling.
Using unfamiliar words that seem like from a far away ancient civilisation.
Barefoot and wearing a GI, for most this looks like getting, ready for sleeping, however very far from the truth as the Gi is a funeral garment.
For outside the Dojo the world routine you know continues for a short time without you but when you go back noticing that little or nothing has changed except you.
When asked.
How was class?
"Intense"
Seems like a good enough answer, as defining it can come across sounding pretentious, or as to say; with an honest answer could sound something like this.
"Can I have a rain check on that question, due to the need to reflect on it for a while, as with the adrenaline rush and covering new material, it seemed overwhelming and challenging, as not sure if I was doing anything right or can remember any of it right now"
Yet later something happens that can reminds you of what happened in class.
Nothing happens if you do not show up for class.
The couch is a powerful adversary, it uses softness against your hardness, some have been known to have the power to knock people out...
So why does the Master sleep on the floor, could it have something to do with the couch?
Testimonial 8 Week Challenge: From a school girl in Brazil
From Couch Potatoe To Fighting Fit
https://youtu.be/y2ROPTvQwF8
How has the Dojo changed your life?
Or in other words, how has the couch kept your life the same?
Weird Al couch potatoe
https://youtu.be/vue0nxHc9XM |
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sensei8
KF Sensei
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 16427
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Styles: Shindokan Saitou-ryu [Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based]
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:53 am Post subject: |
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Well, I suppose that I've spent more time on the couch than the dojo in my 62 years. I mean, while I've been training in the MA for 55 years, I have sat on many a couches an untold amount of time, whether that couch me in my home or elsewhere...I even have a few couches in my dojo, of which I am sure I spent quite a lot there as well for numerous reasons...shoot, I've even slept on them too.
Please don't misunderstand me because the floor to me is sacred, and it always shall be. Having been in the MA for 5 decades and a half, I've spent super duper chunks of time on the floor, whether that be my floor or someone else's floor.
_________________
**Proof is on the floor!!! |
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Bulltahr
Brown Belt
Joined: 08 Mar 2015
Posts: 727
Location: NEW ZEALAND
Styles: Shotokan, Seido Juku
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| Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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HHHmmm, Life for me has been a pretty transient but active experience up until the last 10 years where I have had a chance to put down some roots. Currently I am training 6 hours a week at Karate and that will shortly increase substantially as I prepare for my shodan grading some time next year. Couch and TV aren't my thing theses days, If I am sitting down at home it's probably at my desktop surfing interesting topics on the interwebby.
_________________
"We don't have any money, so we will have to think" - Ernest Rutherford |
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Lupin1
Black Belt
Joined: 15 Dec 2009
Posts: 1637
Location: Naples, FL
Styles: Isshinryu
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| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2019 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Bulltahr wrote: |
| Couch and TV aren't my thing theses days, If I am sitting down at home it's probably at my desktop surfing interesting topics on the interwebby. |
That was my thought. I'm not very big on TV and only watch a few things each week, but I'm always on the internet. Way too much. I know I should be spending more time practicing my karate, but the internet has a strong siren's call.... |
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JazzKicker
Orange Belt
Joined: 07 Aug 2017
Posts: 174
Location: NJ
Styles: Hapkido, JKD, TSD
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| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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One of the things the discipline of karate teaches you is sometimes you have to push yourself to get off the couch and go practice.
As I got more experienced, and older, this idea became more nuanced. I realized, if you're going to show up, you have to "bring it". You can't necessarily control how a class is going to go, so if you really don't have the energy, it might be better to stay home.
When you're young, learning to keep at it, not become lazy or distracted, is important. When you're older, recovery time is longer and more important. |
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Alan Armstrong
Black Belt
Joined: 28 Feb 2016
Posts: 2468
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Bulltahr
Brown Belt
Joined: 08 Mar 2015
Posts: 727
Location: NEW ZEALAND
Styles: Shotokan, Seido Juku
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| Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks so much Alan! The 5 second rule really resonated for me, I'm going to apply it immediately!!!!
_________________
"We don't have any money, so we will have to think" - Ernest Rutherford |
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Alan Armstrong
Black Belt
Joined: 28 Feb 2016
Posts: 2468
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| Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Bulltahr wrote: |
Thanks so much Alan! The 5 second rule really resonated for me, I'm going to apply it immediately!!!!
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No thank you Bullthar
Another trick is, to get out of bed and stand up when the alarm rings; a type of standing to "Attention" if you snooze you lose!
Stand at ease soldier 
Sleep 6hrs instead of 8hrs; it can be done, just sleep a little faster 
"The trick to getting ahead is getting started" |
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Wayofaswede
Orange Belt
Joined: 16 Jan 2017
Posts: 221
Location: Sweden
Styles: Shito-ryu, Goju-ryu
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| Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 4:52 am Post subject: |
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Being a father of 4 children (2 toddlers) what keeps me home the most from evening practice is that they grow so fast and I really don't like missing out on our "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines
That's what's great about training Saturdays, daytime 
Try to compensate by training evening sessions in the living room - more often than not the toddlers join in and try to imitate what dad's doing.
_________________
The path so far: 2 kyu Karate (Shito-ryu), 3 kyu Aikido (Aikikai), 5 kyu Judo, 9 kyu Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu
Not a day without a kata |
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sensei8
KF Sensei
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 16427
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Styles: Shindokan Saitou-ryu [Shuri-te/Okinawa-te based]
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| Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Wayofaswede wrote: |
Being a father of 4 children (2 toddlers) what keeps me home the most from evening practice is that they grow so fast and I really don't like missing out on our "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines
That's what's great about training Saturdays, daytime
Try to compensate by training evening sessions in the living room - more often than not the toddlers join in and try to imitate what dad's doing. |
I'd not trade what you're doing at all because the dojo, of some type, will be there for learning and training when the time is right, while being "daddy reads one book each and sings songs when we go to bed"-routines are paramount over the MA.
_________________
**Proof is on the floor!!! |
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on the post.
