Training and Exercise

January 10 2010

Training and Exercise


I first trained in the martial arts for self defense. At that time my teachers believed that beginners shouldn’t be hit. Once a beginner had developed a certain skill, something called ‘light contact’ would be introduced. After a student had progressed passed a certain level, they would be hitting and allow themselves to be hit harder and harder.

The thinking was that hitting and being hit, being fit and being aggressive would develop a confident and competent fighter.


That was the theory…


What actually transpired was different.


When I started, there was almost no contact. My first exposure to Kempo was really cool. I can still see Mr. Leishman drill Ms. Berizan in the reverse roundhouse kick. The free sparring was exciting and the sessions very intense. I’d often leave the studio exhausted.

At that time, training and exercise were indistinguishable.

As time passed, I was sure I could defend myself and there was no question as to my fitness level. The level of contact progressed and I was willing to hit and even be hit.


It came as quite a shock when I got mugged. Suddenly, all my training was gone and I escaped from the situation more by luck than skill.

That shook me to my core that did. So I went back to the school and trained even harder.


After I had progressed even further, life happened and I changed provinces and thus, schools. The new school was very different. There, training in the skill of martial arts was different than being physically fit.

The teacher who ran things then was a big man. Not heavy but tall and filled out. He was friendly yet demanding. I tried hard to learn everything he had to offer. He had a profound influence on me. The concept that sparring and fighting were nearly indistinguishable came mostly from him.


I found I was dividing my time between fitness activities like running, resistance training and stretching and the Martial Arts.


My teachers changed as my training progressed and one day I found myself free sparring with this tiny little pot bellied fellow. I was at the top of my game. He was just coming off a four year hiatus.

He kicked my ass…No way to color that as anything other than an ass whupping.

So I started training with him. When he started back, he could not have cared less about the fitness level of his students. I was lucky enough to learn from him at that time.


As the years have passed, I found I had to go my own way. I realized that fighting and sparring are two different concepts. Fighting is a much more complex activity and can have a longer lasting negative impact. Fighting is also a much shorter activity. A fight can be over very quickly. Even the reasons a fight takes place are different from free sparring. Basically, the demands of fighting and the demands of free sparring are two different (yet similar) sets of demands.

Something else I learned. For me, the twin concepts of training and fitness do complement each other. They are, however, both different from each other too.


Without prejudice