If you want to improve, put improvement on a schedule. Don't expect the schedule to stay the same forever. It's normal and natural for a rhythm that worked last month to not work now. Life changes and renewal gives new energy. Here are some rhythms that work for others and might work for you.
Train First Thing
Move your schedule back 30 minutes. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier and get up 30 minutes earlier. Use that time to practice. At your gym or in your living room. Set a timer and maybe even plan a daily schedule in advance so all you need to do is get up and start moving. Being physical in the morning can really bring up your mood and you can start every day by checking something off your to-do list.
Train Last Thing
Right before bed. It doesn't have to be high intensity. Consider holding postures, visualization, reading training manuals. Five or fifteen minutes is easy to put in at the end of the day. It's even easier if you can give yourself a consistent bedtime. The secret though is to do a short amount no matter how you feel.
Regular Mid-Week Training Dates
Schedule weekly training sessions with your training partners. Put them on a calendar and show-up. Buddies add accountability.
Five Minutes When You Can Cram It
If you can't make a regular time, set a daily objective that is easily makeable. For best effect plan when you're going to put in your time at the beginning of each day so it doesn't always have to be put at the end.
Lunch Time Sessions
Get an hour for lunch? Use 20 minutes of it to practice. Bring your sword or stick to work or do all that leg and movement work that you don't make time for in class. Even holding a weight in your hand can help improve your back and shoulder muscle endurance. This is even easier if you always take lunch at the same time.
Every Friday No Matter What
Don't feel like you have to train every day to make an improvement. One session per week is way better than no-sessions per week. Pick a date and time and commit to it. Even if its small. Momentum and rhythm are more important than quantity, especially at the beginning.
Happy training everyone!
Photo by Jess Watters from Pexels
Devon Boorman is the Co-Founder and Director of Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay, which has been active in Vancouver, Canada since 2004. Devon’s expertise centres on the Italian swordplay tradition including the arts of the Renaissance Italian rapier, sidesword, and longsword, as well as knife and unarmed techniques. Read more from Devon Boorman.