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The Better Way
In the spring I discovered my training rhythm again.
I decided that frequency of practice more important
than duration. I couldn't skip a day and hope to make
it up later.
No matter how busy I was, there were always small
opportunities for training. I'd divide up
my waking time into half-hour segments and decide where
I could steal 30 minutes. Once I got
into this habit, I expanded my workouts to three sessions
a day. If work became
lighter, I’d lengthen my training
time.
Training outside year-round in Canada poses special
challenges, particularly in
winter.
In the mornings, I'd get up around 5 a.m. and
start with 30 minutes of seated meditation, concentrating
on my breathing. Then I would go to the backyard and
and do variations
on shime no kata, adapted qigong exercises and
other internal maneuvers. I'd peform Sanchin and then
move to Tensho and other kata.
I found that starting the day with a soft, internal
workout better suited the capabilities of my 50-year-old
body. Later I might do more vigorous, calisthenic
workouts. When I trained at a proper dojo, I’d
look for partners to practice Nage-no Kata.
It was difficult at first to train this much.
Then it became natural to do so and soon I’d
feel something was wrong if I missed a workout. I could
feel the level of my technique rise.
When depression returned, I
deliberately cut my training time short.
As long as I did something, I learned to be satisfied.
I knew that if I was patient the tide would change. |
