General Chat & Info Board

With all these college obligations, I might actually make it down to NYC eventually...
Basically, in about 7 or 8 months, I'll be in LA... just one more reason to look forward to summer... yeah...

Jonathan Johnson67 said:They’re actual ninjas. Our guys back home in the States. Everyone from the first generation😬 .

Spoken like a wise man...😁 I’d certainly prefer to see them operating around these parts too, but I suppose we won't be seeing that anytime soon...👎

First, excuse me if this is off-topic, but I see people are chatting so I figured I’d ask... I have an issue with my weight and was planning to start kickboxing. I like the idea of it, and I suppose I'm hoping to tone up a bit (I'm not one of those thin types who notices if they gain 5 pounds). So, what would you recommend? Maybe how many times a week, or how long each session should last... I'd be quite grateful for any advice.
Best regards

My head isn't spinning from all this, but if you want results, try hitting it at least twice a week for about an hour and a half each session. Anything less than that? Honestly, I don't believe you'll hit your goals. It’s simple math. Like I said, the more work you put in, the faster you'll get where you want to be. That goes for Kickboxing, and it applies to just about everything else in life. 🙂

stormygardener34 said:First off, sorry if I'm going off-topic, but I see people chatting so I figured I'd just ask... basically, I'm struggling with my weight and was planning on starting kickboxing. I really like the idea and am hoping to finally get some definition (I’m definitely not one of those skinny girls where an extra 5 pounds doesn't even show). So, what do you all suggest? How many times a week should I go, and how long should the sessions last? I would be so grateful for any advice!
Best regards

At least three times a week. And find a place that actually takes training seriously—as for the length of the workout, that's up to them, you can't really control that part.

stormygardener34 said:First, apologies if this is off-topic, but since everyone seems to be chatting, I figured I’d just ask... I’m struggling with my weight and was planning to start kickboxing. I actually enjoy it and hope to tone up a bit (I’m not one of those thin types where an extra few pounds doesn't register). So, what do you suggest? How many times a week should I go, and how long should the sessions last? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

If you aren't in any kind of shape, it might be smarter to focus on dropping some weight and building basic cardio first—maybe through regular light jogging.

If things aren't quite that dire, then by all means, jump into kickboxing. Just make sure you find a decent instructor. As for specific recommendations on coaches or training methods... I suspect there are better experts than me in this group.

stormygardener34 said:Best regards

Same to you... 👋

Look, if your only goal is dropping some weight, don't go looking for a fight in a ring. You'll just end up taking beatings until you finally decide to throw in the towel. If that's the mission, stick to running, cardio, or stuff like that... much better way to go about it.
Look, if you’re actually serious about training some kind of martial art... then just go. Just go to whatever number of classes you can actually handle. Physically, schedule-wise, even the money side of things... just find that sweet spot where you won't burn out. Otherwise, what's the point?

Jonathan Johnson67 said:If your only goal is dropping some weight, don't sign up for martial arts. You'll just end up getting beat up and quitting.

Why would she get beat up if she’s just doing this for fun, without any sparring or actual fights?
stormygardener34, just go for it! Don't stress about the technical stuff right now; you'll pick it up during training.👍

Justin Adams5 said:Why would I get beaten up if I’m just doing this recreationally, without any sparring or actual fights?

What kind of martial arts can you actually train without sparring? Sure, maybe you won't get hit... but honestly, everyone who starts training just to lose weight usually lasts a few months, drops a few pounds, and then quits. Once they stop, the weight just comes right back...

Justin Adams5 said:Just start. Don't worry about the toughness part... that comes naturally once you're actually in the sessions.👍

👍 👍 You just need the willpower and some persistence... everything else follows the training...

Don’t be naive—really, don't—because if you actually want to see results, you need to be hitting the mats three times a week during that first year of training, and once you finally find your rhythm, it’s gotta be every single day. And let's not forget about strength training; you have to put in that extra work on your conditioning too. Only then can we even begin to discuss actual success or a meaningful skill level. I mean, look, until you perform a movement a thousand times over, it simply doesn't become muscle memory—it just won't. So, whatever discipline you choose, if your goal is true athletic achievement, daily practice is the non-negotiable price of admission. Now, of course, hobbyists or people like me—who have already crossed that forty-year milestone—can get away with two or three sessions a week. But for anyone under thirty? Honestly, you all should take a moment to consider how much time you waste on a single pack of cigarettes instead.

Jonathan Johnson67 said:Can you actually train a martial art without any sparring?

Of course you can! At my local gym, if someone doesn't want to spar, they don't have to. You just drill technique with a partner, hit the heavy bag, or work on focus mitts...
I see the same thing at boxing gyms all over the US—tons of people who never spar. Look, you can't force someone to take hits to the head if they aren't up for it.😉

electricorca11 said:Don't be naive. During that first year of training, you should be hitting it three times a week at minimum. Once you actually get into shape? You need to be out there every single day. Plus, you've got to put in that extra work on strength training. That’s the only way we can even start talking about actual success or skill level. Until you perform a move a thousand times, it isn't muscle memory. So, whatever you try, if you're chasing athletic success, you have to train daily.

What are you even talking about? She just wants to drop a few pounds.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone... I actually kind of like this. I've never been much for aerobics or those highly organized fitness classes. I suppose I could get into running, but I've been drawn to boxing for years now. I wasn't looking for any sudden breakthroughs since I'm probably too old for that, but more just for recreation and to blow off some steam. I've heard it's good for staying in shape, too. Plus, with my job and how much time I spend sitting around, I have a few issues—mostly posture stuff and some extra weight over the years.

Everything the crew said about training is solid... I’d just add one thing: you have to sync your diet with your workouts. Cut out all that heavy, fatty food... don't eat anything 3 or 4 hours before hitting the gym... Also, while you're still getting your body used to the routine, stick to high carbs for energy and endurance... follow that regimen and you'll see results in a month or two... good luck 👍

electricorca11 said:Don't be naive. During your first year of training, you need to be hitting the mats three times a week. Once you actually get into shape? You should be there every single day. And don't forget the strength training. That’s the only way we can even begin to talk about actual success or skill level. Until you perform a move a thousand times, it isn't muscle memory. It’s simple: if you want athletic success, you train daily. Of course, hobbyists or people like me over 40 can stick to two or three sessions a week. But anyone under 30? You really need to consider how much time you waste on a pack of cigarettes instead.

We aren't looking for athletic success; we're looking for technical mastery. :P 😉

Jerry Thompson said:We aren't looking for athletic glory here; we’re chasing technical mastery. :P 😉

Whatever. You really think you can actually get good at anything if you’re only putting in the work three times a week? Please. It’s laughable. Honestly, I’m being serious here—you can't just show up occasionally and expect mastery. Mastery requires obsession. If you aren't doing it every single day, you're basically just playing around. It's all just wasted motion at that point. Total joke.
Easygoing, pure skill, lethal techniques, and all that good stuff... you know how it goes.

wanderingridge said:It doesn't matter. You really think you can get good at something if you only do it three times a week?
lagano—skill, lethal technique, all that... you can think what you want...

Of course you can...

There’s this old kendo master who used to say:
... if you skip training for just one day, you’ll feel it yourself,
if you miss two days, your opponent is going to notice the edge is gone,
but if you let three days slip by, even the crowd in the stands will see the difference.

crimsonbison10 said:An old Kendo master used to say:
... if you miss one day of training, you notice it,
if you miss two days, your opponent notices it,
if you miss three days, the crowd notices it.

And Che Guevara once said: "It’s better to train a little bit every day than to go hard once a month..." ...which basically means it’s better to hit it three times a week consistently rather than sporadically in big bursts... group sessions three times a week are plenty... you can always put in some solo work on the other days... ☕

Why are there so few women in head coaching positions—is it some deep-seated psychological issue, or perhaps just a fear of dealing with organized crime circles? There’s an overarching problem within women's sports that any father with a daughter simply has to address. Most female athletic teams are led by men who, frankly, never accomplished a thing in the sport themselves—they just happen to have some coaching certification or a degree from a state university.

What do you all think—could we actually learn something from a woman in her fifties who, in every single facet of the game, was more capable and successful than her male counterparts? Or would people rather just head back to the gym to train under some guy who might have decent physical conditioning, but has never actually won a major championship in his life?

It honestly makes my blood boil even more when I see coaches screaming and swearing at kids because they missed a shot—I nearly lost my mind and stormed onto the court myself, ready to take down an opposing coach who was berating a girl just because she turned the ball over. Then, of course, I realized that her own father should be the one stepping up, which meant this instance of psychological abuse went entirely unpunished. Still—even if it required a full-blown lawsuit—I’d love nothing more than to look a man like that dead in the eye somewhere behind the arena.