only option to train at home

[justinlowe]

hello, Im a 24 year old male and i am looking to learn Krav Maga. I have checked around and the only classes are an hour away and the classes are only at night. Unfortunatly i work second shift, thus i cant take the class. I have inquired about him giving day classes but he says he doesnt have enough intrest for it to be worth his while( i live in the midwest ).
So i was curious if anyone had any suggestions on training at home. I know that i wont be able to get as good as if i had an instructor but if that is my only option i guess i have to go with it or not learn it at all.

Lastly what kind of equipment would most help me training at home and by myself, ie. bob the mankin dummy, or heavy bag, etc.etc.?

Thank you for your time on helping me out.

[justinlowe]

im sorry i forgot to mention that i have the dvds coming and i already have the OFficial book.

[Emil]

you can train at home and periodically attend seminars. but you MUST have a partner. You can not train self defense by yourself.

[justinlowe]

is seminars enough to give a solid base of understanding of the discipline?
I hope to eventually get on day shift and that would allow me to attend classes but that most likely wont happen for a couple of years. i have to wait out my boss, who is about to retire:)

[jaeroo]

For solo training at home, I have a speedbag, double-end bag, portable heavybag (275 lbs.), pair of escrima sticks, pair of dummy training knives, and a grappling dummy (has arms, head, and legs). I also jumprope for footwork and endurance. Sometimes when it's hard to train with a partner, I have no choice but go solo. It also helps to play music when you train. For me, I use a lot of hard rock, which brings out the beast inside of me. Seminars, as said by someone previously, also are very useful. But make sure the seminar is suited for your personal goals (sport/defense/fitness/discipline). Hope this helps. Good luck.

[CLFMak]

Buy a QUALITY heavy bag. The heavier the better generally. I've gone through four bags and a small fortune on cheap (Everlast) bags. BOBs are a good option as well for targeting, but I think at the beginnins stages its good to just have a heavy bag. If you have a partner, get 2 focus mits, and some thai pads if you want. A kicking shield might also be good, but its not essential.
A slip bag is also a good tool for developing a number of strikes. Its an inexpensive ball like device on two elastic cords. Good for continuous straight punches, and also developin tight hooks, elbows, and backhand motions.

There's all sorts of good workout music. I like electronic music with a steady beat. Explosions in the Sky and Juno Reactor are good, but hard rock is good sometimes also. The most agressive music I could recommend is from Raised Fist, Gutteral Secrete, and Rise Against.

[Emil]

If you can make it to a school once or twice every quarter, you should get a pretty good understanding of most techniques. you can also ask if you can tape the seminar or purchase the tapes from school. it's even better if you can go with your training partners, all will pick up on different perspectives. when you get the tapes, focus on one technique every time, drill it ad nauseum. once you got it down, ask your partner to gradually start resisting, then ad some external stressors like loud noises, bright or low lights, have your partners curse and spit at you etc. when you visit the school, ask the instructors to critique your technique,take notes.

Here's a good link on tips for training by yourself

http://grapplearts.com/Training-Without-Partners.htm

[BradM]

I think a lot of schools, if not most, offer a Saturday class. You may want to inquire about that.

[justinlowe]

great advice.
I will definately inquire about the saturday class.
I would also like to go to the chicago seminar coming up this october!
Sounds awesome.
thx alot

[jerry68]

You can learn almost all of the level 1 techniques from the DVD, but you must have a partner! If you get to the point of being able to attend classes, you'll only need to refine what you know. One thing to keep in mind is that Krav is not only about technique, but fitness, so working on your cardio and strength are equally important.

[jrd]

ok, I have a similar problem, but it realates to geography - I am in Korea. further more, I do not have the space to put a bag in, or anything like that - but i do have the post gym to utilize. What level of understanding can you draw from the tapes alone? I plan on trying to find a seminar or a class while I am home on leave - but that will not be for several months.
any ideas?