Training for self defense can be difficult. Between work, family, and friends, it can be difficult to find time to train. If you’ve found yourself skipping workouts on a regular basis, perhaps it is time to create a schedule that will help you make training a part of your daily routine. So where do you begin? Consider the following tips when creating a training schedule:
Identify Your Busiest Days First
Time management concept. Calendar, watch and laptop. Color flat design illustration
First, pull out your calendar. Ideally you should have a physical calendar handy that you can write on, but any other type of calendar will work just fine. Start by identifying your busiest days. Perhaps on Mondays you have late meetings that cause the day to run long. That may be a day where you forego training. While we don’t suggest letting a busy day deter you from working out, we do suggest creating a schedule that you will stick to, so if you know Mondays are really hard for you, then leave it off your training schedule and opt for better days to train.
Consider How Many Days You Will Train
Look at your calendar again and consider how many days per week you will be training for self defense. Ideally if you can fit 4–5 days per week into your schedule, you’ll be on the right track in no time. Should you only be able to fit 2–3 days per week, consider the length of training time. Perhaps you do train 2–3 days but you train for an hour rather than a half hour.
How Long Should My Sessions Be?
As noted above, after determining how many days you will train, consider the length of each session. You want to give yourself adequate time to train, but not bite off more than you can chew. If you know that an hour session is just too much, consider a 30–45 minute session, which gives you ample time to train without overwhelming you. The goal is to create a schedule that will truly work for you rather than creating one that just looks good on paper.
Be Flexible
Be flexible with yourself and your schedule. Many times people will quit training due to their schedule’s inflexibility without even realizing that was the issue. You want to make sure you have a backup plan in case you do need to miss a session. Having a backup plan to make sure you get your workouts in will inspire you to continue with your training rather than getting discouraged after missing a session.
Make Nutrition Important
As much as the physical aspect of training for self defense is important, so is nutrition. Without the proper food to fuel our bodies we couldn’t survive. Sticking to a training schedule without proper nutrition will be nearly impossible. Without the right foods you’re more prone to get sick, lack energy, and whole host of other health problems. If you want to stick to your schedule, make sure you are getting proper nutrition as well as plenty of sleep to feel your best.
Make training for self defense easier on yourself by creating a great schedule that you’ll be able to stick to. Good luck and happy training.
