| Can you teach yourself martial arts? Or more to | | | | Shadow box. Spar with an open door as your |
| the point, can you teach yourself effective | | | | enemy. |
| self-defense strategies while working out alone? | | | | 4) Get a partner -- to practice reacting to an |
| Note: I'll assume, for this article, that you are not | | | | opponent. This isn't technically practicing alone, but |
| yet a martial-arts instructor. Master martial artists | | | | it is training without a teacher. At some point, if |
| seem to have a knack for knowing how to teach | | | | you really want to learn how to defend yourself, |
| themselves. After all, they achieved their level of | | | | then you will need an honest-to-goodness body |
| mastery by practicing... often alone. | | | | across from you. (You can read about riding a |
| | | | | bike all day long, but until you get on...) |
| You are a beginner or intermediate martial artist. | | | | Use your technique practice to develop your |
| And you want to know the best way to improve | | | | precision. When you add in the equipment training, |
| while solo training. | | | | you maintain your precision of technique. |
| The very best way is to combining the following | | | | As you start to move around with the |
| categories of solo training, including the last -- | | | | techniques, adding in footwork, don't allow those |
| which isn't 'technically' training by yourself. | | | | movements to become sloppy. Don't pay so |
| Incorporate the following into your workout | | | | much attention to where you're going, that your |
| schedule: | | | | strikes and kicks 'wobble.' |
| 1) Technique practice -- either as part of a form | | | | Of course, when you bring in a practice partner, |
| (kata) or repetitive practice -- for example, 500 | | | | your techniques will be all over the place. You will |
| vertical punches. | | | | scramble to defend against more real attacks. |
| 2) Equipment workouts -- punch or kick a heavy | | | | Your movements, by necessity, will adapt. |
| bag over and over. Use all the training equipment | | | | Still, your goal should be to bring back the precise |
| you have available to you. | | | | movements. This is the way to effectively train |
| 3) Movement training -- coordinating footwork | | | | on your own -- give yourself valuable martial arts |
| with your offensive techniques. Move around. | | | | instruction. It's how to master solo training. |