1. Train Your Balance.

Improving your balance helps your kicks, throws, takedowns,

stances, and many other techniques in the martial arts. Try

standing on one foot while you put your shoes on and tie

them, one foot at a time. While you’re waiting in a

check-out line or for a bus, you can also train your

balance simply by standing on one foot. If you’re going to

do this, however, try to do it inconspicuously, unless you

don’t mind people thinking you’re a bit strange! Below are some extra tips for training balance.

2. Practice Your Stances.

Stand on buses or subways in your usual training stance without

holding onto anything. If you don’t want to attract too

much attention, it’s better to keep your hands at your

sides. Try to maintain the structure of your stance while

the bus moves and sways without taking a step. When the bus

turns, stops, speeds up, slows down, you’ll learn

to compensate for the bus’s movements in order to maintain

your stance, by keeping your knees bent and

shifting your centre of balance. If you’re forced to step

out of position, take the step while maintaining your

stance’s structure.



3. Develop Your Sense of Strategic Positioning.

Consider your position in relation to people around you.

If you were attacked, would you be in a strong or weak

defensive position? If you had to defend yourself suddenly,

how could you use your position to your advantage? Asking

these questions helps you improve your strategic awareness.

4. Improve Your Awareness of Your Physical Surroundings.

Consider what kinds of physical objects in your immediate

surroundings you could use to defend yourself, whether as a

weapon or an obstacle (i.e. cars, doors, benches, trees, bags, items

in your purse or pockets, etc.), and how you could use

them. By doing so, you improve your ability to improvise in

different situations.

5. Stretch!

Why wait for class when you can stretch almost anywhere? Do

it at home while you watch TV, in your office, on public

transit, etc. Even if you can’t get down on the ground, you

can still stretch your arms, wrists, neck, shoulders, back,

and even your legs in some ways. Watch office chair stretching videos to learn more.

6. Practice Breathing.

Whether you do formal meditation in seiza (kneeling), or even just

take a minute or two to close your eyes to focus on your

breath, practicing your breathing relaxes the body and mind

and improves your focus. Long slow breaths from the abdomen

are best. Notice how it expands and contracts as you

inhale and exhale.

7. Sit or Stand Up Straight.

Posture is an important aspect of the martial arts. So why

is it that so many of us start to slouch as soon as we

leave the dojo? Whether you’re standing on the bus or

sitting at your desk at work, make sure your back is

straight and tall with your spinal disks in alignment. Keep

your legs uncrossed with both feet flat on the ground. Try

not to lean on the backs of chairs or try sitting on a

Swedish ball instead. Not only will your posture improve,

you’ll also be working your abdominal and back muscles too.

8. Visualize!

Even if you don’t have time or space to physically practice

your techniques outside class, you can always do them in

your mind. Imagine yourself doing various strikes,

techniques or patterns. Make the picture in your mind as

detailed as possible. Imagine the position of your hands

and feet, your stance, your posture, every aspect of the

technique that makes it effective. Your body and mind are

interconnected, so if you can do a technique in your mind’s

eye, it helps you do it physically as well. It also helps

you memorize the patterns and combinations of your art.

9. Use Your Peripheral Vision.

Having good peripheral vision is a key element in sparring

or defensive situations in which you don’t know where the

next attack is coming. Since most people don’t actively

use their peripheral vision, it’s a good idea to

consciously practice using it. Next time you’re on a bus or

waiting in a check-out line, try using it to make out

details of the people around you. Without looking directly

at a person, you should be able to note someone’s hair

colour, what color clothes he or she is wearing, whether he

they’re taller or shorter than you, etc. By training your

peripheral vision, you expand your field of perception.

10. Take the Stairs.

This is a simple way everyone can add a little extra

exercise in their daily life. Walking (or running) up

stairs helps improve your endurance and is great for

developing leg strength. It’s an even better workout if

you’re carrying a load. And oftentimes it takes less time

to get where you need to go than taking an elevator or

escalator.