4 Ways to Stay on Track with Martial Arts Over the Holidays

If your commitment to martial arts is sorely tested over the holiday season, we get it. Time is at a premium — there are gifts to buy, parties to attend, school events if you have kids, family in town, and other fun and/or irritating demands that make it hard to stick with your usual training schedule. But if you find yourself getting stressed this time of year, staying active will only help, and we’re sharing tips to make it happen. Here are four ways to stay on track with martial arts over the holiday.

Make a Plan, stick to the plan

First things first — sit down with your calendar and make a plan. Consider all the things you need to do and the places you need to be. if your regular martial arts schedule won’t work given those other responsibilities, change things up a bit. Aim for three to four dedicated training sessions a week so you’re getting some consistent movement (and stress busting!) and then write those down your calendar. Treat them like any other appointment that requires your commitment.

Train at Home

You likely have some down time at some point over the holiday. Instead of wasting it staring at your phone, jump on this opportunity to perfect a new form. Here at Freestyle Martial Arts in Reno, we take a traditional break over the holiday season. But that doesn’t mean you need to idle for two weeks. Tell yourself you’re going to devote X minutes every day to working on the basics. And then do it!

Train in the Morning

Knocking out your workout first thing is the best way to get it done. And while that’s not possible if your school only offers afternoon and evening classes, or if they’re closed for the holidays, you can make it happen on your own. Those X minutes of training you’ve promised yourself? Do it early in the day. That way, there’s less risk that something else will come along during your day to keep it from happening (a real risk over the holiday!).

Lean on a Friend

The buddy system is no joke. At Freestyle, our community means built-in accountability — if you aren’t in class, you can be sure someone will wonder why. And while the school closes for its annual break, make a point of reaching out to a fellow martial artist to train. You’ll get in some physical activity and you’ll benefit from a little quality time with a friend, which can be really grounding during the holiday madness.

The Takeaway

You may need to get a little creative to keep training martial arts over the holidays, but the movement will only help. Be creative, be flexible, and remember that this too shall pass and soon, you’ll be back on track.