A Question for You Martial Artists....

Definitely interval type training. Striking arts are more interval style play and grappling arts are more move slowly/LHT. IMO

Hey everyone, thanks for your opinions!

I'm looking forward to getting back to martial arts in the near future. I'm just doing LHT for now - unfortunately, the instructor of the new, promising looking place was just arrested for having a relationship....with one of his 13 year old students from his last dojo. Bummer :(

I would say standing martial arts (striking) are more like play. Simply because you are only moving your own body weight. Ground martial arts (grappling) are more along the lines of lift heavy things, because you are using specific muscles to move another person.

I've trained for the past 8 years, initially in a blend of TKD, Krav Maga, Kenpo and Muay Thai. For the past two years I've trained Muay Thai. I consider my training pure play. I think a huge component is your mindset, to me it's a passion and a joy hence play. Now I'm sure there will be a few quips going into the physiological aspects blahfrickenblah. To me, it's fun, it's play !
Good luck, hopefully you'll be able to find another dojo and begin your training soon !

I study shotokan, which is Japanese Karate (rather than the original Okinawan). Due to its history, it is quite regimented and structured (a method of teaching used to teach large numbers of people/soldiers simultaneously). I find the line drills are kind of like a light cardio exercise, while the kata, for whatever reason, act much like sprints. At least I (and everyone I see) huff and puff significantly after finishing a kata. Sparring, regardless of whether grappling (we have that in our class) or striking is also much like sprinting. Nothing exhausts me faster than a couple of minutes of sparring.

I think a key point, as far as my understanding takes me, should be made here. Play should have nothing to do with mindset. I completely enjoy myself when lifting weights. I enjoy the act of lifting the weights not only the benefits. That does not make it play instead of lifting heavy things. Look at the activity not your mindset.

Adamm I study Shotokan too, and I completely agree with your assessment of the Kata being more similiar to sprints (except when you are learning a new one :P). The grappling could be like sprinting I suppose, but my experience in Judo tells me otherwise. Whether it be full rondori (Judo sparring) or simply just ground work/throw practice I feel it is more in line with lifting heavy things because it is more alike to resistance training. It does trigger the same amount of exhaustion and adrenaline as sprinting though.

If you take BJJ it's about technique, not strength. That'd be play with some decent conditioning. Admittedly you do need some strength, but it's not a striking sport so there's not the same feeling of explosiveness as I'd imagine is in Muay Thai or another striking sport.

Also once it's hot in the mat room, you've warmed up, etc, your hips will feel great and loose and mobile. Maybe a good thing to do before/after your squat day?