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Dash3
Dash3's picture
Study splits (academic/physical)

How much of your study of martial arts is devoted to "academic" (for want of a better term) versus physical practice?

I reckon in any given week, I put in six hours of training between classes and solo practice (this does not include workouts that are not martial arts based, like lifting or running) and around 4 hours of reading books (like Iain's), watching instructional videos (like Iain's), and engaging in discussion, either with training partners or on this forum.

I was inspired to ask because I was surprised when I stopped to think about how much reading my practice includes...

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Dash3 wrote:
How much of your study of martial arts is devoted to "academic" (for want of a better term) versus physical practice?

I spend at least 8 hours a day in this office researching, producing, sharing and “chatting” with martial arts types. So a huge chunk of my martial time is “academic”.

The samurai considered skill with, and knowledge of, “pen and sword” to be the mark of an accomplished man (“The way of pen and sword” or Bunburyodo 文武両道). Such a mix is important I think, providing that practise always takes precedence over theory.

“Very often the man who lacks that essential quality of deadly seriousness will take refuge in theory” – Gichin Funakoshi

I also recall reading something in the Hagakure about a person who reads too much, “smelling of dead leaves.”

It’s good for the chef to study recipes, but the test of that understanding is found in the tasting after time spent in the actual kitchen.

Study the theory, then take that understanding into the dojo where it can be tested.

All the best,

Iain