| If you're in a training rut, or just want a | | | | get you out of a rut fast, will teach you |
| nice change of pace, here's a tip that can | | | | some things you wouldn't learn otherwise, and |
| make a huge difference in your training | | | | will wake up your senses. It will also |
| experience: train outside. | | | | toughen your body and prepare you to move in |
| | | | a way that anticipate an incosistent surface. |
| When I was in China for the 1st World Tai Chi | | | | After all, if you were jogging on iced over |
| Conference, that's the only place I saw | | | | cement (not recommended - just an example!) |
| people training. It didn't matter if it was | | | | you'd certainly place your feet differently |
| office workers doing Tai Chi in the park | | | | that if you were running on a college running |
| before work, or teens doing Kung Fu (by the | | | | track. By the same token, try sparring on |
| hundreds, in unison) in the afternoon heat on | | | | grass in tennis shoes, after years of only |
| hard packed dirt. | | | | sparring on a matted floor in barefeet. |
| | | | |
| And don't just train in your back yard on a | | | | If you don't have a partner, do form, shadow |
| sunny day. Train in a park. Train on | | | | boxing, kick/punch drills, and yoga. If |
| cement. Train when it's raining. Train at | | | | you've got a partner do all that and some |
| night. Train at night in the rain. Train | | | | controlled sparring. Just remember to try a |
| in the snow. Train at night in the snow . . | | | | different venue from time to time. |
| . you get the idea. | | | | |
| | | | Have fun. |
| Changing up your routine to include different | | | | |
| times, places, and weather conditions will | | | | Train like you mean it. |