I recall as a young child staying on a caravan site in Wales where we regularly stayed in the mid 1970’s. My Dad looked out of the window and saw a man doing what could have been Karate Kata, all alone, in the middle of the caravan site. “What a Nutter, look at him, who does he think he is?” was my Dad’s loud words. Although I don’t think he said it loud enough for anyone else to hear.
Kung Fu Craze
In the mid 1970’s there was the Kung Fu craze, Bruce Lee, David Carradine in the Kung Fu TV series and Kung Fu fighting by Carl Douglas was a hit. I played Kung Fu games with my friends and tried to learn it from Martial Arts magazines.
Since then, and also by some other peoples perception, I believed that people that do Martials Arts outside in public alone may possibly be a Nutter, mad or slightly insane.
Twenty odd years passed and I found myself training in Taekwondo and wanting to improve my patterns (tul, kata or forms). Of course many of these solo training routines require a fair amount of space. You don’t want to bump into the garage wall or fall over the sofa so an easy option is to practice outdoors. Often I would go to a nearby hill which was quiet and perform the patterns outdoors. I may have been visible from a distance as a lone figure moving on a hill top but at least no-one would recognise me I would just have to dodge sheep poo, fallen branches and small plants.
Early Morning Training in Secret
I started training early in the morning at about 5am in my local village. When you have a grading or competition approaching you need to perfect your routine in as much space as is required. I chose the car park of the local tennis club. It was secluded, not overlooked, no one would be there that early so I practiced my Taekwondo patterns.
Although I feel disciplined and strong willed I still felt uneasy about practicing outdoors. Someone might see me, what would they think of me ? “Look at that nutter doing Kung Fu on his own outside”. I say Kung Fu because a person who does not known Martial Arts wouldn’t know the difference. The fear, is that too strong a word, was that someone might interrupt my flow and put me off. They might start laughing or spread a rumour around the village that the nutter is in the car park again.
Everyone Can See Me
Several years passed and I was drinking in a local Banbury pub one Saturday night. I was having a conversation with a woman who I had just met and we chatted for sometime about ourselves. I mentioned the village I had lived in and the fact that I practiced Taekwondo. She then said there used to be some idiot that did martial arts at the tennis club early in the morning, Jesus, the whole village must have known and been spying on me and I thought no one knew. I admitted it was me but I can’t recall ever seeing her again.
Advantages
More space
Uneven surface can improve balance and concentration
Fresh Air
More people can see you – promote your art
Builds Self-Confidence
Onlookers will consider you as confident and an inspiration
Disadvantages
The weather
People may interrupt you
Maybe difficult in built up areas to find a space
You may be considered a Nutter
Of course I have tried to portray training outdoors in a slightly humorous way but the advantages are all good. Practice outside
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