One of the most invaluable practices for a martial artist or body trainer of any sort, is to occasionally “mix it up”. This means trying out a new style of training, or sport, or drill etc. which challenges your normal or regular practice. Some interesting ways to create new brain activity and to test yourself in your current training:
Controlled Free Running (YouTube), when done casually (generally with a partner), this is an awesome way to get yourself into a new type of environment and “body feeling” which you may not be used to.
Shaolin Monk Training Drills (YouTube), these methods (while eventually becoming somewhat extreme for a western practitioner), can be started gently and create marked improvement on your current skills.
Various Group/Scenario Exercises, this may be as simple or as complex as desired, ie:
A – Setting up a situation between two people, who begin with eyes closed, and when told to start immediately assess their surroundings and attack the other the most effectively as they can (using objects or not).
B – A group where one person is told to walk between the “crowd” and defend against sudden attacks from one or more people from any direction.
C – Starting from a seated position (such as at a restaurant), or laying down and having to defend from an attacker who comes from an awkward angle Etc.
Here is one of the most unique and yet not physically dangerous ways to challenge one’s mind and body, now available in BC, Canada. This company provides “escape rooms”, from which a pair or group of people have a time limit to solve the puzzles and escape from one of 4 themed rooms, using a variety of physical and mental skills, check it out!
http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/941536/room-escape-game-opens-in-richmond-b-c/
It’s fascinating how the internet, and especially YouTube, has influenced the study of martial arts.
In the past, when “martial” equated to warfare, and maintaining a strict secrecy around methods and techniques may have helped ensure the survival of one’s village, country, farm, family, or faction, traditional martial lineages had to resort to espionage or accept challenges to learn what the other schools were learning (like an arms race).
Now, all one needs is an internet connection, and the ability to ask your friendly neighbourhood search engine the right questions. Ain’t it fun? We certainly live in privileged times.
I looked at the “escape room” and I think it’s mostly a puzzle game. Would be neat to try it out for sure. People say that even the easiest level is very very hard. I think it’s just done up for today’s video gamers who grew up solving super hard puzzles. I myself stopped at “Myst”!