The old ways of doing things aren’t necessarily the best ways
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that old ways of doing things aren’t necessarily the best ways. That’s not to say that traditional martial arts training is not still valuable, but online martial arts classes have proven to be powerful and effective.
Training online is different than in person training in some fundamental ways. As with anything in life, there are trade-offs. There is a feeling in a dojo that you can’t replicate at home, like the firm realness of the mats and the growth that comes through sparring. There is also a power in training at home that you won’t find in a martial arts gym, allowing you to put more time into your practice and getting you personalized instruction that you can’t get any other way.
1. Results
The number one reason to do anything is to get results. At Academy of Self Defense, we’ve found that our students consistently see improvement at home that’s on par with what they get in person, and in some cases even more. That has a lot to do with the dedication that you develop through a more independent training model. Repeated practice of skills with guidance from expert instructors is the key to growth, and that’s exactly what happens in remote training.
2. Flexibility
You’re not locked into any one thing when you’re training online, so you can choose what you want to do. The ASD library has a massive range of classes that have been recorded for our students to work through. That’s in addition to live classes in which martial arts instructors interact with students in that more traditional class structure.
Whatever you’re in the mood to train for, whether it’s self defense or fitness, it’s accessible in our online martial arts portal. On days that you might struggle with motivation, it’s easy to scroll through and choose something that appeals to you.
3. Intensity
A major but unexpected takeaway about online fitness learning has been the reality check that it’s intense. There isn’t a break, for teachers or for students. This pumps up the growth that students experience. That’s why zoom training and working online are so exhausting, but with fitness training online we turn that into an opportunity.
We’re all drawn to screens for a reason. That connection sucks you in with online martial arts training just the way that it does when you’re binging your favorite show. Our brains are drawn to the glowing screen, and when you match that with expert guidance from an experienced martial arts instructor you get a powerful punch.
4. Personalized instruction
Online classes focus the attention of martial arts instructors in a different way than in person classes do. Think about it – each student is in their own little square. You’ll see instructors honing in on form and giving corrections in our online martial arts and fitness classes. This format allows us to see what students are doing during their training with clarity and so guide their improvement. Through the online view, an expert martial arts instructor can pick out problems with form quickly and offer adjustment.
It’s the same sort of mouth to ear instruction style that’s as old as martial arts itself, only we’re bringing it into the 21st century.
5. Convenience
It’s easy to fit online martial arts training into a busy schedule because you can train whenever it works best for you. Maybe you like to get up at 5am and get a Muay Thai class in while the house is quiet. It could be that you want to take a lunch break to do a round of online Krav Maga in your living room, giving you a push for the afternoon of working from home.
Commuting and commitments easily become roadblocks. Driving to a physical space might not be feasible for people who have a busy schedule. It’s convenient to pull out the minimal gear required to train with Academy of Self Defense at home, no matter where home might be.
6. Comfort
Martial arts training pushes us out of our comfort zone, and that can be tough for people who are new to this kind of training. With online self defense and fitness classes, there’s a lower degree of social pressure to look a certain way or perform at a certain level. Though a high quality in-person training environment isn’t a place of judgement, it can still be a deterrent when you look around and see all of the people who are far ahead of you in their journey. Sometimes it’s the little things that push us over the edge to keep us engaged and making progress.
When you take online martial arts classes, you can increase your fitness and skill at your own pace. Without worrying about anyone else. Working out in the privacy of your own home takes the pressure off so that you can get it done.
7. No Excuses
There are a million reasons to skip a class here and there or to dial back your training with traditional martial arts models. With online martial arts classes, there aren’t any excuses. Traveling? Pull out your laptop and do a class in your hotel room. Home late from work and missed your group class? Do a recorded online self defense lesson. Online programs are also affordable, so there’s no excuse there either.
Life doesn’t slow down. Thanks to technology, you don’t have an excuse to skip your training because something gets in the way. There’s a freedom in that. This is an instance in which it’s all about mindset. We have the opportunity to shift our way of thinking about fitness and self defense training, letting it enrich our lives and get us excited about personal growth. Structured, guided lessons keep us engaged and growing. The fewer excuses we have, the more likely we are to stay invested.
No matter where you are or what your schedule is, online martial arts training offers great benefits. It’s something we’ve seen consistently as we’ve expanded our online fitness, Krav Maga, Muay Thai, and self defense classes at Academy of Self Defense. The intensity of this remote training is incredibly valuable and shows the results we love to see, whether you’re stepping into the dojo every week too or keeping it to your living room.