what are your thoughts on training outside of the gym/school/dojo/kwoon/dojang?

I've always enjoyed training with other people from other other styles but, there can be a real clash if the philosophies are polar opposites. I train in traditional okinawan karate and when I've gotten together with some (not all) TKD guys and they want to free-spar, which I don't do and I want to do kata bunkai, which they didn't do. It was kinda pointless. However, I've trained with some Jui-jitsu people that we both had something to offer even though I'm not much of a ground fighter. It all just depends on attitude and philosophy.

As far as training alone, I definitely do that. I do my katas and Kihon-waza in my home dojo. I try to train at least 3 times a week outside of class. That is essential to improve and progress.

Are you talking about training or sparring?

Training is not about style. Martial arts or self defense is self defense. It is not about style. Your kata in Okinawan arts is their style. Kata contains the techniques that are in your style. Training is working out. Getting an understanding of how to apply the techniques. Practicing techniques. Learning timing and transitions, etc.

When you have think that training is your style you have placed yourself within a rigid box. That is not what martial arts is about unless you are a novice. A palm heel strike is still a palm heel strike no matter what style you practice. A wrist lock is still a wrist lock. How to apply the wrist lock can change from one instructor to another. It is not about the style. What makes my style Matsubayashi Ryu is the 18 kata and the 7 yakusoku kumite. Style differences is that one style might use a crescent kick and another style doesn't use that kick.

We teach our students that they need to practice the technique that are taught at home. Only do what you can remember and to inquire about what they forgot when they return to class. The things that you need a partner to do should be done in the dojo especially for beginners. They should be done under close supervision. If not they will do create many bad habits that will be difficult to replace with good habits.

Space is a problem too.

One of my teachers actually gave a key to each of the students who have been at the school for a year.or more. More junior students can contact the seniors and ask for admission to the school any time. This works really well but our school is small and this certainly would not be a solution for a big commercial school.

If you are in a good school where you do more than just spar not training because you have no partner is a really lame excuse. Good techniques are better practiced by yourself first and noone has that good of techniques that they do not need to practice them. Sparring is only a very small portion of training, Even in Aikido where all your forms are partner forms I find plenty to practice on my own.

I think people who say they can't train without a partner are not really interested in good techniques, only in beating up on others. It's the wrong reason for being in martial arts.

There isn't anything wrong with it. One just needs to be careful that whatever knowledge gained doesn't get used in the regular school if such knowledge conflicts. The benefits of expanding knowledge far outweighs the traditions held that one must serve only one master.

In fact, I was chastised by one of my prior (Taekwondo) schools for taking up Aikido. He told me that I ought to serve only one master. As he was a Born Again Christian, I reminded him that he already serves one master, as do I; and neither of us serve any martial art instructor. And as he was also a high school teacher, I reminded him that everyone has many instructors - noting the trend to do away with the one-room schoolhouses of yore.

The problem with multiple instructors - whether we are talking about acedemia or martial arts - is when conflicts arise. It does one no good to have one instructor say "punch this way" and another to say "punch that way". What will you do outside of either school?

But to have an instructor offer a set of philosophies (for example, sport) while another offers non-contradicting philosophies (for example, self-defense), there are no conflicts and so such training is fine.

Of course, it does one no good to go head-first into two or more styles at once without a solid understanding of either one first, since there must necessarily be a split in time, money, resources, and recovery. But this is a matter of practicality, not a problem of serving multiple masters.

And if you are engaging in informal workout with others of different styles for the sake of knowledge exchange - what's the problem? Rabbis, inmams, buddhist monks, and bishops do it all the time without fighting. So do democrats and republicans. So do blacks and whites. So do adults and children. So do the rich and the poor. And so do the sick and the well.

And if you are engaging in informal workout with others of different styles for the sake of practice, why can't you all not attempt to correct each other according to your own training if it's contradictory? This is probably harder to do than it sounds, but, I'm guessing with regular practice, such difficulties can be ironed out and overcome with time.

One of the biggest problems with martial arts today is that they think they can just go to class for 1 hour, 2 days a week and that's it.

Practice at home is essential.

Kata is homework. While you're at the dojo, you should use your training partners while they're available.

Unfortunately you're right. It's like school. These days, many kids only "study" at school, and their brains turn off when the last bell rings.

Likewise, people don't truly practice outside their martial arts school merely because there are other things they prefer to do. I personally practice at home, mostly stretching and maintaining my agility as well as refining the form of my kicks and punches. To me, the school is there so I can practice with other people and learn from my teacher, not to review things I already know. That's my job to practice on my own.

Most schools have a website with training videos for there students to practice when they're not at there martial arts club.

Training isn't just about learning punches, kicks and different moves.

Training by oneself is a good thing, ONLY if what you do practice you practice correctly. Otherwise you just re-enforce bad habits. It is easier to teach a student that does not practice outside of class than it is to re-train one that has developed bad habits. Research has shown that once a bad habit is recognized and regular training has begun to correct the bad habit it generally takes at least six months to correct the habit.

For beginners I recommend that they practice what they remember and are fairly sure they are doing correctly. As they get better and know more they should practice more often.

Practice by beginners outside of class especially young or in experienced students almost always ends up being a problem. Either they argue and disagree about things, or they are so busy trying to beat each other up that the training is a waste of time and they develop bad habits and a bad attitude.

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I feel u dawg, I found a caporeai gym that charges me 15 a lesson I like it even tho its mostly kids

I have no problem with it. In fact, I encourage it. My problem is that people do not practice at home AT ALL-----unless they think a grading is coming up.