Training camps are a very important aspect of martial arts training. It doesn't matter how regular one is at class, a training camp will test and drain them physically, mentally and emotionally. Resulting in building them up stronger physically, mentally and emotionally.
Training camps offer accelerated physical conditioning, enhanced mental strength through shared challenges, improve skills and discipline and foster a sense of community and teamwork. By creating a focussed environment away from distractions, camps allow for dedicated practice.
When one trains for 6 to 10 hours a day with just breaks for food and rest, without having to worry about day to day tasks, it brings about a sense of inner peace, a sense of surrender.
Those that attend a camp for the first time may not experience this peace because they are constantly anxious about what is next, over excited about making the best of their time and wish to explore everything that can be done. But after one or two camps one just surrenders completely. They eat when given food, they train when trained and just go and sleep in every break. Once this surrender comes in, then the feeling of inner peace, a sense of zen creeps in.
We prefer reduced contact with people back home even via a call, especially for the kids. It helps them be independent, away from the protective shell that parents create, gives them the chance of critical thinking and deciding what is best for them, makes them mentally tougher, improves their self confidence and lots more. We watch over every student from a distance irrespective of them being 6 years old or 60 plus. Observing what they are doing, their moods, their behaviour, do they give up or break down, how they are interacting and lots more. This helps us understand a student better and where we need to work on them to make them a better version of themselves physically, mentally and emotionally. Though there is constant supervision, there is freedom too, to do whatever they wish to during the free time, unless they are doing something that can put themselves or others at risk of injury etc.
Camps are also a good place for one to introspect and understand if they have improved in the last 6 months and which areas they need to work on etc. So being regular to class is very important as that brings the growth which one can test when they attend a camp.
Since the camp is located in a huge forested area, a reconnect with nature is established. Healing and calming one in ways that can not be explained but only experienced.
Today many organisations do not organise camps which actually tests the students. Mainly because either parents or the students themselves don't register for them. Parents fear if their child will manage without home food, or how they will live without us, will they take care of my child etc. While some students avoid it because nowadays everyone wants comforts. Will there be a water heater, will there be TV, will we have good internet coverage so I can aimlessly scroll reels, will I get my morning coffee, will the mattress be nice and the list goes on and on. Low registrations make it difficult to organize camps. Which is the reason many organizations have stopped organizing camps. When I had started my training way back in the 80s, there use to be anywhere between 500 to 800 participants at a camp. Nowadays, to garner even 30 registrations seems like an uphill task. However, once a student attends a camp or two they themselves wish to register for every camp that is organised after that.
When I had started my training, camps use to be in boarding schools at hill stations etc during the school holidays. Living in huge dormiteries with bunk beds. We had to run and catch our own bed, while keeping so many factors in mind like, does the mattress have bed bugs, is the fan close to the bed, the common washroom should not be too close to the bed and lots more. Sometimes we may catch a bed but there may be no mattress or the mattress had lots of bed bugs or was uneven etc and we would carry a sleeping bag which we used to just unfold and sleep in. We used to get our own metal plates and glass to eat food and for tea etc, then wash it ourselves, no purified drinking water too and lots more. No pampering no bubble wrapping, nothing.
These hardships shaped us mentally. To face anything that life brings our way. Nowadays we are providing such comfortable conditions yet some students want even more comforts and frills.
Hardships are not bad. They build character, they let us know that we can go beyond what we thought we could.
To sum it up, in my opinion training camps are what truly make a student of martial arts a warrior not only in class but in every aspect of life.
Train like a warrior to be a warrior!!!!!
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