Dear Sensei Carter:

This post resonates with me.

I’d say about half the training I’ve done has been in commercial establishments, and the other half in garages, driveways, city parks, back yards, tiny living rooms, even under bridges when it was raining and there was nowhere else to train.

In many ways, these impromptu / makeshift training venues were a lot more fun than the formal training at the commercial dojos. We could take our time; there was no class starting after ours. Sometimes passersby or bystanders would offer their tips and suggestions (and sometimes these were actually pretty helpful.)

A famous writer whose name I’ve forgotten, said about writing (I’m paraphrasing:) “You need a typewriter and a place to sit.”

With martial arts it’s: “You need another person, and a place with enough room to swing your fists / do your kicks / grapple / whatever.”