Training During Holidays

The end of the year is a time of great joy, no matter who you are. It is the time of the year to spend time with family and be jolly. That said, in regards to Taekwondo athletes, it can be detrimental to their skills and possibly a hindrance. With events such as the US Open just a couple of weeks away, the end of the year holidays can distract athletes from their training and cause their skills to regress. This is due to more time spent with family instead of training and eating foods that athletes would not normally eat, especially in large quantities.

One question remains, however: Should I or should I not be training during the holiday season?

Yes and no.

Due to many tournaments (both big and small) being held shortly after the new year, it is vital to be keeping up with training. However, neglecting time with family to have fun and relax can be harmful to one’s Taekwondo venture in the long one. This is especially true for younger athletes such as Cadets and Juniors. Over time, many of these young athletes will prefer not to train during the holidays after spending several years missing out on them. Not every athlete is willing to give up the holiday season to do more training.

Personally, I have missed many opportunities to go out and not think about Taekwondo in my Junior division days during the holidays. This was because I had a goal and was willing to do anything for that goal. That said, if other athletes are driven enough, then yes, training during the holiday season if possible is recommended.

Overall, there needs to be a balance between training and relaxing. This holds true for anything that is in excess. I personally suggest a slight shift in relaxation compared to training since athletes would most likely have been training hard all year long. They deserve to have some leeway at some point during the year and the holidays are the perfect time.