Navigating the Break – Rest, Recover, but Stay Ready
As we approach the end of the year, the shift in pace is inevitable. For some, the holidays are a time to completely let go. For others, the fear of losing progress makes it hard to slow down at all.
The world’s best coaches don’t view the holidays as a choice between “grinding” or “quitting.” They view it as a strategic phase called Active Recovery.
If we stop moving entirely for weeks, we lose the momentum we fought for in 2025. But if we don’t rest, we burn out. The secret is finding the middle ground: maintaining your identity while changing your intensity.
1. The Professional Mindset: Identity Over Intensity
Author James Clear (Atomic Habits) notes that “true behaviour change is identity change.” You don’t stop being a karateka just because the dojo is closed.
- The Shift: Instead of thinking, “I have to do a hard workout,” think, “I am an athlete, so I move my body today.”
- The Proof: Admiral William McRaven (US Navy SEAL) famously taught that if you want to change the world, start by making your bed. It has nothing to do with combat intensity and everything to do with identity. By completing the first task of the day with precision, you reinforce the identity of a disciplined person. During the holidays, you might not run a marathon, but if you keep your room tidy and your gear organised, you are maintaining the mindset of a champion.
- The Proof: Bill Walsh, the legendary coach of the San Francisco 49ers, took a losing team to three Super Bowls by ignoring the scoreboard and focusing entirely on his “Standard of Performance.” He demanded that players tuck in their shirts and answer phones professionally. He believed that if you act like a champion in the “easy” moments (lifestyle), the “hard” moments (the game) take care of themselves. You don’t need to be sweating to be a professional; you just need to maintain your standard.
2. The Power of “Play” (The Dan John Philosophy)
Legendary strength coach Dan John teaches a “compass” for a balanced life: Work, Rest, Pray, and Play. If you work (train) too hard without “Play,” you eventually break.
- The Strategy: Use the holidays to turn training into play. Without the pressure of a formal class, you are free to explore.
- Micro-Movements: Can you practice just one perfect stance while the kettle boils?
- Mobility: “Joint mobility trumps practically everything else,” says Dan John. If you do nothing else, stretch.
- The Benefit: This keeps your neural pathways open without draining your energy.
3. Rest is a Weapon
There is a difference between “checking out” and “resetting.” Top endurance coaches note that continuous high-intensity training can leave athletes in a chronic state of stress. The holidays are your chance to enter a “parasympathetic state” (rest and digest).
- The Coach K Rule: Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K), who led Team USA to Olympic Gold, teaches that “Agility and adaptability” are key to resilience. Use this break to adapt—if you can’t be in the dojo, be present with your family. That emotional recharge is what fuels your resilience next season.
A Note for Parents: From “Driver” to “Supporter”
For our families with younger athletes, the holidays are your chance to shift roles. During the term, you are often the “Driver” (getting them to class on time, washing gis, packing bags). During the holidays, you get to be the “Supporter.”
You do not need to become their sensei. You do not need to run drills in the lounge room. In fact, the world’s best examples show that doing less is often more.
1. The “Venus & Serena” Rule (Permission to be a Kid)
Richard Williams raised two of the greatest athletes in history. But he was famous for an unusual rule: he would often stop tennis practice to take them to Disney World or make them do homework. He knew that if they didn’t have a childhood, they would burn out before they reached the pros.
- The Lesson: If Venus and Serena needed time to just “be kids” to become world champions, your child is allowed to play video games, run in the sprinklers, or sleep in. This balance builds the “resilience” we value in our educational approach.
2. The Einstein Approach (Respect the Daydream)
As we discussed in The Champion Within, imagination is a superpower for young athletes. If you see your child moving quietly in the backyard or staring into space, they aren’t necessarily “doing nothing.” They might be fighting an imaginary gold medal match.
- The Proof: Albert Einstein famously said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Neuroscientists confirm that vivid visualisation activates the same neural pathways as physical practice.
- Your Job: Don’t interrupt. Just smile and let them win their imaginary gold medal.
3. The “Teach Me” Trick (The Feynman Technique)
Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman believed you didn’t truly master a topic until you could teach it to a beginner. This is the core of “Constructivism”—learning by sharing ideas.
- The Activity: Instead of telling them to practice, ask them to teach you. Say, “I forgot how that block works—can you show me?”
- The Win: They get to feel like the expert (building confidence), and by breaking it down for you, they are actually refining their own technique. Plus, it connects karate to family time without the pressure.
Summary for Parents: Support their curiosity. Respect their rest. And most importantly—enjoy watching them grow.
There Is No “One Right Way” (The Individual Journey)
Finally, as you navigate this break, remember that comparison is the thief of recovery.
In high-performance sport, there is a dangerous myth that everyone must train exactly the same way to be the best. But our Team Australia values explicitly state: “We believe that every athlete’s journey is unique—but our strength lies in walking that path together”.
Coach John Wooden, arguably the greatest coach of the 20th century, famously said: “Treating everyone the same is unfair.” He understood that fairness means giving each athlete what they need to succeed, not giving everyone the exact same schedule.
- The Grinder vs. The Recoverer: You might see a teammate posting daily runs on social media. If that works for them—great. But if you are an athlete who needs silence, solitude, and sleep to recharge your battery, then that is your work.
- Humanism in Practice: As we teach in our curriculum, true growth focuses on “self-directed learning and realising individual potential”. You know your body better than anyone.
The Golden Rule: If a morning run gives you energy, do it. If it drains you, rest. Make choices that serve you.
As long as you return to the dojo in 2026 refreshed, hungry, and ready to fight, you have done it right.
