Body Conditioning The Martial Arts Instructor's Manual Body Conditioning Dynamic Tension Back & Bottom Stretch Abdominals Hip Training Damaging Warm-ups Plyometrics Nutrition Running Wall Training Hand & Foot Conditioning Isometrics Isotonics Roundhouse Power Kicking Weight Training BODY CONDITIONING Dynamic Tension There is much discussion in the martial arts world as to the pros and cons of training with weights. Most of the opposition to training with weights is due to the fact that an improper balance between weight training and stretching exercises can greatly reduce your flexibility which is, of coarse, vital to the martial artist. Dynamic tension exercises deliver the benefits of weight training such as increased strength and power while not limiting flexibility. It also avoids the problems of training with weights such as torn ligaments and strained muscles, and it has the added benefit of actually improving the dynamics of certain martial arts techniques. When using dynamic tension, muscles gain strength by working against other muscles instead of against weights. This is similar to isometric exercises except that a full range of movement is used in performing the exercise. Many different types of movements can be used for dynamic tension exercises. For this example I'll use a basic straight punch. Position the body in the proper stance for the punch. Inhale deeply through the nose. Tense all the muscles used to perform the punch including the legs, torso, etc... Begin to punch very, very slowly and exhale as you take the punch to it's full extension. The punch should take approximately 10 seconds to perform. As the punch is being extended, total concentration is needed. You should imagine your fist pushing against a very heavy weight and that it takes all your strength to move it. Form is very important. This exercise will improve your form by allowing both your mind and body to analyze all the movements that make up a proper punch. Breathing is also very important. The diaphragm muscles should be used to push the air out through the mouth. This adds some of the benefits of meditative deep breathing exercises. The exhale should be controlled so as to last the full length of time it takes to complete the slow, full extension of the technique. As you perform the exercises, focus your attention on different parts of your body so that you become aware of the body dynamics that are taking place. For a straight punch as an example, you would want to focus on the path of power starting at the ground, traveling up through the legs, through the twist of the torso, and out the arm to the fist. At the moment of full extension, when all the air is expelled from your lungs, you should totally relax. Don't let your body sag or droop, keep proper form but relax all the muscles that were fighting against one another. This will help train the body to relax, a technique that many martial artists have great trouble in doing. Dynamic tension exercises can and should be used for a variety of your striking techniques. Punches, palm heel strikes, elbow strikes, kicks, etc... can all be used. The variety will allow you to analyze the dynamics of various techniques as well as building up different muscle groups. Dynamic tension kicks will greatly improve balance because of the slow delivery of the kick. Because of this fact, they can be very difficult for the beginner. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Lower Back & Bottom Stretch. Stretching is an important part of all martial artist's work out. It is important to stretch all the major muscle groups of the body if you are going to avoid injury and improve overall flexibility. One of the largest muscles in the body is the Gluteus maximus (muscles of your bottom). This large muscle mass is important when performing all kicks, yet it is often overlooked during stretching. The muscles of the lower back, of which the Gluteus maximus is one, are also often overlooked. Proper stretching of the lower back can help reduce the chance of lower back strain which is a very common problem. Who doesn't know someone with a "bad back"? The following two exercises are excellent ways of stretching the gluts and lower back and should be included in student's warm up program, especially adults who are more prone to developing lower back strain. Remember that all stretching should be done slowly, and without bouncing. Stretch to only where you feel it becoming tight, then hold it for at least 15 seconds. Try to relax while stretching. 1. Lay flat on your back, right leg straight, left leg bent. Put the bottom of your left foot flat on the floor to the right of your right knee (bent left leg crossed over the straight right leg). The left arm is extended straight our on the left side, the head is turned to the left. The right hand reaches over and grabs the left side of the left knee and pulls it to the right, down towards the floor. Make sure that both shoulders stay flat on the floor. The whole body should be relaxed except the arm that is doing the pulling. You should feel the stretch in the left side of your bottom long before your knee gets close to the floor. Hold this for a minimum of 15 seconds and repeat for the other side. 2. Again the right leg is straight, the left leg is bent and crossed over the right with the foot flat on the floor beside the right knee. Reach over the left leg with the right arm so that the elbow is on the outside of the left knee. Place the left hand on the floor behind you and slowly turn your head to look over your left shoulder. At the same time, twist your torso to the left keeping your hips stationary. Keep the right elbow bent and push it against the left knee. Hold for at least 15 seconds and repeat on the other side. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING The Abdominals A well conditioned set of Abdominals is high on the list of physical attributes for most people. Not only does a washboard stomach look good, but it also serves a multitude of valuable services. The abdominal muscles are responsible for good posture, for reducing strain on the lower back therefore preventing back problems, for protecting the vital internal organs, and for supplying power to almost every martial arts technique. Bruce Lee referred to the stomach area as the "window of health". He considered well conditioned Abdominals to be vital to the serious martial artist. Most correctly performed techniques develop power by using body mechanics that involves power transfer through the hips. The abdominal muscles are a major player in this power transfer. Most Chinese and Japanese martial arts refer to the "power centre" of the human body being located at the body's centre of gravity, approximately 2 inches below the navel. This all important "power centre" is in the heart of the abdominal region. The following will describe how the abdominal muscles function and what types of exercises are beneficial to their development. There are four sets of abs which are commonly broken down into two groups. The upper abs, which consist of the two short upper sets, and the lower abs, which is the remaining short set and the lowest long set which run down to the groin area. These two groups, the upper and lower abs, should be worked individually due to the way in which they interact. There are exercises which can concentrate the work load on just the upper abs, but all exercises that involve the lower abs will also involve the upper abs to a minor degree. Because of this it is important to always work the lower abs first so that the upper abs have not already been worked to exhaustion resulting in you being unable to work the lower abs to exhaustion. Working the abs to exhaustion is the key to fast development. They must be forced to do more work than they are used to so that after the workout, the body will work to rebuild the muscles to a stronger level in anticipation of another hard workout. The other important fact to keep in mind when working the abs is that they have a very short range of motion. Any exercise that involves movement of more than about 30 degrees is working other muscle groups as well as the abs. The problem with this is that other muscle groups such as the quadriceps at the top of the legs or the psoas muscles that run from the spine to the front of the pelvis, are usually much stronger and more flexible than the abs and therefore will do almost all of the work. Examples of exercises that work other muscles as well as stressing the lower back are straight-leg sit-ups, 90 degree leg raises, and toe-touching type exercises. One group of muscles that can be successfully worked at the same time as the abs are the obliques which are located at the sides of the waist. This is accomplished by adding a twisting motion to the abdominal exercises. The oblique muscles are much faster and easier to develop than the abs. Always remember to mentally concentrate on your abs when exercising. You should envision your abs tightening and loosening like large rubber bands. All other areas of your body should be relaxed. LOWER ABDOMINAL EXERCISES 1. Leg raises with the hands under the hips and the head raised off the floor. Raise the legs only 6" off the floor. Be sure to keep the small of the back pushed down into the floor to keep strain off the lower back. Do not let the back arch. 2. Stomach crunches. These are sit-ups where you lift only the upper back off the floor by tightening the abs. Knees are bent, feet and knees together. The hands are behind the head. Do not pull on the head. The shoulder blades should just come off the floor. UPPER ABDOMINAL EXERCISES 1. Stomach crunches with the legs raised at 90 degrees to the body and spread apart in a "V". The knees should be just slightly bent to avoid lower back strain. 2. Knee-ups. In a sit-up position, slowly curl the knees up to the face. Keep your head off the floor and your hands under your hips. All abdominal exercises will benefit from pausing for 1 second in the up position when the abs are fully tensed. This will help focus the effort on the proper muscle group as well as helping to avoid the possibility of building up momentum. As with all exercises, try to keep your breathing steady and relaxed. There are many different types of abdominal exercises that are beneficial. These four exercises serve as examples of correct body positioning to permit maximum concentration on the specific muscle group being worked. When using any abdominal exercise, remember these four main rules: 1. The exercises should use limited movement so that only the abs are being worked. 2. Move slow and steady and use a slight pause to avoid building momentum. 3. Mentally concentrate and visualize the abs throughout the workout. 4. Work the abs to exhaustion. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Hip Training Most martial artists understand the concept of developing power with the hips. Most instructors preach to their students that they must "put more hips" into their techniques. Unfortunately, few martial artists actually train their hips. Hip training is often practiced by judoka but all martial artists, regardless of style, can benefit from strengthening the hips and by improving the mechanics involved in transferring power through the hips. Because the area referred to as the hips is actually made up of various muscle groups such as the abdominals, the obliques, the glutes, as well as others, exercises to develop the hips must use full body movement. The following will list a few that I have found most helpful. STRIKES To develop proper power transfer through the hips when performing strikes, resistance exercises can be a great help. For punches, students work in pairs facing each other. One student positions himself in a classical punching position with the hips square and his punch only half extended. The partner positions himself in a strong stance and places his hand on the fist of his partner. The person punching must now continue his punch against his partner's resistance but by using the hips only. The punching arm must not be straightened any further. The movement comes by twisting the hips into the punch. Both sides can be worked. The same type of resistance training can be used for most strikes. For a front kick for example, the almost fully extended kick is placed against the tensed stomach of the partner. The kick attempts to push his partner back by thrusting with the hips and not by fully extending the leg. Any strike that requires that power be developed with the hips can be worked with this type of two person resistance drill. These drills will isolate the hip movement that is involved in a particular strike, allowing the student to make corrections to increase his power. The next step is to do the same strikes with a partner but this time the full range of motion for the strike is used. The person doing the strike performs at half speed and always stays in contact with his partner. The person doing the resisting allows the strike to reach its' full extension while applying constant resistance. This drill permits the students to incorporate the improved body mechanics developed from the first drill, with the strike in its' proper form. Finally, the strikes should be performed at full speed against a shied or heavy bag so that the improvements can be felt by the students. THROWS Hip training is also required for successful throwing. Most throws involve the use of the hips, but inexperienced students tend to compensate for improper hip usage with increased upper body strength. This presents a serious problem when there is a large weight difference between partners. To drill correct hip usage in full body throws, students are instructed to execute throws with no upper body strength. Whatever grabbing is involved is done in a very relaxed fashion. Arm strength is not used and the throws are performed using only the hips, with the arms only guiding the partner. This exaggerated use of the hips will focus the student's attention onto the body mechanics involved. Once the body mechanics are learned, a second drill can be used to strengthen the hip movements. Have one student stand behind another, draping his arms over the other's shoulders. A third student will attempt to throw the first two students. The added weight and unbalanced nature of having one student hanging off the other makes this throw very difficult and emphasizes that proper hip movement must be used instead of upper body strength. When the throw is executed, only the rear student actually falls to the ground. The person doing the throwing will maintain a grip on the front student so that he doesn't land on top of his partner. This exercise works well with throws that involve a forward motion such as hip throws, neck throws, etc.. Throws that involve the attacker falling backwards should not be attempted. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Damaging Warmups In many traditional martial arts schools today, classes are taught in the same way that they have been taught for over a hundred years. Not only the techniques themselves stay true to tradition, but often the manor in which they are passed down from teacher to student remains the same. This is one of the things that differentiates a martial art from a self defense class. Unfortunately, one aspect of martial arts training that often should be modernized is the warmups. Many traditional warmup exercises are actually damaging to the body and very counter productive to training. With the advent of sport's physiology and the scientific study of body mechanics, it is now understood that many common warmup exercises should be replaced with modified versions that avoid potential risks. As instructors, it is our responsibility abreast of advances in sport's physiology to promote safe and effective warmups for our students The following section will list a few of the more common warmup exercises that should be avoided as well as listing suggested modifications. 1. Bouncing type stretching should be avoided. Bouncing or jerking motions actually cause the muscles to contract instead of stretch. This protective reflex of the muscles results in the possibility of torn muscle fibre. All stretching should be done slowly and held for a minimum of 10 seconds. Longer hold times and repetitions are helpful in improving flexibility. 2. Neck rotations that involve rotating the head while it is tilted back, such as in full neck rotations, can promote excessive wear of the cervical vertebrae as well as excessive stress on the discs. This can cause pinched nerves or arteries and can result in chronic neck problems. Full neck rotations should be replaced with half neck rotations with the chin kept close to the chest. Lateral neck stretches can be done with the chin up and the head moved side to side bringing the ears close to the shoulders. Keep the shoulders down and relaxed to obtain the maximum stretch. 3. Straight sit ups and leg raises are meant to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Unfortunately, they mainly work the hip flexors with only limited benefit to the abdominals. They also can put excessive strain on the lower back. Bent knee curls are more effective. Lift the shoulders and upper back off the floor by tightening the abdominals. Limit the range of motion to about 30 degrees (1/3 sit-up). If leg raises are done, place the hands under the buttocks and concentrate on keeping the lower back (lumbar area) pressed into the floor. Do not let it arch. Raise the legs only about 30 degrees to concentrate the work on the abdominals. 4. Quadricep stretches that cause the knee joint to be fully flexed while in a weight bearing position can result in damage to the knee's structural support. Sprained ligaments and torn cartilage are common injuries that result from knee stress caused by deep squats, deep lunges, and other similar stretches. The quads should be stretched by either not fully flexing the knee joint, such as doing lunges with the front leg bent less than 90 degrees, or by removing the weight from the knee joint altogether. This can be done with supine quad stretches. Lying on the stomach, reach back with the right hand and grab the right ankle. The leg id then pulled forward and up, stretching the quads. 5. Hurdle stretches that stretch the hamstring can put excess pressure on the side of the knee joint of the rear leg resulting in injury to the knee ligaments. They can also strain the hip joint and lower back, especially in men. A modified hurdle stretch, with the bent leg in front so that the bottom of the foot is beside the knee of the straight leg, will protect the lower back and hip joint by immobilizing the pelvis when the hip is flexed. The back should be kept straight while performing the stretch. Knee joint pressure may still be a problem with this stretch if chronic knee trouble is present. As an alternative, supine hamstring stretches can be used. Lying on the back, bend one knee and stretch the other hamstring by grabbing the ankle and pulling the straight leg to the chest. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Plyometric Exercises Plyometric exercises can greatly increase the explosive power of your techniques. First of all we need to understand the components of power. High school physics tells us that Force=Mass X Acceleration. This means that a 100 pound person who is twice as fast as a 200 pound person should be able to strike with the same amount of force. If you want to hit harder with your existing mass, you must therefore increase your acceleration. Acceleration is the ability to go from a state of rest to maximum speed in as little time as possible. This process consists of two factors. The first is 'starting strength'. This is the ability to recruit a maximum number of muscle fibers in a muscle. When stimulated, each muscle fibre will always contract as violently as possible. It can not vary the intensity of its' contraction in relation to the load against which it is reacting. To allow for different possible load conditions (pushing a glass of water across a table as opposed to punching an attacker), the central nervous system stimulates only enough fibers necessary to perform the task at hand. In both examples, the arm's pushing muscles are involved. However, it takes fewer fibers to push the glass of water than it does to punch strongly. There is a limit to how many fibers you can call upon or recruit at any given instant. This limit is the ceiling of your strength. Strength training can improve the nervous system's ability to recruit fibers (note, this is not a change to the muscle fibre itself). Improved recruitment can result in smaller individuals being as strong as some larger individuals due to their nervous system being more efficient. The second factor is 'explosive strength'. This is the ability to keep the muscle fibers firing over time once they have been activated. Not only is it necessary to activate the muscle fibers thereby setting into action the punch or kick, the blow must be sustained throughout the range of motion to sustain its' effectiveness. This aspect depends on the amount of tension the muscle fibers can achieve when stimulated by the nervous system. This muscle contraction is caused by contractile enzymes that activate proteins within the muscle cell called Myofibrils. The more of these proteins that are packed into the cells, the bigger and stronger the muscle becomes. Therefore, to be able to punch or kick powerfully, you must recruit the maximum number of muscle fibers involved in the blow, in the quickest time possible, using the muscle's cellular makeup to create the explosive power necessary for maximum effectiveness. Another important factor for powerful kicks and punches is the elasticity of the muscles and the connective tissue. There is a tendency for all matter to return to its' original shape after being stretched. This tendency in muscles is called viscoelasticity. and can assist greatly in exerting force, but only if your stretch and return maneuver is performed sharply with speed. The reason is that once in a stretched position for any length of time, the elasticity wanes. This is why a recoiled punch can be more powerful than one that is just as strongly thrust out without a quick return. So if we look at all the components of powerful blows, we see that they are dependent on speed (acceleration), mass (size of the muscles), and elasticity (springiness). To develop these attributes we use what are called plyometric exercises. The Soviets are credited with the development of plyometrics, although this type of exercise has been around the western sports scene for a long time. It was the Soviets however, that learned that these exercises were effective in terms of specific physiological aspects They improve strength, explosive power, and restore viscoelastisity in the involved muscle groups. How do plyometrics work ? Think of your muscles as springs. Every time you punch or kick, your muscles coil, then spring back to their normal length. One of the reason that they spring back is that you voluntarily contract them, but part of the force comes from what scientist call the flex reflex. Further force is supplied from the natural elasticity of your muscle tissue and connective tissue. The stretch reflex and the elastic components of the force are not volitional, that is, they occur involuntarily. You can, through plyometrics, use these involuntary sources of force to generate even grater volitional strength and speed. Plyometrics are stressful. They require using your body ballisically or in explosive movements. For this reason, you should thoroughly warm up before executing any of these exercises. Plyometrics are controversial because they can easily be misused. Some of the exercises advocated by those who are not fully aware of the dangers of misusing plyometrics can cause damage to various joints and connective tissues. We will first cover those exercises that are the most beneficial to martial artists and then we will mention some of the ones that should be avoided. PLYOMETRICS FOR LEGS. Skipping in long high bounds for 100 meters or more is considered excellent for the quadriceps (the leg's primary kicking muscle). Kangaroo hopping with the feet together for 50 meters or more is excellent for the ankles and calves as well as the quadriceps. Springing knee touches, which are used by many judoka, are excellent leg burn outs (latic acid build ups), but must be done carefully to prevent knee injuries. Do these on a mat, never on a hard surface. Start by kneeling on one knee with your hands joined behind you head. Explode high into the air, switching legs so that you first land on your toes and then sink down into a kneeling position on the opposite knee. Do not land on the knee directly. 30 to 50 reps should exhaust you. Silent leaping is an old Hapkido standby. It starts with a stance shoulder width apart. Jump as high into the air as possible, trying to touch your knees to your chest. Land with the feet spread wide, sinking down so that the shock of landing is absorbed as quietly as possible. Again, 30 to 50 reps should produce burnout. Obstacle leap ups consist of jumping with both feet onto a box or table without using your hands. An old Hapkido version of this was to dig a deep hole while periodically jumping out of it in the same manor as was mentioned until the hole was too deep to jump out of. The hole was then refilled by the student who continued to leap out of it from time to time until it was completely filled. PLYOMETRICS FOR THE ARMS. Explosive push ups are the best exercise for the explosive triceps power needed in punching. Lie on a mat face in a push up position. Explode high into the air by thrusting your arms quickly into the mat. Catch yourself with your hands or fists and slightly bent arms lowering yourself back down onto the mat. Do not use any rhythm, but execute each push up as a single entity. 20 to 30 are usually required. Plyometric curls can be used to increase the pulling power of your arms for throwing and trapping techniques. Use a curling bar with approximately 10 % of the maximum weight that you can curl for one normal repetition (if you can curl 100 pounds once, use 10 pounds for this exercise). Explode upwards into the curl doing 8 to 15 reps. Dangerous plyometrics are any ones that produce excessive stress on joints. Such exercises as jumping down from a height, or jumping down with an immediate jump up upon landing, or pushups where you fall like a tree into a pushup position, should all be avoided. Plyometric exercises are intense. They should be done in conjunction with your regular workout but allow a day of rest in between sessions. Remember to strive for maximum effort while executing every repetition. It's better to put out maximally and only do 15 of the 20 reps tan it is to complete the 30 and still have a little energy because you saved too much in reserve. Put out for higher performance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submitted by Robert K. Spear, U.S. Hapkido Federation, Bloomington, Indiana, USA Reprinted with permission from American Martial Arts ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Basic Nutrition The scientific study of the nutritional needs of athletes is an area that is receiving a tremendous amount of attention, especially from companies that manufacture and sell nutritional supplements . It is almost impossible to find a magazine deals with athletes or sports without finding ads for nutritional supplements. Many martial arts publications include ads which imply that their supplements will make you punch harder, kick higher, or spar longer. Unfortunately, the scientific facts are that a modified nutritional intake has very little effect on athletic performance. Though a very poor diet can impair physical performance, there is no scientific evidence that nutritional supplements (not to be confused with drugs) or unbalancing your diet to push one nutrient over another, will improve your performance. In fact, evidence shows that it may do some harm. Students will often ask their instructor for advice on nutrition in an attempt to improve their performance. What is important to remember is that a "well balanced" diet is all that is required for the body to perform at its' best. A well balanced diet however, is usually achieved best through a conscious effort to balance the various nutrients that the body needs. To achieve this, an understanding of nutritional basics and how they apply to athletes such as martial artists is required. The following will supply a guideline as well as explanation of the basic components of a balanced diet CARBOHYDRATES: Carbohydrates are the most efficient fuel used by the muscles. Approximately 55% of your daily intake of calories should come from carbohydrates. Endurance athletes such as kickboxers should usually increase that to around 65%. Most of your carbohydrate intake should be from complex carbohydrates such as starches and grains with no more than 15% coming from sugars. Since your body can store only small amounts of carbohydrates, you must control when you eat if you are concerned about energy reserves. It takes approximately 4 hours for complex carbohydrates to be digested. If you eat too much at once, your body will store the excess as fat. If you go too long without eating, your body will use available energy stores for fuel. Unfortunately, muscle tissue is the fist source of energy to be consumed, not fat. Some athletes try to increase the amount of carbohydrates their bodies can store by a practice known as "carbohydrate loading". For about a week before a competition they increase their energy output slightly and reduce their intake of carbohydrates. This depletes the body's supply of glycogen which is the form in which carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver. Just before the competition they get lots of rest and load up on carbohydrates. The improvement in energy reserves is relatively minimal and is of little value to martial artists with the possible exception of competitive kickboxers. PROTEIN: Protein is needed to rebuild your body tissues. Approximately 15% of your daily caloric intake should be made up of protein. Many athletes, especially those who are attempting to increase muscle mass, greatly increase their protein intake. This is a mistake, as excess protein is simply stored as fat. It is more important to take your protein in smaller, regular amounts throughout the day rather than at one sitting. This way your body can use it much more efficiently. Taking protein supplements is a waste of time and money. The average person consumes more than enough protein for peak development. Exercise is the key for building more muscle. FATS: Fats are usually the most abundant fuel source in the body since everything that is not used is stored as fat. A certain amount of body fat is required for endurance activities. Though no one wants to carry excess body fat, a caloric intake that is too low (dieting) can be dangerous for the serious athlete. As mentioned before, muscle is the first to be consumed for energy by the body. Loosing muscle mass can be a problem for the serious martial artist. The balance between too many calories which results in the production of fat, and too few calories which results in the loss of muscle, is difficult to achieve. A poor balance between calorie intake and energy output can severely hamper your progress. There is evidence that supplying your body with the proper amount of calories over an extended period of time can suppress the manufacture of certain enzymes that are responsible for depositing fats. This can result in your body responding very slowly to fluctuations in caloric intake, therefor maintaining your desired weight will become easier. No more than 30% of your calories should come from fats. Additional fats will be produced from excess proteins and carbohydrates. VITAMINS: Vitamins assist your body in processing fats, proteins and carbohydrates. There is no scientific evidence that vitamin supplements will improve athletic performance unless your body is grossly deficient. A well balanced diet will supply all the required vitamins. MINERALS: Minerals, like vitamins, assist the body in creating energy. In addition, iron helps to carry oxygen through the blood while sodium helps to maintain the body's water balance. While it is very important to replace fluids lost through sweating, it is not necessary to take sodium supplements. The amount of sodium lost during a few hours of intense sweating is minimal and can be easily replaced through normal eating. Iron is the one exception to the rule that all you need is a well balanced diet. Standard diets often do not contain sufficient iron for very active athletes. Iron supplements can sometimes assist in supplying oxygen rich blood to the muscles. A small increase in iron intake is all that is required. This can be obtained from over the counter supplements. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Running Most martial artists limit their training to standard warm up exercises and the practice of their art. Few supplement their training with a completely separate physical activity. Cross training has become a popular topic recently and running is the ideal activity to provide the most noticeable beneficial results in the shortest period of time. Bruce Lee understood the benefits of running, often referring to it as the "king of exercises". Everyone knows of the cardiovascular benefits of running, an area often neglected in martial arts training, but how does it directly benefit your art ? A strong cardiovascular system may be the edge that differentiates between winning and loosing in a tournament or on the street. The endurance and stamina that is developed through running will create an energy reserve that will prove to be invaluable. We may like to think that street confrontations will end quickly with a few well placed blows, but in reality this is not often the case. With your heart pounding and the adrenaline flowing you can exhaust yourself in seconds. Knowing that you have increased endurance can give you the psychological edge. Besides cardiovascular and psychological benefits, running also strengthens the legs. Stronger legs will translate into stronger, more powerful kicks as well as stronger stances. Running is also an excellent method of burning unwanted calories. Forty five minutes per day spent on a running program is much easier than counting your calorie intake 24 hours a day. Whether you are starting running for the first time or are getting back to it after a few years off, it is best to start with a walk-jog routine. Pick a distance as a short term goal in the 1 to 3 mile range (1 ½ to 5 km). Begin by jogging, remembering to relax and exhale fully to reduce the carbon dioxide buildup in your system. Slow to a walk when you need to but don't stop. Jog again when you catch your breath and keep up the walk-jog routine until your set distance is completed. Follow this routine every second day for the first 2 to 4 weeks, always trying to reduce the amount of time spent walking. You should be able to run your set distance within the first 4 weeks. If not, revise your goal downward. Eventually you should work up to running steady for 18 to 20 minutes to obtain the maximum aerobic benefits. At this point you should begin incorporating occasional sprints. This will work the cardiovascular system further without adding to the length of your workout. The broken rhythm of running-sprinting also approximates the rhythm of real fights and competition. Stretching is an important part of your running program. Five minutes of good stretching before and after running will help prevent muscle pulls and strains that can seriously set back your training. Stretching should concentrate on the groin, the quadriceps (front of thigh), the hamstring (back of leg), and the calf. Twenty minutes alone on the road can be boring for some people. It is important to maintain a positive mental attitude while running. Feel your body becoming stronger day after day. Avoid concentrating on the effort. Let your mind wander towards positive thoughts. Running is used by many people as a form of meditation. The feeling of well-being that comes after a 20 minute run can become an excellent way to rejuvenate your mind and body. Running is the ideal supplemental training. Its easy, requires no special equipment or location, and from start to finish only takes about 45 minutes out of your day. It will not only benefit your martial art but also your complete physical and mental well being. Running really is the "king of exercises". back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Wall Training The bare walls of your training hall can be put to good use as a training aid. Here are two types of innovative wall training that can be used. One improves the power of punches and kicks as well as increasing muscle strength, while the other is a method of improving leg flexibility. ISOMETRIC WALL TRAINING. These exercises can be used for almost any type of hand or foot strike. To use the reverse punch as an example, the students are instructed to position themselves facing the wall with their punch ¾ extended. The striking surface, in this case the first two knuckles, is placed firmly against the wall. At this point the instructor should inspect everyone's form to ensure that it is correct. Each round will last 10 seconds. During the first 5 seconds the students are to increase the force that they are applying to the wall from 0% to 100%. During the last 5 seconds they are to maintain 100% force against the wall. As the instructor counts, he or she should be giving constant verbal encouragement and instruction to the students. This is a very physically demanding exercise so the students require lots of encouragement to keep them working at their full potential This exercise permits students to feel the power transfer of the technique. For the reverse punch the students can feel the important role that their legs, hips, and shoulders play in developing power. It will increase their awareness of how proper form improves a technique. All types of strikes can be used with this drill, punches, knife hands, palm heals, front kicks, side kicks, elbows, the list is endless. The fact that it is an excellent isometric muscle workout is another benefit of this type of wall training. GRAVITY WALL STRETCHES. Students are instructed to lie on their backs with their legs resting straight up the wall and their buttocks in close, touching the wall. They can then let their legs relax into a "V", letting gravity pull their legs farther and farther apart. Relaxation is important. Gravity will supply an effortless force, increasing the stretch of the inside of the legs similar to the stretch that is provided by expensive leg stretching machines. As the muscles relax, allow the legs to spread farther apart by assisting them with a gentle pull from your hands. This is required to overcome the slight friction between the legs and the wall. This is an excellent stretch for doing at home while watching TV or reading. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Hand and Foot Conditioning. Regardless of what style you study, the hands play a major role in the execution of your techniques. In most arts, the feet also play a major role. In spite of this, most class warmups consist of exercises to improve the strength and flexibility of the body's major muscle groups while completely ignoring the vital hands and feet. When referring to the hands, I am including the wrists as well as the tendons of the forearm which are used with the grabbing reflex. It is critical that these components remain strong and flexible if you expect to be effective with techniques that require grabs, locks, throws, or any of the many hand strikes that are used. The feet, including the ankles, must also be well conditioned. If you throw a kick that results in broken toes or a fracture of one of the many small bones that make up the foot, the resulting pain may be all the distraction your attacker needs. Both the hands and feet are extremely fragile due to the lack of overlaying protective muscle. An injury to an unconditioned hand or foot can be very painful. The following is a list of exercises that we use to fully condition both the hands and the feet. WRIST FLEXIBILITY 1. Kneeling on your hands and knees with your fingers pointing forward, rock your weight slowly forward to your finger tips and then back. This benefits both the wrists and the fingers. 2. Push ups are performed on the back of the hands, palms up. This improves both flexibility and strength. 3. Wrist twists, grabbing one hand with the other and twisting, using slow, steady pressure. The left arm is extended palm up. The right hand is placed palm up under the left hand. The fingers of the right hand grab the thumb side of the left hand and twist counter clockwise. Next, the left arm is extended palm down. The right hand is placed palm down on top of the left hand. The right hand grabs the left and twists clockwise. Repeat for the other arm. HAND STRENGTH 1. Wrist pushups as previously mentioned. 2. Knuckle pushups. Keep the wrists straight and the weight on the first two knuckles. This is an excellent way to develop proper wrist alignment for closed fist strikes. 3. Finger tip pushups. Cup the hands as if there is a tennis ball in the palm. Keep the fingers flexed in this fashion throughout the pushups. Do not let them lock straight. This is great for developing gripping strength. 4. Open and close the hands with the arms held out at full extension. Begin with the arms straight out in front parallel to the floor, palms down. Fully open the hands and then close them to a tight fist repeatedly at a rate of about once per second. Next, turn the palms up and continue to fully open and close the hands. Move the arms to straight up above the head, palms forward and then palms back. Move the arms to straight out to the sides, palms down and then palms up. This works the muscles and tendons of the forearm and builds a strong grip. 5. Dumbbell curls (for training at home). The forearm is rested on a table with the wrist extended out over the end. The wrist curls are performed slowly in both the palm up and palm down position. This exercise can also be performed with a staff replacing the dumbbell. HAND CONDITIONING 1. Heavy bag work tops the list for safe, effective hand conditioning. Beginners should use hand wraps and bag gloves to develop proper wrist strength and alignment. Eventually they can progress to bare hand bag work to toughen the hands. Progress should not be rushed. Serious wrist sprains are a common result of advancing too quickly before proper strength and alignment are developed. 2. Floor strikes are ideal for developing proper alignment as well as demonstrating to students just how painful a strike to a hard surface, such as a skull, can be. The class is in a kneeling position and they are instructed to gently strike the floor with the appropriate hand strike. Emphasis should be put on hitting the floor with just enough force to feel uncomfortable, but not hard enough to damage the hands. FOOT CONDITIONING 1. The ankles should be rotated in both directions by hand. This can be performed while sitting or while standing. Standing enables the students to work on their balance at the same time by keeping them on one leg. 2. The ankles can be worked by performing bent knee rotations while standing with the feet firmly planted on the ground. 3. Curl the toes back and kick a hard surface such as the floor or a wall with the ball of the foot. This toughens the foot as well as conditioning the muscles and tendons of the foot to pull back the toes sufficiently to perform kicks with the balls of the feet. 4. Heavy bag work without foot pads will serve to toughen and condition the feet. 5. Foot flexibility can be improved while watching TV at home. Kneel on the floor with your heels under your buttocks and the tops of your feet against the floor. This stretches the ligaments in the tops of the feet. After a few minutes in this position, curl your toes under your buttocks. This improves the ability to curl the toes back to strike with the balls of the feet. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Isometrics. Everyone is familiar with isometric exercises. Most athletes have dismissed them, assuming that exercises so simple must not be particularly beneficial. But isometrics are more complex than they appear. With a thorough understanding of the hows and whys of isometric exercises, their benefits will become obvious. The primary function of isometrics is to develop strength. But there are many different types of strength. The strength of a weight lifter is different than that of a gymnast, which is different than that of a swimmer. While each of these sports require great strength, the type of strength required is quite different. Martial artists require a type of strength that permits them to generate great force with minimal movement while still maintaining flexibility. This type of strength is sometimes referred to as "tendon strength" and this is what isometrics do best. Exercises that use a full range of motion result in a lot of blood being pumped to the muscles involved. These exercises will increase the muscle size as the strength increases, sometimes limiting flexibility. If isometrics are used and the same muscles are worked without the movement, the muscle strength increases and so does the tendon strength, without a marked growth in muscle size. The tendons are the fibers that attach the muscles to the bones. An increase in tendon strength makes for more powerful body movements. Weight training can also increase tendon strength, but if you are able to do 10 reps of a particular exercise, only the last 2 are really benefiting the muscles and tendons. The first 8 were just used to exhaust the muscle and pump additional blood. Isometrics are like skipping the first 8. You receive the same benefits in a shorter period of time. The only drawback to isometrics is that the maximum benefit to the muscles and tendons is only achieved at the exact position that the exercise is performed. Therefore all isometrics should be done in a 3-step, progressive series. If, for instance, you wanted to strengthen the muscles that are involved in a straight punch, you would position yourself in a solid stance with your fist against a wall. Your body would be close to the wall, with your arm in the starting punch position. You would push your fist against the wall with all your strength for 10 seconds. You would then repeat the process with the punch half extended. Finally, you would repeat it with the punch 95% extended. Possibly the greatest advantage to isometrics is that they can be easily tailored to your specific style and used for specific techniques. Some arts, such as judo and ju jitsu, require a lot of grabbing and pulling. This can easily be worked by simply grabbing an immovable object, like a post, and pulling. Another technique that requires tendon strength that can be difficult to develop through other exercise methods is the foot sweep. This can easily be worked with isometrics. Simply position yourself to foot sweep an immovable object and push. As always it is best to use a progressive, 3-step series. Isometrics are fast, they require no equipment, no partner, and they can easily be tailored to improve the strength of specific techniques. But best of all, they are the shortest road to increased power. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Isotonics. Isotonic exercises are not new, but they are unfamiliar to many martial artists. This is unfortunate since isotonic exercises lend themselves perfectly to all forms of martial arts. They maintain the benefits of the more popular isometric exercises while also improving flexibility and joint strength. While many exercises work only one specific muscle group, isotonics work complete sets of muscles. Because a full range of motion is used during each exercise, joints and tendons are strengthened without any dangerous stress buildup. Isotonic exercises can be simply described as performing a movement while a partner provides resistance. For example, to strengthen the muscles of the arm, shoulder, and chest, you would perform a reverse punch against you partner's palm. As you begin to punch, your partner pushes back with enough resistance to permit only a very slow execution of the punch. The punch should take approximately 5 seconds to reach full extension. It is important to do a light warmup before performing isotonics. Then find a partner who is similar in size and strength. Always concentrate on proper breathing, which means a controlled exhale while exerting force. All movements must be performed slowly and continuously. Proper stance is important as well as correct body alignment so that undue stress is not applied to the joints. The number of isotonic exercises available is limited only by your creativity. Here are a few examples. 1. As mentioned earlier, the reverse punch exercise develops all the muscle groups that are used to perform punches. Partners face each other in strong stances. The person punching has one arm extended and the other fully back by his hip. The person resisting has his palms on his partner's fists. As the punch is delivered, the partner resists so that it takes approximately 5 seconds to reach full extension. The exercise is repeated with the other arm. 2. Leg strength can be developed using a front kick exercise. The person supplying resistance stands behind the kicker and wraps his belt around the kicker's ankle. The kick is then performed with full power while the resistor pulls back on his belt. The direction of resistance must be kept exactly opposite to the direction of movement at all times. 3. An excellent exercise to develop the triceps and upper chest uses circular arm motions as found in many Chinese styles. Both partners face each other with their arms extended in front of them, above their heads, touching at the wrists. One person has his arms to the inside while the other has his to the outside. The person with his arms to the inside begins to circle them out and down, ending with his hands pointing at the ground. The partner applies resistance to the movement. You can see that almost any type of movement can be converted into an isotonic exercise. Slow, continuous motion is the key. Ten minutes of isotonics is a grueling experience. But while being physically exhausting, they leave the practitioner feeling loose and relaxed rather than tight and tense. For this reason they are excellent exercises for the beginning of a class. They are ideal for producing thoroughly warmed up muscles. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Roundhouse Power Kicking. The roundhouse kick is usually considered the most powerful kick in a martial artist's arsenal. Though side kicks, front kicks, hook kicks, and others can be powerful, the rear leg roundhouse is considered the real "haymaker". Its great power comes from the momentum that is built up during its long arc of delivery, as well as the pivoting of the hips which permits full body weight behind the kick. Once the skills required to deliver a good roundhouse are developed, it's important to strengthen the specific muscles that are used in this kick to further increase its effectiveness. Though standard leg strengthening exercises are useful, they don't cater to the exact muscle groups that are involved in this kick. To best develop the specific muscle groups that are involved in delivering a roundhouse kick, it is important to use the exact body movements that are used while performing the kick, and to apply resistance throughout the movement. The simplest way to accomplish this is to use a heavy bag as a target. Remove the heavy bag from its hanging position and place it upright on the floor. One person will hold the top of the bag to prevent it from falling over. The person kicking will deliver slow roundhouse kicks to the bag. When contact is made with the bag, he will continue the kick through the bag, attempting to push it across the floor. Resistance comes from not just the weight of the bag but also from the friction against the floor. A second type of exercise is to deliver full power kicks to the heavy bag as it rests on the floor. The goal is use a series of kicks to move the bag across the floor a set distance and then kick it back using the other leg. Using both the slow, isometric type of exercise, as well as the fast, full power one, a thorough workout is provided. These exercises can be modified for most other types of kicks. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index BODY CONDITIONING Weight Training. The old prejudice against the use of weight training in the martial arts has faded rapidly over the last decade. Martial artists are seeing weight training used by virtually every sport as part of their regular training regime. The concerns of "bulking up" and of loosing flexibility and speed are quickly disappearing. While weight training is not a necessity to excel in the martial arts, it does have its place. Instructors should have a basic knowledge of weight training procedures so that they are able to council the students who wish to use weights as a supplemental training aid. This article will supply a general guide to weight training and address such issues as the misconceptions, the benefits, and the general principals of lifting. Specific exercises using weights can be found in any of the multitude of books and articles on the subject. First, lets look at a couple of misconceptions. Martial artists often avoid weights because they fear they will loose speed and flexibility due to their increased muscle size. In reality, only genetically gifted individuals, male and female, posses the physiology needed to achieve professional body builder proportions. What they will achieve is increased strength and endurance, as well as increased speed and flexibility. Increased strength is the obvious benefit of training with weights due to weight training's ability to provide the optimum amount of resistance through a muscle's full range of motion. Endurance is also improved. Here I am referring to muscular endurance, the amount of work the muscles can do before becoming exhausted. Cardiovascular endurance can benefit from certain, fast paced weight routines, but running, bicycling, or swimming are vastly superior cardiovascular workouts. Speed can also be improved with weights. While reaction drills and plyometric exercises are the best way to improve speed, using high speed repetitions will teach your muscles to react quickly against resistance. Added strength also means that the muscles can overcome the body's inertia easier, which translates into increased speed. Weight training does improve flexibility. While a yoga style stretching routine may be the best for improving flexibility, a stretching routine performed after a workout with weights will provide faster results. Thoroughly warmed up muscles are easier to stretch. Also, exhausted muscles provide less resistance. Next, we will look at the general principals of lifting. There are basically two approaches. If the primary goal is to loose body fat and provide definition to the muscles as well as improve muscular endurance, then a low weight / high repetition program is best. If increased body mass and increased power are the main goals, heavier weights and lower reps are required. How much weight and how many repetitions are enough? Generally, 8 - 12 reps of each exercise should be performed. You should have difficulty completing your last rep. If you don't, then increase the amount of weight used. Too heavy a weight, one that permits less than 8 reps, can cause injury to the muscle fiber, tendons, and ligaments due to the amount of force that must be generated to lift it. Using the 8 - 12 rep rule reduces the chances of injury. The speed of each rep should be about 6 seconds long, two to lift the weight and four to lower it. All movements should be slow and smooth. Never jerk a weight up since the muscles will not be able to follow the weight through its full range. Always visualize the muscles being worked. Concentrate your attention and avoid letting your mind wander. The order of exercises is important. The largest muscle groups should be worked first. If the smaller ones are worked first they drain the energy that is needed to move the large muscle groups. With the smaller muscles exhausted it is also more difficult to maintain proper form. A suggested order of working muscles is to start with the quadriceps, then the hamstrings, calves, lats, trapezius, deltoids, pects, biceps, triceps, forearms, abs, and obliques. The abs and obliques should be last since they are the muscles primarily responsible for proper posture and for keeping stress from the lower back. Don't concentrate exercises on one problem area if weight loss is the goal. There is no such thing as spot reducing. When muscles are exhausted, the body will break down fat to produce energy from anywhere in the body. Not necessarily from the area being worked. Some proponents of weight training believe that free weights (barbells and dumbells) are the best way to train. Others are firm believers in Nautilus-type machines. Both methods have their advantages. Nautilus machines are excellent tools because they work the muscles through their full range of movement. Because of the rotary cam design of the machines, variable resistance is delivered that is balanced to conform exactly to the normal strength curve of the muscles. This means that in the fully extended position (the weakest position), resistance is provided and it increases to suit the stronger positions as the muscles contract. This variable resistance works in the lowering of the weight as well. Secondly, Nautilus is best for isolating specific muscles or movements. Body movement is minimized so that just the target muscles are worked. Free weights are usually considered best for building overall power. They not only work the main muscle groups, but also the stabilizer muscles that assist the major areas. This provides greater overall body control and coordination. Secondly, it is easier to design a workout with free weights that will benefit the specific movements found in martial arts. One of the most popular types of weight training programs today is the "high intensity" workout. This involves brief, but very hard workouts. It is often favored because it provides excellent results with the least amount of time spent actually lifting. High intensity workouts require only one set of each exercise (8 - 12 reps) making sure that absolute, temporary muscular exhaustion is achieved. Then move on to the next set without rest. Limit the workout to 12 to 14 sets with the whole program taking about 20 to 30 minutes. Due to the fast pace, the cardiovascular system also gets an excellent workout. In high intensity workouts, the actual speed of each rep remains slow (6 seconds) to maximize the effect on the muscles. Do not pause when the muscles are fully contracted or extended as this gives them a chance to rest. Concentrate on the negative (lowering) movement of each exercise. Studies have shown that these movements are the most important in terms of strength development. Recovery time is very important for any weight training program. Muscles require a minimum of 2 days to recover and grow stronger between intense workouts. Lifting 3 times per week is the limit for anyone other than professional body builders. If you are supplementing your martial arts training, you must be careful not to over work the muscles on the non-weight training days. Insufficient recovery time can negate the potential benefits of weight training and greatly increase the chances of injury. Remember that it is during the off days that the muscles are actually rebuilding and growing stronger. Most martial artists are not concerned with maximal results, but with "optimal" results. For this reason, combining weights and martial arts is possible if done carefully. We accept less than total results from weight training in order to reap their benefits. back to Body Conditioning index back to Main index Accessed since 5Jan96.