Tabata: Japanese for fat loss?
Thu, Jul 26 2012 02:14
| fat loss, kettlebells, cardio, stamina, weightlifting, training, keep fit, exercise, fitness, conditioning
| Permalink
This summer I’ve dropped about 4kgs in standing weight. That doesn’t include fluctuations in water weight, but does include the extra muscle mass I’ve gained too. At the centre of that have been Tabata circuits, a system of training devised to train Japanese athletes in a short amount of time. They’ve been around for a while and reasonably popular for a few years now.
The basic principle is one of short bursts of high intensity activity cycled with brief periods of rest. The standard model is 8 repetitions of 20 seconds at high intensity and 10 seconds of rest per each cycle. This is followed by a minutes rest. A ratio of 2:1 intensity over rest seems to work perfectly although lengthening the times will make it hard to keep the pace up.
You can pick one exercise per circuit, or two, although personally I like to do four after a circuit of purely skipping to get warmed up.
How you structure your circuits will depend on what equipment you have, your goals and where you train. I like to keep mine very simple and use a skipping rope, 16kg Kettlebell and a 3kg medicine ball. With just those three things I can run through dozens of exercises. If you have the equipment though there’s no reason you can’t set out a whole gym with any number of stations!
The important factor to plan is the order of exercises and what they are targeting. For example, you might want to structure a circuit as follows:
Kettlebell swings – Med ball squats – Clean and Press – Skipping
This allows you to work the cardiovascular system and target the largest muscle groups. Building lean muscle and burning fat for longer.
You can also choose to make the circuit harder by focussing on one side of the body at a time e.g. left handed Kettlebell exercises on the first time and then do the same on the right hand side as four stations means two reps of each exercise.
Alternatively you can add in extra exercises as long as you have 8 of them to complete each circuit. Classic bodyweight stuff such as press ups, core work, shadowboxing, burpees are all excellent ways to burn more calories. Likewise a medicine ball can be thrown, pressed, rotated in many different ways to challenge muscle groups and flexibility. Perhaps add in four core exercises if you are strengthening your midsection or save them for a circuit of their own.
How you structure your circuits will depend on what equipment you have, your goals and where you train. I like to keep mine very simple and use a skipping rope, 16kg Kettlebell and a 3kg medicine ball. With just those three things I can run through dozens of exercises. If you have the equipment though there’s no reason you can’t set out a whole gym with any number of stations!
The important factor to plan is the order of exercises and what they are targeting. For example, you might want to structure a circuit as follows:
Kettlebell swings – Med ball squats – Clean and Press – Skipping
This allows you to work the cardiovascular system and target the largest muscle groups. Building lean muscle and burning fat for longer.
You can also choose to make the circuit harder by focussing on one side of the body at a time e.g. left handed Kettlebell exercises on the first time and then do the same on the right hand side as four stations means two reps of each exercise.
Alternatively you can add in extra exercises as long as you have 8 of them to complete each circuit. Classic bodyweight stuff such as press ups, core work, shadowboxing, burpees are all excellent ways to burn more calories. Likewise a medicine ball can be thrown, pressed, rotated in many different ways to challenge muscle groups and flexibility. Perhaps add in four core exercises if you are strengthening your midsection or save them for a circuit of their own.
This might give a circuit that looks like this:
Set 1 | Kettlebell swings | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 2 | Sit ups | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 3 | Med Ball Squats | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 4 | Leg raises | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 5 | Clean and Press | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 6 | Wrestler’s Bridges | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 7 | Skipping | Rest 10 seconds |
Set 8 | Jab Cross Sit ups | Rest 10 seconds |
The principles of Tabata are important. If you spend that 20 seconds ambling through bicep curls, there’s little point. If however you are going so hard and fast you can’t talk you’re doing it right. The beauty is you can then do as many circuits as you like. I tend to do a minimum of 6 if I’m short of time and up to 10. You want to work intensely so any more than that and you might need to up the resistance with bigger weights.
You can also change the exercises each circuit to stop you getting bored or work more areas. The choice is really up to you. Even the skipping rope allows you to perform a multitude of variations, unless like me you’re still mastering the basics!
There’s no reason why you can’t train with a partner and then add in partner exercises such as padwork, wrestling drills, partner lifts (piggybacks, wheelbarrows etc). You also get the added benefits of motivation and support.
Afterwards a warm down of stretching, yoga or a foam roller workout is a good way to break down lactic acid and make sure you’re not too stiff the day after. You’ll find out how much you can do and how quickly you improve your fitness. Two of these circuits a week alongside regular training will definitely give you results when done correctly. Just remember diet and rest will have the biggest influence on your progress alongside these exercises.
A simple workout
Sat, Nov 26 2011 02:42
| stamina, sport, health, fighters, strength, stretching, MMA, martial arts, power, cardio, weightlifting, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, fitness, flexibility, martial arts Altrincham, sparring, conditioning
| Permalink
I've been already toying with my January ritual of getting back into shape and healthy. It seems another year older, another year wiser, another year of good intentions.
I'm the first to admit my willpower and discipline when it comes to diet, exercise and tipping myself that extra 5% or so into being more athletic. The demands of martial arts are sometimes a heavy burden - especially if you let them be. However as a teacher, as somone who practices more than just casually it is perhaps reaosnable that I should set by example.
With this in mind I've been reinventing the wheel so to speak. None of these exercises are particularly complicated, fancy or specific. They are however demanding, effective and designed to promote muscle growth, fat loss and improved performance.
The first concept relates to what. What should I work? The answer as always is as much as possible. Big muscles groups utilising as many joints as possible.
By dividing the body in half to upper and lower, and then in half again to front and back I am able to isolate large muscle groups to focus on each set and rotate them to avoid muscle fatigue and lactic acid build up.
The principle of alternating the upper body one set with the lower body the next, combined with alternating front of body exercies with the back of body exercises means you only have to choose four exercises and the order is dictated by the first one you choose.
The next answer is how much? My response depends on your own aims and preference on volume. For me the German system of 10x10 sets x reps and my preference of using light/body weight is ideal. This can be played with though if you want to bulk up; drop the numbers and increase the weight. If you want to up endurance and leaness up the numbers and drop the weight (ideally bodyweight only).
Here's a guidline to one 8 week rotation: I use a 12kg Kettlebell, a 40lb resistance cable and my own bodyweight.
Day 1:
Lower back: Clean and Press with KB swing (5 Left and 5 Right)
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Sumo Squats (KB in upturned grip)
Upper Back: Lat Pull Downs
Day 2:
5 x 2min rounds of shadowboxing
30 seconds rest
Day 3:
Lower Back: Sprawl and tuck jump
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Kettlebell Lunges (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Back: Bent Over Rows
Day 4: Rest
Day 5:
Lower Back: One Arm Deadlift (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Front: Crusher Bicep Curls (press the palms into the bell of the KB and curl)
Lower Front: Hindu Squats
Upper Back: Tricep Pull Downs
Day 6 & 7: Rest
Start each workout with a light cardio set to raise the pulse - finish with an all over set of stretching.
If an exercise is too difficult, painful STOP! If you can't finish your sets without puking/wanting to puke/decent form STOP! Don't do long term harm learn what your body can do and respond to it.
Let me know what you think. Where improvements can be made. What you'd change.
Happy training!
I'm the first to admit my willpower and discipline when it comes to diet, exercise and tipping myself that extra 5% or so into being more athletic. The demands of martial arts are sometimes a heavy burden - especially if you let them be. However as a teacher, as somone who practices more than just casually it is perhaps reaosnable that I should set by example.
With this in mind I've been reinventing the wheel so to speak. None of these exercises are particularly complicated, fancy or specific. They are however demanding, effective and designed to promote muscle growth, fat loss and improved performance.
The first concept relates to what. What should I work? The answer as always is as much as possible. Big muscles groups utilising as many joints as possible.
By dividing the body in half to upper and lower, and then in half again to front and back I am able to isolate large muscle groups to focus on each set and rotate them to avoid muscle fatigue and lactic acid build up.
The principle of alternating the upper body one set with the lower body the next, combined with alternating front of body exercies with the back of body exercises means you only have to choose four exercises and the order is dictated by the first one you choose.
The next answer is how much? My response depends on your own aims and preference on volume. For me the German system of 10x10 sets x reps and my preference of using light/body weight is ideal. This can be played with though if you want to bulk up; drop the numbers and increase the weight. If you want to up endurance and leaness up the numbers and drop the weight (ideally bodyweight only).
Here's a guidline to one 8 week rotation: I use a 12kg Kettlebell, a 40lb resistance cable and my own bodyweight.
Day 1:
Lower back: Clean and Press with KB swing (5 Left and 5 Right)
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Sumo Squats (KB in upturned grip)
Upper Back: Lat Pull Downs
Day 2:
5 x 2min rounds of shadowboxing
30 seconds rest
Day 3:
Lower Back: Sprawl and tuck jump
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Kettlebell Lunges (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Back: Bent Over Rows
Day 4: Rest
Day 5:
Lower Back: One Arm Deadlift (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Front: Crusher Bicep Curls (press the palms into the bell of the KB and curl)
Lower Front: Hindu Squats
Upper Back: Tricep Pull Downs
Day 6 & 7: Rest
Start each workout with a light cardio set to raise the pulse - finish with an all over set of stretching.
If an exercise is too difficult, painful STOP! If you can't finish your sets without puking/wanting to puke/decent form STOP! Don't do long term harm learn what your body can do and respond to it.
Let me know what you think. Where improvements can be made. What you'd change.
Happy training!
The Holy Trinity
Tue, Aug 30 2011 10:30
| stamina, training, exercise, strength, martial arts Altrincham, flexibility, fitness, stretching, conditioning
| Permalink
There are three main exercises I highly recommend anyone who does martial arts to explore. The first one is the Hindu press up. As the name suggests it's of Indian origin and used by wrestlers for centuries to build upper body strength, co-ordination and flexibility.
Done correctly these press-ups help develop and condition the upper body with stunning effectiveness. By helping the joints and muscles stretch gradually you can develop greater mobility in the shoulders which is ideal for Wing Tsun and other arts. Similarly the use of the core and lower back throughout the movement builds core strength as well as stamina.
Here's a great example of Steve Maxwell performing Hindu press-ups expertly. As you can see the movements employ a large range of motion and all of the major muscle groups making it holistic as well as functional.
The next movement I want to talk about is the Hindu squat. From the same roots as the press up these squats are designed to must the same but for the lower body. A deep movement that employs the quads and recruits the knee and ankle joints it offers you a way develop your muscles and learn how to balance effectively.
As you can see from another example by Steve Maxwell this movement requires some practise. Unlike the press-up you are balancing on two points instead of four and to add to the challenge you are raising your heels at the bottom of the movement!
I would advise caution when first trying to learn this movement. Too much too soon can place unwanted strain on your joints and lead to injury. Go slowly and build up the reps as you feel comfortable - there's no rush.
The last movement I'd like to look at is the Cross Arm sit up. By folding your arms across your chest you add weight and resistance to the movement and by holding onto the shoulders you can cheat with momentum like many fancy core exercises you may come across. This means your muscles do all the work and you build up general and impressive abdominal strength.
What I like about this version is it's simplicity. Also if at first you find it difficult you can make it easier by holding the arms straight out in front of you. If that become too difficult you can place them on your thighs and slide them up and down. Eventually when you build up the strength you can go back to holding your arms on your chest.
You'll notice these three exercises cover all the main areas of the body. They are also compound movements (well the press-ups and squats are) which recruit all the major muscle groups and supporting muscles at once. This means you can exercises efficiently and effectively. Combining all three in a work out is an excellent way to get into shape!
There are all kinds of combinations you can use 3 sets of 25 reps of each exercises is a fantastic workout to get started with. If that proves too much lower the reps to 10 or 15.
Likewise if you want to build up muscle mass and stamina a 10 x 10 workout is a killer! Try it some time and see what you think. However I would caution you to make sure you learn the movements first. Ensure you are strong enough to perform each movement with perfect form and avoid injury.
The best thing about these exercises is that they can be done anywhere with space at any time and as much or as little as you see fit. There are tales of athletes performing rep after rep for hours on end. I dropped in 100 squats to my workout yesterday with relative ease and it felt great! So give them a go, see what you think and let me know how you get on!
Happy training!
Summer Fun at AMAC
Sun, Jul 10 2011 03:39
| martial arts, offers, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts, conditioning
| Permalink
This summer promises to be one of our best ever. We've just launched our kid's classes to great success. With almost daily interest and a real buzz around the community we are pleased and proud to offer Altrincham something enjoyable, safe and healthy.
If you'd like to enrol your child(ren) in a class that challenges them and helps them develop physically, mentally and socially then simply pop down for a free session! Right now if your child decides to join AMAC you can get the membership package for half price before September 1st. Including 1 year's membership, access to gradings and a full uniform worth £20! All of this for just £15 instead of £30.
For the grown ups however we have some fantastic things happening at the club. With regular classes on a Monday and Thursday night there's something for everyone. Whether you want to immerse yourself in 2 hours of training per night or just pick up a few self defence tips come down and try something different.
Wing Tsun Kung Fu is an excellent martial art for anyone interested in protecting themselves as that is exactly what it's designed for! But it's also a great way to keep fit, learn new skills and try new things. We are offering FREE trial lessons as well as FREE membership before September 1st saving you £49!
Also on Wednesday nights we're hitting the lovely surrounds of John Leigh Park in Altrincham to get people "fighting fit" with brand new conditioning classes. Using a mixture of martial arts techniques, exercise and joint conditioning we aim to get everybody feeling better, looking better and learning how to train for everything they need to excel in martial arts.
As if that's not enough we'll be spending the bank holiday weekend back in the park for an outdoor seminar covering anything and everything you could possibly need. With an intensive look at all the elements of Wing Tsun, martial arts and self defence we're giving the chance to upgrade your skills in one big chunk! Check out our event on Facebook for more information.
For more information contact AMAC or join our mailing list here
If you'd like to enrol your child(ren) in a class that challenges them and helps them develop physically, mentally and socially then simply pop down for a free session! Right now if your child decides to join AMAC you can get the membership package for half price before September 1st. Including 1 year's membership, access to gradings and a full uniform worth £20! All of this for just £15 instead of £30.
For the grown ups however we have some fantastic things happening at the club. With regular classes on a Monday and Thursday night there's something for everyone. Whether you want to immerse yourself in 2 hours of training per night or just pick up a few self defence tips come down and try something different.
Wing Tsun Kung Fu is an excellent martial art for anyone interested in protecting themselves as that is exactly what it's designed for! But it's also a great way to keep fit, learn new skills and try new things. We are offering FREE trial lessons as well as FREE membership before September 1st saving you £49!
Also on Wednesday nights we're hitting the lovely surrounds of John Leigh Park in Altrincham to get people "fighting fit" with brand new conditioning classes. Using a mixture of martial arts techniques, exercise and joint conditioning we aim to get everybody feeling better, looking better and learning how to train for everything they need to excel in martial arts.
As if that's not enough we'll be spending the bank holiday weekend back in the park for an outdoor seminar covering anything and everything you could possibly need. With an intensive look at all the elements of Wing Tsun, martial arts and self defence we're giving the chance to upgrade your skills in one big chunk! Check out our event on Facebook for more information.
For more information contact AMAC or join our mailing list here
Bring out the best in your kids!
Sun, May 29 2011 05:40
| kung fu, kids, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
Altrincham Martial Arts Club is proud and excited to announce the return of our fantastic and exciting Kid's Kung fu classes. Popular and well attended our classes are suitable for children of school age and beyond. Offering a challenging environment to let your child express themselves, develop physical, social and educational skills transferable to all parts of their life.
AMAC has a proud tradition of using the martial arts as a tool to educate people not just in the art of Kung Fu but to help them learn to achieve more. To test and challenge themselves and find a way to succeed in ways they never thought possible. This philosophy is again at the heart of Kid's Kung Fu classes.
These classes will teach your child not only simple and effective martial arts technique but discipline and control; over their own bodies and their well being. Learning to focus energy and aggression in specific ways they will learn the appropriate use of Kung Fu, the benefits of physical exercise and the happiness these bring when learning with classmates and friends.
Classes begin this June every Monday night in Timperley and cost just £3 each. For more information see http://www.amaclub.org.uk/
Alternatively look out for vouchers and offers in the press or at various events around Altrincham this summer and save even more money!
AMAC has a proud tradition of using the martial arts as a tool to educate people not just in the art of Kung Fu but to help them learn to achieve more. To test and challenge themselves and find a way to succeed in ways they never thought possible. This philosophy is again at the heart of Kid's Kung Fu classes.
These classes will teach your child not only simple and effective martial arts technique but discipline and control; over their own bodies and their well being. Learning to focus energy and aggression in specific ways they will learn the appropriate use of Kung Fu, the benefits of physical exercise and the happiness these bring when learning with classmates and friends.
Classes begin this June every Monday night in Timperley and cost just £3 each. For more information see http://www.amaclub.org.uk/
Alternatively look out for vouchers and offers in the press or at various events around Altrincham this summer and save even more money!
New Era at AMAC
Wed, May 4 2011 01:08
| martial arts, training, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
I'd like to take this opportunity to show you our new and improved website at http://www.amaclub.org.uk/, thanks to the hard work of Pete and Martin; we now have this fantastic new opportunity to reach the community.
If you are interested in Wing Tsun Kung Fu either as a traditional martial arts pursuit, or to intergrate it into our Self Defence Programs for you, your family or place of work then this is the way to get in touch with us at Altrincham Martial Arts Club.
Also we have just unveiled our plans for our brand new Kid's Club. A chance to introduce your child to exciting, innovative and fun ways to inspire them through a mix of martial arts, exercise and gameplay. Starting in June, the classes will take place every Monday night at the Broomwood Centre, Mainwood Rd, Timperley - training schedule.
Whether you've always fancied trying a martial art and never gotten around to it or you're an experienced black belt looking for something new and effective; your first class is always free and membership is simple and affordable for all.
For more information or to sign up to our upcoming newsletters to keep up to date with events, seminars and special offers Sign up here and see what you're missing out on here at AMAC.
If you are interested in Wing Tsun Kung Fu either as a traditional martial arts pursuit, or to intergrate it into our Self Defence Programs for you, your family or place of work then this is the way to get in touch with us at Altrincham Martial Arts Club.
Also we have just unveiled our plans for our brand new Kid's Club. A chance to introduce your child to exciting, innovative and fun ways to inspire them through a mix of martial arts, exercise and gameplay. Starting in June, the classes will take place every Monday night at the Broomwood Centre, Mainwood Rd, Timperley - training schedule.
Whether you've always fancied trying a martial art and never gotten around to it or you're an experienced black belt looking for something new and effective; your first class is always free and membership is simple and affordable for all.
For more information or to sign up to our upcoming newsletters to keep up to date with events, seminars and special offers Sign up here and see what you're missing out on here at AMAC.
The 3 planes of movement
Fri, Jan 28 2011 01:01
| kettlebells, calisthenics, martial arts, weightlifting, exercise, practice, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
As far as I'm concerned there are (shock horror) 3 types of movement that are relevant to exercise for everyone but especially martial artists. They are as follows: pushing, pulling and rotation. The first two are perhaps the most obvious and well known in terms of lifting weights whilst the third - rotation might seem more applicable to things like stretching. However when training for martial arts it's important to recognise that we don't move in short static ranges of motion.
The true benefit of the bench press or deadlift for example, are in the bulk they add to our muscles and strain they place on our endocrine skeleton. The fact they tax more than one set of joints and release hormones into our bloodstream aiding growth and development is important, but they are not the only tools we need to add to our regimens to really succeed.
To truly test our bodies and apply more realistic challenges to our muscles it is important that every time we exercise, either in training, or the gym, we appreciate these fundamental types of movement. When we assume IRAS we 'pull' on our quadriceps and lengthen our spine, similarly we 'pull' on our lats and rotate our forearms when using tan sau. Without one the effect is lost and the structure of our shapes and movements fail.
The same concepts must be recognised when lifting weights. To truly recruit as many muscle fibres as possible and in a useful way it is important to use "multi-plane" movements. What that means in layman's terms is that we musn't just pull a dumbbell up and down, contracting our biceps to feel good and build trophy muscles.
Every week at least you should be looking to perform functional lifts. To lift a weighty object of some sort from the floor to our chest or even above our head for example. The concept of clean and press is massively taxing but works muscles and joints from toe to top whether it's a barbell, two dumbbells or something more exotic like a sandbag it matters not. As long as the lift is practised safely it will tax your body and build truly useful strength and balance over time. This is crucial for fighting - whether it's dealing with the deadweight of an adversary, or adjusting your own position under pressure and tension during conflict the benefits are obvious if you give this kind of work a chance, once a week, for a few weeks.
Similarly taking something like the humble sit up you can up the difficulty and benefits by adding a "twist". You'll probably have seen people sitting up and twisting towards one knee or using a swiss ball to challenge their core stability and wondering why. The simple answer is - it's harder! It tests your resourcefulness, strength and stability and will up your output and fitness quickly and powerfully. I like to perform a jab cross combo at the top of a sit up. With your lower body anchored it places extra stretches to the arms and upper body, increases the exercise with a slight cardio element and keeps you focussed and occupied during an endless set of ab work.
For those who are really looking for something difficult the kettlebell is a of course great place to look. It's off centre balance and abilty to be swung, pushed, pulled and flipped in a multitude of ways incorporates everything I've been talking about. However think about performing lifts with a weight in each hand. It allows the flexibilty to add rotations to a lift eg twist to one side as you perform a shoulder press and do the same on the other side. It also allows you to link lifts together eg bicep curl to shoulder press to squat. Imagine the concept of varients of a burpee with weights and you'll get the right idea.
Look to change direction, change the type of motion and finally change the muscle group or body part under tension with each link of the chain as it were. Do some research, experiment without wieghts or at least tiny wieghts at first and see how creative you can be.
If you like some ideas feel free to let me know but here's a few "chains" if you will, I really like.
Clean and press: Deadlift, clean the barbell to shoulders, pause, press above the head. Very difficult and gets the sweat pouring!
Abs-1-2: As you sit up throw a strong jab over the right knee followed swiftly by a cross over the left. Be sure to breathe out (I snort "1-2!" as I do it) and get a full twist of the torso into this one. It works the obliques which run under the ribs beside what most people think of as your abs and are criminally under worked by most.
Manmaker to press: Hold yourself in press up position. Pull the dumbell upwards in one hand as if performing a one armed row. Brace yourself on the planted arm and twist the torso 90 degrees with the rowed weight on top. Press out and directly upwards with your shoulder under the dumbell supporting it. The body should be in one straight diagonal line from the toes to the head with the weight raised directly upwards. Return the weight to the body, rotate backwards and return to the original press up position. Repeat on the other side.
The true benefit of the bench press or deadlift for example, are in the bulk they add to our muscles and strain they place on our endocrine skeleton. The fact they tax more than one set of joints and release hormones into our bloodstream aiding growth and development is important, but they are not the only tools we need to add to our regimens to really succeed.
To truly test our bodies and apply more realistic challenges to our muscles it is important that every time we exercise, either in training, or the gym, we appreciate these fundamental types of movement. When we assume IRAS we 'pull' on our quadriceps and lengthen our spine, similarly we 'pull' on our lats and rotate our forearms when using tan sau. Without one the effect is lost and the structure of our shapes and movements fail.
The same concepts must be recognised when lifting weights. To truly recruit as many muscle fibres as possible and in a useful way it is important to use "multi-plane" movements. What that means in layman's terms is that we musn't just pull a dumbbell up and down, contracting our biceps to feel good and build trophy muscles.
Every week at least you should be looking to perform functional lifts. To lift a weighty object of some sort from the floor to our chest or even above our head for example. The concept of clean and press is massively taxing but works muscles and joints from toe to top whether it's a barbell, two dumbbells or something more exotic like a sandbag it matters not. As long as the lift is practised safely it will tax your body and build truly useful strength and balance over time. This is crucial for fighting - whether it's dealing with the deadweight of an adversary, or adjusting your own position under pressure and tension during conflict the benefits are obvious if you give this kind of work a chance, once a week, for a few weeks.
Similarly taking something like the humble sit up you can up the difficulty and benefits by adding a "twist". You'll probably have seen people sitting up and twisting towards one knee or using a swiss ball to challenge their core stability and wondering why. The simple answer is - it's harder! It tests your resourcefulness, strength and stability and will up your output and fitness quickly and powerfully. I like to perform a jab cross combo at the top of a sit up. With your lower body anchored it places extra stretches to the arms and upper body, increases the exercise with a slight cardio element and keeps you focussed and occupied during an endless set of ab work.
For those who are really looking for something difficult the kettlebell is a of course great place to look. It's off centre balance and abilty to be swung, pushed, pulled and flipped in a multitude of ways incorporates everything I've been talking about. However think about performing lifts with a weight in each hand. It allows the flexibilty to add rotations to a lift eg twist to one side as you perform a shoulder press and do the same on the other side. It also allows you to link lifts together eg bicep curl to shoulder press to squat. Imagine the concept of varients of a burpee with weights and you'll get the right idea.
Look to change direction, change the type of motion and finally change the muscle group or body part under tension with each link of the chain as it were. Do some research, experiment without wieghts or at least tiny wieghts at first and see how creative you can be.
If you like some ideas feel free to let me know but here's a few "chains" if you will, I really like.
Clean and press: Deadlift, clean the barbell to shoulders, pause, press above the head. Very difficult and gets the sweat pouring!
Abs-1-2: As you sit up throw a strong jab over the right knee followed swiftly by a cross over the left. Be sure to breathe out (I snort "1-2!" as I do it) and get a full twist of the torso into this one. It works the obliques which run under the ribs beside what most people think of as your abs and are criminally under worked by most.
Manmaker to press: Hold yourself in press up position. Pull the dumbell upwards in one hand as if performing a one armed row. Brace yourself on the planted arm and twist the torso 90 degrees with the rowed weight on top. Press out and directly upwards with your shoulder under the dumbell supporting it. The body should be in one straight diagonal line from the toes to the head with the weight raised directly upwards. Return the weight to the body, rotate backwards and return to the original press up position. Repeat on the other side.
2011 - What do you want to do?
Tue, Jan 18 2011 11:20
| calisthenics, rowing, martial arts, cardio, training, keep fit, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, running, conditioning
| Permalink
The new year is here and as always the gym is full of people with good intentions and the ability to take up space. It must mean that the new year's resolutions are fully in swing and as such it got me thinking about what mine could, or at least should be. I've never made one, not least one that lasted five minutes.
This year however I've decided to make a very simple one "practice what I preach". I'm going to get fitter, not skip exercise, rest when I need to, eat better and all the other things you'll find on this blog, in my classes etc. Throughout the year I'll be measuring my "fitness" in an all round (and slightly vain) way by recording some simple data.
First off body measurements to see how my physique changes thorughout the year. Secondly a record of cardiovascular fitness - this will be done by comparing times and distances for running, rowing, swimming etc. Lastly I will record increases in strength and output - weights lifted and volume of sets and reps.
Part of the plan will be following Martin Rooney's Ultimate Warrior Workouts (reviewed here http://martialstatus.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-ultimate-warrior-workouts-by.html) for the resistance and conditioning aspects of my regimen. CV fitness will be increased by incorporating military guidance on fitness such as taking their PT tests and varying my workouts with rowing, swimming, cross-training and other such activites.
This is really a complicated way of saying I'm going to take a dedicated approach to being fitter, leaner, meaner and better!
So the question is now what do you want to achieve this year? I'd love it if you'd share your aims for 2011 in the comments section below. Happy 2011!
This year however I've decided to make a very simple one "practice what I preach". I'm going to get fitter, not skip exercise, rest when I need to, eat better and all the other things you'll find on this blog, in my classes etc. Throughout the year I'll be measuring my "fitness" in an all round (and slightly vain) way by recording some simple data.
First off body measurements to see how my physique changes thorughout the year. Secondly a record of cardiovascular fitness - this will be done by comparing times and distances for running, rowing, swimming etc. Lastly I will record increases in strength and output - weights lifted and volume of sets and reps.
Part of the plan will be following Martin Rooney's Ultimate Warrior Workouts (reviewed here http://martialstatus.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-ultimate-warrior-workouts-by.html) for the resistance and conditioning aspects of my regimen. CV fitness will be increased by incorporating military guidance on fitness such as taking their PT tests and varying my workouts with rowing, swimming, cross-training and other such activites.
This is really a complicated way of saying I'm going to take a dedicated approach to being fitter, leaner, meaner and better!
So the question is now what do you want to achieve this year? I'd love it if you'd share your aims for 2011 in the comments section below. Happy 2011!
Review: Dynamic Stretching – Mark Kovacs
Sat, Jan 15 2011 11:11
| martial arts, training, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, stretching
| Permalink
I'm not going to lie I HATE stretching, passionately. It always feels like a preamble designed to kill time and give instructors time to think up what they are actually going to do in a session. This misthinking has haunted me for years and the injuries and plasticine muscles I've accrued are testament to how much we all could do with a good stretch.
I've never liked static stretches (stop and hold for 30 seconds) they're boring and seem to do little. This book agrees with me in a far more informed and scientific way – they have their place but they neither prevent or more pertinently cause injury in most cases. A better way of moving is needed and this book aims to offer it. A large array of exercises in varying degrees of 'odd' fill this book, before being combined into many (overlapping) sports specific routines that can be built up into whole training sessions. There are probably 3 or 4 routines completely relevant to the martial artist the wrestling and gymnastics ones being the essential two in my opinion.
One criticism some people level at this book is the focus on the bottom half of the body. This makes little sense to me as the knees and ankles are the most injured joints I come across in people and the hips as well makes up the holy trinity of load bearing joints in the body. It seems reasonable they need the most protection as they take the most punishment and stress in sport, especially martial arts.
In all honesty you might feel a bit silly at first when you try some of these out, particularly in the gym but I say – don't worry. After one week of using the ideas and programs in this book I felt almost instant improvements to my flexibility and more importantly recovery times. I was actually training harder and easier than before. No bull, no buy in, I have no idea who Mark Kovacs is but he's assembled a nice little arsenal here for anyone to benefit from.
The archaic and unhelpful version of stretching most of us have acquired or adapted simply doesn't cut it and here I think I've found one of the few books to blow it out of the water. The science here isn't baffling nor is it a completely different way of doing things. For anyone who's done yoga many of these movements will feel familiar and for those willing to give them a shot the rewards are great.
So what is dynamic stretching? For me the critical difference is moving in a clearly defined way that recruits specific muscles and joints in a gentle and incremental stretch. Moving as you do each stretch rather than holding or forcing your body into positions it supports the natural range of each muscle and helps you push it on further at your own pace and need. Some of it might seem like it's taken from the Ministry of Silly Walks but in all honesty – do you really care if it works? I certainly don't and am convinced it does!
I've never liked static stretches (stop and hold for 30 seconds) they're boring and seem to do little. This book agrees with me in a far more informed and scientific way – they have their place but they neither prevent or more pertinently cause injury in most cases. A better way of moving is needed and this book aims to offer it. A large array of exercises in varying degrees of 'odd' fill this book, before being combined into many (overlapping) sports specific routines that can be built up into whole training sessions. There are probably 3 or 4 routines completely relevant to the martial artist the wrestling and gymnastics ones being the essential two in my opinion.
One criticism some people level at this book is the focus on the bottom half of the body. This makes little sense to me as the knees and ankles are the most injured joints I come across in people and the hips as well makes up the holy trinity of load bearing joints in the body. It seems reasonable they need the most protection as they take the most punishment and stress in sport, especially martial arts.
In all honesty you might feel a bit silly at first when you try some of these out, particularly in the gym but I say – don't worry. After one week of using the ideas and programs in this book I felt almost instant improvements to my flexibility and more importantly recovery times. I was actually training harder and easier than before. No bull, no buy in, I have no idea who Mark Kovacs is but he's assembled a nice little arsenal here for anyone to benefit from.
The archaic and unhelpful version of stretching most of us have acquired or adapted simply doesn't cut it and here I think I've found one of the few books to blow it out of the water. The science here isn't baffling nor is it a completely different way of doing things. For anyone who's done yoga many of these movements will feel familiar and for those willing to give them a shot the rewards are great.
So what is dynamic stretching? For me the critical difference is moving in a clearly defined way that recruits specific muscles and joints in a gentle and incremental stretch. Moving as you do each stretch rather than holding or forcing your body into positions it supports the natural range of each muscle and helps you push it on further at your own pace and need. Some of it might seem like it's taken from the Ministry of Silly Walks but in all honesty – do you really care if it works? I certainly don't and am convinced it does!
Happy stretching!
Review: The Spartan Warrior Workout – Dave Randolph
Sat, Jan 15 2011 09:31
| kettlebells, martial arts, training, keep fit, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, conditioning
| Permalink
Some people will automatically write this book off. The front cover features a menacingly ripped topless bloke with a blank expression and two racked kettlebells lit and lettered very much in the style of the film it's inspired by. We all know about 300 and the controversy of the “real” and CGI physiques displayed so vividly and how they whipped up a frenzy amongst the fitness and fight industries alike. Secondly the title hints and the inner sleeve confirms that Dave Randolph didn't work on the film at all – he is in fact a disciple of the Russian guru and PR maverick Pavel Tsatsouline. A hard as nails Russian expert who brought the old and secret training of strength, conditioning and martial prowess out from under the iron curtain and made a mint in the process.
Gymrats may have toyed with kettlebells as a fad in the last five years or so. But typically being difficult and low-tech they have been forgotten about. While they may be slightly marginalised by this book the influence of Randolph's mentor is there to see for those who have read the brilliant yet expensive books Pavel offers the world. Simple exercises, challenging and nigh on gutwrenching variations and a basic no bullshit approach is the foundation of this book. The simple fact is that those with pretensions of a “superhero” physique and the attributes to use it will cost a super amount of work and discipline. Adherence to dietary abstinence and precise form in the gym are a must here.
The real shame about this book is the way in which the simplicity of the prose and the plan are muddied by complex charts and annotations. I fear this will put off many and dishearten some. The advice and philosophy on hand are excellent especially about the mental challenge of the workouts and how to meet and overcome obstacles. The section General Physical Preparedness (GPP to those in the know) is excellent as far as introductions to the concept go. Although the book loses itself here in its eagerness for a USP (I know, I know) to introduce the casual reader to sledgehammers and tyre flips taking itself squarely out of the realms of most exercise enthusiasts and perhaps the realms of practicality too.
The mix of compound movements, explosive movements and endocrine torturing intensity is brilliant as it is cautionary. The lack of rest periods recommended or indeed encouraged worries me slightly. In terms of inspiration the book is excellent and informative. However I fear it is a set of routines for icing your cake as it were.
Once a strong and solid foundation of fitness is well in place this has the potential to turn people onto that next edge we all crave. For those slovenly spare-tyre carriers like me it is perhaps dangerous to promote this as a starting point. The risk of injury, over-training and damage is potentially much higher if this book is taken at face value. The offer of preparation and pre-hab is good but feels like an afterthought at the back of the book. Logically it should precede the guts of the workout.
Gymrats may have toyed with kettlebells as a fad in the last five years or so. But typically being difficult and low-tech they have been forgotten about. While they may be slightly marginalised by this book the influence of Randolph's mentor is there to see for those who have read the brilliant yet expensive books Pavel offers the world. Simple exercises, challenging and nigh on gutwrenching variations and a basic no bullshit approach is the foundation of this book. The simple fact is that those with pretensions of a “superhero” physique and the attributes to use it will cost a super amount of work and discipline. Adherence to dietary abstinence and precise form in the gym are a must here.
The real shame about this book is the way in which the simplicity of the prose and the plan are muddied by complex charts and annotations. I fear this will put off many and dishearten some. The advice and philosophy on hand are excellent especially about the mental challenge of the workouts and how to meet and overcome obstacles. The section General Physical Preparedness (GPP to those in the know) is excellent as far as introductions to the concept go. Although the book loses itself here in its eagerness for a USP (I know, I know) to introduce the casual reader to sledgehammers and tyre flips taking itself squarely out of the realms of most exercise enthusiasts and perhaps the realms of practicality too.
The mix of compound movements, explosive movements and endocrine torturing intensity is brilliant as it is cautionary. The lack of rest periods recommended or indeed encouraged worries me slightly. In terms of inspiration the book is excellent and informative. However I fear it is a set of routines for icing your cake as it were.
Once a strong and solid foundation of fitness is well in place this has the potential to turn people onto that next edge we all crave. For those slovenly spare-tyre carriers like me it is perhaps dangerous to promote this as a starting point. The risk of injury, over-training and damage is potentially much higher if this book is taken at face value. The offer of preparation and pre-hab is good but feels like an afterthought at the back of the book. Logically it should precede the guts of the workout.
As a source of inspiration and even exercise fetishism this book is fantastic and can teach us all plenty however it's ordering is haphazard. I recommend it for anyone with an open mind and determination of steel, to try, try and try again until they get where they want to be.
Going it alone
Sun, Aug 15 2010 11:44
| gym, martial arts, weightlifting, training, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, basic, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
Quite often students are faced with a real quandary – what can I do at home and away from training to improve? Some people become confused, anxious and demotivated by the prospect of training by themselves or away from class without my best shouting voice and direction to guide them. In all seriousness, it can be a make or break area for some people. So how can you solve it?
Basics, basics, basics! Spend a few spare minutes practising the following:
1.Stance: Open and close IRAS stance a few times and get used to standing in it. Don't look at your feet, keep your head up and look to be relaxed and smooth in your movements
2.Footwork: Run through all 8 basic steps in turn. Once happy you can execute all of them look to link them together in sequences of your choosing. Then see if you can switch between all of them without hesitating or stopping to think.
3.Hand-shapes: See how many of the 8 basics hand-shapes you can remember (without looking at the list further down the page!). Drill them front on without turns. Once satisfied run through them with turns. Always check your weight is on the right foot, your shapes are correct and in line with your centre, make sure punches are pointed towards your imaginary attacker!
4.Form: This is the thing that most people get worried about. 'What if I training things wrong? What if I'm developing bad habits?” is the most common form of protest. I always advise students that if they are turning up to training regularly it is my job as their teacher to pick up on 'mistakes' in anything they do. I'd much rather correct students who have worked hard on their form than those or shy away from practice – just in case!
Remember no one is ever going to chastise you for practising and going the extra mile. If anything it's dedication like this I admire and earns students respect from teachers and peers alike as it really shows when someone is hard at it, paying their dues.
A few things that can help training at home include, using a mirror now and again to check your work. This comes with a note of caution though. Don't rely on your glassy friend, the mirror can sometimes distort and mislead your movements at high speed so using it sparingly rather than as a crutch.
When you're waiting for the kettle to boil or the dinner to be ready then instead of standing idle practice any of the above. Please be aware if it's your turn to make the tea at work chucking out your Siu Num Tau in the canteen can get mixed reactions so be prepared for all comers and their reactions!
If you're not sure about going it alone – don't! Talk to your buddies at class and arrange to get together somewhere and practice together. Work on your weaknesses and go over what you did in class that week. See if your partner can offer you insights and advice and vice versa. Sometimes word gets around you can be finding a whole group of you are in the park doing your homework from class regularly! I've known it to happen.
Get fitter, get leaner and get meaner! I love to exercise, not many people do but anything that gets me sweaty, red and panting (diseases aside) are fine by me. Work on your all round fitness when you get the chance. Try to find functional exercises that will improve your WT. I've given you ideas elsewhere in the blog but take some time to consider these questions:
What are my aims? What am I good at? What do I need to work on?
If you're strong as an ox is it useful to bench press day in day out? Why not see how far you can run, how fast, how often? Interval runs are the best for fighters of any background. Jog for 3 minutes and then sprint for 30 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and that's a kick-ass cardio workout right there. Increase the speeds and resistance on the treadmill or find a hill in your local park if it's too easy.
Calisthenics are your friend! Squat, push up and sit up your way to a stronger smarter body! Find out why the warriors of old put so much stock in these take anywhere essentials. I doubt the Spartans worried about how they looked in a vest or what swiss ball matched their sandals!
Try some iron! See what you can do with a few free weights or machines. Pick up some exercises that relate to your movements in WT. Beef up jut saus with your lat pull down bar. Grab a bench and a dumbell and pull up a few kgs with bent over rows as if freeing your arms from a ground-fight! The choices are endless and limitless really. Pick things that are areas of particular concern and weakness and try and even them out. If you're not sure ask the staff at your gym, ask you teacher, even google it!
Either way the main thing is to be excited and interested in what you do. If you're not feeling it don't train it. If you're getting lost ask teacher! I'm not sure about over schools but I'm not on a meter and always happy to answer questions and discuss the art I love. Hopefully you've got a teacher you can approach when you need it – I would say though always make sure you've tried something before seeking help. If you've not given it a go there's little anyone can do to improve it for you. All in all just do it as the people of Nike like to say. What have you got to lose after all?
Basics, basics, basics! Spend a few spare minutes practising the following:
1.Stance: Open and close IRAS stance a few times and get used to standing in it. Don't look at your feet, keep your head up and look to be relaxed and smooth in your movements
2.Footwork: Run through all 8 basic steps in turn. Once happy you can execute all of them look to link them together in sequences of your choosing. Then see if you can switch between all of them without hesitating or stopping to think.
3.Hand-shapes: See how many of the 8 basics hand-shapes you can remember (without looking at the list further down the page!). Drill them front on without turns. Once satisfied run through them with turns. Always check your weight is on the right foot, your shapes are correct and in line with your centre, make sure punches are pointed towards your imaginary attacker!
4.Form: This is the thing that most people get worried about. 'What if I training things wrong? What if I'm developing bad habits?” is the most common form of protest. I always advise students that if they are turning up to training regularly it is my job as their teacher to pick up on 'mistakes' in anything they do. I'd much rather correct students who have worked hard on their form than those or shy away from practice – just in case!
Remember no one is ever going to chastise you for practising and going the extra mile. If anything it's dedication like this I admire and earns students respect from teachers and peers alike as it really shows when someone is hard at it, paying their dues.
A few things that can help training at home include, using a mirror now and again to check your work. This comes with a note of caution though. Don't rely on your glassy friend, the mirror can sometimes distort and mislead your movements at high speed so using it sparingly rather than as a crutch.
When you're waiting for the kettle to boil or the dinner to be ready then instead of standing idle practice any of the above. Please be aware if it's your turn to make the tea at work chucking out your Siu Num Tau in the canteen can get mixed reactions so be prepared for all comers and their reactions!
If you're not sure about going it alone – don't! Talk to your buddies at class and arrange to get together somewhere and practice together. Work on your weaknesses and go over what you did in class that week. See if your partner can offer you insights and advice and vice versa. Sometimes word gets around you can be finding a whole group of you are in the park doing your homework from class regularly! I've known it to happen.
Get fitter, get leaner and get meaner! I love to exercise, not many people do but anything that gets me sweaty, red and panting (diseases aside) are fine by me. Work on your all round fitness when you get the chance. Try to find functional exercises that will improve your WT. I've given you ideas elsewhere in the blog but take some time to consider these questions:
What are my aims? What am I good at? What do I need to work on?
If you're strong as an ox is it useful to bench press day in day out? Why not see how far you can run, how fast, how often? Interval runs are the best for fighters of any background. Jog for 3 minutes and then sprint for 30 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and that's a kick-ass cardio workout right there. Increase the speeds and resistance on the treadmill or find a hill in your local park if it's too easy.
Calisthenics are your friend! Squat, push up and sit up your way to a stronger smarter body! Find out why the warriors of old put so much stock in these take anywhere essentials. I doubt the Spartans worried about how they looked in a vest or what swiss ball matched their sandals!
Try some iron! See what you can do with a few free weights or machines. Pick up some exercises that relate to your movements in WT. Beef up jut saus with your lat pull down bar. Grab a bench and a dumbell and pull up a few kgs with bent over rows as if freeing your arms from a ground-fight! The choices are endless and limitless really. Pick things that are areas of particular concern and weakness and try and even them out. If you're not sure ask the staff at your gym, ask you teacher, even google it!
Either way the main thing is to be excited and interested in what you do. If you're not feeling it don't train it. If you're getting lost ask teacher! I'm not sure about over schools but I'm not on a meter and always happy to answer questions and discuss the art I love. Hopefully you've got a teacher you can approach when you need it – I would say though always make sure you've tried something before seeking help. If you've not given it a go there's little anyone can do to improve it for you. All in all just do it as the people of Nike like to say. What have you got to lose after all?
Running Into Trouble
Sun, Jul 25 2010 10:46
| jogging, martial arts, knife crime, keep fit, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence, running
| Permalink
Jogging is perhaps the quintessential fitness activity. From young to old and across the sexes and spectrum of athletes the ability and need to be able to run is fundamental. As a survival need for primitive man to a social phenomena that became common place over a generation ago, the history of running is interesting.
Whether pounding the technological wonder of the treadmills in your local gym or doing what boxers call “road work” in the fresh air, the popularity of jogging as a weight loss activity, hobby and chance to meet other like-minded fitness fanatics the popularity of jogging seems to be as popular as ever.
However one of the biggest problems people face is the fact that sometimes the only places we can go for a run can be dangerous and problematic. If you are lucky enough to have a lovely big park near you and enjoy running you'll know how fantastic it can be as a way to escape the city for a bit. The danger only really comes when like all other everyday activities the daily run lets us slip into a comfort zone and drop into auto-pilot.
I've seen joggers swerve surprised and furious drivers like dazzled deer as they were high-stepping across a road or junction ipod blaring, head held high and adrenalin pumping. I've even found myself doing the headlight mambo on one or two occasions and given my allergy to cardio work, it shows how easy it is to forget your surroundings.
The other main danger to runners unfortunately is a small proportion of the general public. Being attacked is a serious danger to runners. As the activity often decrees a need for wide open spaces away from highly populated areas it can make running alone far riskier than it should be. Coupled with the fact that the focus needed to go anther mile, keep up the pace and use of music to drown out the outside world often runners can find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous muggers and attackers.
Wearing expensive trainers, carrying sought after mp3 players and often carrying mobile phones or wallets runners can present themselves as a lycra-clad payday for the petty assailant and when there are trees and bushes to conceal them it can be very hazardous for the humble runner.
So what can you do to avoid this sort of unfortunate eventuality?
1. Don't run alone – a training partner not only makes you harder to get to but makes training fun
2. Only carry what you need – I only take my house key in a zipped or buttoned pocket
3. Ditch the ipod – White headphones especially scream “mug me” and you will be amazed how much more aware you are using your hearing
4. Try to run in sufficient light – if you can't reflective clothing and portable lights are a must
5. Know your route/area – don't go off exploring by yourself, know where you can get help, leave a park or attract attention and be clear where exactly you are going and if it is likely to be unsafe at all.
6. Take some classes – biased I may be but every runner could do with some idea of how to protect themselves. Countless police officers have told me how mugged runners report attackers “coming out of nowhere” when the reality is they weren't paying enough attention
It is sad indeed that people can't pursue their hobbies without any sort of fear and while the focus of this article, I would like to reassure people that the risks are small but not insignificant. It always good practice to inform people when and where you are going out and when you expect to be back. It also makes sense to invest in a decent and reputable self defence course now and again to keep your skills sharp.
Knowing how to recognise danger and at the very least break free from assailants can save a lot more than cancelling your cards or claiming for a new mobile, aside from the mental and emotional trauma of being a victim of crime.
Whether pounding the technological wonder of the treadmills in your local gym or doing what boxers call “road work” in the fresh air, the popularity of jogging as a weight loss activity, hobby and chance to meet other like-minded fitness fanatics the popularity of jogging seems to be as popular as ever.
However one of the biggest problems people face is the fact that sometimes the only places we can go for a run can be dangerous and problematic. If you are lucky enough to have a lovely big park near you and enjoy running you'll know how fantastic it can be as a way to escape the city for a bit. The danger only really comes when like all other everyday activities the daily run lets us slip into a comfort zone and drop into auto-pilot.
I've seen joggers swerve surprised and furious drivers like dazzled deer as they were high-stepping across a road or junction ipod blaring, head held high and adrenalin pumping. I've even found myself doing the headlight mambo on one or two occasions and given my allergy to cardio work, it shows how easy it is to forget your surroundings.
The other main danger to runners unfortunately is a small proportion of the general public. Being attacked is a serious danger to runners. As the activity often decrees a need for wide open spaces away from highly populated areas it can make running alone far riskier than it should be. Coupled with the fact that the focus needed to go anther mile, keep up the pace and use of music to drown out the outside world often runners can find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous muggers and attackers.
Wearing expensive trainers, carrying sought after mp3 players and often carrying mobile phones or wallets runners can present themselves as a lycra-clad payday for the petty assailant and when there are trees and bushes to conceal them it can be very hazardous for the humble runner.
So what can you do to avoid this sort of unfortunate eventuality?
1. Don't run alone – a training partner not only makes you harder to get to but makes training fun
2. Only carry what you need – I only take my house key in a zipped or buttoned pocket
3. Ditch the ipod – White headphones especially scream “mug me” and you will be amazed how much more aware you are using your hearing
4. Try to run in sufficient light – if you can't reflective clothing and portable lights are a must
5. Know your route/area – don't go off exploring by yourself, know where you can get help, leave a park or attract attention and be clear where exactly you are going and if it is likely to be unsafe at all.
6. Take some classes – biased I may be but every runner could do with some idea of how to protect themselves. Countless police officers have told me how mugged runners report attackers “coming out of nowhere” when the reality is they weren't paying enough attention
It is sad indeed that people can't pursue their hobbies without any sort of fear and while the focus of this article, I would like to reassure people that the risks are small but not insignificant. It always good practice to inform people when and where you are going out and when you expect to be back. It also makes sense to invest in a decent and reputable self defence course now and again to keep your skills sharp.
Knowing how to recognise danger and at the very least break free from assailants can save a lot more than cancelling your cards or claiming for a new mobile, aside from the mental and emotional trauma of being a victim of crime.
Pulling the Trigger
Tue, Jan 19 2010 01:37
| strikes, martial arts, punching, boxing, hitting, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
A little test I like to perform when a new student walks through the door is something very simple – a short question is all it takes “if you were going to hit me as hard as you can.....how would you do it?” Understandably this is sometimes followed with awkward shuffling and wringing of hands. It’s not an idea or a concept people are comfortable with, but if you turn up to a martial arts class it is very relevant I’d say.
Talk to any of the poor people that have to suffer my lessons and they’ll tell you many things, especially how I seem to say the same things again and again. One of my fundamental principles is to put someone out of action in as fewer hits as possible – preferably one.
A common myth or misconception is that to defeat someone you must hit them all over using as many different attacks and body parts as possible. I blame the movies for compounding this notion that a roundhouse kick to the face is as practical as it is cool. In truth what people really need is “point theory”.
I explain this theory with a simple rather sexist analogy. If I kick you in the balls (sorry ladies please use your empathy here) where is the last place in the world, you want me to strike you again? Yep. Square in the knackers is the right answer.
If I break your ribs with my first punch, why wouldn’t I keep hitting them and push the shards through your internal organs? It won’t take much, it’ll put you out of action, and I’ll get to walk away. If you cover the first wounded area then this will of course leave your head or another “hotspot” exposed.
It may seem obvious to you now, if you hadn’t considered it. But often this comes as a revelation to many. Perhaps they simply haven’t had the scenario or impulse to consider something so socially reprehensible, but as a martial artist it is essential to be honest and truthful about things no matter how stark or uncomfortable they may be.
One other thing of note from the question posed to new students about their “hardest punch” is the fact that 99% of people perform some form of boxing style straight. Often they pick their front hand, not the much more powerful cross with the support of the hips and added distance off of the back hand just to insult the question I asked a little more.
Usually this is because of a lack of confidence or fear of “doing it wrong” and is perfectly normal. However it also seems that people know boxers hit hard (bloody hard, as my head will attest to) and thus this must be the most powerful way a person can hit. Not entirely unreasonable but there is one major flaw with this truism.
Boxing is not natural, it is not innate it is a very powerful art and to punch correctly is a skill learned and practiced. You need the right co-ordination, timing and muscular input to make these punches work. Furthermore these strikes are not easily compatible with the stance, theories and practice of Wing Tsun. Teaching someone to box before they can even learn WT is no good. Although a person might find it handy it is not useful in their pursuit of kung fu or self defence.
What I give students is lovingly referred to as the “hammer blow”. Using the natural alignment of the body, gravity and momentum it is a devastating strike, easy to perform and completely intuitive. It is also high applicable as even a newbie can secure their opponent by grabbing them with their weak hand and pummelling them with this devastating move!
Take your strong hand and raise it above your head, fist clenched, make sure your feet are evenly spread and your weight distributed. Throw the arm down and forward allowing the arm to “whip” your fist into your target as if throwing a ball. At the same time drop your centre of gravity through the legs. Make contact through the base of your hand in line with the wrist and ulna in your forearm as if you were performing a chop with your fingers clenched.
Practice on a pad and you’ll soon feel the natural swing of the movement and the raw power behind it. Remember to drop through the legs or you waste so much potential force it is untrue. Once comfortable this can be practiced in the air and on pads to build strength and coordination. If you feel confident loop the hit back across the body as if performing a back-fist in a figure of eight motion. This increases the damage done and teaches great hand-eye coordination and offers very good exercise if performed vigorously for a few minutes.
The hammer blow and subsequent back fist offer two very deadly strikes that do not require raw power or muscle just some simple balance and willingness. Take five minutes of your time everyday and try them out on both hands, you’ll soon reap the martial and fitness rewards!
Talk to any of the poor people that have to suffer my lessons and they’ll tell you many things, especially how I seem to say the same things again and again. One of my fundamental principles is to put someone out of action in as fewer hits as possible – preferably one.
A common myth or misconception is that to defeat someone you must hit them all over using as many different attacks and body parts as possible. I blame the movies for compounding this notion that a roundhouse kick to the face is as practical as it is cool. In truth what people really need is “point theory”.
I explain this theory with a simple rather sexist analogy. If I kick you in the balls (sorry ladies please use your empathy here) where is the last place in the world, you want me to strike you again? Yep. Square in the knackers is the right answer.
If I break your ribs with my first punch, why wouldn’t I keep hitting them and push the shards through your internal organs? It won’t take much, it’ll put you out of action, and I’ll get to walk away. If you cover the first wounded area then this will of course leave your head or another “hotspot” exposed.
It may seem obvious to you now, if you hadn’t considered it. But often this comes as a revelation to many. Perhaps they simply haven’t had the scenario or impulse to consider something so socially reprehensible, but as a martial artist it is essential to be honest and truthful about things no matter how stark or uncomfortable they may be.
One other thing of note from the question posed to new students about their “hardest punch” is the fact that 99% of people perform some form of boxing style straight. Often they pick their front hand, not the much more powerful cross with the support of the hips and added distance off of the back hand just to insult the question I asked a little more.
Usually this is because of a lack of confidence or fear of “doing it wrong” and is perfectly normal. However it also seems that people know boxers hit hard (bloody hard, as my head will attest to) and thus this must be the most powerful way a person can hit. Not entirely unreasonable but there is one major flaw with this truism.
Boxing is not natural, it is not innate it is a very powerful art and to punch correctly is a skill learned and practiced. You need the right co-ordination, timing and muscular input to make these punches work. Furthermore these strikes are not easily compatible with the stance, theories and practice of Wing Tsun. Teaching someone to box before they can even learn WT is no good. Although a person might find it handy it is not useful in their pursuit of kung fu or self defence.
What I give students is lovingly referred to as the “hammer blow”. Using the natural alignment of the body, gravity and momentum it is a devastating strike, easy to perform and completely intuitive. It is also high applicable as even a newbie can secure their opponent by grabbing them with their weak hand and pummelling them with this devastating move!
Take your strong hand and raise it above your head, fist clenched, make sure your feet are evenly spread and your weight distributed. Throw the arm down and forward allowing the arm to “whip” your fist into your target as if throwing a ball. At the same time drop your centre of gravity through the legs. Make contact through the base of your hand in line with the wrist and ulna in your forearm as if you were performing a chop with your fingers clenched.
Practice on a pad and you’ll soon feel the natural swing of the movement and the raw power behind it. Remember to drop through the legs or you waste so much potential force it is untrue. Once comfortable this can be practiced in the air and on pads to build strength and coordination. If you feel confident loop the hit back across the body as if performing a back-fist in a figure of eight motion. This increases the damage done and teaches great hand-eye coordination and offers very good exercise if performed vigorously for a few minutes.
The hammer blow and subsequent back fist offer two very deadly strikes that do not require raw power or muscle just some simple balance and willingness. Take five minutes of your time everyday and try them out on both hands, you’ll soon reap the martial and fitness rewards!
The Building Blocks
Sun, Jan 10 2010 01:51
| kettlebells, calisthenics, martial arts, cardio, weightlifting, health, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
In my last entry I talked about the relevance of fitness and exercise to martial artists and tried to illustrate my belief in its necessity. I spent many years training badly, training infrequently and training the wrong stuff with good intentions.
I’m glad to say I can pass on a little bit of what I learnt through my own endeavour to you and illustrate my logic and thoughts as to why you need to know this stuff.
In this blog exercise falls into two large categories that can be dissected further: cardio vascular and resistance. The first deals with exercise designed to burn fat, increase all round endurance and improve traditional ideas of fitness. Examples include running, cycling, rowing, alongside many sports. Resistance work includes weightlifting, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) and weapon training.
Each type of exercise has its own benefits and place in the routines of martial artists and neither must be neglected. I spent years ignoring my CV work to my determent focussing on weights and routines designed for body sculpting not performance. It hindered my martial arts training and didn’t give me the results I wanted.
I knew that increased muscle mass burns more calories and therefore fat per hour. However I didn’t realise that cardio not only strips off fat much faster but it adds to muscle mass and definition too!
In short I broke the golden rule of ignoring my weaknesses and stayed secure working on what I was good at/enjoyed.
So what exactly should you be doing? Of course this is an individual answer and depends on what your needs are. If like me you try to train/teach martial arts 5 or 6 sometimes even 7 days a week fitting in other training can be tough and dangerously taxing.
I believe in doing a lot in short bursts, it gets faster results and is mimics the stresses of fighting with short bursts of intense activity. How many people claim to take up “jogging” and then bitch about a lack of success in losing weight?
If you amble around at a medium intensity like a Lycra clad bovine it is unlikely you’ll achieve much. If you hit the gym hard and with focus for 20-30mins and are breathing sweat out of your ears you’ll soon see results! On top of that it speeds up your metabolism and digestive system in processing food avoiding calories becoming fat and stops you over-working muscles so that they become catabolic (break down), injured and testosterone levels get used up rather than used to build muscle.
I tend to cross train and mix up routines. So typically I warm up with cardio, running and jumping on the spot before shadow boxing in 3 minute “rounds” pausing long enough to get my breath and sip some water.
I then mix sets of specific weight exercises, calisthenics and more cardio before finishing on a chin up bar with some pulls-ups, leg raises and then a “hang” to stretch my muscles and bones back out!
Here is a typical list of exercises that you should work on perfecting:
Whole Body (I include all cardio in this section)
• Clean and Press
• Kettlebell Swing
• Dead lift
• Hindu press ups
• Hindu Squats
Upper Body
• Pull-up
• Press up
• Bench Press
• Bent-over Row
• Military Press
Lower Body
• Squat
• Lunges
• Tuck Jumps
Core/Abs
• Janda sit-ups
• Leg raises
• Medicine Ball Twists
If you do not know what any or all of these exercises are then do a little bit of research. You will notice that by and large they are what are known as ‘compound’ exercises which work more than one joint at a time and very large muscle groups.
This adds bulk, tests the muscles you will use fighting not just sculpting trophy muscles and release much larger quantities of testosterone and other hormones into the body to promote better results. It also means that you target quicker long lasting gains rather than trying to perfect tricky and irrelevant exercises.
I would recommend 3 sessions a week as a rough guide and add more depending on results, tiredness and dedication. Anymore than that and you must be careful not to over-train and undo all of your hard work.
If you are a slight and want to gain lots of muscles I recommend the following work out with heavy weights – be warned it’s a killer and requires about 2 days rest afterwards!
Bulk up routine
After ten minutes of light cardio and stretching to get the blood flowing and body loose perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions of the following exercises. Be sure to keep pausing for 2 or 3 minutes between sets to allow the body time to cope with the demands.
• Clean and Press
• Bench Press
• Dead lift
• Bent-over Row
When learning these or any exercise run through them for a set or two with an empty bar to ensure your hand-eye coordination is correct and if the weight is too heavy STOP! Take a plate off and carry on. Do not exhaust yourself or hurt yourself so you can’t train for weeks!
I recommend using this particular routine once a week at most. Generally for martial artist I find that performing 3 sets of 15 reps per exercise the best way to go. It builds lean mass and tests muscles by enduring weight and motion much like fighting does.
If you are already “too bulky” go for lighter weight at 25 reps a set and if you really do need to pack on the beef up the weight and aim for sets of 5-8 reps. Similarly when performing calisthenics start “light”. For example, if you can’t do a press up start on your knees, then after a few routines lift your feet off the floor, a few routines later see if you are strong enough to use your full body.
Do NOT neglect your lower body! It might be our pectorals, abs and arms; that we seek to boost in order to attract attention, but having matchsticks legs helps no one. Your legs are what you stand on and having a strong powerful set of legs is very useful for martial artists. It also adds valuable muscle bulk keeping down your body fat and stops you looking weird when you do decide to hit the beach in summer.
Happy training!
I’m glad to say I can pass on a little bit of what I learnt through my own endeavour to you and illustrate my logic and thoughts as to why you need to know this stuff.
In this blog exercise falls into two large categories that can be dissected further: cardio vascular and resistance. The first deals with exercise designed to burn fat, increase all round endurance and improve traditional ideas of fitness. Examples include running, cycling, rowing, alongside many sports. Resistance work includes weightlifting, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) and weapon training.
Each type of exercise has its own benefits and place in the routines of martial artists and neither must be neglected. I spent years ignoring my CV work to my determent focussing on weights and routines designed for body sculpting not performance. It hindered my martial arts training and didn’t give me the results I wanted.
I knew that increased muscle mass burns more calories and therefore fat per hour. However I didn’t realise that cardio not only strips off fat much faster but it adds to muscle mass and definition too!
In short I broke the golden rule of ignoring my weaknesses and stayed secure working on what I was good at/enjoyed.
So what exactly should you be doing? Of course this is an individual answer and depends on what your needs are. If like me you try to train/teach martial arts 5 or 6 sometimes even 7 days a week fitting in other training can be tough and dangerously taxing.
I believe in doing a lot in short bursts, it gets faster results and is mimics the stresses of fighting with short bursts of intense activity. How many people claim to take up “jogging” and then bitch about a lack of success in losing weight?
If you amble around at a medium intensity like a Lycra clad bovine it is unlikely you’ll achieve much. If you hit the gym hard and with focus for 20-30mins and are breathing sweat out of your ears you’ll soon see results! On top of that it speeds up your metabolism and digestive system in processing food avoiding calories becoming fat and stops you over-working muscles so that they become catabolic (break down), injured and testosterone levels get used up rather than used to build muscle.
I tend to cross train and mix up routines. So typically I warm up with cardio, running and jumping on the spot before shadow boxing in 3 minute “rounds” pausing long enough to get my breath and sip some water.
I then mix sets of specific weight exercises, calisthenics and more cardio before finishing on a chin up bar with some pulls-ups, leg raises and then a “hang” to stretch my muscles and bones back out!
Here is a typical list of exercises that you should work on perfecting:
Whole Body (I include all cardio in this section)
• Clean and Press
• Kettlebell Swing
• Dead lift
• Hindu press ups
• Hindu Squats
Upper Body
• Pull-up
• Press up
• Bench Press
• Bent-over Row
• Military Press
Lower Body
• Squat
• Lunges
• Tuck Jumps
Core/Abs
• Janda sit-ups
• Leg raises
• Medicine Ball Twists
If you do not know what any or all of these exercises are then do a little bit of research. You will notice that by and large they are what are known as ‘compound’ exercises which work more than one joint at a time and very large muscle groups.
This adds bulk, tests the muscles you will use fighting not just sculpting trophy muscles and release much larger quantities of testosterone and other hormones into the body to promote better results. It also means that you target quicker long lasting gains rather than trying to perfect tricky and irrelevant exercises.
I would recommend 3 sessions a week as a rough guide and add more depending on results, tiredness and dedication. Anymore than that and you must be careful not to over-train and undo all of your hard work.
If you are a slight and want to gain lots of muscles I recommend the following work out with heavy weights – be warned it’s a killer and requires about 2 days rest afterwards!
Bulk up routine
After ten minutes of light cardio and stretching to get the blood flowing and body loose perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions of the following exercises. Be sure to keep pausing for 2 or 3 minutes between sets to allow the body time to cope with the demands.
• Clean and Press
• Bench Press
• Dead lift
• Bent-over Row
When learning these or any exercise run through them for a set or two with an empty bar to ensure your hand-eye coordination is correct and if the weight is too heavy STOP! Take a plate off and carry on. Do not exhaust yourself or hurt yourself so you can’t train for weeks!
I recommend using this particular routine once a week at most. Generally for martial artist I find that performing 3 sets of 15 reps per exercise the best way to go. It builds lean mass and tests muscles by enduring weight and motion much like fighting does.
If you are already “too bulky” go for lighter weight at 25 reps a set and if you really do need to pack on the beef up the weight and aim for sets of 5-8 reps. Similarly when performing calisthenics start “light”. For example, if you can’t do a press up start on your knees, then after a few routines lift your feet off the floor, a few routines later see if you are strong enough to use your full body.
Do NOT neglect your lower body! It might be our pectorals, abs and arms; that we seek to boost in order to attract attention, but having matchsticks legs helps no one. Your legs are what you stand on and having a strong powerful set of legs is very useful for martial artists. It also adds valuable muscle bulk keeping down your body fat and stops you looking weird when you do decide to hit the beach in summer.
Happy training!
Fighting Fit (and other ideals)
Sat, Jan 9 2010 10:05
| speed, stamina, sport, health, strength, wrestling, martial arts, power, boxing, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, fitness, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Fitness, exercise and performance are all issues that cause much debate in the martial arts and the wider world. The fact it is a billion dollar industry across the globe tells us all we need to know about the incessant hunt for new ideas, products gadgets and to some extent fetishist tendencies of those involved.
How many gyms does your local area have? Even twenty years ago the idea of attending a gym was a rather quirky and niche one. The modern phenomena of the high street “mall” style gym is interesting in itself however what role do they play for the martial artist?
Shouldn’t training alone give you the body you desire? Well that depends if what you desire is a body you can use or one you can flaunt. Professional boxers and wrestlers all have enviable physiques and this come from the training they do and the physical needs they have.
However we can learn a lot from these disciplines in terms of performance and fitness. Imagine having the strength, speed and endurance of a boxer with the subtlety and skill Wing Tsun offers, it is something Grandmaster Kernspecht seems to know a great deal about.
It is no coincidence in my opinion that at the beginning of his WT career GM Kernspecht was a beast of a man, a professional wrestler and martial artist of some repute. These days he places great emphasis on the most basic and challenging of exercises – the pull up. Despite some bizarre preconceptions I have come across, it is very obvious the ancient Chinese have used various calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), fitness tools (ropes, weapons, large iron locks) and challenges to keep a person fitter and more alert. Yoga and tai chi may look like gentle pursuits but they are tougher than some sparring session if you ask me!
Combine the pull up with the Spartan favourite – press ups, and Russian staple – squats the GM’s exercise makes up part of a holy trinity for me in terms of martial fitness.
There is an odd belief or denial amongst some Kung Fu practitioners that their skill and dedication is far more important than having a useful and well maintained body. I am dubious of this. If you don’t take of yourself and maintain your strength, suppleness and ability to push your body how can you survive in a fight?
If you are barely fit enough to break into a jog, lasting punch for punch with any foe (however unsophisticated they may be) is going to go horribly wrong. So what’s the answer then? For me it is keeping a healthy level of fitness and performance as a bare minimum, this is a key to life in general not just martial arts.
If you can spare half an hour a day you can achieve a lot, combine that with your regular training and you’ll be doing ok. These things are all relative, the more you want to achieve the more you must do but it can be fun and rewarding.
Where to start? The answer is in the mirror not the scales. If you look healthy you will feel healthy, a sense of confidence and belief are powerful tools to be used. Talk of BMI’s, ideal weights and body fat are somewhat misleading and not that useful.
Next time you get the chance take a look at yourself in the mirror in your underwear and just notice where your body fat sits, what muscle definition and mass you have and use that as a starting point. The ratio of fat and muscle will dictate the ratio of cardiovascular exercise (CV) and resistance work you will need to focus on. It can be a horrible thing to do but it is necessary if you are serious about your fitness being improved and manageable.
One thing you must always focus on is your goals. If you are martial artist then you need to exercise like one. I spent years trying to use bodybuilding knowledge and ideas to become fitter and leaner and I achieved very little, wasting time, money and effort. “Be what you want to be” as one instructor told me.
If you are a martial artist that means handling your own body first and then being able to handle other people. This means:
• Hitting things (pads, bags, consenting training partners),
• Improving endurance with CV work,
• Testing your “useful muscles” to their limit with weights metal, rubber or bodyweight,
• Maintaining joint mobility and flexibility with form practice, stretches and relaxation.
In my next entry I will be looking various routines and exercises I like and find useful and my plans for getting fitter, leaner and meaner this year and beyond.
How many gyms does your local area have? Even twenty years ago the idea of attending a gym was a rather quirky and niche one. The modern phenomena of the high street “mall” style gym is interesting in itself however what role do they play for the martial artist?
Shouldn’t training alone give you the body you desire? Well that depends if what you desire is a body you can use or one you can flaunt. Professional boxers and wrestlers all have enviable physiques and this come from the training they do and the physical needs they have.
However we can learn a lot from these disciplines in terms of performance and fitness. Imagine having the strength, speed and endurance of a boxer with the subtlety and skill Wing Tsun offers, it is something Grandmaster Kernspecht seems to know a great deal about.
It is no coincidence in my opinion that at the beginning of his WT career GM Kernspecht was a beast of a man, a professional wrestler and martial artist of some repute. These days he places great emphasis on the most basic and challenging of exercises – the pull up. Despite some bizarre preconceptions I have come across, it is very obvious the ancient Chinese have used various calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), fitness tools (ropes, weapons, large iron locks) and challenges to keep a person fitter and more alert. Yoga and tai chi may look like gentle pursuits but they are tougher than some sparring session if you ask me!
Combine the pull up with the Spartan favourite – press ups, and Russian staple – squats the GM’s exercise makes up part of a holy trinity for me in terms of martial fitness.
There is an odd belief or denial amongst some Kung Fu practitioners that their skill and dedication is far more important than having a useful and well maintained body. I am dubious of this. If you don’t take of yourself and maintain your strength, suppleness and ability to push your body how can you survive in a fight?
If you are barely fit enough to break into a jog, lasting punch for punch with any foe (however unsophisticated they may be) is going to go horribly wrong. So what’s the answer then? For me it is keeping a healthy level of fitness and performance as a bare minimum, this is a key to life in general not just martial arts.
If you can spare half an hour a day you can achieve a lot, combine that with your regular training and you’ll be doing ok. These things are all relative, the more you want to achieve the more you must do but it can be fun and rewarding.
Where to start? The answer is in the mirror not the scales. If you look healthy you will feel healthy, a sense of confidence and belief are powerful tools to be used. Talk of BMI’s, ideal weights and body fat are somewhat misleading and not that useful.
Next time you get the chance take a look at yourself in the mirror in your underwear and just notice where your body fat sits, what muscle definition and mass you have and use that as a starting point. The ratio of fat and muscle will dictate the ratio of cardiovascular exercise (CV) and resistance work you will need to focus on. It can be a horrible thing to do but it is necessary if you are serious about your fitness being improved and manageable.
One thing you must always focus on is your goals. If you are martial artist then you need to exercise like one. I spent years trying to use bodybuilding knowledge and ideas to become fitter and leaner and I achieved very little, wasting time, money and effort. “Be what you want to be” as one instructor told me.
If you are a martial artist that means handling your own body first and then being able to handle other people. This means:
• Hitting things (pads, bags, consenting training partners),
• Improving endurance with CV work,
• Testing your “useful muscles” to their limit with weights metal, rubber or bodyweight,
• Maintaining joint mobility and flexibility with form practice, stretches and relaxation.
In my next entry I will be looking various routines and exercises I like and find useful and my plans for getting fitter, leaner and meaner this year and beyond.
Why do we train?
Sat, Dec 19 2009 04:30
| 2010, training, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, change, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
I've started all of this blogging stuff at the tail end of 2009 and as an end of year, reflective kinda mood takes hold it all seems more than appropriate.
The last 12 months have been turbulent in all areas of my life for a million reasons. But I still turned up for training day in day out. I still went down in the dungeon and flung a kettlebell about, picked up a bar or got down on my knees for all sorts of calisthenics.
One of the reasons is my belief in the "Use it or lose it!" principle. A belief that if you stop doing what you do for just a fraction too long it'll be a long road getting it back. Another is the habit. Exercise, training and the stresses and strains of it relase different chemicals and hormones in the body, in short: it makes me happy.
The other reason to keep going is necessity. As someone entrusted to teach and help others it is my duty to maintain my trianing at all times, how can I expect my students to practice if I don't?!?!
Please be aware the reasons I train now are in some ways a million miles away from why I started. The journey we all go on in martial arts is (hopefully) a long one, but if years later you are still trying to perfect the simplest and humblest of goals that you started with; I would suggest something has gone wrong.
The ability to change and adapt isn't something that applys just to the classroom it should be something you have when approaching all aspects of training. Evolving your mindset and needs to meet ever increasing challenges is the key to success.
Appraising myself, my abilities and my outlook has been painful this year but necessary. In 2010 be prepared to do something new and different everyday, that's my advice for what it's worth. If you can't even consider changing your approach you'll never be able to do it and it's the area I'll be working on most......even more than giving up the sugar and getting that six pack!
So, why do you train? Whether it's exercise, martial arts, a hobby or a skill, why do you do what you do?
The last 12 months have been turbulent in all areas of my life for a million reasons. But I still turned up for training day in day out. I still went down in the dungeon and flung a kettlebell about, picked up a bar or got down on my knees for all sorts of calisthenics.
One of the reasons is my belief in the "Use it or lose it!" principle. A belief that if you stop doing what you do for just a fraction too long it'll be a long road getting it back. Another is the habit. Exercise, training and the stresses and strains of it relase different chemicals and hormones in the body, in short: it makes me happy.
The other reason to keep going is necessity. As someone entrusted to teach and help others it is my duty to maintain my trianing at all times, how can I expect my students to practice if I don't?!?!
Please be aware the reasons I train now are in some ways a million miles away from why I started. The journey we all go on in martial arts is (hopefully) a long one, but if years later you are still trying to perfect the simplest and humblest of goals that you started with; I would suggest something has gone wrong.
The ability to change and adapt isn't something that applys just to the classroom it should be something you have when approaching all aspects of training. Evolving your mindset and needs to meet ever increasing challenges is the key to success.
Appraising myself, my abilities and my outlook has been painful this year but necessary. In 2010 be prepared to do something new and different everyday, that's my advice for what it's worth. If you can't even consider changing your approach you'll never be able to do it and it's the area I'll be working on most......even more than giving up the sugar and getting that six pack!
So, why do you train? Whether it's exercise, martial arts, a hobby or a skill, why do you do what you do?