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As a black belt in martial arts, in addition to being a certified fitness trainer, I am asked all the time what is the best workout or routine for a beginner or someone who has trained before and is just coming back. There are many answers to this, but I usually tell them that the easiest way to get back into training is to make it as simple as possible … especially when it comes to martial arts. I’ve never seen more injuries than in class when someone is doing a new technique, giving it their all after a long break.
Now, I have been strength training most of my life and have been doing martial arts conditioning for the last 8 years. What works for me won’t necessarily work for others, but there are many things a person can make from a generic mold that will work well for simple conditioning and will cost no more than that person’s time and energy. Since we are basically the same physiologically (we have to be or modern medicine could not exist), there are many ways to achieve what you want in terms of fitness and conditioning that will work no matter what type of exercise you choose to do. regardless of body type or current condition.
For my aerobic training, I find kicking the heavy bag, jumping rope, and kata for 30-40 minutes do me good in that arena. For my strength conditioning, I lift weights or do some type of bodyweight exercise, but because this predominantly has to do with martial arts conditioning, I lean more towards bodyweight exercises like push-ups (various types), squats with body weight, core training such as lying and standing crunches, and back or shoulder bridges that allow you to strengthen and lengthen the spine for flexibility. Functional strength is infinitely more important in martial arts than brute strength, as it conditions your body to stabilize in unstable positions. In all of this, keep in mind that this is what I do and that there is no need to rush into “banzai” conditioning just because you feel it is necessary to excel in martial arts. Depending on how you are at the moment, you can start with something as easy as walking. At this point, I must say that before starting any type of conditioning program, you should contact your doctor to schedule a complete physical exam. It is a very good idea and you can address any concerns you may have before starting your training. The most irresponsible thing a person can do is start out in full force without a “clean bill of health” only to be left incapacitated with injury or worse. Just as your training, and your entire life, is a process, so is your conditioning. Take your time and make sure.
Next, I want you to understand that this type of exercise and conditioning doesn’t have to be done in a gym or dojo alone. This type of training can be done anywhere. The main thing is that you have to get up and do something … ANYTHING … just to get started. Thinking too much about exercising does not constitute exercise. Everything is a process and what I have found is that if you can get through the first four weeks of training, you have it done. I always tell my clients that when starting any type of training, they will be sore during the first few workouts, but I adhere to the idea that, knowing that you are going to be sore when starting this, get the pain out of the way as quickly as possible. . as possible making sure to do your next workout … and the next … and the next.
Here is a possible strength / cardio / mental training program that you could use as a template:
Monday: Bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, bodyweight squats, or shoulder bridges,
sit-ups or a full-body weight training routine.
Tuesday: Cardio training … jumping rope, bag work, running, strenuous walking, kata, etc.
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: Cardio Training … choose what works best to safely raise your heart rate.
Friday: Strength Training … again, choose what works for you, bodyweight or weight exercises.
training
Saturday / Sunday: Take time for yourself and your family.
Here are a couple of other simple programs that you can do at home. These are great workouts for starters, and once you get started they can turn into nice little routines. I use them with many of my clients who are just beginning or returning to their training. The best part is … it costs you nothing but time and effort! They are as follows:
If you’re watching a 1-hour TV show, every time a 2-minute commercial comes up, scroll down and do as many push-ups (knuckles, straight, fingertips, etc.) as you can in 2 minutes. The next commercial, do as many bodyweight squats as you can, the next one, as many sit-ups as you can, etc., etc. By the time the program is over, you’ll have a nice little conditioning program that didn’t require you to go anywhere or spend money to achieve it. Another method is to take a simple deck of cards and simply turn them over one at a time. Whatever number comes up, (Ace is worth 11, not 1!) That’s the number of reps you do for whatever exercise you choose. Try to go through as much of the deck as you can, but if the whole deck seems overwhelming, and you surely will in the early stages, take as many as you are comfortable with and yes, you can choose which cards and their values. you want to work with!
Using these simple techniques when doing your conditioning will help you achieve your training and conditioning goals, but remember, start slowly and work at your own pace. If you can only do a few reps of any exercise … even if it’s just one rep … start there and build up from there. Also, be sure to do some kind of stretching after warming up and include it in your cool down at the end of your workout. Nutrition is a HUGE component in all of this too. I will address that in my next article.
Now when it comes to martial arts specific conditioning and body hardening, I’d say the heavy or hanging bag for conditioning feet and shins, even hands, is a great place to start. A makawara board is also a good place to start conditioning your hands (start with the canvas or leather type), but also, Century Martial Arts makes a training bag called the BOB … Body Opponent Bag. It’s like a Wavemaster but has a life-size human torso rather than a bag made of very hard rubber. He can hit from the midsection to the head, and since he’s anatomically correct, he can also work on his target with punches and hand kicks. It hurts a bit at first, but again, this is a process so you can work your way up to hitting harder. All of these methods are simple to implement and allow you to accelerate your training at your own speed.
If there is anything I can impart to you about all of this, it would be PLEASE listen to your body. If you are doing something that really hurts, stop. The last thing you want to do is take a break from your training because of an injury that you could have avoided with a little foresight. There is a lot of information on this topic. Read a bit and study how the body works as it can help you decide what you need to do for general conditioning. In martial arts, your body moves as one, so you must train the whole body to respond as one. You can ensure that you gain as much knowledge as possible on the subject of conditioning before starting your program.
To the extent that it is important that we train to achieve physical fitness, it is equally important that we take time to rest and recover from all stress (remember that stress, positive or negative, is still stress) and part of that recovery it involves spending time with our family and friends. This gives us time for the mental and emotional side of things and allows us to validate why we do what we do. Total fitness of body … mind … spirit. That’s what martial arts and life are all about. Tie all of that together and see how simple it is to reach your training and life goals!
