subject: Conditioning For Martial Arts [print this page] Conditioning For Martial Arts Conditioning For Martial Arts
Martial arts is an excellent form of exercise that has the added benefit of improving defensive and offensive tactics. In fact, most people do not consider martial arts as an exercise, since really it's much more intellectually challenging than going to the gym and pumping some weights. By improving both the mental and physical state, martial arts is ideal for development, regardless of age.
However, even though a martial arts class enhances strength and cardiovascular ability, training solely in the class is often insufficient. The tasks performed in class are usually not enough to really improve the general strength, flexibility and cardiovascular performance of a student. As a result, it is highly recommended that additional conditioning is done as a complement to regular training.
The benefits of conditioning for martial arts are numerous. By improving strength, movements involving brute force and tactile power are enhanced so that a punch is stronger and kicks are harder. By improving flexibility, the student can kick higher and perform movements with more ease. By improving cardiovascular endurance, students can perform more repetitions and most importantly, last longer in a match. Conditioning for martial arts involves performing exercises that are not only specially designed for the martial artist, but also can be performed by anyone, not just the marital artist.
Beneficial conditioning exercises should feature the following traits to be the most effective:
They should incorporate the whole body. Martial arts often involve the entire body to perform a punch, kick, or other movement well. Try not to do exercises that make you disconnect the body and isolate a single muscle. This is artificial movement and can be counter-productive, teaching you that the body shouldn't cooperate with itself.
Practice good form. No matter what conditioning exercise you do, try to perform each with the same level of control and discipline invested into martial arts training. Just because you aren't learning how to punch, it doesn't mean that you should get sloppy. It's still physical activity.
Stick to a set routine for an average of 18 weeks. Increase the weight after four weeks to maximize strength, then continue for another 3-4 weeks. In the last 2-3 weeks, work on power development and muscle endurance.
Don't forget to let your body rest, especially after you've weight trained. This is important because the body needs to heal itself in order to improve strength. If you ignore this point, you risk actually becoming weaker and causing damage to your muscles and body.
