Zyaga Writing about whatever the hell I want, cuz it's the Interwebz!

Tuesday Tips: Condensing Your Training

This is the first post of what I like to call Tuesday Tips (or TT for short). Every Tuesday from here on out, I will be writing an article specifically for you, the viewers, to ponder upon and possibly use. Most of my articles are either about my personal training, or my thoughts on a certain topic, but TT will forever be about tips that will hopefully help a few of you out there. The first TT tip is about Condensing Your Training. Enjoy.

Too often when we think about exercising, our mind automatically focuses on all the different exercises we need to tone and build muscle in the different areas of our body. Sometimes we just need to take a step back from all those things and realise, sometimes the best training we can do for our bodies is the training we enjoy. For instance, I really love beating on my heavy bag. Sure, I can work out my arms, core, and legs all by independantly working on them individually, piece by piece. But most of us don’t have a lot of time on our hands. Yet, we know we need to get our Martial Art practice in as well as make sure our bodies stay in shape.

I believe many of the exercises we currently do can be pushed off to the side if we replace them with others. The more we condense our training, the less time everything will take. The more we can fit into less time, the better, right? Well, you can take it too far, but if you’re sensible about it, you can balance the whole thing pretty evenly. A training technique I like to use that my instructor had us do before when we were over at his place, in his basement, is to beat on a punching bag in intervals. Basically, it went something like this(assuming the intervals were 30 seconds):

1. Hands only(includes elbows; focus on speed not power) for 30 seconds.
2. Rest for 30 seconds.
3. Kicks only(no knees; focus on technique) for 30 seconds.
4. Rest for 30 seconds.
5. Knees only(no kicks; focus on speed not power) for 30 seconds.
6. Rest for 30 seconds.
7. Go all out(full speed and power; even use your forehead if you’re bold enough! ) for 30 seconds.

The interval length all depends on what you’re able to handle. You may have to work yourself up to being able to do 30 second rounds, or that may already be way too easy for you. Just make sure you adjust it to your own level and work your way up at a reasonable pace. The whole goal of this exercise is that you’re working on quite a variety of things. You’re working on your muscles(arms, legs, core, etc), technique, and endurance. The more times you do this, the higher you’ll be able to increase the interval length. What that proves, is that your endurance level is raising.

This exercise is just one of my faveorties, but obviously there are plenty of others that can provide similiar effects. The point is that you’re condensing some of your exercises down into a Martial Art workout. See the difference? If you’re like me, this is a big motivation booster. I hate working out just for the sake of working out. Yet, when I get to punch and bash something over and over, or work on a technique that improves my Martial Art ability all while secretly toning muscle and building my endurance, I happen to find myself having too much fun.

From now on as you work out, try thinking of ways you could turn it into a Martial Art workout yet still acheive the same results.