Strength training

[Ceicei]

My dojo did a benchmark physical test of the students last night (such as timed push-ups & sit-ups, # of pull ups, long jump from a stand, timed jumps with jump-ropes, short distance run, etc.) Hopefully in a month or so, we can beat our original marks. The instructor emphasized this is not competition with each other because each one of us are different (age, physical ability, time schedule, etc). The point is to compete with ourselves and improve our own scores.

No surprise here: Men tend to be pretty strong with their upper bodies. Women tend to be stong with their lower bodies.

What I am wondering is, as a female, what are possible things I can do at home to increase my strength, my stamina, and my endurance?

I don't really have the money to invest in a local health club and I don't want to buy expensive, fancy equipment. Perhaps something in a reasonable price range, or things around the home that could be converted into equipment?

Between my full time job, my husband, four kids, and working out with martial arts, I have limited time. Any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated.

- Ceicei

[KenpoTess]

Good for you ~! :)

I think we become more competitive when it's competing with our own selves in something.

I suggest both Aerobic and Anaerobic workouts. You can work up a good aerobic program at home using various exercises include walking briskly, jogging in place during inclement weather, holding small weights or wearing ankle weights. exer-cycling, swimming etc. Anything to get your heart pumping and lungs working will benefit your stamina and endurance range.
Jump roping is a Great one too:)


Anaerobics will strengthen- and increase stamina and muscle endurance as well.

Resistance Bands are portable and not expensive.. they can be used anywhere and are as powerful as weights for exercising.

Small light weights are good for women.

To Increase stamina and muscle endurance.
It requires higher number of repetitions and lesser number of sets and rests.

Good luck ~!
Tess

[Athena]

I used to play volleyball and we did all kinds of jump training that you might be able to use. I'm not sure if it actually improved my vertical (never measured it), but it sure gives your legs a work-out. Some of the exercises are hard on the knees, but lunges are a good one. You feel the burn..

We also did box jumps with arobic mats and a jump rope exercise. Box jumps are high impact, but I don't think the jump-rope one is too bad. What you do is take two chairs and set them a few feet apart and then loosely tie (or have someone hold) a jump rope about a foot or two off the ground. Then you jump back and forth across it with both feet, trying to bring your knees as close to your chest as possible. You need an arobics mat to stretch across the floor under the rope, but I don't hink it's as high-impact as the box jumps. We did three sets of 20 and this one's good because it lets you build up to the height you want to use.

Ladders are easy as well... we just put tape on the ground and used it for footwork. It definitely gets your heart rate up if you do different exercises for long enough and fast enough.

Good luck!

~JJ

[edhead2000]

Right on! I love my resistance bands. Simple, easy to use, and portable. I also love my balance ball, also cheap and easy to use. Stretching exercises are wonderful and good for relaxation. I also try to walk an hour a day. I've come to really enjoy and look forward to it because it gives me time to think and I don't have to worry about anyone or anything else.

Erin

[MJS]

You dont need to invest money in a club if you dont want to. There are things such as body weight exercises that you can do right in your own home. Sit ups, push ups, squats, etc. will give your body a good workout. Of course, changeing them up a little to, will also help. Example: when doing push ups, making a triangle on the floor with your hands, will hit your triceps. Keeping your hands wide will hit the chest muscles differently, as well as putting your feet on a chair, as this will hit the upper chest area.

For the cardio, of course, you have walking. Jumping rope as well as climbing stairs is an excellent source of cardio. They also have tapes that you can follow along with that would assist with the cardio.

Hope that this was a help to you!

Mike

[Ceicei]

Originally posted by MJS
You dont need to invest money in a club if you dont want to. There are things such as body weight exercises that you can do right in your own home. Sit ups, push ups, squats, etc. will give your body a good workout. Of course, changeing them up a little to, will also help. Example: when doing push ups, making a triangle on the floor with your hands, will hit your triceps. Keeping your hands wide will hit the chest muscles differently, as well as putting your feet on a chair, as this will hit the upper chest area.


Cool! Any other tips? Thank you.

- Ceicei

[MJS]

Originally posted by Ceicei
Cool! Any other tips? Thank you.

- Ceicei

You're welcome!:asian:

I know that Matt Furey has a book out on body weight conditioning. I have not seen it, so I'm not sure how in-depth it goes as far as training, but a friend of mine has it and seems to like it.

What else are you looking to do as far as the training goes? Let us know what else you're looking at, and I'm sure that we all can come up with some ideas!

Mike

[eric]

Keeping it simple is the best. Jog, jump rope, jumping jacks in place - as long as its intense enought to get you a bit winded for 20 minutes or so. Push ups from the knees, arms wide, arms close. Do these until failure on a consistent basis and your strenght will improve. Simple sit -ups where you lie on your back and just contract your pelvic area up. This movement works the lower abs and skips the hip flexor workout that occurs with other sit-up types. I know that Marc Eccard came out with a new Brazilian Jiu Jitsu video call Flow. It has a lot of exercises relevant to body wait and movement - looks good and he has a solid reputation in BJJ and strenght & fitness.

Hope this helps a bit.

I'm actually on the hunt for a good training program for Brazilian Jiu jitsu competition. Best way to gain sports specific strenght and muscular endurance - and tips on recovery. Anything there would be helpful to me.

[hardheadjarhead]

You didn't mention how much "expensive" was, Ceicei...but the floor mounted bags are great for timed rounds. They roll into a corner out of the way.

Alot of good advice in this thread...I'll add a bit.

When I was in the Marines a lieutenant had us do situps in thirty second intervals...doing them as fast as we could and then resting for a minute. Sort of like wind sprints.

Placing a small weight on your chest and doing crunches is helpful, I've found. It could be a thick dictionary.

I like depth pushups...but then I have healthy shoulders. This is where you do the pushup down between two cinder blocks or something. For those with rotater cuff issues...this isn't good.

Regards,


Steve

[dearnis.com]

kettlebells!!

[Ceicei]

kettlebells!!
What are they?

[Quick Sand]

Hey Ceicei,

Have you done a second test yet to see if you've improved? If so, let us know how it went. :)

[Ceicei]

Hey Ceicei,

Have you done a second test yet to see if you've improved? If so, let us know how it went. :)
Ummm. Yes. The second test came right before I picked up intensive cardio/weightlifting training. My scores were pretty much the same--not much difference. Now that I'm into training for endurance and power, I hope my third scores in a few weeks will show some difference. I do realize that it will take time to build up, but I plan on beating my previous scores by a good margin.

- Ceicei

[dearnis.com]

kettlebells are essentially cannonballs with handles on top. They are used in 1 arm ballistic lifts which give you a hell of a cardio workout on top of building strength. The eccentric center of mass gives a much more, um, challenging, workout than does a dumb bell in a similar or higher weight.

[Ceicei]

kettlebells are essentially cannonballs with handles on top. They are used in 1 arm ballistic lifts which give you a hell of a cardio workout on top of building strength. The eccentric center of mass gives a much more, um, challenging, workout than does a dumb bell in a similar or higher weight.
Do you have a picture to show what kettlebells look like? If so, could you attach it for me to view? Thank you.

- Ceicei

[KenpoGirl]

Do you have a picture to show what kettlebells look like? If so, could you attach it for me to view? Thank you.- CeiceiHere is the main website fore Kettlebells. http://http://www.dragondoor.com/
I have been seriously considering take up this type of training.
It is suppose to give you great results without really bulking you up.

Main issue is the cost. One kettlebell can range from $80 to $200 plus, depending on the weight. Luckily I have found a Canadian Manufacture and they are even in Ontario where I am. As soon as the weather gets better I plan to drive up and try a class. (There about 2hrs away from me)

Dot
:asian:

[Ceicei]

Here is the main website fore Kettlebells. http://http://www.dragondoor.com/
I have been seriously considering take up this type of training.
<snip>
As soon as the weather gets better I plan to drive up and try a class. (There about 2hrs away from me)

Dot
:asian:If you do try a class, let me know how it goes and what you discovered.

- Ceicei

[gojukylie]

The best tool I have ever used for strength training would be the Chi Ishi. All Karateka should have one and it is originally from Okinawa. You can make them at home and they even have forms that you can do with them. 10 min with this thing and you know about it. Check it out.!!!

http://freespace.virgin.net/gaz.draper/CHISHI1.gif

If you would like copies of the forms and info on how to make one let me know.
:asian:

[Ceicei]

The best tool I have ever used for strength training would be the Chi Ishi. All Karateka should have one and it is originally from Okinawa. You can make them at home <snip>
If you would like copies of the forms and info on how to make one let me know.


Yes, I am interested. If you have the info on how to make and the forms to do, please email me. If you need my snail mail address, let me know.

Thank you.

- Ceicei

[gojukylie]

[QUOTE=Ceicei]Yes, I am interested. If you have the info on how to make and the forms to do, please email me. If you need my snail mail address, let me know.

Thank you.

I will grab a copy from home and figure out the best way to forward them onto this sight for you. That way others can view them too.

To make one!!

You need:
Plastic pot plant container - pick a size that will suit you (remember it is going to be filled with concrete)
Grab yourself a small bag of quickset concrete.
A broom handle (I recommend you cut it down to twice the length of the pot)
2 Large nails.

Sand down the handle so its nice and smooth and on the length that will be in the cement hammer 2 nails through the handle so it holds better when the concrete sets. Mix your concrete together and put the handle in the centre of the pot holding it straight and pack the concrete around bottom. Hold it for a while and when it sets enough let it sit for about 5 hours.
You are ready to go and I usually leave the plastic on, but its up to you.

Your arm strength will increase rapidly and through proper exercise you will experience heaps of benefits throughout. Holding them whilst doing low stances strengthens your legs too.
I just attended a class with Kyoshi Tino Ceberano and we did 15 min of Chi ishi work. he was taught by Gogen Yamaguchi and the lessons are really traditional. You really know about it. Any questions just ask.

:ultracool

[Ceicei]

Your arm strength will increase rapidly and through proper exercise you will experience heaps of benefits throughout. Holding them whilst doing low stances strengthens your legs too.
I just attended a class with Kyoshi Tino Ceberano and we did 15 min of Chi ishi work. he was taught by Gogen Yamaguchi and the lessons are really traditional. You really know about it. Any questions just ask.

:ultracool
Thank you! I'll be waiting for the forms information!

- Ceicei

[loki09789]

Depending on what your instructor is doing to improve your strength and condition in class, or what you are doing out of class, you probably won't see measurable results/difference for 8 to 12 weeks. Sometimes, the scores may even tip before the 8/12 week mark because of the change your body is going through. If the scores go down, don't see it as failure as much as an indicator of a needed change.

I love physical conditioning/exercise and have a dendency to 'over train.' My scores on assessments have gone down at times because of it.

Check out Brian Mac's site (just type his name) and he has tons of programs and assessments and how they fit. Good luck

Paul M

[Ceicei]

Thank you. I'm glad you mentioned there may be a time lag before seeing any real difference in my scores or I would have started to wonder if I was doing anything wrong.

Just a question: For maximum muscle strength and endurance, do you do weightlifting every day or every other day?

- Ceicei

[moving target]

I think the answer depends on what exercises you are doing. If you are lifting heavy weight you need to give the muscle groups exercised time to recuperate which probably means more than 24 hours, most people I know leave about 48 hours in-between their sections for the same muscle groups but will work different groups on different days (like lower body one day upper the next) and possibly leave 1 or two days a week off in addition.

For most body weight exercises you can quite possibly exercise them every day, but that also depends on how had you are exercising the muscles. If you over train you will need to give the muscle a day or two rest at least for it to heal.

[Ceicei]

Ummm. You answered my question.

I had wondered if I needed to change my routine a bit. Currently, during my lunch breaks, I work all muscle groups wightlifting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Also during lunch breaks, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays, I do cardio exercising (such as running).

It looks like I'm okay that way.

I also have my American Kenpo training Tuesday/Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.

- Ceicei

[Quick Sand]

Ummm. You answered my question.

I had wondered if I needed to change my routine a bit. Currently, during my lunch breaks, I work all muscle groups wightlifting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Also during lunch breaks, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays, I do cardio exercising (such as running).

It looks like I'm okay that way.

I also have my American Kenpo training Tuesday/Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.

- Ceicei

Looks like you take Sundays off by what you said. That's really important, you should have at least one day a week of COMPLETE rest. Like I said, looks like you already doing it but thought I'd mention it just in case.

[Ceicei]

Yes, I do take Sundays off.

- Ceicei