Help In Jump-Starting Cardio?!?!

[XtremeJ_AKKI]

Howdy all,

Well, the spring semester is now over, so I can breathe ( don't know what I'm going to do with myself without all that homework, lol ).

Here's my situation: I was scheduled to test for 2nd degree black at the end of the summer, so I was going to take my time over the next couple of months to really refine my training and physique. Seeing that I had the entire summer, I decided to concentrate on my finals and wait until the week after school ends ( tomorrow ) to start easing into the heavier stuff.

Only problem is, my test has been bumped to June 14th. Yikes.

My biggest problem is cardio ( seems my lack of knowledge in the area corresponds with this fact ), and I don't want to run out of gas on this one. So, I've got a little less than five weeks to get my cardio up for this test, and I need a little advice, please.

I intend to run ( I've already began doing just that a couple of nights this week, just to see where I'm at, did better than I thought I would ) everyday, but I'm wondering if I should run twice a day starting on the second week, or would that be detrimental to my efforts?

Or, should I run every day the first week, then run ( every morning ) and do a little jump-roping ( every night )?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :asian:

 

[MountainSage]

I am no expert; try twice per day, try more, see what your body can handle and push from there. It is not some much about "conditioning", but training your body to go beyond limits. I run 4 miles 4 days per week, Hill sprints 3 days per week and ride a rowing machine every morning and I sleep really good. Always look for your limit and then push through. Hope that helps.

Mountain Sage

 

[Withered Soul]

Try using a jump/skipping rope. 10 mins of skipping is the same as 30 mins of jogging.

 

[Quick Sand]

Just be sure you take one day of complete rest each week. You body needs time to recovery. If you don't give it at least one day a week you run a serious risk of injury and burnout. You could even make yourself worse off if you really overtrain. Just a cautionary note.

 

[KennethKu]

That is correct. Overtraining leads to atrophy. Gylcogen in the muscle takes about 24-48 hours to be replendished. If you exhaust yourself continously, your body would be run down instead.

 

[chufeng]

Generally, the body peaks at about six weeks of intensive training. So you really do need to start now.

1) Go for a long distance run every other day (say, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)...3 to 5 miles is fine...try for an eight to ten minute mile...that develops endurance and is truly aerobic.

2) On the other days (Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday), do interval training (on a quarter mile track, sprint the straight track and walk or jog on the curve, then sprint the straight track...etc....on a football field, sprint 100 yards on the sideline, walk or jog across the end zone to the opposite side of the field, sprint 100 yards...etc.) Just when you think you can't go any longer...do one more sprint.

3) Keep up with your forms training and any other things you routinely do...don't sacrifice one for the other.

4) Rest on Sunday...use that as a day to relax...go through the forms in your mind, but don't do them physically...this gives the body time to "remember."

Good luck on your test.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Robbo]

Hey,

I'm surprised nobody but one person has metioned combining your M.A. with your conditioning. After all if you get to the test and can get through due to conditioning being top notch but your techniques suffer because you haven't worked them would really suck.

What you need to do is maintain a high intensity, recover, and then do it again which is different from being able to run for miles (intensity low).

I would suggest stringing your forms together and just blast through them without stopping. This can be done several different ways also.

1) Stretch out the forms for flexibility and strength training.
2) Blast through them for conditioning.
3) Work proper technique so you know how long you can keep it together before you lose it, then try and extend that point.

This has the added advantage of being able to work what you have to test with rather than just running.

(not a big fan of running

Rob

 

[chufeng]

Robbo,

I'm not a fan of running...never was...but Uncle Sam thought it was the WAY to go...so I pounded my joints for the required time to retire...

However, my recommendations come from a very respected boxing coach...

Even Bruce Lee said going beyond seven miles (three times a week) was detrimental...and I'm not a huge fan of Bruce, but I can learn a bit from everyone...

I am not dismissing your recommendations...but I do think SOME aerobic work might be a good idea...

Intensive workouts tend to be less aerobic and more non-aerobic...and doing that continuously leads to bad things...you have to balance the aerobic and the non-aerobic stuff.

Maybe I'm misreading your message, but it sounds like you are suggesting INTENSIVE training 24/7...

The interval training is very intensive...
The low intensity aerobic long distance stuff allows for some recuperation from the Intensive stuff....it's about balancing the training to accomplish the desired results with minimal negative impact on the person (and hopefully, a positive impact)...

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Robbo]

Hey Chufeng,

I guess the point of my post was that to get used to going the distance in a grading then train like you are doing the grading. That way you will build your conditioning and you will get the added benefit of sharpening your techniques.

It doesn't all have to be high intensity, of course you have to listen to your body and do what is right for you.

When I get ready for my gradings I usually start 3 months ahead of time (after having learnt all the material for at least one year beforehand and putting in time requirements of course). I would train 5-6 days a week twice a day on tuesday's and Thursday's. Training time was 2-3 hours depending, during 2/day training the afternoon session was 1 -1/2 hours long. I took took Sunday off or worked the mental aspect (theory and such). I was able to cycle through my material 3 times in 3 months hitting everything pretty well. I've done this for 1st and 2nd degree gradings and it seems to work for me.

But you have to LISTEN to your body. I was doing the Advanced Tae-Bo tape (I know, I know) to warm up for class as well as all those things listed above and after a month my knees were constantly aching (something about medial and lateral tendons I think) but I stopped the Tae Bo stuff and warmed up another way. Not because I had to but because my body was telling me something, you shouldn't have to wait until you can't walk to figure this stuff out. After I dropped the Tae Bo my knees felt better in about a week.

To reiterate my point if you are going to train for a grading then train the stuff you will be grading with, rather than spending time on exercises that only benefit you in one aspect. Why not get two for the price of one.

Rob

 

[chufeng]

Gotcha...

:asian:
chufeng

 

[XtremeJ_AKKI]

Thank you all!!! :asian: