Solo Training

[wynnema]

I've recently reduced my TKD classes to once a week and used the other time to train alone with a kickbag so I can focus on the areas I want to improve on. Seem to be just teaching of late and I'm getting bored.

At the moment I am mainly doing kicking workouts about 45mins to try and increase the power of my kicks and get both legs equal usually followed by 20 mins of stretching.

My workouts are a little sketchy and I would appreciate any suggestions from people who regularly train alone with a focus on bag work

Cheers
Mark

 

[Corporal Hicks]

Hi there,
Well there are many different ways to work the bag depending on what you are trying to achieve. I used to have sketchy programs too but it ultimately depends on what your trying to do. If you want power then you really got to lay into the bag. The orginal things I tried to do were.

Warm up (jog or something)
Bit of light shadow sparring against the bag, nothing heavy just get the muscles and joints ready for the workout.
Then, say fifty turning kicks each leg. (or whatever)
A minutes rest
Bit more light sparring
Fifty front kicks each leg (or whatever)
A minutes rest
Then pratice leg combinations, say turning kick, reverse turning kick.
Then in the last ten minutes, just lay into the bag, really aggressive, you know, throw everything at it, pretend its your worst enemy, your gran or something.
Your be knackered and I cant remember how long this takes but your stretching comes after this and boy will you be warmed up.

I dont do this now, I try and pratice slow SD techniques, or with a partner, and only occansy use the bag.

I mean this is just one way of doing your work out, I'm sure I was wrong somewhere along the line so I hope one of the guys here will point out what I did wrong in my early days and anaylse it to see how it was wrong!

Anyways, look at any good martial artists work out and analyse for your own personal use.

Still have fun!
Regards

 

[wynnema]

This is exactly what I was looking for thanks Hicks. My schedule was along those lines, but I like the idea of doing a set number of kicks, maybe increasing the number each time. After all repetition is what makes a kick better.

Apone would be proud.

 

[TX_BB]

Why are you training alone?

How much experience do you have?

 

[wynnema]

Just want to focus on kicking for a while. I dont get to do kicks as much as I would like at my club, they are quite focused on patterns and self defense. I joined TKD for the kicks.

 

[TX_BB]

How experienced are you(belt or gup/dan)?

Do you have the following in your training area:
a)Hanging bag?
b)Floor bag?
c)Full length mirror?
d)Video camera?
e)Sturdy chair?
f)VCR & TV?
g)Double ended bag?

 

[silencio-swagger]

I usually warm up with 15 or so minutes of motion drills...transition into stretching...static, dynamic, and active with the giant rubber band...all before my kicking regimen begins. I always read about how you should do everything in rounds of 2 or 3 minutes, with either 30sec or 1min of rest in between, to build your overall stamina...I focus on all the basic kicks, alternating legs, before I begin spinning and on-the-motion manuevers and combinations...every kick ought to be delivered with full-contact...within 3 min you should be able to do at least 30 kicks/leg.

 

[terryl965]

Well first off they have given you some sound advise, but I have a question for what do you want out of solo training. I mean speed, power or maybe you just want to work on certain kicks with a little more info. I would be glad to try and point you in the right direction.

 

[wynnema]

Firstly thanks for all your advise guys


TX BB - I am 2nd Dan WTF been training on and off for about 10 years.

I have a 6 foot bag suspended and a mirror but that is it.

silencio-swagger - some good advice on drills i will incorporate them, but your stretching advice is all wrong. Its dynamic stretching, then workout then active stretching then static stretching. If you dont do them in that order, you wont progress with your flexibility and you are setting yourself up for an injury. Only dynamic stretching before kicking - see Kurz/Tsatsouline for more info

terryl965 - i think its a combination of all those factors. My club is heavily focused on patterns and self defence so we dont do as much kicking as I would like. I've decided to supplement my training with some solo work to really focus on perfecting my kicks maybe gain a little more height and balance up the left. I've been working mainly on the roundhouse as I felt it lacked power and the left was not as good as the right. I suppose speed and power come into it, but really technique is the my main focus.

 

[Corporal Hicks]

Apone would be proud.

LOL!

P.s I was going to say it would be an idea to increase the repetitions each time. Say 50 turning kicks each leg one week. Then the next week when you feel you have improved try 60 turning kicks etc etc. Pyramid style!
Have fun!

 

[glad2bhere]

First off, I think that solo training is one of the highest challenges that a person can take-on. There are none of the usual reinforcers; just you and your short-comings. You get a chance to see how your priorities rise or fall without the distraction of having other people to "perform" in front of. That said, I use such time to put myself at a disadvantage, so to speak.

Instead of many repetitions, I perform the same kicks but from positions of disadvantage (ie. grounded, kneeling, reclining). It sounds hokey at first, but kicking from such positions requires you to use different muscles, and to use the other muscles in different ways. Its like the first time that you discovered a step-across side-kick and got-off on the power. Then you went back to just a simple standing side-kick with the front foot and it seemed so wimpy and powerless. Doing 100 kicks using the large muscle groups until they tire and THEN using smaller muscles by default puts a lot of needless wear on your joints. Better you do fewer kicks but start from the beginning NOT using the large muscle groups. The best I have found are the slo-mo (30 second or better) kicks. Do them over an obstacle to make sure you are not cutting any corners. FWIW.

BTW: I would also lay-off the jumping and spinning kicks. These are usually ballistic and tend to focus more on acrobatics. Keep with the simple basic kicks that will make you use the recruitment of specific muscle groups rather than general use of large muscles. You are going to get bored to tears! How you deal with those feelings will tell you tons about where you are in your MA career and where your MA career is in your life.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[terryl965]

Well first off being a second and in the sport of TKD for 10 years you should be pretty flexible by now. Are you always kicking through your target area, the norm is usally about six inches pass the initial strike, one way to build leg strength is to run in sand are you close enough to a beach or running up hill, with more leg strength the power should follow as far as technique I like the idea of during your kick in order with the roundhouse, Fighting stance and than 1 bring the knee up 2 chamber 3 turnover and throw the kick six inches pass the target area 4 re-chamber 5 bring the knee back and 6 back to fighting stance, try that 50 to 100 times per leg than do it with a rubber cord like a bungee cord for resistance. I hope this will help.

 

[wynnema]

great advice, much appreciated

 

[TX_BB]

TX BB - I am 2nd Dan WTF been training on and off for about 10 years.

I have a 6 foot bag suspended and a mirror but that is it.

terryl965 - I've decided to supplement my training with some solo work to really focus on perfecting my kicks maybe gain a little more height and balance up the left. I've been working mainly on the roundhouse as I felt it lacked power and the left was not as good as the right. I suppose speed and power come into it, but really technique is the my main focus.

Here are my suggestions:
Get a Video recorder so that you can monitor and critique yourself. The Video recorder does not need to be anything special buy it used if you can. Watch your self and analyze your technique, most of the people I work with have a problem coordinating the technique. F=m*dv/dt tells us that the more of your mass that is brought into play the more force the technique will generate. One other item you may want to get is a timer to help you keep on pace.

As far a powering up your technique you need to start light and progress to heavier targets. Using too heavy of a target changes your technique, just as weightlifter in the gym can cheat themselves in the gym (normally leading to injury) by using poor technique, MA will change their technique to get a better smack compromising the technique.

Basic exercises to increase leg power and torso power such as the standing calf raises, squats, hanging leg raises, back extensions and weighted twists will improve your core power. Explosive power can be developed by plyometric exercises such as single leg bounds, box jumping…Oh yeah! Sprinting.

Routine:
Warm-up: Bike or jog 5 to10 minutes
Dynamic stretching for 5 to 10 minutes
Footwork for 5 to 10 minutes
Static (In place) kicking facing the mirror
(10 kicks/leg/area each type of kick you throw)
Dynamic (with foot work) kicking basic again
(10 kicks/leg/area each type of kick you throw)
Attack drills (Off the line (explosive) combinations)
Reaction drills defensive combinations
Trap Drills
Bag drills
Finish with perfect roundhouses(Vary Kick Daily) to head 12 each leg 3 sets
Cool down with your active stretching routine
Then static stretching

Hope this was helpful.

 

[wynnema]

TX - exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I like the idea of a camcorder, there are no mirrors in my dojang so you never get to see yourself. I will invest in one.

Thanks again

 

[TX_BB]

If you need a resource tape try Revolution of Kicking tapes 1 & 2. I believe you can get these from Ken's Trading. Tape 3 is for show. Tapes 1 & 2 do a good job at illustrating the basic kicks.

If your looking for a work out tape try Gold Medal Training.

Other good tapes from Coaches Han Won Lee and Sang H. Kim can be found.