Staying in shape

[Kenpoguy123]

Now I know there's a big debate about physical fitness in traditional martial arts. My base is kenpo but I have seen a lot of the main kenpo guys are not in great shape at all. I know it's not the main thing about martial arts but I think it is more important now than say 30 years ago. Back then it was the selctct few who trained in martial arts and they wouldn't really go picking fights and the people who attacked would be untrained and the martial artist would use their technique. But these days with kickboxing and mma any thug can walk into a gym and pick up fighting skills. So what if a guy who's in great shape with some skill fights a martial artist who's in terrible shape but got good techique. If the martial arts guy can't get them out of their quickly then they'd start getting in trouble because of their fitness.

I mean obviously the majority of 60 or 70 year olds aren't going to be bug shredded guys but anyone in their 20s -40s really should be keeping in decent shape. Obviously there are other factors that would stop some people like injuries or other commitments but I do honestly it's very important to stay in shape if you are doing it for self defence purposes. I know it may be unpopular with some people but that's I've always thought from when I started when I myself was out of shape I thought to myself well if I want to be good at this I've got to get in shape so I started running a lot and doing exercise more than I ever would before.

Note this is not looking to offend anyone and I'm not saying out of shape people are useless in a fight but I simply believe you should take any advantage you can give yourself

 

[Lameman]

I keep two liters full of water around. When ever I am watching tv or playing a simple game that can be played one handed. I'll pick a two liter up and just keep it moving. Not only effects the arms, but the back and abs too. Heck, if I'm just sitting on my *** might as well burn some callories.

 

[Buka]

You really don't need to get every part of your body in shape.
Just the parts you want to keep.

 

[Xue Sheng]

First I happened to notice you completely ignored guys in their 50s..... I do realize we are perfect.. and bringing us in might set the standards to high...but there are MAist in their 50s Too

I think staying, or getting into shape (my case after injuries) is a good thing. however I think many set way to high standards for "Being in shape" In shape does not mean you have to complete an ironman or a triathlon, it means healthy. Not that the people that do those things are not healthy, but it is not necessary to do that to be "in shape"

Now if you are a fighter, in a ring, then you are at a different level that is a bit above the average person (well not us Adonis 50 yr olds, but the rest of you )

My shifu, who is in his 70s, can throw me around and I doubt he runs much, but he does do body weight exercises. As for me, I can't run, my knees do not allow it. But I do some aerobics, Yoga, a little bag work and my forms.

 

[drop bear]

 

[Ironbear24]

I'm in my twenties and weigh 208 and I'm 5'9. I'm not a toned cut body builder but I have lots of muscle and am very strong. I work out 3 days a week for about 2-3 hours and love it.

 

[Flatfish]

I thought I was in decent shape until I started sparring. I had been working out regularly 3-5 times per week with strength training and some cardio. Sparring opened my eyes and I had to adjust my training outside of MA. It's getting better now.

 

[Ironbear24]

I thought I was in decent shape until I started sparring. I had been working out regularly 3-5 times per week with strength training and some cardio. Sparring opened my eyes and I had to adjust my training outside of MA. It's getting better now.

Yeah someone trying to beat you into a pulp will do that. I myself get winded pretty fast so I try to end my matches quickly within a a couple minutes. If they go on very long I am screwes.

 

[Flatfish]

Yeah someone trying to beat you into a pulp will do that. I myself get winded pretty fast so I try to end my matches quickly within a a couple minutes. If they go on very long I am screwes.

I do TKD. Our sparring classes work like this: Short warm up, a couple of drills, then free sparring with either 90s or 2 min rounds. 30s - 1min pause, partner change, next round etc etc. I guess you end up doing somewhere between 10-12 rounds. Since we don't have any submissions in our rule set and don't knock each other out, there's not a chance of finishing early (that would be nice)

 

[Andrew Green]

Just a matter of delivering on your promises. If your school says it is good for fitness, but the more experienced folks are in poor shape it's not delivering on what it promised. Most adults that train are going to be starting with fitness as at least part of their motivation.

Plus I'm not sure how you can claim to be about health and taking care of yourself when you are one donut away from diabetes. Obesity related illnesses are far more common then random violent attacks, so I figure keeping in at least relatively good shape is more relevant to keeping myself safe then any sort of martial arts technique...

But if you are in a school that promises fitness as a benefit and often leave barely having broke a sweat, then they are not living up to the promises they made about what you will get from training there.

And one more thought - IMO a martial arts instructor that does promise fitness should learn about fitness training from fitness training experts. Being good at martial arts doesn't necessarily mean that you understand fitness training. We got a lot of really bad practices going around in our industry when it comes to fitness training.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

he majority of 60 or 70 year olds ...

I belong to this category. The "weight training (3 times a week)" and "long distance running (3 times a week)" are 2 things that I'll never give up no matter how old I am. I always start with 70 sit up before my daily work out. This way, I can control my waist line nicely.

When I did the exact number of reps during partner drills and my partners who were 1/2 or even 1/3 of my age were breathing hard and wanted to end the class early, I knew I was not in bad shape after all.

It's a strange feeling.

- Before my work out, I felt lazy and tired.
- During my work out, I start to feel great.
- At the end of my work out, I felt I was 20 years old again.

 

[JowGaWolf]

You really don't need to get every part of your body in shape.
Just the parts you want to keep.

This pretty much sums up any thoughts I have. Exercise should reflect function. People should look at other people who are older than they are. Look at the physical problems that some of these people have and if it's something you don't want to experience then you better make sure your exercise covers it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Look at the physical problems that some of these people have and if it's something you don't want to experience then you better make sure your exercise covers it.

Agree! If you don't want to have hunch back through your old age,

you should train this body posture "羅漢观天(Luo Han Guan Tian) - Lou Han looks at sky" daily.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

First I happened to notice you completely ignored guys in their 50s..... I do realize we are perfect.. and bringing us in might set the standards to high...but there are MAist in their 50s Too

This is true. However I have it on good authority that a decade from now the most perfect and Adonis-like martial artists will be those who are in their 60s.

 

[Xue Sheng]

This is true. However I have it on good authority that a decade from now the most perfect and Adonis-like martial artists will be those who are in their 60s.

ABSOLUTLY!!!!!

 

[JowGaWolf]

I don't mind being old with wrinkles. I just don't want to move like I'm old and broken down. While I can't do anything about genetic based illnesses, I'm going to try to keep everything else in working condition. To see old people lose their mobility really scares me. I want to stay away from that fate as much as possible.

 

[drop bear]

Just a matter of delivering on your promises. If your school says it is good for fitness, but the more experienced folks are in poor shape it's not delivering on what it promised. Most adults that train are going to be starting with fitness as at least part of their motivation.

Plus I'm not sure how you can claim to be about health and taking care of yourself when you are one donut away from diabetes. Obesity related illnesses are far more common then random violent attacks, so I figure keeping in at least relatively good shape is more relevant to keeping myself safe then any sort of martial arts technique...

But if you are in a school that promises fitness as a benefit and often leave barely having broke a sweat, then they are not living up to the promises they made about what you will get from training there.

And one more thought - IMO a martial arts instructor that does promise fitness should learn about fitness training from fitness training experts. Being good at martial arts doesn't necessarily mean that you understand fitness training. We got a lot of really bad practices going around in our industry when it comes to fitness training.

It also effects your training. It prevents you from doing some of the higher percentage escapes in exchange for less physical ones.

(You are never going to do sit outs with poor conditioning.)


And you will not do as much training. So you commit to ten rounds of sparring a session and you can only do five. Or you can't drill for as long or as precisely because you are constantly gassing out.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

When I started training, I was out of shape and quite heavy. I had also just developed Type 2 Diabetes. I could not even get through the warmup exercises. When we sparred, I was gassed after 30 seconds.

Over time, I lost a lot of weight and got in better shape. Strength and cardio-vascular. It helped a lot!

I noticed a few years ago that I no longer really come home from the dojo drenched in sweat like I used to. I thought maybe I wasn't working as hard, but no, I am working just as hard as I was. I spar for much longer now. Not to say I don't get tired, but not like I used to.

So, am I in better shape than I was? Maybe, but not that much. In fact, I'm probably nowhere near as good as I was a couple years back.

So what's the difference?

I think the difference is that I've learned to move more efficiently. I do what I need to do, but I do it without expending a lot of energy. It doesn't require the effort it once did.

Is it good to be in physical condition? Yes, and for a host of reasons.

But I'm not overly concerned with it. I'm 55 years old in a couple months. I am what I am. I use what I have.

 

[WaterGal]

I thought I was in decent shape until I started sparring. I had been working out regularly 3-5 times per week with strength training and some cardio. Sparring opened my eyes and I had to adjust my training outside of MA. It's getting better now.

Well, you probably were in decent shape, just not the specific kind of decent shape you need for TKD sparring! That's more about working your fast-twitch muscles and agility than about endurance cardio or being able to bench a lot. There are some videos on Youtube of the French national team doing plyometrics training with, like, agility ladders and pop-ups and whatnot that might inspire you.

 

[Flatfish]

Well, you probably were in decent shape, just not the specific kind of decent shape you need for TKD sparring!

Yes exactly.