Fitness

[The Phalanx]

How important is fitness to some people? I have seen some really out of shape practitioners on TV and some in real-life... I have also seen the fitness geeks...

How important is fitness to people?

Do you train like an athlete or do you just do what you can to get by?

Personally, I would love to have the time to train like an athlete... It would definitely give me the upper hand over not so fit opponents...

I try to avoid fats and junk food as much as I can but I do succumb to temptation here and there...

I have also seen some very athletic big men... Couple of guys in the Hawai'i Clan are pretty fit despite their size... They can really rain hell on an opponent...

How far do you take your fitness?

[robertlk808]

I think it depends on what you goals are.

With my current shift I have 3 days off but since I have my 9 month old with most of the day, my time is kinda limited so my workouts are fit in between his naps. Kettlebells can be a pretty good tool for conditioning and strength, not to mention body weight exercises. Sometimes I'm fortunate enough to get some free time and not be tired to work out late at night at the gym.

Anyway... sometimes all you need is 20 minutes for a decent workout. I'm starting to get back on track.

I found the following article at one of my favorite sites \ blogs:

From Running to Kettlebell Swings

http://www.straighttothebar.com/images/authors/jordanvezina_sm.jpg (http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com/)by Jordan Vezina (http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com/) | July 9, 2008
Filed in Articles (http://www.straighttothebar.com/articles/) , Running (http://www.straighttothebar.com/running/) , featured (http://www.straighttothebar.com/featured/) , kettlebell (http://www.straighttothebar.com/equipment/kettlebell/) | 1 comments

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http://www.straighttothebar.com/images/posts/080709_jordanswing.jpg
Jordan Vezina (http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com/).

This is a guest post by strength trainer Jordan Vezina (http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com/) - From Running to Kettlebell Swings. Enjoy.

One thing we are always interested in regarding functional training is how it carries over into daily life, and other athletic events. A perfect example of this is running. Whenever a new client mentions that he or she runs I give them one piece of advice- "Don't." Interval sprints and the like can be healthy, but the general public labors under the delusion that running is the king of exercises, and since we all know that more must be better, running for hours on end must be great for you, right? You are correct, if your destination is to get to your coffin as quickly as possible, or become a functional cripple by your forties.
If you engage in strength training and have proper running mechanics, you can avoid many of the negative effects associated with long slow distance running. However, most people do not have these things. Therefore they would be better off doing something with no impact on the joints, which combines resistance and cardio. I have just described a kettlebell swing.
To be an efficient runner three of the primary things I need are strong lung capacity, good cardio, and strong legs. Again, I get all of these from kettlebell swings. If you were to engage in a progressive program of kettlebell training (heavy on the swings and snatches) with minimal running performed primarily for specificity you would find that you are a stronger runner than if you had only run.
We know from weight training that the surest way to cease progress is to just keep lifting the weights and always trying to add more on. Yet this is how many (probably most) train for running. Come to think of it, this is how many people also train with weights.
While I was with the California National Guard (http://www.calguard.ca.gov/) I had to take part in two of the Army Physical Fitness Tests (http://www.army.com/enlist/APFT.html), each of which required a two-mile run. I ran both tests in about 12:30-13:00 minutes. Not super fast, but I'm a poor runner. I finished ahead of about ninety percent of the battalion, most of whom were a decade younger than myself. I had not run a single mile on my own in about six months. What I had been doing was a boatload of swings. That's when I stopped running completely.
Something else important to consider is the postural element of running. These same elements apply to biking, to an even greater degree. The big rage in the gyms is the spin class. Now, these do work you hard I agree, but is it worth the negative effects? Next time the spin class ends at your local gym watch everyone who walks out. Most of them will have slumped posture, forward heads, posterior pelvic tilts. Your body will adopt the posture that it perceives to be the norm. If you're hunched over your desk all day, hunched over the steering wheel in your car while commuting, hunched over a bike in a spin class, or hunched over as you run, why would your body suddenly adopt proper posture? It will adopt the posture that you are most consistently in. Now we come back to the kettlebell swing. What is my most common admonishment to clients learning the swing?
"At the top of the swing you should be two straight lines. Straight up and down, and straight out to the bell."
There is no room for slouching in the kettlebell swing. Doing this will only earn you bad form as well as back, shoulder, and elbow pain. Swings performed properly will continue to whack you back into shape, and along with properly performed Turkish Get Ups they will restore your shoulder and front panel flexibility.
I understand that I can't stop you from running. Well I can, but I don't have enough duct tape and rope for all of you. So what I instead encourage you to do is swing your kettlebells and minimize the running to what you need in order to remain efficient at it.
Jordan Vezina is a strength trainer in Palo Alto, CA and maintains a blog at http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com (http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com/). He enjoys Fat Tire Ale (http://www.newbelgium.com/beers_ft.php), and thinks you will too.
If you'd like to write a guest post for Straight to the Bar, let us know (http://www.straighttothebar.com/submissions/).

[el maldito de cebu]

well in the phils. speaking of eskrima training. here we lack specific gym equipment used by western eskrima practitioners but still we prove that we are a better fighter even we lack modern gadgets. we do the traditional "amara" stick exercises for long period of hours. Run for couple of miles in the morning and afternoon. we dont have enough food supplements because its a bit' expensive so we dont limit in our diet since we lose so much weight and hard for us to maintain our weight deivision so we eat a lot of carbohydrates. we dont do much weight cause it could change the movement of our strikes, it could make our strikes slower. thats why if you noticed young filipino eskrimador atheles are very skinny but lightning fast in striking. maintaining a strict program in the training is a must to comply cause we are the bearer of our countries pride. some old masters lost their figure because of diet they may be overweight but he'll there still good and fast strikers. and to stay fit? its a must for an athlete but sometimes due to eating discipline some lost there physique. so maintain your fitness at all time discipline its for health benifits, you choose what you whant to be if you want to look fit with big muscles then go to the gym, if you want to be an eskrima athlete practice your "amara" daily. an amara a day makes a champion daily.

[Phil Mar Nadela]

I'm not fit but I am trying. I found it hard not to be when doing FMA and it is embarrassing sometimes when I sweat like a pig.http://fmatalk.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

I hate weights (even though I should) so I do allot of Cardio and I do amateur boxing twice a week. It helps my foot work and speed and I Lost 10 pounds already.

[Brian R. VanCise]

Fitness is very, very important. I try to stay fit with a variety of different things from running, biking, mountain climbing,etc. Martial practice is another way I also stay fit. Every day for a couple of hours with lots and lots of movement. One staple that I have added is a Kettle Bell workout. I can do a very intensive ten to fifteen minute Kettle Bell workout and be exhausted afterwards where it is hard to go up and down stairs. Kettle Bells for me have brought back the joy I had when I first started weight lifting. http://www.fmatalk.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

[el maldito de cebu]

Fitness is very, very important. I try to stay fit with a variety of different things from running, biking, mountain climbing,etc. Martial practice is another way I also stay fit. Every day for a couple of hours with lots and lots of movement. One staple that I have added is a Kettle Bell workout. I can do a very intensive ten to fifteen minute Kettle Bell workout and be exhausted afterwards where it is hard to go up and down stairs. Kettle Bells for me have brought back the joy I had when I first started weight lifting. http://www.fmatalk.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
I'am interested how kettle bells work. what are the benefits of kettle bells? i would just ask for curiosity. A lot of MFR kettle bell is one on their curicullum

[geezer]

How important is fitness to people?
Do you train like an athlete or do you just do what you can to get by?
How far do you take your fitness?

I got out of the martial arts for 15 or 16 years. When I decided to come back to it, fitness was one of my concerns. At 5'8" with an average build, I was significantly overweight at 190 lbs. and really out of shape. At (then) 52, I also was dealing with limitations from old injuries. Well it took me five or six months to drop 40 lbs. and then about six more months to get so I could do more than 30-35 pull ups, well over a hundred push ups, jog up a steep mountain trail in good time and do enough ab drills to get back my six pack. And one part or another of my body was sore for the whole damn time.

Worse, the guys I train with didn't work at fitness half as hard and could easily beat the heck outta me with one hand. Literally. And, they may not be in perfect condition but the are strong. One of them is even "chubby". He smokes too. But when it comes to fighting, I guarantee you, he is positively dangerous.

So what's a 53 year-old-geezer to do? I'm scaling back the fanatical fitness stuff to a much more moderate and pleasant routine. I've allowed myself to gain back 5 to 10 pounds and can't see the six-pack so clearly anymore. I'm training with that chubby guy and his teacher on a regular basis. And, I'm finding that it's a lot harder to get good than just fit!

Now Phalanx, if you want to do UFC or full contact DBMA, I suggest you get as fit as you can. But if you are mainly looking for skills that will serve you for practical self-defense, I would suggest a more moderate approach. Of course you still have to be be strong, and strike with speed and power. But unlike cage fighting or contact stick sparring, a self defense situation doesn't go on for several rounds. At least not the way Chubbs and his teacher, Martin do it. At least, that's my take on it.

[chubbybutdangerous]

:bow:I'm not one to talk about present fitness... but absolutely, being in good condition helps. I work out/teach at an mma gym. Recently a bunch of us (including a bjj instructor) were attending a seminar and part of it was on fitness including flexibility. Despite a few active fighters being present we all failed miserably especially in the flexibility department. The instructor for this part has 2 masters degrees in human physiology or something like that. He explained to me how at my level of martial arts, I'd be able to perform much higher level if my "overall" fitness was better. Of course, if I didn't smoke and wasn't so "chubby" it would be much better. But for sure your level of fitness will affect your performance. By the way I am trying to quit smoking and am thinking seriously of taking a yoga class at the gym, especially now that I only have to teach at one gym on the weekends.
:beer2:

[Dawn]

How important is fitness to people?

For me it's very important. For a whole year I used to just train arnis. And then I started getting injuries from weak shoulders, weak ankles.. I learned my lesson and started strength training, even though I totally hate lifting weights. I hate it more than running.

But my arm is thankfully still attached because I got over my dislike for weights. I guess I love arnis more than I hate lifting metal, hahaha :wink2:


Do you train like an athlete or do you just do what you can to get by? For arnis I train about 1-2 hrs, 3x a week, another 1-2 hrs 2-3x a week for general fitness and endurance. I get a whole day off to rest. I don't know what kind of training that is. Maybe it's enough not to get beat up too badly.


How far do you take your fitness?I let it affect my diet.. I didn't like eating meat before (i like fish and veggies) but now I eat a little more red meat than usual for the protein and iron. I'm laying off chocolates too so I keep my weight pretty stable at 54-55kg (about 120 lbs). One thing I've not been able to fix though is my sleeping pattern. It's too irregular. I take fitness as far as my diet is concerned, but I haven't taken it as far as my Zzzz's.

[septs]

fitness means health... thanks for a good post!

[The Phalanx]

For me, lately I've started on weights... Swinging the stick is good and all but I need to bulk up if I'm to fight in a Gathering...

I've used a lot of the known supplements already aka "legal steroids"... Some of the stuff I've used are Muscle Milk, Protein Shakes from EAS, Creatine, B12 tablets, Ginsing tablets, Gingko Biloba tablets, Super B Complex tablets, and even energy drinks like Monster and Full Throttle(Red Bull don't do anything for me)...

I don't take all that at the moment but some of them... I stopped taking Creatine a few years ago because it gave me some severe headaches but loved the way it gave me the energy and strength I needed when I was taking it... If I didn't have those headaches I'll still be taking Creatine... Honestly it's the best thing you can get on the market...

[yomitche]

I guess fitness, like everything else in life, requires a fine balance. Between professional and personal responsibilities, fitness sometimes suffers, as others here have pointed out.

I try to shoot for quality rather than quantity.

I workout in my basement, where I have a powerlifting cage, two sets of olympic weights, lots of hex dumbbells, a Universal gym (with cables), heavy bag, pull up bar, sit up bar, elliptical trainer, etc.

I do a 5x5 powerlifting program, trying to get in three days of work a week, but I no longer sweat it if I miss a day and make it up later. I shoot for quality and form rather than pushing max lifts. Too much volume and too much weight meant I was constantly living with nagging injuries and pain. I always hoovered around a 300lb unsupported bench, but my shoulder hurt. Heavy deadlifting made me worry about lower back injuries, etc. Moderation avoids that.

It is cool though, when I grab someone, they totally do not expect the strength that I have because I am kinda short and don't "look" like an athlete. Functional strength and power does not come from Ben Weider's workout program and often the strongest guys do not look the prettiest.

Between lifting activities (i.e. when I move from squat to bench), I do a three minute round on the heavy bag. This keeps HR elevated and reminds me of what my focus really is, plus it helps keep me loose. Ordinarily, this turns out to be 5 rounds on the heavy bag per weight lifting workout.

I shoot for interval work when I do aerobic activities such as running or exercising on the elliptical trainer. After warming up, I do 2 minute intervals divided by one minute "rest" periods. Therefore 20 min and 40 minute workouts are still quality efforts.

I also do some calisthenic and med ball work when ever I feel like it. Hindu squats, pushups, etc.

I no longer use dietary supplements other than a multi-vitamin, vitamin E and Fish oil (all of which promote general good health and have or promote anti-oxidant qualities). I agree that some supplements (such as creatine, multi-vitamins, protein, and glutamine) can be helpful, but think that bodybuilding supplementation may not be appropriate for martial artisits - -nor am I sure the payoff is worth the investment.

If you wanna be a bodybuilder, do it, but don't be fooled into believing that top bodybuilders look the way they do by lifting weights, eating vitamins, and saying prayers. Think steroids.

Of course, my exercise routine is in addition to any organized martial arts group activities. I try to center my exercise around my martial arts focus and work on functional strength rather than aesthetics, interval anaerobic/aerobic work to sustain me through a fight or sparring event, and try to live an overall healthy lifestyle.

That said, I still enjoy having a few beers when I want and never want to die with my last thought being:

"Dam*! I should've had the pizza at lunch!"

I am always open to new activies though. Thanks for sharing!

[The Phalanx]

I also have just been introduced to kettle bells lately by one of the guys I train with... I gotta say, if you gotta only have one workout equipment, this has to be it... It's an all body workout... It's not an isolation type of workout like how traditional weights are where you work a certain part of the body at a time...

I'm gonna get me one or to when I can... Especially during the Holidays, I'm gonna focus on my fitness a lot...

[Carol]

I also have just been introduced to kettle bells lately by one of the guys I train with... I gotta say, if you gotta only have one workout equipment, this has to be it... It's an all body workout... It's not an isolation type of workout like how traditional weights are where you work a certain part of the body at a time...

I'm gonna get me one or to when I can... Especially during the Holidays, I'm gonna focus on my fitness a lot...

OOooh....now that sounds interesting. I'd like to look in to that more myself. I like strength training but recently I've been losing interest in weight lifting...not enough motion. I'd rather be climbing steps with a dumbbell in each hand...something that keeps the body moving, and not just standing or sitting on one place while a certain muscle group gets moved. Thanks for the suggestion!

[el maldito de cebu]

just an advice if I were you I'm gona work out on my cardio rather thatn in the anaerobic workout alone. the sports of eskrima does not rely on raw power but also stamina and smarts. you can only used amino tablets and creatinin than legal steroids its not a body building contest. a piece of advice if you have time try to run alot for stamina and practice alot of arnis hand movements. if you not convience I had a video on youtube of my last bout at a tournament I just look average physique against powerful opponent but my stamina did not fail me. try to watch on you tube el maldito de cebu. just an advice if your really are up to a tournament

Good luck
el maldito de cebu

[arnisador]

I may try the kettlebells when I'm rehabbed from my knee...they've interested me for a while now (thanks to listening to the Systema folks at MT).

[Brian R. VanCise]

I have said it before but kettle bells rock and really have reinvigorated my weight lifting! http://www.fmatalk.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

[The Phalanx]

I personally wish that some schools train their students like how MMA gyms train their students... To the ground... Train them like they're going pro...

[el maldito de cebu]

I personally wish that some schools train their students like how MMA gyms train their students... To the ground... Train them like they're going pro...
if thats the case student well be runing and stop thier determination we must handle them gradually thats the reason that is why there is different curriculum for all different students

[WuLord187]

The more you sweat the less you bleed. I recommend free weights (dumbells, barbells, bricks, buckets of water, center blocks, kettle bells, siblings, offspring, etc.). Also try out yoga, pilates, swimming, and dance classes. Make sure you include running and healthy foods. I cross train in with MMA ametur fighters and boxers. I also compete in dance, semi & full contact sport fighting, and martial arts forms competitions too which maintain my cardio, agility, and flexibility. I average about 7 hours a week on weighting training and cardio. During the winter months I tend to get little bit lazy and demotivated. It all depends on what type of body you want and what physical abilities you want to achieve. Being in shape makes a difference in combat either in sport or life and death, because sometimes you might have to run and jump fences. Also try getting the Men's Health Book Of Muscle.

By the way The Phalanx are you fan of Assassins Creed

[The Phalanx]

By the way The Phalanx are you fan of Assassins Creed

Yeah, I love that game... There's nothing like stabbing Catholics in the neck as an Arab Assassin... Too bad the story is too short... I also enjoy Grand Theft Auto 4...

[silat1]

This is a guaranteed trip to the hospitality of GITMO.. It is my duty to report this statement to the FBI and Homeland security terrorist reaction forces.. This is an acknowledgement that you are now considered as a homegrown terrorist and can be held for an indefinite length of time with out charges being filed as a result of the statement highlighted below..
This constitutes a threat against a specific religious group and is not condoned by the Patriot Act of which is still in effect.. You can anticipate a knock at the door by the guys wearing the fashionably black wardrobe sans pearl necklaces, although the sling that attaches their M4s does make a statement

Enjoy your new wardrobe of a yellow jumpsuit and 24 hr supervision with no outside contact

:apc:



Yeah, I love that game... There's nothing like stabbing Catholics in the neck as an Arab Assassin... Too bad the story is too short... I also enjoy Grand Theft Auto 4...

[arnisador]

Please return to the topic of the thread.

-Arnisador
-FMAT Admin

[Brock]

I have said it before but kettle bells rock and really have reinvigorated my weight lifting! http://www.fmatalk.com/images/icons/icon14.gif
I agee. I just got one about 2 months ago, and love doing it. I was really into weightlifting but in 2005 was forced to give up my space consuming weight training equipment. This takes far less space and works cardio and resistance at the same time.

[Brock]

I've also been playing with some of the traditional Okinawan strength and conditioning training like in Goju-Ryu.

[silat1]

:rules::skeleton1



Please return to the topic of the thread.

-Arnisador
-FMAT Admin

[Pekiti & Bells]

awesome to see other RKC's here
ahoy mate


may I add, that indianclubs/clubells lend themselves well to the stick fun

and Jordan is spot on, most of my work privately and with clients is centered around 10 minute start to finish routines that hit the entire body front and back, top to bottom, with supportive/corrective work tossed in on off days, and once a week heavy conditioning work (like breathing ladders with the beast for an hour)

respect mates

[AlivePFC]

Fitness is extremely important. I do numerous arts and with out the hours I put in I would not get the most out of each art. I tell my students to cut out the soda intake. We do runs, push ups, weights, crunches, the whole nine really. I know I feel better after doing a fitness workout then if I do not. It helps your body stay sharp. On top of physical fitness I also try word finds, jumbles, crosswords and other mental exercises to keep my mind focused and alert. I like Brain Age 1 and 2 for that as well. You wouldn't think a video game would work but hey.

[Pekiti & Bells]

dig into some z-health
make you way more efficient and articulate
can not stress how much benefit I have gotten from z, kettlebells, and the fms, as it relates to my martial endeavors

I no longer have pain in my hands
have not seen a chiro (except to give a demo on the above) in 6 months, and I am stronger/faster than I ever have been

still an egg, but a well rounded one :)

btw, fitness is only as important as longevity is....

[AlivePFC]

I like kettlebells. I use them and make sure my students do too.

[Greg_Robin]

I agree with most here that kettlebells are an awesome workout, and very versatile as well. You can use a 15lber and put in lots of reps for a good cardio workout, or grab the 25-35lb and do only 5-10 reps per exercise for a tougher full body workout. I'm with arnisador, the second my back is healed the first thing I'm doing is hitting the kettlebells.

I've also been getting into pilates and a lot of swiss ball exercises. Pilates is really cool for working muscles you probably forgot you had, and it's been doing wonders for rehabbing my back injury. The swiss ball is just plain fun. Myself and a few of the guys at our gym have been trying to stand on it and do squats and other stuff after watching a video of Andre Galvao and Leo Viera balancing on them and doing all kinds of acrobatics on them. Search Andre Galvao swiss ball on youtube if you wanna see someone with very impressive balance. I managed to do 24 squats balancing on the ball today, but I still cant jump onto it like they can. I tried a couple times and pretty much ate it.


practice alot of arnis hand movements

This is some of the best advice in this thread. My Instructor always says, "If you want to be good at running, go run. If you want to be a good bodybuilder, lift weights. If you want to be good at Jiu-Jitsu, do Jiu-Jitsu. If you want to be good at Arnis, do Arnis." Every kind of sport/martial art/etc has its own kind of cardio, but sport specific training is best if you want to excel at that particular sport or art. If you want to swing a stick harder, then swing a stick. If you want to improve your cardio for stick or knife fighting purposes, then spar with sticks and training knives. Overall fitness is great, but as much as I love kettlebells, swiss balls, medicine balls, dumbbells, and my perfect pushups, nothing will get you in better shape for doing something that doing that particular thing constantly.

[Pekiti & Bells]

I'am interested how kettle bells work. what are the benefits of kettle bells? i would just ask for curiosity. A lot of MFR kettle bell is one on their curicullum


my 2 cents, or whatever it is worth...
ballistic force
generating, absorbing, and redirecting
basically, the hard style of kettlebell lifting teaches ballistic force management using tension/relaxation somewhat like systema (for reference)
the soft or gs style teaches the same thing, with efficiency in the three lifts performed for competition

both styles are equally effective at maintaining flexible strength through a full range of motion from toe to crown

personally I find the hard style method to be more applicable to martial subjects

besides, it is old style strong man stuff
who does not want to be able to halve a deck of cards?

got grip?
got gas?
strong back, neck. and legs?

sounds like a recipe for a scrappy bit o puddin eh?

[Pekiti & Bells]

OOooh....now that sounds interesting. I'd like to look in to that more myself. I like strength training but recently I've been losing interest in weight lifting...not enough motion. I'd rather be climbing steps with a dumbbell in each hand...something that keeps the body moving, and not just standing or sitting on one place while a certain muscle group gets moved. Thanks for the suggestion!


dig this

www.5ringsfitness.com

sticks and stones

I used to be skinny
now I am dense
and not just the way my wife says I am dense( not just in the mellon )

[Pekiti & Bells]

nothing will get you in better shape for doing something that doing that particular thing constantly.


that is a true thing you said mate

all skills should be practiced well, with the mind and body fully engaged and committed to the active participation in the effective application of the skill

hu'ah mate
spot on

[The Phalanx]

A good thing to take up is Parkour if you want to work a lot of your muscles... Looking at some Parkour guys on TV just shows how fit you have to be to do that kind of hobby... Either that or gymnastics... Works out all the muslces in your body...

[Pekiti & Bells]

A good thing to take up is Parkour if you want to work a lot of your muscles... Looking at some Parkour guys on TV just shows how fit you have to be to do that kind of hobby... Either that or gymnastics... Works out all the muslces in your body...


the parkour seems to also have the balance of tense/loose that is necessary to really crank up the force generation in a short space

[The Phalanx]

the parkour seems to also have the balance of tense/loose that is necessary to really crank up the force generation in a short space

That type of training can be useful in fight situations... Someone that agile is not an easy opponent to take down...

[Crafty Dog]

I like the idea of Parkour/free running, but wonder about how to intelligently integrate it into my training at my age.

Any suggestions for sources on these specific points?

a) the ability to jump from a height and land safely
b) the ability to roll over/jump over a car hood/trunk
c) the ability to cut angles sharply while running (e.g. like a football player with the ball evading tackles

[Pekiti & Bells]

I like the idea of Parkour/free running, but wonder about how to intelligently integrate it into my training at my age.

Any suggestions for sources on these specific points?

a) the ability to jump from a height and land safely
b) the ability to roll over/jump over a car hood/trunk
c) the ability to cut angles sharply while running (e.g. like a football player with the ball evading tackles

there have to be some folks around you sir and age is no limitation to accept (google neuroplasticity), if I am not mistaken you are out on the west coast and there have to be tons of resources

first though, I would recommend cleaning up any movement restrictions you have, ie-any previous injuries that caused the body to compensate for lost range of motion, joint mobility is a start, but really consistent and focused jm will be the key to full access to entire range of every joint under full control

there is a system of movement based proprioceptive re-education of the cns that is called Z-Health (http://affiliates.zhealth.net/what-is-zhealth) its like voodoo for the central nervous system

caveat-currently I am undergoing the cert. process to be a coach for the R(ehab), I(ntegration), and T(herapy) phases (we affectionately refer to ourselves as zed heads)

If you have any contact with Dr. Mark Cheng at the Inosanto academy he would be a good resource for you as he has been exposed to a great deal of the material, as well as being a FMS/CK-FMS (functional movement screen) practitioner and a SR. in the RKC, the Dr is a sharp cat that has a lot of resources

the FMS would be another means to get rid of any movement restrictions or imbalances in the body (best analogy I have heard yet is that if you have a home in a war zone, before you redecorate, you should remove the live unexploded ordinance from the living areas) besides being a way to get rid of a lot of the nagging pains and injuries that we resign ourselves to living with, it will make you stronger and therefore more able to deal with the exigencies of the varied training regimen that parkour would require

this may seem a along answer, but I have spent the last 2 years cleaning up movement patterns, ridding myself of muscular imbalances and retraining my central nervous system to have access to full range of motion throughout the body under full control

my personal strength practice and speed of execution have all gone through the roof, I am no longer as tired throughout the day, or after a heavy set of thai pads, stick work, etc
hubud/lubud for hours, roll on the mat for an hour straight with no break and barely breath heavy, my hands do not hurt any more (I have started to tear decks of cards for fun and extra grip work and am looking at getting into bending, did my first 250 page phone book last week :EvilGrin: the kali slap and pinching is a whole other animal now)
my accuracy and reaction times are elevated beyond anything I had in my 20's, my vision is better, I track multiple objects at higher rates of speed with greater definition
the list goes on

feel frankly superhuman some days, predatory and springy like a mountain cat most days, and just overall pretty damned good all the time

I feel better, sleep better, think better and get more out of my skill practice than I ever have in the past with less percieved effort and less flight time

still just an egg but the z-health and kettlebell training has accelerated my other skills in ways I would not have thought were true (and did not think were true when others said this is what will happen) way back when

if you just want to jump in and go there is no harm, your body will absolutely adapt to whatever demand you impose on it, I will shortly be attending an open gym night here in the cities at Gleason's out in Eagan MN (10$ for the eve. on mondays) where other cats hang out and do parkour/freerunning as well as stunt work (wire, falls etc)
there has to be something out there for you and if not, I got space on the floor you could crash and get your learn on, Brad Nelson ( a colleague and fellow RKC, Z coach) is out here, you could contact him through his blog and he will likely be receptive

if you want to short cut all of this (though I would super not recommend that) get the R phase and S phase dvd's from Z-health, work the r drills for about 12 weeks, get the body mobile, then start adding in the s phase drills (sport specific stuff, like landing, plyometrics, sprinting, bone rhyhtm drills, visual tracking and reaction drills, the list goes on) you will not regret it in the least

I think I am beginning to digress so I will just say

get strong, stay strong
a fledgling dog brother
James

[selfcritical]

I'm looking to take my pekiti-specific conditioning up a notch, and don't really have ready access to a tire stack (I live in an apt complex without a large wooded area).

So I decided to bring in the bells.

I've been working with them in an unstructured way for about 6 months, swinging and snatching in a 3x5 scheme somewhat haphazardly. I got a pretty decent snatch ( I think), but wasn't on any kind of plan. So I decided to try out v02 max, and like it a lot.....but felt I needed a plan.

So I got Enter the Kettlebell.

I did the program minimum for 4 weeks. I try to also work about 500 strikes in the air on "work" days.

I'm now using a modified rite of passage so I can have my rep scheme spelled out. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/522/

(It looked pretty much like the rite of passage program to me)

So i'm on week two of that plan now. I also do pull up/push up ladders along the same ladder scheme on the "work" days. So for example, one right clean and press, one left clean and press, one pushup, one pullup. Two right, two left, 2 push-up, 2 pull-up. This seems to work with pavel's advice in Enter the Kettlebell, and i'm hoping the pull-ups will help with my hard negatives without frying my shoulders too badly.

So a few questions

1) I like my vo2 max protocol stuff. Should I just wait until the end of the 6 weeks to get back on it, do it on "off" days, do it with a lighter bell the same day, or maybe replace one day of swings?

2) what is an appropriate intensity level for the "active recovery" days? Am i just resting the shoulders/grip? Can I do intensive cardio on an elliptical or resistance bike?

Right now I am doing both of these on the "active recovery" days (tues/thurs/saturday)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnt65CBU5RE&feature=PlayList&p=801BF322C3188D9D&index=0&playnext=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R1SjZJfZCE&feature=PlayList&p=801BF322C3188D9D&index=3

My understanding is that both of these are "rehab" exercises, so they shouldn't be too intense.

3) My roomie is getting a pipe-based clubbell soon, and the attributes it work seem very sport-specific. Would that be appropriate for an active recovery day a week? And if so, which basics would you reccomend, given that I intend to be working heavily with kettlebells.

[yomitche]

An update:

Still doin' the 5 x 5, but doing interval work quite a bit too.

Been spending lots of time at a boxing gym... there's a workout!

Started adding "real world" strength to the mix as well. Pushing cars 200 yards at a time for several sets, etc. Flippin' tires some too.

On days when I don't have much motivation to figure out a workout, I go to crossfit and get the WOD. Did that today... 6 sets of 400m run/25 burpees (for time). Didn't think much of it at first but it turned into a real test of endurance before I was done. Then 2 hours balintawak training... I was wore out by the end of it all.

[Pekiti & Bells]

try this for 90 days
no more
no less lol

dig

day 1
joint mobility warm up
tgu 10 minutes 16kg or less for all tgu work(lock the elbows for your own health and well being, keep your shoulders packed and lock the elbows)
swing or snatch work (vo2 protocol can be used for swings as well, rest in the rack if you use the swing)



day 2
joint mobility warm up
tgu 10 minutes
clean and press + pull up(add weight if you can perform 20 dead hang pull ups with bodyweight) or dead lift(60-70% of 1rm) on the 5 ladders of 1-5 rungs (or pistol if you can on alternating days, the pistol is awesome!, the cossack pistol, jumping from foot to foot at the bottom position, is a leg conditioner that Pavel himself recommended to me last time I saw him at a cert and I complained about my legs being somewhat deconditioned in jkd nao tek drills)



day 3
joint moblity warm up
10 minutes tgu


day 4
joint mobility warm up
active rest all day, pick a joint per hour and moblize it as the day carries on

back through the cycle

stick and kick to your hearts content during the program but be wise about where it fits with the strength and conditioning, whichever is more important should take precedence

add in some extensor work for your hands, try explosively opening hands in buckets of rice or water, this will keep your hands healthy and balance the flexor/extensor muscles, fend off tendonitis

work that for 90 days and get back to me, you will love the results I promise

you can gtg with whatever you like during the program, joint mobility, stick work, foot work, swings, get ups, snatches, pull ups, blah blah blah
work gtg for skill practice and you will get a really well defined skill

the club swinging is a bonus, though, I would investigate some of Ed Thomas' work on the subject, both from a martial perspective and that of health and wellness, also, keep the weight low for the clubs, think 1-5lbs and the length between 2 and 2 1/2 ft, they can put a lot of stress on the shoulders and forearms if not used correctly or if the weight goes too far up

on the tgu, that gentleman means well, but remember to Lock the Elbow and keep the shoulder packed, you will thank me and so will your shoulders
try the tgu with a water bottle with 1" of water in the bottle and the top off, balanced on your closed fist, when you can nail that all day on both sides equally without getting wet, move to weight but keep it less than 16kg unless you are going for something other than mobility and stability, frankly I know pro mma cats that rarely go above 16, and usually it is to 24kg and very very seldom does anyone go above for regular use (occaisional feats of whackiness are fun though, even I have succumbed to the 1/2 bodyweight get up lol)

hope that makes sense

selah

[selfcritical]

I actually have a set of small sledges like in the video from former roomies- will those serve the purpose of small clubs as long as I'm mindful about my ears?

[Pekiti & Bells]

sure thing, you can use em to do lever work as well, check out Adam Glass on you tube, grip strength is something that guy has a goo handle on ;) pun intended

seriously strong hands

you may think of card tearing as well, starting with 10 cards and working up to a full deck, its excellent pinch/crushing grip practice and tension work, and its fun at parties, and it may well win you a drink in a bar lol

besides, if you get into the pinching etc (kinne mu tao?) it works well

the hierarchy of strength imo is as follows

breath
grip
back/trunk
neck
legs

how long can you swing a stick?
not long if your grip goes south
now add stress and another human intent on doing you harm, whether it be for competitive reasons or otherwise

breath, grip, trunk, neck, legs

that leaves technique/skill and acclimatization to the environment (stress induced hormonal cascade)

once you have that sorted, you are sure to be at least in the top 10 percentile of practitioners from a pure proficiency standard


check out the library of congress, they have video clips you can watch of old time strength and conditioning stuff, there is a clip of some kids in Hyde Park elementary from the 20's working clubs, awesome!

also, if you can lay hands on a tire from a local garage, you can set it on the floor and beat drum style with the sledges, grip/impact/endurance all in one go

just remember this though, the body adapts to exactly the stress we put it under, all the time

all the body all the time
and
always and exactly

I think I may need to pen a quick article for my blog lol

[selfcritical]

Cool. My instructor and a bunch of other people have started a crossfit group in the mornings(when I'm at work), so my performance goals are "whatever they get in attributes from the WOD......+1"