Martial art training at home

[kennel]

Gday from Australia

I train regularly from home, & am wondering on how to mix routines to the max out of them.

Currently I have three basic routines & train them on a given day.

Routine 1 focuses on strength & power basically free weights combined with kettlebells

Routine 2 is speedwork, ploymetric pushups, bagwork with handwieghts & leg wieghts ect

Routine 3 is technique work, ie shadowwork, kicking, punching & combo drills.

How do you go about combining your routines or am I on the right general path?

[mortimer657]

Your close....you have the basic tennets for a combat athletes programme lurking in the background there. As an example you could split your week as follows (depending on your current work capacity/fitness levels, the below contains examples ONLY, it is not definitive):

Monday:
Integrated Circuit Training
Isometrics

Tuesday:
Strength Training (Maximal Strength)
Core work

Wednesday:
Enhanced Interval Training (for example, 15 Burpees, 400 meter run, 25 Pushups)
Finisher: (For example race to 100 knees to chest/jumping knee tucks)

Thursday:
Strength Training (Explosive/Dynamic Strength)
Core work

Friday:
HIIT (Example, 5 X 400 meter runs fast as possible, 30-60 seconds rest between intervals followed by 6 X 100 Meter all out sprints, jog back to start line and continue)

Saturday: Gentle Steady State run 30-45 minutes to aid recovery via "Active" recovery.

Sunday: Complete rest day.

Or if you wanted to you could drop the strength workout on the Thursday and combine Max strength AND explosive strength into one workout.

Just as an example.

Morti

[righty]

The major thing I see missing there is cardio work. So I'd add that.

Other than that it's hard to comment because just from that description we can't really tell how hard you are pushing yourself in each of those workouts.

[kennel]

Thanks for the replies

Here are some of the routines I do, I diary note the lot to track progress.

Technique day

Warmup

2min skip (thai rope) 25 hindu pushup-25 hindu squat-25 v up
2min skip 25 pushup 25 horse squat 25 crunch
2min skip 25 tricep dip 25 lunges 25 lying leg raise

Streching
high kick 20 rep (basically & axe kick)
supported side stretch kick ( holding on to a bar I swing my leg up stretching the groin area) 20 rep
supported back kick stretch 20 rep
I then do front & side stretches on my kids swing set holding the stretches for 20 secs

3 rounds of 3 min shadow work
Speed work on heavy bag

3 rounds of 1 min bag work hand combos with 12 ounce gloves & 1 kilo hand wieghts
3 rounds of 1 min bag work hand combos with 12 ounce gloves
3 rounds of 1 min round kicks with 2 pound leg wieghts
3 rounds of 1 min round kicks with no wieght

15 burpee
10 burpee

finish

Power routine
15 min on elipticycle ( x trainer) aim for 6km
Bench press
clean & jerk
bent over rows
deadlifts
generally 3 sets of 5 reps
15min on cross trainer total = 30 min & 12 km

conditioning routine
15 min X trainer
KB Swing 30 rep ( 15rep each arm)- 1 min skip
kb clean & jerk- 1 min skip
kb rows 1min skip
kb snatch -1 min skip
kb fig 8 - 1 min skip
kb bridge press-1min skip
kb horse squat -1 min skip
kb hack squat -1min skip
15 min on Xtrainer to fin

30min 12km


The above is some of the routines that I follow

Some facts about me
I am 42 years old
I work shift work 12hr shifts on a 2day- 2 night 4 off
I train alone now because of family constraints & I have no acl in my left leg & have to wear glasses cause I cant see.

Martial arts wise I have a back ground in Taekwondo,Zen do Kai Thai boxing & a lot of backyard stuff. I am a complete realist when it comes to what works & what is "pretty to look at"

[mortimer657]

The major thing I see missing there is cardio work. So I'd add that.

Other than that it's hard to comment because just from that description we can't really tell how hard you are pushing yourself in each of those workouts.

Definately agree with you on that. The OP is a little vague.

My routine above, although only a basic guideline addresses both strength and cardio. Integrated Circuit Training, Enhanced Interval Training, HIIT and a Steady state run will be more than enough cardio. Not forgetting any skill work he takes, which will or should have some conditioning element to it.

Of course he could replace the High intensity work with steady state run, although studies show that, for combat athletes at least, they arent the best way to train. The general train of thought now is, if your going to run for distance, run it fast. The slow steady amble of a morning has had its day. I think a lot of boxing coaches keep it in more out of the thought that "we've always done it so why change". Traditional doesnt always mean good.

Dr Izumi Tabata ended the debate on steady state cardio Vs HIIT for me. Plus lets face it, your training should emulate the sport its intended to improve your performance in. Combat sports are anaerobic in nature with short sharp bursts of action, the only aerobic ninvolvement coming while a practitioner circles the ring , perhaps catching their breath or lining up their next attack, assuming a ring/cage based MA is in the OP's bag. Hence the greater need for HIIT style training. It will inprove both Anaerobic and Aerobic capacity, takes less time to complete but will require maxmimum input/effort from the user.

Morti

[Jphaas]

Still a little confused on the scheduling. Are you doing all of this work on the same day?
Generally, you want to separate your skill work from your conditioning by 12-24 hours since you don't want to practice skills in poor form.

What type of recovery work are you doing (yoga, joint mobility, etc.), if any?

Thanks for the replies

Here are some of the routines I do, I diary note the lot to track progress.

[kennel]

I do one routine a day, I would find it physically impossible to to all of those routines in one day.

[Jphaas]

I do one routine a day, I would find it physically impossible to to all of those routines in one day.

Phew... :)

In general, I like to schedule my training in 4 day mini-cycles which ramp up intensity and build in recovery. For example:

Day 1 - joint mobility work / martial arts practice
Day 2 - yoga / martial arts practice
Day 3 - strength training (joint mobilty warm-up/yoga cool down)
Day 4 - conditioning - usually some form of HIIT (again joint mobilty warm-up/yoga cool down)

This type of scheduling ensures you have enough recovery time and compensation from the work you are doing for continuous growth and improvement rather than plateauing and/or backsliding.

Hope this helps!

[kennel]

What is HIIT, I have never heard off this?

[Jphaas]

HIIT = High Intensity Interval (or Intermittent) Training. The Tabata Protocol (http://warriorfitness.org/2010/03/23/whats-tabata-you/)is an example.

Hope that helps.

[mortimer657]

HIIT is definately the way forward for combat athletes and martial artists. For fat loss and conditioning in general it is unparalelled. Steady state cardio (once considered the gold standard for martial artists, boxers..combat athletes in general) only burns fat/calories DURING the exercise...HIIT on the other hand raises the body's resting metabolic rate and will cause a fat burning effect for UPTO 48 hours after the exercise has taken place.

Studies have also proven that it increases not ONLY Anaerobic capacity significantly but also Aerobic capacity. It also takes a lot less time to complete...and although it is a hell of a lot more painful and harder to work through the benefits are worth it.

[mortimer657]

Besides Combat sports are far from a steady state affair. Bouts containg hard intense periods of action..the only time there is any aerobic activity is while circling the ring..perhaps catching your breath.

Therefore the best way to train is to emulate your sport. By using HIIT, farltek, EIT or ICT.

[kennel]

Jphaas, righty & mortimer657

Thankyou for your input, it as given me some new insight & ideas on what to do. I have looked at some HIIT on youtube, now I need to work out what farltek, EIT & ICT is, well you never stop learning do you

Thanks again