I just started taking W.T.F. Tae kwon do and it is fun. However I have found out real quick that I need to be in better cardio shape. So any advice for the newbie. Thanks and marry Chirstmas to all
Coming from someone who loathes running and jogging, bike riding is very good. I found that in a month or so, TKD classes themselves increased my stamina enough so I could take two classes back-to-back and not die of exhaustion. Now I do that regularly. If you have sparring gear, or just a pair of boxing gloves at least, you can hit stuff with them for a good cardio workout.
Doing TKD techniques in your own time is great cardio. In martial arts like MMA, we do shadowboxing as a matter of course. I see no reason why you guys shouldn't do the same. Just do what you've been doing in your basics sessions for 'rounds' of however long your competition rounds are (1 and a half minutes if I remember right?)
Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! Bike riding is bad for kickers. It can affect your flexibility training as you do not fully extend the leg. Try cardio that allows your limbs to go through a full range of motion. Running is a very natural movement. I would just keep going to class, you will find they get easier.
You're not going for strength here, you just want something that makes you tired. If you stretch before and after, you should be fine anyway. PL
instead of taking the lift go for the stairs.also jump rope(skipping)is very good for that type of fitness!
Running intervals or fartlek, skipping, shadow boxing. Take in a kick boxing, aerobics or boxercise class or two - for fitness, not skill, benefits. For TKD you need local muscular endurance, agility, speed, balance and a high anerobic threshold. You dont need to be able to run 5 miles or bench press your own body weight. Which is a pity for me because I can bench press my own body weight and run 5 miles, but can't stand on one leg. *Sigh* Its really, really worth talking to your instructor or booking a session with a personal trainer, explaining exactly what you want.
Good advice! Most TKD schools do offer a Cardio Kickboxing, CardioKarate class or if yours does not then perhaps another school in the area. I teach our classes at my school and many of our TKD students work on their cardio endurance by taking a few classes especially when it comes close to grading or tournie time. You can also purchase a standing bag and do your cardio kicking & punching at home
Shadow boxing is a GREAT cardio workout and helps train your arms and mind for good combos in fighting. Keep it quick, use your legs, duck and weave and dodge imaginary punches from an opponent, bounce around alot and do it for 5 minutes at a time with a one minute rest in between for starters.
lots of options availiable... but just give some time, you'll find the you've better cardio system and stamina... if you still want to do cardio... follow wat other says... shadowboxing, skipping, fartlek(interval runnings) are my favorite -TkdWarrior-
Go to the biggest hill you can find and run up it. Then jog back down etc. Go for runs. Shadow box. Skip rope. Swimming. There is another form of workout thats great for cardio, but i cant post it here or kickchick will murder me.
All great cardio tips .... as you can see anything (anything) that increases your heart rate would be considered a form of cardio.... and whether you're training in TKD or another discipline, really doesn't matter what form of cardio you do.
Any cardio work is going to help you. But, the best thing to do is work out your target heart rate (220 - your age), and alternate workouts between aerobic (as you're a beginner, work at 50-60% of your THR, later 60-70%) and your anaerobic threshold (90% of your THR). For aerobic endurance, try to increase the distance/time you can go at 50-60% of your THR, by training 2-3 days a week. You can train this way every day, but do what you're comfortable with. I like to do aerobic 5 days a week. It is useful for my TKD classes, where we run, kick, etc. non-stop sometimes for an hour, though less useful for sparring. To increase your anaerobic ability (your short-term ability, useful for sparring), train hard in intervals (30 seconds hard, 30 seconds light, repeat, gradually increasing time as you get better). You should be working eventually in the above 90% of your THR range. Training once a week in intervals will give you a big boost. As you improve, you can try to up it to twice a week. The TYPE of cardio you do depends on yourself. Running is great, but it is high impact, and its easy to damage your knees or hips, especially if you're not training right and don't have the right shoes for your gait. It's best to alternate workouts with low-impact (cycling, swimming, etc.), and ultimately its best to do what you like so you will stick with it. One thing to consider, if you do take up a kickboxing class, as you're new to TKD, you may end up practicing your kicks wrongly. Be sure you know exactly how your instructor wants you to kick, so you can practice it that way! Good luck!
Chances are that if you take a cardio kickboxing class that is taught by a martial arts school, you will not be practicing the kicks "wrongly". I cannot speak for all these types of classes but I can assure you when I teach a kick to my non-martial art and current TKD students, they are learning correct technique. I do try to keep BPM's at a 130-135 for certain kicks and then increase with punches and fast footwork up to 155 BPM's.
