Fitness Standards for Martial Artists

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by iolair, May 25, 2004.

  1. iolair

    iolair Mostly Harmless

    What fitness standards (e.g. number of push ups, running ability, flexibility, etc, etc) would you expect to see in a martial artist:
    A) who has just passed their first ever grading
    B) is at an intermediate level (say green belt in most styles)
    C) has just passed their black-belt grading
    ?
     
  2. El Tejon

    El Tejon MAP'scrazyuncle

    Standards for my kwoon are:

    --bench body weigh 10 times,
    --50 pull ups
    --50 push ups (that's press ups for my chumleys :love:)
    --run 2 miles in 15 minutes
    --50 flutter kicks, followed by 50 leg lifts.
     
  3. Pika

    Pika New Member

    50 pull ups? Without rest?
     
  4. Hapkido

    Hapkido New Member

    wow, if you have passed that you just gained my respect.
     
  5. DJHalliB

    DJHalliB R3g1st3r3d Uzer


    A) pushups: None. Most people I know who start martial arts cant do a single pushup to start with, not from toes at least. Running: ~1.5km in 20min (assuming they haven't been training elsewhere) And close to zero flexibility. Basically, just bare minimum, the stuff everybody can do, if they haven't been training something else.

    B) My opinion about pushups is that once you can do 15, there is no need to advance that number. There is no point in being able to do 100 pushups or whatever, so by the time they reach green belt, 15 pushups. Running: Well, people don't usually run very much in the dojang, and a large part of how much you can run is effective energy systems through practice. Flexibility, about 1/4 of a chinese split is average for a male, more for a female.

    Since I'm at that level, might just as well put in my stats: 34 pushups - but I do not train for them. I run 4,5km in 20min and can go maybe 1/3 of a chinese split (but kick above my head with most kicks)


    C: Since most dojangs have a minimum amount of pushups you need to be able to do for a blackbelt ,the most common number I see is 100, somewhere between 100 and 130. Running ability: for a blackbelt, I'd like to see them at least run as much as me just on their gpp from martial arts. Flexibility: All the way on both splits.


    But these numbers are just my personal opinions, in real life, it will be as different as the people are many. Some walk in a dojang and can do 50 pushups in a week, just because of favourable genetics. Others take more.
     
  6. Ad McG

    Ad McG Troll-killer Supporter

    Compared to the rest of the exercises in that list, 50 pull ups is a really hard task. You have to be exceptionally good at pull ups to do that number, but I would say 50 press ups isn't that unreasonable.
     
  7. JohnnyX

    JohnnyX Map Addict

    I will be 45ish when I get my Black Belt.

    So, how fit am I expected to be?

    Cheers. :)
     
  8. Ghost Frog

    Ghost Frog New Member

    If I can ever achieve a 7 1/2 minute mile I will be over the moon. :D I currently manage 6 1/2 miles in just under an hour. I can only do three pull-ups, and I can't do splits in any direction, although I can do most of the other stuff.

    To be honest, my lack of ability in these areas doesn't concern me. You need the speed, strength, stamina and flexibility to execute the techniques of your particular art to a good standard. Because there is a huge variation in techniques between arts, there is also going to be a lot of variation on the physical front. I will never be asked to do a jumping spinning back kick to the head of a 6'5'' person, so I don't concentrate a large amount of my training on achieving that. That doesn't mean it's not a relevant target for a TKDer though.
     
  9. Jax

    Jax New Member

    A) who has just passed their first ever grading

    First grading is very simple just some basic punches and kicks with some bag work and 30 press-ups and sit-ups

    B) is at an intermediate level (say green belt in most styles)

    Level 5 it goes up a big notch-
    3miles in under 24 mins, 500star jumps straight off when you finished running. 10 2minute rounds skipping, 10 2minute rounds on bag, 10 2minute rounds sparring and your rest is the sets of 30 press-ups and sit-ups you do between rounds about 200 of each total

    C) has just passed their black-belt grading

    Black belt is 5 miles in under 38mins, 1500 star jumps, and about 50 rounds of everything it lasts about 2 1/2 hours after the run. If your power or speed drops you get 1 warning, do it again and you fail.

    Lots of techniques and pad work it's basicly designed to see if you really want it :)

    This is for kickboxing btw.

    ps just got 100 posts woop :p
     
  10. JohnnyX

    JohnnyX Map Addict

    A local guy got his Black Belt in Shotokan recently - aged 60.

    He took up Karate at aged 56.

    What would you expect him to be able to do?

    Cheers. :)
     
  11. MichaelV

    MichaelV New Member

    I felt pretty good about my fitness level until I read this thread.

    50 pullups...5 sub-8 minute miles...1500 star jumps...

    I can't even count to 1500, let alone doing that many star jumps.
     
  12. Ghost Frog

    Ghost Frog New Member

    ROFLMAO!!

    You could do sets of 5 if you did them one-armed. :D
     
  13. Wesker

    Wesker Professional Lurker

    Talking with some of our black belts our fitness requirements are:

    - 50 pushups
    - 50 squat thrusts
    - 100 jumping jacks
    - 100 crunches
    - standing in horse stance for 15 minutes
     
  14. Ad McG

    Ad McG Troll-killer Supporter


    That is some hard stuff right there.

    Edit - Hold on a sec, did you say 50 rounds of everything there at the end?!? And your power and speed shouldn't drop?
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2004
  15. Tika

    Tika New Member

    This is very strange to me. In my style we were never expected to meet any specific fitness standards. The promotion test involved basics and full contact sparring, but I was never asked to do push ups or sit ups. In class we do plenty of these things but they have nothing to do with advancement. It is up to the individual student to make their personal fitness level what it should be.

    Now, for the original question, I expect any Martial Artist that has been training for longer then a few months to be able to have the fitness level necessary to spar full on for a while. For some people this stage might take longer to get to then others dending on what their condition was when entering Martial Arts.

    I dont see why someone should have to be able to bench their own weight ten times, or do fifty pull ups. I can understand expecting some level of fitness, but a lot of this seems to be a little too restrictive.
     
  16. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    My opinion ...

    You cannot define a set requirement for each individual ... your level of fitness would definitely show in your "in class" performance.
    But then again you may have a student who is very "fit" and may not be as skilled in his ma techniques.
     
  17. El Tejon

    El Tejon MAP'scrazyuncle

    KickChick, you can if the instructor is former SF. :eek: :D

    "You WILL exercise, you WILL lift your legs." :eek:
     
  18. Mind Aflame

    Mind Aflame New Member

    Blackbelt gradings in my style are based heavily on determination. I consider myself very fit but you cannot be fit enough for a blackbelt grading. If you're still standing they'll keep going untill you are on the floor and expect you to put that much more effort in. You can be 50 and physically not all that incredible but if you are willing to give it your all you are unlikely to fail if you have been put up for it (a sensei probably wont enter you if he thinks that you will fail)
     
  19. pgm316

    pgm316 lifting metal

    I wouldn't expect anything wonderfull :D

    They should be able to do more due to there MA training, but I've known some very good martial artists that have been out of shape.....
     
  20. Cain

    Cain New Member

    Think about how good they would be if they WERE in shape :D

    In our class there are'nt any set standards, the training's well tough enough, but the general rule as you progress you should be able to handle anything they throw at you without whining.

    |Cain|
     

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