I am just curious here, what do other Kenpo systems have for their standard class routine for warmups? For example, in our Kenpo classes we typically start off with 3 three minute rounds of skippin' rope with one minute breaks between the rounds during which we do "10, 10 and 10" (10 pushups, 10 squats and 10 crunches), then do some stretching for a few minutes and finish with 50, 75 and 100 (respectively, as above) and "the bridge" and "dive bombers" as used in Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning. All that takes about 25 minutes or so from skippin' to bridgin'. From there the remainder of class is technique, drilling, sparring or whatever. I am just wondering if thats a standard routine for most places. Also, does everybody else do a lot of body conditioning, such as punching and kicking each other in the body, arms, thighs and such? We do, and with ranking comes a pretty good series of punches and kicks as a right of passage sort of thing. Hows about you guys and gals?
Our warm up or taiso can vary between individual branches but generally follow the Japanese model. The style I did before Shorinji Kempo had very tough warm ups and they were good fun. When I changed to Shorinji Kempo the teacher was Japanese and had a different idea behind warm ups based on Shorinji Kempo philosophy. Basically he believed that he was there to teach us Shorinji Kempo and that we could go and do aerobics or some other activity at other times for fitness as fitness instructors are easy to find, Shorinji Kempo instructors are not and he didn’t want to waste our running an exercise class. This translates to a warm up program that is designed to limber you up and mentally prepare you for the proceeding training. This is then followed by kihon or basic practice. This is really just a form of sport specific exercise. I now follow this concept of warm up because I recognise that it allows me to spend more time on Shorinji Kempo techniques and that those that are after extra fitness can do so by doing some other activity external to the class. Shorinji Kempo does not recognise the need to turn your body into a weapon, we don’t do knuckle of shin conditioning exercise or train to increase our muscle size. The exercise is important for maintaining health, but we don’t seek to make abnormal change. We believe in ken zen ichinyo (developing the mind and body together in a balanced way). This does not mean the class is easy and most people will feel they have had a workout, but more from the actual practice of techniques and their application.
I seriously disagree with the not needing to condition your body to take hits, but, well, everybody has their own style I guess. But if you are not used to, or conditioned to, take impact on your body, your first fight will likely be a short one.
In ninjitsu our warmup vary's from lesson to lesson but follows a general rule. we start off with a bit of stretching and rotations just to loosen up a bit. Next we start with running around the dojo after bout 5min obsticles are put into the works moving punching bags rolls over objects cralling etc.. sometimes we're also given weights to run with. The penalty for failing an obstical in normally 10 pushups. At intervalls throughout the course we do pushups sit ups squats and versions of these where you partner up to make the training more effective (eg.. squats with someone cradlled over your shoulders) After that we normally do some conditoning (punches to chest kicks on sholders etc...) and then rolls. this in all takes up maybe 45min-1h of out 2h30min lesson which i personally think is an overall good start to the session, as your warmed up and it also gives you good physical training.
Generally my instructor likes us to get loosened up before class. But when we start we generally start with some basics, punches, kicks (either standing still or moving across the floor with targets), we do some stance work, usually run doing various plymetrics, as well as stuff to develop very basic footwork. From there we usually do some basic stretches.
Firstly what I don't do is anything resembling conditioning exercise (push ups and the like), dojo time is precious and if I or my students want to work on fitness, in my opinion there are other times and places for it - and most people indeed do. Secondly, the objective (in my club) is to be warm enough, and supple enough, to be able to get the most out of the session - no more or less. So, my typical warmup... - Gentle jogging or stepping, varied forwards/backwards/raising knees/sideways/touching corners to get the body warm. - A series of gentle exercises manipulating and getting tension out of the body in a pattern, usually toes up to hips, wrists to shoulders, then neck down to hips. - If we'll be doing much kicking, some leg warmup and stretching exercises. Then generally the first one or two parts of the session will be "warming", typically rolls, breakfalls, contact drills. To date, apart from the odd bruise, I think this has played a major part in my managing to avoid any injuries in my club since it started. Clearly, I don't claim originality for this, it's based partly upon Warren Palmer's teaching (my Sensei), and partly upon Rosi Sexton's (a leading UK female cagefighter, who taught my instructors course.)
There is plenty of time to learn how to take a hit during randori, it doesn’t require practice in warm ups. It also doesn’t require the body to develop abnormally either (heavily calloused knuckles or big muscles). What it does require is familiarity with what it feels like to be hit, understanding the various techniques of how we can accept being hit and minimize injury and how we can avoid being hit. In short, technical training not an aerobics class. I will clarify something though. My answer was based on Shorinji Kempo, purely a form of self defence. If I were teaching a competitive art form then there would be a real need to develop aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Since I won’t be doing 10 rounds anytime soon, nor will I be training anyone for this it is not a factor in my class.
We have a similar concept of what warm up should be. Your warm up methods are also similar. I noticed your reference to a cage fighter, are you guys sport or self defence? If sport related I would have expected more fitness work. This isn’t a criticism, I was just curious.
Self Defence, but glad to learn from anybody with something to teach us. Rosi (apart from her obvious sporting accomplishments) is an accomplished martial artist in more traditional styles, and very generous with her time and experience. G
Likewise, I'm becoming keener and keener on the use of flow/contact drills in my Kempo (Shia Tsau, Hubad Lubad...), but that's the first time I'd seen the concept used on the ground. A very worthwhile exercise it was too. G
we'll start off with some stretching and pushups and maybe jumping jacks or running. during the non winter months, and we were in a different school, we would run outside. then we do the eight point blocking system, 8pt+natural strikes+punches and kicks. and then do some meditation. and then class will start.
Well, we usually start with jumping jacks, followed by leg stretches and arm stretches, sometimes running laps around the dojo, then pushups, crunches, then usually horse stance for about a minute to two minutes. Once in a while we do some extra stuff, like some weights. Then the class starts.
