Eight Fitness Tips For The Combat Realist

[Mr.X]

Eight Fitness Tips For The Combat Realist


Author: Robert Bussey

Article:
Forget being the toughest guy on the planet. It's pretty easy
for martial artists to adopt complacency and begin to rest on
their laurels. Not you? Well, if the circumference of your waist
is large enough to hide the knot of your black belt, this
article may be for you. Even if you are in top condition, read
on if you want to look lean and feel your best as a combat
warrior. I'll make it real easy for you. I promise you won't
have to execute ten thousand kicks or hold a sword over your
head while standing on broken glass. Lets face it; you'll never
stick to your work out plan if it reminds you of torture. So,
instead, I'll give you eight simple instructions designed to
maximize your combat performance while maintaining good health
and longevity. I've managed to remain fit after three decades in
the martial arts and you can do the same.

Tip. #1 Warm up with slow motion exercise and speed up gradually
as you loosen up. This process has become more important as I've
gotten older. Before and after an exercise session, you should
perform a general stretch routine to help break up adhesions and
feed the muscles with blood to help speed recovery. The
combination of flexibility and strength together will make a
significant difference in effecting your technical performance.
As strength training builds muscle it limits the overall range
of motion. Stretching can counter this effect by limbering up
muscles as they become larger.

Tip. #2 It may be necessary to reshape your attitude and
perspective. In our cravings for perfection, we sometimes place
a heavy emphasis on rank, titles, or goals that don't
necessarily relate to meaningful life-goals. Aim higher at
achieving a sense of over-all health and self esteem in addition
to competitive rigors. It's easy to avoid what is necessary to
take care of yourself and to take short cuts. Martial arts are a
discipline, which should compliment your lifestyle of fitness
and long life. Instead of rationalizing your un-healthy choices
or using past accomplishments as an excuse for not making the
effort, take responsibility for yourself. In other words,
exercise accountability.

Tip. #3 Martial arts are generally not the most efficient
aerobic activity. This is primarily because as you get better at
it, you learn to pace yourself during the execution of moves.
Stacked against other aerobic exercises, martial arts activity
scores low because the practitioner is usually not in constant
motion. So, change that by engaging in non-stop aerobic exercise
for 30 minutes at least three times a week. Your heart will love
you. To avoid boredom and gain maximum calorie burning, try to
diversify your sessions every week or two. In violent
conditions, normal breathing is altered which can adversely
affect your performance. Good conditioning is not only
beneficial for your physical well-being, but also reduces panic,
distress, and anxiety.

Tip. #4 I know it may be hard for all you young readers to
believe, but in my day it was frowned upon by masters to combine
weight training with martial arts. The 60's and 70's are behind
us now and well-researched weight training has become an
important tool for thousands of world-class athletes. Remember,
exercise increases physical reserve. You may need to call upon
that reserve in a life-threatening encounter. Conduct intense
weight training exercises such as the barbell curl, tricep
extension, bench press, etc., for 30 minutes to an hour, two or
three times a week. Consider exercises that target the internal
and external obliques such as torso twists and weighted
crunches. It's these abdominal muscles that help you change
direction quickly during grappling, increase kicking power, and
help absorb the impact of a blow. When you lift weights, you
tear myofibrils, the tiny sinews of tissue that make up the
muscles. It takes a couple of days for muscles to repair
themselves and it's during that period that you actually become
stronger. You don't have to be a mad man when you work out, just
remember to work furiously with little rest between exercises
while conducting each move with precision and good technique.
Gym's are great, but make sure to develop routines that provide
a workout without specialized equipment so that you can remain
fit when your on the road or can't make it to a facility.
Push-ups, crunches, and chair dips are high on the list.

Tip. #5 Every martial artist knows that practice makes perfect.
Depending on your goals, the trick to performing well as a
technician is to retain worthwhile combat strategies via
repetitive practice until they become natural instinctive
reactions. In English; good technique + practice, practice,
practice = skill. The benefits of being well rounded and active
are going to contribute to your overall fitness but won't be
enough to keep the fat off. It's true; physique does not make a
good martial artist. That 's why we see so many porky masters
who are pretty tough. However, if you want peak performance
you'll need to take off excess flab. Reducing weight is by far
the easy phase in weight control. Eat less, exercise more, and
wallah! However, maintaining ones target weight is the tough
phase. This is achieved with a sustained life style program.
Once this is established, you'll wonder what life was like
without it. More muscle and less flab will translate into
improved fighting prowess, a better instructor image, and a
happier you.

Tip #6 The accepted regimen these days is to eat a fist full of
food, six times a day. That is, a chicken breast, yogurt, or
whatever, in portions about the size of that lethal knuckle
sandwich of yours. For each body pound, consume approximately
ten calories, one gram of protein, one gram of carbohydrates,
and at least .6 oz of water. In all, you'll be eating six small
meals that contain about 200 - 400 calories each depending on
your weight and drinking lots of water (almost a gallon). Of
course, restrict your fat intake and remember your multivitamin
just in case your diet doesn' t give you what you need. You may
not feel any different taking a multivitamin but believe me;
your body will make good use of it. I focus on taking my carbs
in the morning when I need the energy. My protein is consumed
after workouts, and I avoid eating late at night.

Tip #7 Relaxation is the key to optimum performance in martial
arts. Rest and work compliment each other. Do yourself and your
body a favor and rest. You need the down time for peace of mind
and your muscles need time to grow and recover between workouts.

Tip #8 Work on yourself from the inside. Avoid addictions and
general bad behavior. There are few things as ugly as a martial
artist who lacks character. It wouldn't hurt for you to consider
some personal introspection. In fact, being a better person can
relieve stress and help you feel a whole lot better. Exercise
can make a difference too. I believe that these primary
influences will ease tension and stimulate creative thinking and
overall alertness.

That's it. In time, you'll bump up your metabolism, burn fat,
think more clearly, build muscle mass, and perform better at
your art. What more could you want? Well, okay, you have me
there. But if you genuinely want to see some results, I
encourage you to stick with these tips for a few weeks and make
the improvements that I know you deserve.

About the author:
Robert Bussey is one of America's pioneers of martial arts,
Ninjutsu, and reality based personal protection. His lifelong
commitment to his work has made a significant contribution to
the stream of strategic practices throughout the world. He can
be reached at: http://www.busseystyle.com