Training

I was recently asked to describe the approach to martial arts training at SFMA, particularly in comparison to the approach taken by other schools.  The answer is really quite simple; we train and do so in a holistic manner that benefits the entire individual, body, mind and spirit.

When describing our approach to the practice of martial arts at SFMA, we often quote the founder of Kyokushin karate, Sosai Masutatsu Oyama’s famous dictum, “The way is in training.  We should train more than we sleep.” We are not concerned with the pursuit of meaningless ranks, martial arts politics or with verbal sparring with strangers across cyberspace. We train.  I was asked recently to expand upon what is meant by, “training.”  The short article found below is an effort to address this question.

---

Technique is of paramount importance for all martial artists.  Indeed, developing superior technique is our primary objective. One only has to witness the ease with which diminutive Judo Judan Kyuzo Mifune dispatches much larger opponents during randori, the extraordinary kicking technique of past Olympic Taekwondo champions GM Herb Perez and GM Jimmy Kim, or the indomitable skill of kickboxing champions Benny Urquidez and Bill Wallace, to understand that superior technique always prevails.  The Japanese aphorism, “ama del ray, ishi o agatsu,” “Even a fallen drop of water can break a stone,” is often cited in connection with Aikido but applies equally well to all martial arts and succinctly express this idea.  Technique is best understood as a specific movement pattern, developed and honed by countless repetitions. The majority of our training should be devoted to developing and improving our technique, which can only be accomplished by consistent practice.  To this end, students must attend class regularly and practice outside of class.  The first element of training, then, is attending class; the second element is consistent technique practice outside of class.

Although essential, simply drilling technique is insufficient to reach our full potential as martial artists. Three types of ancillary training are also needed: flexibility; strength, and; cardiovascular training. Technique may be thought of as the apex of a pyramid, underpinned and supported by these three disciplines.

Flexibility

The need for flexibility varies from martial art to martial art. Taekwondo practitioners require extreme lower-body flexibility in order to execute the kicking techniques for which it is justifiably renowned. Judo and Jujitsu practitioners require upper body flexibility, especially when performing groundwork, particularly when escaping from pins and arm locks. Regardless of the martial discipline practiced, improved flexibility facilitates improved technique. Although some fortunate Individuals are born with a high level of flexibility, many of us struggle to achieve flexibility.  Rest assured, with regular, proper training, everyone can improve their flexibility.

In broad terms, flexibility training can be divided into two categories: static and dynamic stretching. As the name indicates, static flexibility training consists of assuming a position of maximum amplitude in a given stretch, then holding the position. Gradually increase the amplitude of the stretch over time, relying upon gravity and gentle pressure, never bouncing or forcing the stretch.. Examples include Yoga asanas, full splits, one-legged squats, partner stretching, etc. Static flexibility also includes the use of leg stretchers (Incidentally, I am now using a fourth generation leg stretcher in my training.  My first leg stretcher lasted thirty-five years (!), models two and three only a few months.  I highly recommend the current, fourth generation model, the FASESH Leg Stretcher & Split Machine, purchased through Amazon) and, “passive weighted stretching,” which involves the careful placement of light weights (never across joints!) to augment gravity and increase range of motion while doing static stretches.  Static stretches also include movements like Goblet squats and stiff-legged deadlifts when performed slowly with relatively light weight and held in the fully-stretched position for an extended period.

Dynamic flexibility training includes stretching while in motion: straight leg raises, side leg raises, etc. When dynamic flexibility is performed early in the day, it is thought that a, “set point,’ is established which enables the execution of high kicks throughout the day without warmup (see Stretching Scientifically, a Guide to Flexibility Training, by Thomas Kurz, How to Stretch, lll, p.31).

In addition to the static flexibility training described above, static flexibility may be improved by employing isometric static stretching, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, or PNF stretching.  In fact, a number of studies have determined that PNF stretching is the fastest way to improve static flexibility. PNF stretching is performed by incorporating isometric stretches at the maximum amplitude of a static stretch.  For example, when performing side splits, isometrically contract the inner thigh adductor muscles at the point of maximum amplitude, “pinching the floor,” for six seconds, then relax. After the isometric contraction, the amplitude of the stretch will slightly increase. Repeat, stretching further and further until the stretch cannot be increased; hold the last position for at least thirty seconds. PNF stretching should NOT be performed daily, but limited to two to three sessions per week. A complete explanation of PNF stretching can be found in Thomas Kurz’ book mentioned above, p.65. 

Flexibility improves with frequency; the more often we stretch, the faster our flexibility improves. That is not to say that every flexibility training session should be identical, on the contrary, workouts should be varied in intensity and duration to insure recovery and continuous progress.

Partner stretching is yet another form of static stretching in which another individual provides gentle pressure to increase the amplitude of the stretch.  It can also incorporate the type of isometric stretching described above.  It should be done carefully!  Communicate clearly!

Limited lists of both static and dynamic stretches, many if not most of which are performed at the start of each SFMA class, are found below:

Static Stretches	Dynamic Stretches
Hamstrings, forward bend	Straight leg raise
Straddle nose to knees	Side leg raise
Deep squat	Rear leg raise
One-legged squat	High knee raise
Side split	Side kick chambers
Front split	Butt kicks
Piriformis stretch	Arm circles
Modified hurdlers stretch	Knees to chest
Butterfly stretch	Walking lunges

Flexibility training should never be forced; no bouncing!  Patient, deliberate effort will ultimately yield results.

The best approach to organizing our flexibility training is very much an individual matter, depending on age, condition and where we are in our flexibility training (beginner v. advanced). As mentioned above, flexibility improves with frequency, so stretching several times a weekis recommended, varying in intensity over the course of the week. We should also be mindful of recovery and how each component of our training fits into our total training plan. In my case, I do two or three extended, intensive training sessions combined with four to five less intensive sessions each week.  Stretching should always be done after a thorough warm-up. In my case, I stretch immediately after cardiovascular training.

Strength Training  

As a category, “Strength training,” includes training in such diverse disciplines as Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding, Strongman and training to improve performance in a specific sport.  Often these activities overlap. Olympic Weightlifting consists of two lifts, the snatch and clean and jerk; Powerlifting three lifts, the squat, bench press and deadlift; Strongman includes a variety of events, often variations of classical lifts such as the overhead press and deadlift; and Bodybuilding employs resistance training to induce muscle growth to improve one’s appearance. The type of strength training recommended at SFMA is specifically performed to improve our martial arts practice.

Unlike the western coaching establishment, the Asian martial arts have long embraced strength training as a path to improved marital arts performance. The use of stone padlocks in Chinese Shuai-Chiao grappling, Kung Fu training with heavy Chinese halberds (as heavy as 100 KG!), kick training with iron geta in traditional Okinawan Karate, Indian Kushti wrestling, practiced only after excavating its earthen practice area, all predate the acceptance of strength training by western athletes and coaches.  In fact, over the course of my lifetime, coaching advice, delivered in serious tones by an early track coach, went from, “Don’t lift weights.  It will slow you down.” (If I had been any slower, I would have stopped!) to the current widespread use of strength training in all athletics, including martial arts. 

Today, although there is nearly unanimous agreement among martial arts instructors and coaches concerning the need for strength training in martial arts, there is little agreement concerning the best approach.  As many of you know, I have been in involved in strength training and strength athletics most of my life and it is from this long experience that I recommend the use of compound joint, free weight barbell and dumbbell movements to build strength. “Functional training,” so often practiced today is the antithesis of this approach. Squats, deadlifts, clean and presses, bench presses, etc. should constitute the core of one’s strength training routine.  The objective is to make our entire body as strong as possible, so that when we execute a Taekwondo kick or Judo throw, the effect is devastating!  This approach to strength training is given a complete treatment in Mark Rippetoe’s text, Starting Strength, which I highly recommend. Also, it is important to note that the specific movement patterns we practice when executing a technique are deliberately not employed when we strength train; to do so results in overtraining and, all too often, overuse injuries and ultimately the deterioration of technique. The approach to strength training recommended at SFMA does not distinguish between Taekwondo, Judo and self-defense. All three disciplines require full-body strength.

When a student incorporates strength training into their training routine, they should begin with the full squat, the King (or Queen!), the foundation of all productive strength training routines. Once a trainee has become acclimated to regular squatting, the clean and press is added, then gradually additional movements Indicated in Tier l, below, as the trainee’s strength and condition improve.  It is critical to engage in this process slowly, with an eye towards recovery and the preservation of martial arts technique.  Overtraining-training without sufficient rest and recovery-brings progress to a screeching halt and often results in injury!  Unlike flexibility training, which improves with frequency, strength improves with intensity, the amount of work performed per unit time.

A summary of suggested compound joint movements is found below.  It is recommended that the movements listed in Tier l be incorporated into the trainees’ initial routine, which, when performed with sufficient effort, will result in balanced, full-body strength. In fact, the Tier l movements should comprise the majority of a trainees’ strength training routine for the first several months of their training. 

The additional movements listed in Tier ll, lll, & lV are added as the trainee’s strength improves and as specific areas of weakness are identified.                               

The manner in which training routines can be organized is simply without limit.  Depending upon the trainees’ objectives, strength training can be performed from one to seven times per week.

Olympic weightlifters often train several times a week while powerlifters limit their training to one or two times per lift per week.

To be effective, routines should be simple and should be changed when they cease to be productive.  For example, full squats are generally best performed for four to six sets (a set is a group of repetitions) with two to three minutes rest between sets.  A time-honored and productive approach is to decrease repetitions with each succeeding set (“a half-pyramid” or “ramp”): 12,10,8,6,4,2 repetitions per set.   An, “old school, “exception to this approach is the performance of high-repetition squats for one set of twenty repetitions to the point of complete failure, which is extremely demanding anaerobically.  With the exception of full squats, strength athletes generally limit the number of repetitions per set to three to five. The number of days a trainee engages in strength training is also a critical parameter when planning a training routine.  Sufficient time must be provided for rest and recovery between strength training sessions, especially when engaging in other types of training. The discussion above is concerned with compound joint movements, which is not to say that a limited number of isolation movements don’t have value. Isolation movements such as leg extensions, leg curls, lateral raises, rear dumbbell raises, hammer curls, triceps presses, etc. all have their place in a strength training routine, but, again, the majority of work should be devoted to compound joint movements.

No discussion of strength training for martial artists would be complete without mentioning Olympic weightlifting.  The Olympic lifts are the snatch and clean & jerk. The focus of training for Olympic weightlifting is the development of explosive force or the rate of force production, the amount of force an athlete can develop per unit time.  The Olympic lifts have been utilized to great advantage by a number of martial artists, particularly, Judoka:  We are fortunate at SFMA to train alongside the members of the Pittsburgh Barbell Club and I encourage everyone to explore Olympic weightlifting as a method of strength training.

The use of accommodating resistance-bands and chains-has become a popular and productive strength training approach among powerlifters. This form of strength training was developed by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, one of the world’s premier powerlifting coaches and trainer of innumerable world record holders.  Like Olympic weightlifting, the use of accommodating resistance in strength training results in an increase in the rate of force production. The emphasis is on training is to increase speed, which has obvious benefits for martial artists!  The use of accommodating resistance is limited to a few movements, for example, squats and bench presses, performed for multiple sets at fairly light weights.  This is the Dynamic Method developed by Westside Barbell.  An example of this routine is to take 55% of a trainees’ one repetition maximum for six sets of three, with  additional resistance bands. If a trainees one repetition maximum squat is 300 lbs. then they would perform 6 sets of 3 with 165 lbs. (max squat=300lbs., 55%=165 lbs., 6 X 3 with bands). In addition to the use of barbells and dumbbells, a concluding movement, or, “finisher,” –Farmer’s Walks, sandbag carries, sled work, Prowler pushing, sledge hammer strikes, etc.-performed at the end of the trainees routine develops the sort of whole-body strength (and anaerobic conditioning!) required to excel as a martial artist. This type of training is borrowed from Strongman training and competitions. A favorite at my little gym is Farmer’s Walks up and down our steep driveway!

Strength training must be integrated into our overall training program without compromising technical training and allowing sufficient time for recovery. As described above, our training must be organized to avoid overtraining. In my case, I strength train twice per week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, which allows me to recover without difficulty. 

Cardiovascular Training

The cardiovascular or circulatory system consists of the heart, lungs, blood vessels and blood.  It is our body’s transportation system, through which oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and hormones travel to and from our body’s cells.  The ability to provide oxygen to our body’s musculature determines our endurance.  All the technique, flexibility and strength imaginable are of little use if we do not have the endurance to continue to fight effectively.  Cardiovascular training consists of two broad categories: aerobic and anaerobic training.

As the name indicates, aerobic training, “with oxygen,” includes activities that increase the trainees breathing and heart rate and utilize oxygen to generate energy: running, brisk walking, swimming, cycling, metabolic complexes, etc.   Anaerobic training is exercise that does not use oxygen, but relies upon metabolism of glucose (“glycolysis”) to generate energy, activities are of higher intensity but shorter in duration: jumping, calisthenics, heavy weightlifting, sprinting (running, swimming, cycling…).  

The distinction between aerobic and anaerobic, both in terms of exercise’s effect on our body and the manner in which we train, is determined by the percentage of the maximum heart rate, MHR.  There are several formulas (Haskell and Fox, Roburg and Landwehr, Tanaka, Wohlfart and Farazdaghi, Gulati, etc….) that can be employed to determine MHR, the simplest of which, the Haskell and Fox formula, calculates the maximum heart rate as follows: 220 less the trainee’s age (Note: exercise physiologists and fitness professionals consider the Haskell and Fox formula to be less than accurate. However, for training purposes, it is more than adequate. In my case, the Haskell and Fox formula provides a MHR of 152; the Roburg and Landwehr formula yields a MHR of 159.  This nominal difference is offset by the formula’s simplicity and ease of application.)

Heart Rate Range	Percent of Maximum Heart Rate
Aerobic	60-80% MHR
Anaerobic	80-90% MHR

Simply stated, when our heart rate is below 80% of our MHR, we are engaged in aerobic training; when we exceed 80%of our MHR, we are working in the anaerobic zone.

Fortunately, the effect of cardiovascular training can be measured directly with a heart rate monitor.  If, for example, a trainee’s intention is to train anaerobically; they must a heart greater than 80% of their MHR. The form of exercise is immaterial. The trainee may run, bike, swim do Zumba or for that matter practice full-contact chess (!) as long at the appropriate pulse rate is maintained.

Martial arts practice requires high levels of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness.  Aerobic fitness is required in order to perform the countless repetitions required to acquire technical proficiency.  Repetition fitting, uchi komi, in Judo and kicking drills in Taekwondo both require high levels of aerobic fitness.  Incidentally, trainees should not engage in technical training once they become fatigued to the point where they can no longer execute technique properly.  Practicing poor technique results in even worse technique!  Any of the activities listed above-running, biking, swimming, etc. -performed at a level that results in a heart rate below 80% of one’s MHR constitute aerobic training.

Anaerobic capacity is particularly important for martial artists.  When we find ourselves unable to perform at our highest level, it is due to a lack of anaerobic capacity.  Anaerobic training, above 80% of one’s MHR, can take a number of different forms: Judo Uchi Komi (again!), kicking a heavy bag, metabolic complexes (a series of calisthenics or relatively light barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell movements performed consecutively), High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT; Versaclimber training (those of you who have trained in my gym will recognize this piece of equipment), hill sprints (a favorite!), etc.  Again, cardiovascular effect of training can be directly measured with a heart rate monitor, so there is no guesswork!

An especially effective form of HIIT that has gained currency in the past several years is the Tabata Method (a limited list of others include Coe, Gibrala, Zuniga, Vallaard,…).  The Tabata Method is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata, Professor and Faculty Dean at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan.  In 1996, Dr. Tabata performed the original study of a speed skating conditioning protocol originally developed by speed skating coach Koichi Irisawa in 1990. Dr. Tabata’s protocol which differs from other approaches in that the length of the sprint interval is twice that of the rest period.  The original program consisted of a five-minute warm-up, followed by a twenty second all out sprint, followed by a ten second rest.  The sprint/rest pairing is then repeated seven more times for a total of four minutes, followed by a five-minute cool down.  With a total training time of fourteen minutes, the Tabata Method is extremely efficient in terms of time while producing remarkable results.  Dr. Tabata’s original study was performed by seven athletes training three times per week for three weeks.  The results reported by Dr. Tabata were impressive: an average VO2 (maximum O2 uptake) of 170% (!), an aerobic capacity increase of 10% and an increase in anaerobic capacity of 28%!  Since the results of Dr. Tabata’s were published, the Tabata Method has steadily gained popularity and is now found in various forms in a multitude of fitness and conditioning programs.

Much like flexibility, cardiovascular capacity is best developed and maintained with frequency.  Incorporating the Tabata Method or similar HIIT protocols make performing cardiovascular training several times a week feasible for most of us.

Although our focus with respect to cardiovascular training at SFMA is to develop sufficient anaerobic capacity to enable us to train and engage in Randori and Kyorugi with minimal fatigue, it should be noted that a number of studies have determined anaerobic training results in measurable post-exercise fat oxidation. I should also mention that the vast majority of the articles found in popular periodicals address the efficacy of cardiovascular training as a method of fat loss, not conditioning per se. Keep in mind that our objective is quite different.

Integration

Given all of above, how do we organize our training to maximize our progress as martial artists?  As mentioned in this article’s opening paragraphs, the first element of training is attending class.  We all have lives outside of our martial arts practice, however to improve as martial artists, we simply must make attending class a priority.

The second element of our training-drilling technique-is the easiest element to incorporate into our training.  We can do Tai Sabaki, partner less Uchi Komi, kicking drills, flexibility training and Poomsae nearly anytime and anyplace. The fitting-in of training into our daily routines is sometimes referred to as, “training in the margins.”

Incorporating strength training into our training program is rather more problematical; we must schedule our strength training to allow for sufficient rest and recuperation so that the balance of our training is not compromised.  As I mention earlier, I strength train on Sunday and Wednesday.  Also, given SFMA’s current class schedule of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, heavy leg training (Squats! Deadlifts!) should be performed on Sundays to maximize recovery time.

Cardiovascular training can also be done when most convenient: first thing in the morning, lunch time, etc.  An approach I have found productive is to perform aerobic work immediately before flexibility training, providing the thorough warm-up mentioned earlier.

Just as an example, my current weekly flexibility, strength and cardiovascular training routine is found below:

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
ST	C	C	ST	C	C	C
C	FLXM	FLXI	C	FLXI	FLXM	FLXI
FLXM			FLXM

I hope the information provided above helps everyone improve their martial arts practice.  I should mention that his article is by no means intended to be a complete, comprehensive discussion of flexibility, strength and cardiovascular training. In fact, there are important topics which we have not touched upon, nutrition, for example. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your personal training routine, please see me before or after class. 

Master Christopher D. Moore