FUNDAMENTALS OF MARTIAL ARTS

Lesson 1

Introduction

Martial Arts – Are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of
reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition;
physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preservation of a
nation's intangible cultural heritage. Although the term martial art has become
associated with the fighting arts of East Asia, it originally referred to the combat
systems of Europe as early as the 1550s. The term is derived from Latin and means
"arts of Mars", the Roman god of war.[2] Some authors have argued that fighting arts or
fighting systems would be more appropriate on the basis that many martial arts were
never "martial" in the sense of being used or created by professional warriors.
Martial arts may be categorized using a variety of criteria, including:
Traditional/historical arts vs. contemporary styles: e.g., folk wrestling compared to
modern hybrid martial arts.
Techniques taught: armed vs. unarmed, and within these categories
armed: by type of weapon (swordsmanship, stick fighting etc.)
unarmed: by type of combat (grappling vs. striking, stand-up fighting vs. ground
fighting)
By application or intent: self-defense, combat sport, choreography or demonstration
of forms, physical fitness, meditation, etc.
Within Chinese tradition: "external" vs. "internal" styles
By technical focus
Unarmed
Unarmed martial arts can be broadly grouped into those focusing on strikes, those
focusing on grappling, and those that cover both fields, often described as hybrid
martial arts.

Strikes
Punching: Boxing, Wing Chun, Karate
Kicking: Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Capoeira, Savate
Others using strikes: Lethwei, Muay Thai, Kung Fu, Pencak Silat, Kalaripayattu

Grappling
Throwing: Hapkido, Judo, Sumo, Wrestling, Aikido
Joint lock/Chokeholds/Submission holds: Judo, Jujutsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Sambo,
Catch wrestling
Pinning Techniques: Judo, Wrestling, Aikido
Armed
The traditional martial arts that cover armed combat often encompass a wide spectrum
of melee weapons, including bladed weapons and polearms. Such traditions include
eskrima, silat, kalaripayat, kobudo, and historical European martial arts, especially
those of the German Renaissance. Many Chinese martial arts also feature weapons as
part of their curriculum.
Sometimes, training with one specific weapon may be considered a style in its own
right, especially in the case of Japanese martial arts, with disciplines such as kenjutsu
and kendo (sword), bojutsu (staff), and kyūdō (archery). Similarly, modern martial arts
and sports include modern fencing, stick-fighting systems like canne de combat, and
modern competitive archery.

By application or intent
Combat-oriented
Main articles: Combat sport and Self-defense
Health-oriented
Many martial arts, especially those from Asia, also teach side disciplines which pertain
to medicinal practices. This is particularly prevalent in traditional Asian martial arts
which may teach bone-setting, herbalism, and other aspects of traditional medicine.

Health and fitness benefits

Martial arts training aims to result in several benefits to trainees, such as their physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual health.
Through systematic practice in the martial arts a person's physical fitness may be
boosted (strength, stamina, speed, flexibility, movement coordination, etc.) as the whole
body is exercised and the entire muscular system is activated.[citation needed] Beyond
contributing to physical fitness, martial arts training also has benefits for mental health,
contributing to self-esteem, self-control, emotional and spiritual well-being. For this
reason, a number of martial arts schools have focused purely on therapeutic aspects, de-
emphasizing the historical aspect of self-defense or combat completely.

According to Bruce Lee, martial arts also have the nature of an art, since there is
emotional communication and complete emotional expression.
Self-defense, military and law enforcement applications
Main articles: Hand-to-hand combat and Self-defense

U.S. Army combatives instructor demonstrates a chokehold.

Some traditional martial concepts have seen new use within modern military training.
Perhaps the most recent example of this is point shooting which relies on muscle
memory to more effectively utilize a firearm in a variety of awkward situations, much
the way an iaidoka would master movements with their sword.

Demonstration of a Ju-Jitsu defense against a knife attack. Berlin 1924

During the World War II era William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes were recruited by
the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to teach their martial art of defendu (itself
drawing on Western boxing and jujutsu) and pistol shooting to UK, US, and Canadian
special forces. The book Kill or Get Killed, written by Colonel Rex Applegate, was
based on the defendu taught by Sykes and Fairbairn. Both Fairbairn's Get Tough and
Appelgate's Kill or Get Killed became classic works on hand-to-hand combat.
Traditional hand-to-hand, knife, and spear techniques continue to see use in the
composite systems developed for today's wars. Examples of this include European
Unifight, the US Army's Combatives system developed by Matt Larsen, the Israeli
army's KAPAP and Krav Maga, and the US Marine Corps's Marine Corps Martial Arts
Program (MCMAP). Unarmed dagger defenses identical to those found in the manual
of Fiore dei Liberi and the Codex Wallerstein were integrated into the U.S. Army's
training manuals in 1942[25] and continue to influence today's systems along with other
traditional systems such as eskrima and silat.

The rifle-mounted bayonet which has its origin in the spear, has seen use by the United
States Army, the United States Marine Corps, and the British Army as recently as the
Iraq War.
Many martial arts are also seen and used in Law Enforcement hand-to-hand training.
For example, the Tokyo Riot Police's use of aikido.

Exercises: Research the different stretching techniques from head to toe and be ready to
perform if we have recitation anytime of our classes.
 Lesson 2
Martial Arts Fitness
Martial Arts training is one of several physical activities that absolutely requires a
professional instructor to ensure that the individual learns the proper form, techniques,
movements, and balance of the art that they are practicing.

Many individuals choose martial arts for the same reasons as boxing - it can be used as
a form of self defense and as a valuable outlet for pent-up emotion, stress and anxiety.

However, unlike boxing, martial arts is relatively inexpensive to begin, and most
exercises require only the individual and an open space. There are many types of
martial arts, and a person wishing to begin training should choose the one that best suits
their physical and mental requirements.

Getting Started

Martial arts schools are fairly common and feature classes tailored to every age group.
As a beginner, the aspiring martial artist should plan on attending a class at least twice a
week.

These classes normally last about an hour, depending on which type of martial art is
being studied. As a student progresses, they may want to increase the class time to three
or four sessions a week.

Attending class is usually the preferred method of training for many reasons, including
the social implications and the opportunity to learn from others as well as the instructor.

However, after attending a few classes, it is important to apply the learned techniques
on an individual basis. Most people that practice martial arts as their only means of
cardiovascular exercise attend class once or twice a week.

In addition, most students will also practice for an additional 30 to 60-minutes per day,
2 to 4 days per week on their own. This approach to martial arts tailors the exercise
routine to even the most hectic schedule.
The grace and concentration that martial arts requires can be applied to any other
activity. For this reason, many people find the martial arts valuable as a cross-training
activity as well as a standalone cardiovascular exercise routine.

Sample Martial Arts Training Program

One of the most important aspects of martial arts is flexibility. Below is a flexibility
plan used by many martial artists.

Keep these rules in mind as you follow the flexibility plan:

-Warm up thoroughly prior to starting.
-When stretching, push to the point just before discomfort.
-The muscle will feel tight at first, but this should diminish as the stretch is held.
Do not hold your breath. Instead, let the air out of your lungs as you move into the
stretch.
Each stretch should be held for 25-35 seconds.
Should the tightness not go away or if the stretch becomes too painful, stop.
Shake your limbs out between each stretch.
Perform the stretch 3-4 times before proceeding to the next stretch in the program.
 LESSON 3
How Martial Arts Help You Build Good Character

Building character is a crucial part of individual`s development. As they say, character

takes you where money can’t. Some evolutionary psychology advises parents to make
sure that their children are socially desirable by the time they turn four. Education
teaches good character, but it’s not comprehensive.
Another effective way of helping ones build good character is getting them registered in
a martial arts class. Apart from character development, martial arts also teach individual
important lifesaving skills. In this article, we share major ways of how martial arts helps
your children build character.

The Major Character-Building Traits Martial Arts Teach

Confidence: Martial arts training build confidence and strengthens a person’s character.
Confidence is a good trait because it enables children to fail, but still have the courage
to soldier on.
Perseverance: Training in martial arts to the black belt level take many years and hard
work. These are important values that help children to become responsible adults.

Respect: Martial arts encourage students to treat others as they like to be treated. This is
the most important lesson martial arts provide. Martial arts teach children to appreciate
and respect others.

Self-control: In martial arts students are taught how to control their emotions when
faced with difficult tasks or challenges. Students are taught to try their best to control
their emotions no matter what the situation. Even when things don’t go their way,
martial arts students are trained to remain calm.

Responsibility : While practicing martial arts, students learn how to deal with their
duties and obligations effectively and complete the task in the best way.

Dedication : Through practicing martial arts, the students will learn their dedication to
their duties, obligations, and family.

Discipline : Discipline here means self-control in which it helps students to achieve

success by obeying the rules and regulations.
Honesty : Honesty is a fundamental behavior for all martial arts students. A good
student is truthful, trustworthy, and honest.

Honor : In every academy, students learn to be an honor. By becoming a martial arts

student, they will be highly respected with great esteem.

Modesty : Modesty is a great characteristic of good students that are learned how to
decrease their expectations from others.

Patience : One of the most important things for a successful martial arts students is
patience. We teach our student how to be patient through practicing martial arts.

Respect : Our students will learn how to deal with others respectfully by working out in
groups. Treating everyone with respect is a basic rule in martial arts.
From the major character traits that martial arts help build, it’s evident the sport is not
all about kicking and punching. Martial arts teach important lesson that teaches them
how to behave. This makes them responsible leaders among peers and in the
community.

Values and Morals : During your martial arts training, you will learn some of the
greatest and most important lessons in life. Because martial arts teach people about how
things work and how to incorporate these lessons into their daily lives, many often find
that it gives them direction and purpose. Whether you are in an office, at home, or in a
classroom, the values you learn from martial arts can have a significant impact on your
daily life. While martial arts are demanding, it is important to realize that while on your
journey, you are learning values, morals, and the discipline of martial arts. It takes
determination to become a master at martial arts, but the strength and positive traits you
pick up along the way will stick with you for the rest of your life.

Focus : Not only are martial arts a rigorous physical activity, but they enhance the mind
and body. One of the great benefits that martial arts provide to mental health is
increased focus on our inner being. If you want to get the most out of martial arts, you
have to pay attention to your state of mind. You’ll learn proper breathing techniques,
meditate, and practice martial arts’ principles such as courage, respect, perseverance,
and honor. Technique is important in martial arts, and through learning techniques, you
will be synchronizing your mind and body, thus directly enhancing your focus. As you
practice martial arts, your body and mind will become stronger and healthier, making it
easier for you to focus better.
 Improved Mood : Did you know that practicing a regular exercise routine is one of the
best ways to improve your mood? Not only do martial arts allow you to relieve stress
and release frustrations in a safe environment, but they may also make you happier. The
endorphins that are released during physical activity can be active in your body for as
long as 4 hours after your exercise!

Healthier Lifestyle : If you’re looking for a healthier lifestyle, look no further than
martial arts. Martial arts allow you to get the most out of life, physically, spiritually,
and mentally. When it comes to making important decisions about rest, recovery, and
nutrition, you’ll be able to apply the discipline and lessons you’ve learned from your
martial arts training. Because martial arts are physically demanding, it encourages you
to eat healthier, and improving your diet will become second nature because your body
will require more energy. Martial arts improve your mental health by teaching you how
to meditate and connect with your spiritual energy. Through exercise and the use of
proper breathing techniques, your body will release a healthy amount of endorphins that
help you feel stronger, fitter, and healthier each and every day. Martial arts is a great
way to shed some unwanted pounds, reach a fitness goal, and improve your mental
health.

The Psychology of Martial Arts and Good Character

Martial arts have an effect on your child’s mental development, which plays a
significant role in shaping character. Most people consider karate aggressive and
impactful sport. This not true because martial arts also have psychological benefits. It
teaches your child physical endurance in addition to inculcating a strong spirit of
perseverance and teamwork.

As your child progresses through martial arts training, you notice their character shift.
They’ll also develop a strong sense-discipline. This is caused by a psychological shift
that makes the child more aware. You may notice this, when the child displays qualities
like humility and dignity.

Martial arts help in both the physical and mental development of your child. This leads
to the development of a well-rounded person with a great personalities and character.
Additionally, martial arts like karate teach children basic instincts, how to identify
danger, face it and handle it. Martial arts also teaches children the strategies to defend
themselves, and using their common sense and intelligence in difficult situations.
A good, strong character that last throughout a lifetime takes patience to develop just
like muscles in strength training. This means that you will have to attend classes
regularly in order to see a permanent change in their character.
LESSON 4
The Importance of Stretching, Conditioning and Warm- Up

Stretching Benefits – Health, Flexibility, Stress Relief, etc.

Stretching provides the following benefits that enhance martial arts training as well as
other athletic activities. Stretching routines should be done before and after martial arts
training in order to maximize the benefits of stretching. All stretches and exercises
should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and
to ensure the proper technique is utilized. You should also visit Black Belt Wiki’s main
Stretching section for detailed instructions for a wide range of stretches (i.e. hamstring
stretches, shoulder stretches and calf stretches).

What are the benefits of stretching?

Increases flexibility and range of motion. Stretching helps martial artists to achieve
higher kicks (i.e. axe kicks) or more difficult grappling positions.
May reduce the potential for martial arts injuries by loosening tight muscles and
allowing greater range of motion (which in turn hopefully reduces over-extension
injuries).
Possibly speeds the recovery time from injuries. Physical trainers often use gentle
stretching after an injury in order to help restore flexibility and strength.
Reduces muscle soreness after an intense martial arts workout.
Potential for improvement to athletic ability (i.e. punching power or kicking power) due
to a wider range of motion and limb flexibility. This can result in a greater wind-up and
thus more potential power.
Increases blood flow to your muscles and thus may enhance potential muscular
development.
Improves coordination and balance given the different positions and muscles utilized
during various stretching techniques. For example, a standing quad stretch is a great
stretch that also works on your balance.
May provide potential stress relief as you loosen tight muscles and relax after a long
day at work.
Can enhance mental focus as you concentrate on the stretch prior to beginning more
intense martial arts training. Some martial artists use the stretching segment of training
almost as a meditation session in order to mentally prepare for their training sessions.
Why Warming Up and Cooling Down Is So Important
A warm-up and a cool-down both involve doing exercises at a lower intensity and
slower pace, which improves your athletic performance, prevents injuries, and helps
with recovery from exercise.

Warm up activities include light jogging, or cycling slowly on a bike. Warming up

before exercise prepares your cardiovascular system for physical activity, by increasing
the blood flow to your muscles, and raising the temperature of your body. It also helps
to lower the risk of getting injured — when your muscles are adequately warmed up,
the movements, stretches, and strain you put on them during your workout is less
severe. This also minimizes muscle soreness.

Cooling down after your workout aims to gradually bring your heart rate and blood
pressure to its normal level — the level it was at prior to exercising. During your
workout, your heart rate has been pumping much higher than it does normally, and it’s
important to ease it back down instead of abruptly stopping all motion. Cooling down
also helps to regulate your blood flow, which is especially important for people who
undertake endurance sports such as long distance running. To safely cool down,
gradually reduce the pace of your exercise during the last 10 minutes of your session —
for example, if you’re jogging, reduce your pace to a brisk walk for the last 10 minutes.

Why warm up and cool down

Warmups and cool-downs generally involve doing your activity at a slower pace and
reduced intensity.

Warming up helps prepare your body for aerobic activity. A warmup gradually revs up
your cardiovascular system by raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow
to your muscles. Warming up may also help reduce muscle soreness and lessen your
risk of injury.

Cooling down after your workout allows for a gradual recovery of preexercise heart rate
and blood pressure. Cooling down may be most important for competitive endurance
athletes, such as marathoners, because it helps regulate blood flow. Cooling down
doesn't appear to help reduce muscle stiffness and soreness after exercise, but more
research is needed.
Although there's controversy about whether warming up and cooling down can prevent
injuries, proper warmups and cool-downs pose little risk. Plus, they seem to give your
heart and blood vessels a chance to ease into — and out of — an exercise session. So if
you have the time, consider including a warmup and cool-down in your workout
routine.

How to warm up
Warm up right before you plan to start your workout. In general, warm up by focusing
first on large muscle groups, such as your hamstrings. Then you can do exercises more
specific to your sport or activity, if necessary.

Begin by doing the activity and movement patterns of your chosen exercise, but at a
low, slow pace that gradually increases in speed and intensity. This is called a dynamic
warmup. A warmup may produce mild sweating, but generally won't leave you
fatigued.

Here are some examples of warm-up activities:

- To warm up for a brisk walk, walk slowly for five to 10 minutes.
- To warm up for a run, walk briskly for five to 10 minutes.
- To warm up for swimming, swim slowly at first and then pick up the tempo as you're
able.
How to cool down
- Cooling down is similar to warming up. You generally continue your workout session
for five minutes or so, but at a slower pace and reduced intensity.

Here are some examples of cool-down activities:

- To cool down after a brisk walk, walk slowly for five to 10 minutes.
- To cool down after a run, walk briskly for five to 10 minutes.
- To cool down after swimming, swim laps leisurely for five to 10 minutes.

A word about stretching

If stretching exercises are part of your workout routine, it's best to do them after the
warm-up or cool-down phase, when your muscles are already warm.
Stretching can improve flexibility and range of motion about a joint. Stretching may
also help improve your performance in some activities by allowing your joints to move
through their full range of motion. However, studies haven't consistently shown that
stretching helps prevent muscle soreness or injury.

Be kind to your body

Finding time for regular aerobic workouts — plus warming up and cooling down — can
be challenging. But with a little creativity, you can probably fit it in. For example,
walking to and from the gym can be your warmup and cool-down.
Benefits of Warming Up
1. Improved Performance - Warming up improves your athletic performance in the
following ways:
2. Improved Blood Flow — Warming up for 10 minutes with an easygoing activity
improves blood flowing to your skeletal muscles, and opens up blood capillaries. Your
blood carries the oxygen needed for your muscles to function, so increasing your blood
flow is one of the best things you can do to set your muscles up for a workout.
3. Improved Oxygen Efficiency — When you do a warm-up exercise, oxygen is
released from your blood more readily, and at higher temperatures. Your muscles
demand higher amounts of oxygen while exercising, so it’s important to make this
oxygen more available through a warm-up activity.
4. Faster Muscle Contraction/Relaxation — Warming up with physical activity raises
your body temperature, which in turn, improves your nerve transmission and muscle
metabolism. The end result? Your muscles will perform faster and more efficiently.
5. Injury Prevention - Warming up prevents injuries by loosening your joints, and
improving blood flow to your muscles, making your muscles less likely to rip, tear, or
twist in a harmful way during your workout. Stretching also helps prepare your muscles
for the physical activities you’re about to perform.
6. Mental Preparation - A side benefit of warming up is that your brain will become
focused on your body and your physical activity as you go through the process. This
focus will carry over into your training session to help you to improve your technique,
coordination, and skill.

Benefits of Cooling Down

1. Recovery - After intense exercise, lactic acid builds up within your system, and it
takes time for your body to clear it out. Cooling down exercises (such as stretches) can
aid this process of releasing and removing lactic acid, helping to speed up your body’s
recovery post-workout.
2. Reducing DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) - While muscle soreness is to
be expected after exercise, a significant amount of DOMS is very uncomfortable, and
can prevent you from exercising in the future. A study performed by California State
University found that moderate intensity cycling after strength exercise helped to
reduce DOMS. Cooling down after exercise helps to alleviate excessive muscle
soreness, keeping you more comfortable and allowing your body to bounce back before
your next workout.

What Happens If You Don’t Properly Warm Up and Cool Down?

1. Increased Risk Of Injury - Over 30% of injuries seen by sports medicine clinics are
skeletal muscle injuries, which can be easily prevented by warming up and stretching.

2. Blood Pooling - If you stop exercising abruptly without cooling down, your muscles
will suddenly stop contracting vigorously. This can cause blood to pool in the lower
extremities of your body, leaving your blood without as much pressure to be pumped
back to the heart and brain. As a result, you may dizzy and lightheaded, and you may
even faint.
3. Increased Stress On Cardiovascular System - Warming up helps you to gradually
increase your heart rate and breathing to a level that will be able to meet the demands of
your workout. If you start exercising at a strenuous level without warming up first, you
will place unnecessary stress on your heart and lungs.
A study was performed on 44 men to examine the effects of high intensity exercise on
the heart. The subjects had to perform 10 to 15 seconds of intense exercise on a
treadmill, without a warm-up. The results showed that 70% of subjects had abnormal
ECG readings because of the inadequate oxygen supplied to the heart — in essence,
their hearts weren’t ready to perform at the high rates required for the intense exercises.
The next time you feel like you can’t spare the extra 10 minutes to cool down after
running, think carefully about the effect it will have on your body. Those 10 minutes
certainly seem worth it when you consider that you’re helping prevent injuries to your
body, improve your performance, and aid your post-workout recovery.
 LESSON 5

SPEED

IMPROVE YOUR SPEED FOR MARTIAL ARTS

by Sang H. Kim
To develop overall speed, there are several sequential steps in training:
- Basic conditioning
- Explosive power development
- Skill refinement
- Skill loading
- Full speed training
Basic condition, including flexibility, strength and agility training, is a prerequisite for
speed training. The completion of basic conditioning is signaled by a level of fitness
that allows the athlete to begin the more intensive exercises that develop explosive
power. Once the target muscles start to develop, begin working on skill refinement.
Each skill should be examined to eliminate unnecessary movements and increase
biomechanical efficiency.

With highly refined movements and strong muscles, you can begin adding speed to
each movement. Start skill loading gradually and observe your body's reaction. If you
can add speed and still maintain semi-refined movements, continue to increase your
intensity. Eventually you will reach the final stage of speed training in which you can
execute skillful movements at high speed.

Now let's examine the four types of speed individually.

1. Perception speed - can be increased by repeatedly exposing yourself to situations that

require instant analysis. Law enforcement officers do this by participating in mock
confrontations that require them to quickly analyze who demands to be responded to
and how. The best drill for developing perception speed in martial artists is sparring.
Sparring teaches you what an attack looks like before it happens. Sparring also teaches
you to be alert at all times by placing you in imminent physical danger. Alertness is one
of the keys to perception speed. You cannot analyze the situation if you do not realize it
exists.

2. Reaction speed - is improved by a two pronged approach. First, you have to be aware
of what types of situations may arise in any given environment. In sparring, your
opponent does one of several things which are predetermined by the rules of the
sparring match. You know in advance what is allowed and what is not.
In a self-defense situation, you also have some idea what to expect. You can reasonably
expect your assailant to try to harm you in some way. You do not expect him to start
singing songs or reciting poetry. By estimating what to expect from the given
environment, you narrow down your choice of possible responses.
Second, you have to have experienced an identical or similar situation before. If you
have been attacked hundreds of times by a front kick in sparring, your reaction becomes
almost reflexive. If you are sparring for the first time, your reaction time is longer
because you must formulate a response without a basis for comparison. If you have
practiced self-defense techniques in a realistic way hundreds of times, you are much
more well prepared than if you spend all of your time beating up a stationary heavy bag.

3. Execution speed - is the type of speed that most martial arts training focuses on.
Executing techniques like kicks and punches with speed takes up a large part of the
intermediate and advanced stages of training. Execution speed can best be improved
through attention to detail. Shifting into a ready posture at the last minute wastes time.
Begin each movement with a ready and relaxed posture. If you are going to punch, have
your hands up and ready. If you are going to kick, shift your weight to supporting leg
and relax your kicking leg. Shifting your weight and positioning your hands can take
more time than the actual striking or kicking. Anticipate what is necessary and be
prepared.

When you learn a new skill, practice slowly at first to train your muscles in the correct
execution of the movement. When you can execute with little thought about the
segments of the movement, speed up gradually. In speeding up the movement, take care
not to loose the precision you learned in the beginner stage. Strong basics are essential
for speed training.

Observing the laws of motion is also important to execution speed. If you flail your
arms and head wildly about when kicking, your kick will be slow. If you stabilize your
posture, your kicking speed will increase. If you punch with your arm, your punching
will be slow. If you punch from your hips, your punching speed and power will
increase. If you spin with your upper body tilted to one side, you will lose kick,
however, creates a continuous circle of whirling force, increasing the speed of the
second kick.

Finally, relax to create speed. Tense muscles have more difficulty responding to your
intense demands than relaxed muscles. Relax just prior to the movement and maintain a
minimum amount of tension during the movement. Relaxation conserves energy and
lessens the amount of force necessary to move your body quickly.

4. Recovery speed - is the result of execution speed. The old adage "what goes up must
come down" applies in other directions as well. If your fist shoots out in a punching
motion, it must return along the same path to be efficient and effective. If you execute a
side kick and drop your leg to the ground immediately following impact, you will be off
balance and in danger. You must rechamber the leg and then return to a natural stance.
If you do not execute the recovery portion of the technique, the action becomes "dead."
It does not have the dynamic quality associated with speedy movement. It also increases
the risk of joint injury tremendously. A fast strike or kick that ends in a locked out
position is a common case of knee and elbow injuries.
A complete technique has an initiation, execution, impact and recovery. Each phase
must be executed correctly to create dynamic speed.

CAUTIONS:
Never use complex skills for speed training.
Always master the basics before moving to speed training.
Never tense your muscles before executing a speed skill.
Muscles must be well trained before engaging in speed training.
Weak muscles that cannot bear the intense requirements of speed training are be easily
injured.
Significant thoughts about speed: No matter what form of martial arts you are
practising, whether it is Karate, Judo or Taekwondo, the speed of hand is critical. To
master the skill of martial arts you must be able to launch numerous attack in a short
period of time so that your opponent does not get a chance to react or respond.
Perfection indeed comes with time, but practice makes you better.
 LESSON 6
BALANCE
Balance & Co-ordination.
Balance is one of the first things you should learn in a martial art. If you can’t stand still
on one leg you have no chance of kicking. Balance is simple. Keep your eyes up and
your back straight and you won’t go far wrong, even when kicking. These tips and
exercises will help you understand more about balance and how to improve.

What exactly is balance?

Balance is a reflex action to prevent falling and injury.

It involves more parts of the body than any other. It uses 3 of the 5 basic senses, the
majority of muscles from head to toe, a whole host of nerves and the brain.
Balance is a whole-body reflex which is developed during infancy. It is essentially a
hard-wired reflex action.

Balance and stability training has many benefits for every combat sports enthusiast.
This skill helps you to stay upright during offensive and defensive moves. These types
of training exercises can also make your core, hip, thigh, and leg muscles more ready
for the demands of combat. Having good balance and stability also helps to prevent
injuries. You'll gain increased joint stability, more control over your own body when off
balance, and have an increased ability to control your opponent's balance as well.

Balance also gives increases your striking ability. Your punches, elbows, and kicks will
all generate more force and power. Plus, you'll be able to perform more advanced kicks
and strikes without falling. This means that having good balance opens up your options
for leaning more advanced offensive techniques.

4 Ways Martial Arts Improves Your Balance

Balance is such an important part of athleticism and martial arts. Having good, strong
balance is important even in everyday activities. To ensure safety whenever we are
making any physical movement, balance is essential. As we get older, our balance can
also deteriorate, and we don’t want this to happen. Good balance is key to enjoying a
healthy and functional life.

There are many ways to train balance. Martial arts, in particular, can improve various
aspects of our physical and mental capacity, which in turn directly affects our balance.
The ability to control your body’s position, especially while moving and performing
physical activities has many proven benefits.

Martial arts works out the entire body, from the base, to the upper torso, to the all-
important core. It helps strengthen your legs and improves your flexibility, all the while
enhancing your mental sharpness and focus, so you are always aware of your
positioning. Practicing martial arts will improve your balance, which then, of course,
improves the quality of your life.

If you always find yourself losing balance even while performing everyday mundane
tasks, then perhaps you should consider training in martial arts. Martial arts has many
benefits, far exceeding those that you gain from having better balance. But right now,
we will be focusing on the effect of martial arts on your balance.
1) Engages your core muscles - By directly engaging your core muscles, you gain a
better sense of balance. The core is an important part of a person’s physicality. Those
with strong, developed cores, are usually more athletic and stable. A strong midsection
can help enhance the way we move, increasing our efficiency and execution.

Because martial arts is the ultimate full-body workout, expect your core to be
consistently stimulated. The various techniques performed in striking arts, particularly
boxing and Muay Thai, make very good use of the core muscles. This includes the
abdomen, the obliques, and parts of the lower back. By performing striking techniques,
we engage and strengthen the core without having to do a single sit-up or crunch
(however sit-ups are a recommended part of martial arts training).

Developing the core is perhaps the most important component of having good balance.
With a strong, healthy midsection, we become less wobbly and more sturdy, even when
we are rocked with impact. It is important to note that the core includes a series of
stabilizing muscles that are responsible for good posture and keeping us standing
upright. So if you want a better core, martial arts is the way to go.

2) Strengthens your lower body and base - Another major target area in martial arts
training is the lower body and base. The base is the foundation of our balance because
our legs are what keep us on our feet. In martial arts disciplines such as Muay Thai, a
lot of emphasis is placed on lower body movement. The myriad of kicking techniques
ensures we are always using our legs to their full capacity.

In Muay Thai for example, practitioners execute various kicking techniques on a daily
basis. This not only engages the glutes and the hamstrings, but also the obliques. Muay
Thai practitioners are accustomed to the daily grind of honing striking combinations.
After just a few sessions in Muay Thai, expect yourself to experience improved strength
and power in your legs.

Other martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling also place great importance
on a strong base and have their own drills and exercises to improve this area.
Strengthening the base is essential to maintaining good posture and balance.

When we move around on our feet, the knowledge of proper feet placement and
distancing gained through martial arts keeps us well-balanced and sturdy. Through
constant training, we are able to then run more efficiently, jump higher and with better
technique, and really just gain better balance overall.

3) Gives you enhanced Emotional toughness, mental sharpness and mental focus -
What many don’t realize is that balance is also a mental activity. Having strong spatial
and situational awareness will give us the ability to consciously stabilize and balance
ourselves, especially in situations where we are hit with impact.
In martial arts, it is common to take a hit or two. Depending on the force of impact,
there is enough power to knock us off balance. But by being spatially aware and
learning how to anticipate certain situations where we can move off balance, we are
able to maintain it. This, however, requires enhanced sharpness and focus.
Martial arts is as much a mental activity as it is a physical one. Through constant
practice of techniques, self-reflection, and meditation which goes hand in hand with
martial arts, we improve our sharpness and focus, making us mentally alert at all times.
Even in situations where we are under duress, we are better able to maintain balance
because of our mental sharpness.
Furthermore, mental sharpness can also compensate for a compromise or a lack of
balance. If you find yourself inevitably off balance, mental sharpness can sometimes
save the day.
4) Improves your flexibility - Lastly, flexibility is also an important factor in good,
solid balance. Being able to change and widen your base by extending your body and
legs. Having improved flexibility also allows your body to require less energy for
performing movements while increasing your range of movement.
Great flexibility is effectively developed through the practice of martial arts. If we don’t
engage our muscles, they naturally lose strength and size. The fact that martial arts
really focuses on a full-body workout experience means we are utilizing nearly every
muscle in the body. This results in joint strength and stability, muscle efficiency, and
better flexibility, which is an important ingredient in having great balance.
LESSON 7
STRENGTH

Why strength training is important for martial artists

Why is this important?
*Strength training makes you faster and more powerful*

Being stronger will allow you to generate faster, more powerful movements. Add this to
superior technique and skill, and you have a martial artist that can be very hard to beat.

While an increase in speed and power are obvious benefits of strength training there is
another, more important, reason for regular strength training.

*Strength training will help reduce injuries*

There are many scientific studies that show the injury-protective benefits of regular
resistance training.

Lifting heavy weights (ones that make 5-6 reps difficult) helps to build strong tendons.
Tendons are the structures that connect muscles to bones and can often be injured with
the repetitive nature of martial arts training.

So the ‘take home’ message for this post is that every martial artist should be doing
some form of heavy resistance training, not only for increased performance (increase
power and speed) but to reduce the incidence of injuries.

POWER TRAINING FOR MARTIAL ARTS

June 20, 2014
by Sang H. Kim | Ultimate Fitness Through Martial Arts

Power is a combination of strength and explosiveness. It is created by releasing

maximum muscular force at maximum speed. To increase power, you must increase
both speed and strength. By exerting strength with speed, you take advantage of both
the force generated by the muscles and the momentum created through the speed.

Power can be described in three ways:

Explosive power - Explosive power is the ability to exert maximum force in one or a
series of dynamic acts. Example: Breaking a board with a punch.
Static power - Static power is the maximum force a person can exert for a short period.
Example: Bench press.
Dynamic Power - Dynamic power is the ability to exert muscular force repeatedly or
continuously over time. Example: Heavy bag workout.

Increased strength

The key to effective and consistent strength gains is to apply the proper amount of
stress in the correct way at the proper frequency. Let's take a closer look at the three key
components:
Proper amount of stress:

Too much stress can easily cause time-loss injuries, injuries that require you to take
time off from your exercise program to recover. Taking time off means you have to
start over where you left off, or more likely, at a lower level than when you were
injured. To prevent overuse and stress injuries, work at your own pace. Don't try to get
in shape quickly by doing 200 sit-ups on your first day. Start with a comfortable
number of each exercise.

To determine a good number of repetitions, work through as many repetitions as you

can until you feel minor discomfort in your muscles. Do a few more repetitions and stop
there. Stay with this number until you can complete it without difficulty and then add a
few more repetitions. The last ten to twenty percent of the repetitions should always be
fairly difficult to complete.
Example: If you can do thirty sit-ups comfortably, set thirty-five as your starting point.
After a few sessions, thirty five will become comfortable and you can add more
repetitions. As you get into higher repetitions, you may begin to advance more slowly
than you did at first. This is normal. Stay at your current number of repetitions as long
as you need to.

A gradual increase in work load will allow to reap maximum benefits with minimal
injuries.

Correct way of exercising:

Execute exercises exactly as you learn them. Cheating on an exercise to squeeze out a
few extra repetitions will do more harm than good in the long run. Failing to flex your
arms fully during push-ups may allow you to do ten more than usual, but it will have
less effect on your arm strength than push-ups done correctly. If you can only do five
push-ups correctly, then do just five. If you really stick to the correct form and are
consistent, five will turn into ten and ten into twenty and so on. Each exercise is
designed to work specific muscles and produce specific benefits. Make an effort to
understand what these benefits are and stick to the correct way of performing each
movement.

Proper frequency:

For best results, do strengthening exercises two to three times a week. Strength training
causes minor tears in your muscle fibers that need about forty-eight hours to heal fully.
During this recovery period your muscles become stronger and thicker creating the
increases in size and strength that you are training so hard to achieve. If you interrupt
the recovery period, you hinder the efforts of your body to produce the results you
want.

DESIGNING YOUR WORKOUT

In designing your workout, whether for strength training or other progressive exercise,
there are seven basic guidelines to follow:

1. Warm-up - Always spend at least fifteen minutes engaging in an aerobic activity that
will stimulate the large muscle groups of your body. Good examples are jogging, biking
(road or stationary), and jumping rope. The goal of your warm-up activity is to break a
light sweat and prepare your body for more strenuous work.
2. Load - The load is the amount of weight your body must bear during the exercise. It
can be increased by using weights or by altering the position of your body during the
exercises. In weight training, a load of sixty to eighty percent of your maximum liftable
weight is enough to produce gains in strength.

3. Sets - Sets are groups of exercises with a brief rest between. If you are going to do
one hundred push-ups during your workout, break them into four sets of twenty-five
each. By resting between sets, you can increase the intensity of each set of exercises.

4. Repetitions - A repetition is the completion of a single exercise. When deciding how

many repetitions to include for each exercise, use the guidelines described in the
"Proper amount of stress" section.

5. Progression - Progression means increasing the amount of the load as well as the
number of sets and repetitions to produce an increased challenge and steady gains in
strength. Your workout should always offer you a challenge.

6. Breath control - Breath control is a familiar practice for martial artists and should be
easily transferred to your conditioning exercises. As in the martial arts, never hold your
breath when you are physically exerting yourself. Holding your breath during a
strenuous exercise decreases the oxygen supply to your brain which can cause you to
pass out. This is a serious danger when working with weights or other heavy equipment.

7. Consistency - Consistency is the hallmark of champions.

To summarize, when designing your workouts, plan the number of sets and repetitions
as well as the proper load for you. Warm-up thoroughly and breath during every
repetition. Be consistent and challenge yourself every day. Finally, when organizing the
order of the exercises in your workout follow these three guidelines:

Work from large muscle groups to smaller muscle groups.

Perform exercises in a similar order every time.
Arrange exercises so that each successive exercise only minimally affects the muscles
that were just used.
CAUTIONS
Before you begin the exercises listed in this section, take note of the following general
cautions regarding strength training. Specific cautions follow individual exercises
where applicable.

Strength training should cause some discomfort in your muscles both during and after
exercise. If you have any pain in your joints during strengthening exercises, stop
immediately. Joint pain during weight bearing exercises is an indication that your
muscles are not strong enough to carry the current load. When your muscles cannot
bear the weight of an activity, they transfer the overload to the tendons and ligaments of
the corresponding joints. Tendons and ligaments are not designed for this type of work
and can be strained or torn easily. To ease joint pain during exercise, try decreasing the
weight of the load or increasing the angle of the joint.

Example: If you have pain during squats, increase the angle of the joint by bending your
knees only ninety degrees rather than doing a full squat. If you have shoulder pain
during push ups, do them while standing and pressing against a wall. By reducing the
gravitational pull exerted on your body during prone push-ups, you can lessen the
weight load on your shoulder joint.

Always use a spotter or partner when working with free weights, weight machines or
strengthening devices.
When doing leg strengthening exercises, use caution in bending the knees past ninety
degrees (as in squats and lunges) because the potential for knee injury increases
significantly when the joint must simultaneously flex and bear weight.
Lift weight properly. If you cannot lift your target weight for at least eight repetitions
without cheating, move to a smaller weight.
Remember that your strength decreases in a few weeks when you do not exercise. If
you take off more than a few weeks, do not try to start where you left off.