Live from TN: Martial Arts Training Involution #168

This weekend my son and I are in TN at Western Warrior Boot Camp 2019 – here are some road trip pictures.

Full recap coming later. In the meantime, in keeping with the theme of pragmatic, Western martial arts, this week we’re flashing back 3 years to a T.I. that drives home a very important aspect of proper training methodology.

There are five primary training goals in martial arts: Speed, Power, Endurance, Accuracy and Form.

Never walk up to a heavy bag and just start walloping it, or just start randomly throwing punches at the air, slinging dumbbells, or aimlessly jogging. Why waste valuable training time when you can train with a purpose?
Before you start your workout, decide what you’re going to try and improve — then tailor the workout to drive improvement in the desired direction.

LIVE From TN: Martial Arts Training Involution #168

Let’s try kicking in all five ways. Before you begin, warm up for a full 8 minutes.

• SPEED: Set timer for 30 secs. Roundhouse kick heavy bag as many times as you can in 30 secs. Rest 30 secs and repeat. If you don’t beat your kick count the second round, do 25 Push-ups. Remember that count and carry that number through the rest of this involution.
• POWER: Turn off timer. Whatever your kick count was last round, do that many kicks as hard as you can, with maximum malice. Take your time but don’t lollygag. Rest 30 secs and do it again. If you or any training partners think your power was less the second round, do 25 Push-ups.
• ENDURANCE: Are you kidding? This whole thing, taken in total, is endurance practice. But if you were training solely for endurance you could do something like 10+ minutes (or more depending on your fitness level) of kicks with no rest breaks.
• ACCURACY: Mark a spot on the bag no bigger than 2″. Kick to your count. Do 5 Push-ups per miss. Rest 1 minute and repeat. You guessed it — beat your score the second round or do an additional 25 Push-ups.
• FORM: With one hand on a sturdy object if necessary, complete your kick count very slowly and with perfect form. Rest 1 minute and repeat. If your or any of your training partners think your form was lower on the second set, do 25 Push-ups.