Sohan

I agree! I am still struggling with the pull-ups. I can do some dips, but I do more bench dips right now, to get in some good reps. I do my pull-ups on a weight-assisted machine. They are tough, but I try. Pullups are definitely a challenge for the over-200 lb crowd, but not undoable. Alexeyev (sp?), the great Soviet weightlifter, could easily do 30 reps on pullups at a bodyweight of well over 300 lbs. Marvin Eder, a famous bodybuilder, could do 80 consecutive chinups at around 200 lbs bdywt. Keep on pulling! With respect, Sohan

I agree, though I will admit that I have effectively used low reps of heavy alternating dumbbell curls (standing) to help augment my pullup training in the past, so the exercise in some forms isn't completely useless to a combat athlete. It is simply a tool, like anything else. The problem is that overdevelopment of the biceps (hypertrophy) can make for slow punching speed. Weighted movements like chins and dips are highly effective exercises that more people should use in their programs. The reason they don't is simple: they're hard! With respect, Sohan

I have seen those before, and I would love to give them a whirl. I used to do speed bag work, and I loved it. Not much head movement involved there, though. Great for hand speed, however. Actually hand speed bags can be more useful for defense than you might think. Read this thread from Sherdog (includes a video clip): http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=528146&highlight=speed+bag With respect, Sohan

I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble finding a good trainer who'll work with you. Most quality boxing trainers don't really have time for someone who isn't competing because that's not traditionally where the money is, though some trainers are wisening up and realizing they can actually do better today in the fitness market. I've enjoyed reading about your journey. Although I'm sure your objectives while evolve some more over the years, I hope you find what you are searching for. With respect, Sohan

I think you look great for a yellow belt who's only studied six months. I do agree that you need to cut out the bouncing and keep your guard up for real fighting, though you are correct that bouncing can be advantageous for point sparring. Just don't be so predictable with your rhythms. Also, work on the speed and sharpness of your spinning back kick--I think it could be seen and blocked or evaded rather easily. I was quite impressed that you rotated well on your supporting foot. Too many beginners just don't get that correctly. Keep up the good work. With respect, Sohan

In retrospect, I agree with those here who say good riddance. Better that they do not represent our dojo as black belts with their attitude towards training and our dojo. However, I do understand that their need for greater physical contact was not met in our environment (they come from a previous school where there was lots of sparring). We simply don't do much free sparring, though we do plenty of other structured fight training. Having boxed and practiced MT, it can be a little frustrating not to have a chance to spar on a regular basis, and I feel that this may be a weakness in our program. But our sensei is quite upfront about the philosophy of our school, and he tells white belts that if they are looking for a heavy fighting emphasis, that they need to go elsewhere. Personally, I would prefer less "do" and more "karate" myself, but I do appreciate my school and have derived substantial benefits from participating over the years. Karate has made my Muay Thai better, and MT has complemented my karate. That said, I still find it ridiculous how someone can put the time and effort into something and then not test for the most desired goal in our art. With respect, Sohan

I'm only mentioning my workout for inspiration. Everyone should work at their own pace, and build up to higher intensity work. But, having been one who has experienced "bad" knees, shoulders, ankles, of my own in the past, I have concluded that it is often training practices and lifestyle choices that limit us. When we try to get by on 6 hrs sleep, eat poor diets, and train inconsistently with exercises that are not appropriate for our level, we run a much higher risk of injury than when we apply intelligent planning to our program. I didn't start out carrying heavy sandbags up and down stairs. I started with lunges without weight, progressed to lunges with weight, then walking lunges, then walking stairs with a medicine ball, and then increasingly heavy sandbags. I also make sure I get a balanced diet with enough protein to help me recover, and I get 8 hrs sleep every night. It's a matter of choices, and the body is capable of far more than you might think. A year ago I had knee tendinitis that had lasted since 2004 that I thought would limit me forever. Nothing I did seemed to help. However, since changing my routine from bodybuilding-distance running-karate to a more functional plan (power-balance-agility-strength-odd lifts-flexibility), I have achieved dramatic gains in my athleticism and injury avoidance. Today, instead of biceps curls and crunches I do sledgehammer workouts, sandbag carries, burpee drills, medicine ball work, rope climbing, and grip training. I no longer run more than 20 minutes at a time (rather I run MUCH faster), I stretch frequently and can touch my nose to my knees, and I have increased speed, power, and agility. And in the dojo or the ring, it shows. If I can do it, anyone can. I'm nobody special. With respect, Sohan

Welcome back! With respect, Sohan

You're absolutely right, Bushido. It's very important to save the deeper stretches for when you are well warmed up, such as at the end of your workout. Your stretches throughout the day should be light, with minimal discomfort. You will derive benefit either way. With respect, Sohan

If curls and biceps extensions are not conducive to MA practitioners, then what exercises would you recommend doing, Sohan? I still want to build some arm strength, and these are the exercises that I have been doing. Any advise is always appreciated! Thanks! I wouldn't say to cut them out of your workout completely, but you'll build useful strength more effectively with complex movements that incorporate more muscle groups and use heavier weights. Olympic style lifts, odd lifts, and power lifts are all far better to make up your martial arts strength training program than bodybuilding movements. Remember, most martial artists have the goal of a more functional physique, not just a pretty one, though you can certainly achieve both goals as well. Examples would be dumbbell and barbell snatches, cleans, clean and jerks, and push presses, as well as lifting sandbags, odd objects, and medicine balls. In the past year I have been training more explosively with movements like dumbbell shotputs and medicine ball throws and slams, and my speed and power output have improved dramatically. My favorite workout that I did tonight was quite simple: I just carried a 100 lb sandbag on my shoulders up and down four flights of stairs (2 stairs at a time), stopping at the top to do ten burpees in between each set. Save biceps curls for supplemental movements or injury rehab, but don't make them a major part of your workout. For functional strength and power, you have to train accordingly. With respect, Sohan

Don't bother purchasing a medicine ball. Get a cheap $5 basketball, cut a small slit in it, and get a funnel and fill it with sand. Then superglue the slit and cover it with duct tape. I have several of these and they work great, even for slams. Also, add standing broad jumps to the tuck jumps you mentioned. A couple sets of 6-8 reps (without rest between reps) with maximal effort is great for leg power. With respect, Sohan

I like the dumbbell swings, but get rid of the curls and triceps extensions and add dumbbell snatches (my favorite) and burpees with dumbbells or medicine balls (that exercise is too good to just be a warmup movement). Curls and triceps extensions are for bodybuilders, not combat athletes, and they will slow down a fighter's speed. I know--I haven't done a curl in quite awhile now and my hand speed has gone up dramatically. Also, try doing your lunges with a medicine ball (press overhead with each step)---if you can't afford one do the search function at this site and you can learn to make one for just a couple of dollars. Feel free to train high reps for muscle endurance, but don't neglect explosive power and maximal muscle strength (You can alternate these goals in different workouts). Those are very important components to any serious martial artist's regimen. With respect, Sohan

Depends on where exactly you're being struck. If you are taking blows to the patella (kneecap), you can incur a bone bruise or worse, you could fracture your knee. Not much you can do to prevent that outside of wearing knee protection in training. If you are taking strikes to the quadriceps or anterior tibialis muscles, you may simply need to weight train to improve muscle strength and size in those muscles to provide a better cushion. But you cannot build muscle over your knee joint. Do you train knee strikes on the pads or heavy bag? You should do so on a regular basis to condition your knees for blows. Also, you may want to discuss with your instructor better strategies for blocking and evading strikes to your knee. With respect, Sohan

There are several factors that will greatly influence your flexibility gains: frequency of stretching, time interval of stretching movement, and relaxation. I have found since holding most of my stretches for at least a minute or more (up from the previous 30 seconds or so) I have made substantial improvements in range of movement. Also, the more frequently you stretch, the better your results will be as well---flexibility training is simply an activity that gets better the more frequently you do it. Be sure, however, that if you stretch your muscles without much warmup to keep the stretch very light and with minimal discomfort (yes, you can stretch a muscle cold--you just have to be more careful). Surprisingly, even very light frequent stretches can make a huge difference in your progress. Also, focus on staying as relaxed as possible, and visualize a completely relaxed muscle being stretched. This is perhaps the most important factor. I could barely touch my toes last summer (never had been very flexible) and now I can touch my nose to my knees in a seated position. All of my kicks have gone through the roof in both range and speed, and my Muay Thai and Shorin-ryu instructors have noticed the difference, as have opponents I have faced in training. With respect, Sohan

What do I like about MA? 1. The grueling workouts. 2. Camaradarie among classmates. 3. The challenge of learning new material. 4. Pushing myself to higher levels. 5. The self-confidence I gain from mastering myself. 6. Friendships I've gained. 7. The uniform and gear 8. Our venerated traditions. 9. The mutual respect we show for each other. 10. Beer and pizza nights after training. 11. Being able to train with my son. 12. Icing my bruises after a good sparring session. 13. Getting in a good pop on someone in sparring. My favorite is a good kick to the head just when they think they have me where they want me. 14. Watching short-timers who just don't "get it" drop by the wayside. 15. The fact that it's not talent or innate ability that determines success, but rather hard work and persistance. 16. Beer and pizza nights after training. 17. Our dojo "band". We're not that great, but we have fun anyway. 18. 1000 rep bag-kicking sessions. 19. Submitting that cocky guy in BJJ class and watching him whine about what's "fair". 20. Beer and pizza nights after training. With respect, Sohan