questions questions questions

[40 cent]

hey guys, practically just started karate and im looking for a bit of help on a few issues. i know theres a search function but um, i couldnt seem to operate it correctly, so if i ask a question already answered let me know. im just gonna ask a few questions, if you can help me with any of them please reply, if you know them all, post that too. thanks guys, ur posts are real helpful. thanks for any help u can give me!

 

1. firstly, in our dojo, we do virtually no conditioning exercises. so, i was wondering if you could tell me the most helpful areas to condition and give me a few methods for conditioning all of these. give me even the 'hard techniques' for each area

 

2. how long should i stretch each day? i have real inflexible legs, any little trick stetches you know for stretching the legs?

 

3. know any links/websites that have cool/helpful stuff ?

 

4. could u give me a brief overview of different styles? just the main ones, because ive read about a few on here and i get confused between them. just yeah, give me some history on each one, the credibility of the style, the style it uses, strenths/weaknesses etc. are there any rivalries between styles?

 

5.i used to go to the gym 3 times a weak to increas my stength, since i began doing karate 5 times a week ive stopped. how important is physical strength?, should i sacrifice a karate lesson or two for the gym? or are the extra training sessions more beneficial for my fighting than the strength training?

 

6. ive only being doing karate for a few months, im fit, but not skilled or experienced by any means yet. i would love to compete, just to get some 'real fight' experience. any advice? i dont want to go in large tournaments yet.

 

7. could any of you guys give me some help in constructing a good program for my training? as in foods to eat, stretches, how much sparring to do, fitness, bag work, stuff like that.

 

thanks heaps for any help you can give me on any or all of these questions. i appreciate it heaps.

[monkeygirl]

1. firstly, in our dojo, we do virtually no conditioning exercises. so, i was wondering if you could tell me the most helpful areas to condition and give me a few methods for conditioning all of these. give me even the 'hard techniques' for each area

 

Keep in mind, this may be due to the fact that you haven't been training very long. Your dojo might incorporate conditioning as you get higher up in the ranks. Anyway, some good ones are:

 

Shin & forearm conditioning -- just steadily whack them on things and they'll get stronger oh, and bruised, too.

2. how long should i stretch each day? i have real inflexible legs, any little trick stetches you know for stretching the legs?

If you're going to be stretching every day, warm up your muscles with some cardio...jumping jacks, jogging, etc., and then do some LIGHT stretching. By light, I mean thorough and soothing, but don't push yourself to reach new heights of flexibility every day. The max times you want to push yourself is three times a week (space them out...monday, wednesday, friday). Any more than that and you could stress yourself out. Since you're training 5 times a week, however, you'll probably get all the stretching you need there, IF they stretch thoroughly. If they only spend 5 minutes a day on stretches, you'll want to stretch on your own.

5.i used to go to the gym 3 times a weak to increas my stength, since i began doing karate 5 times a week ive stopped. how important is physical strength?, should i sacrifice a karate lesson or two for the gym? or are the extra training sessions more beneficial for my fighting than the strength training?

Strength training is an important part of martial arts training...I don't know why, but so many of us (myself included for awhile there) think that strength training slows you down. Just make sure that your weight training is balanced...if you work your biceps, work your triceps too. If you work your hamstrings, work your quadriceps, too. That way the muscles can work together equally and you don't sacrifice speed.

6. ive only being doing karate for a few months, im fit, but not skilled or experienced by any means yet. i would love to compete, just to get some 'real fight' experience. any advice? i dont want to go in large tournaments yet.

I competed in my first tournament in my second month of training, one of the best things I ever did. Tournaments are great learning experiences, and also a lot of fun. I wish I could go to a tournament a week, but I have neither the funds nor the transportation

 

I can't answer any of your other questions, sorry. However, you may want to take some of these questions, and post them as threads in other forums, like the Sports or Health, Training & Fitness forums. Also, cruise around some of the style forums (Chinese Arts, Korean Arts, Grappling, Muay Thai, etc.), read some of the threads, and you might be able to get an idea of the different styles, in addition to whatever answers might be posted in this thread.

 

Hope that helps!

[Tombstone]

4. https://www.kickboxing.com

 

I think that has some information about alot of styles.

[SBN Doug]

I don't know why, but so many of us (myself included for awhile there) think that strength training slows you down.

 

Well, thechnically, if you power lift, you will be training your muscles to move slower. Only if you lift properly will you become strong and fast.

 

You'll find a lot of what you need in these. Just follow the additional links. Also, just try browsing the Health and Fitness forum.

 

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=6186

 

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10181&highlight=weight

[aefibird]

Regarding stretching, one stretch that I found useful when I first started karate was to sit facing the sofa with my legs spread out as far as they'd go to either side of me. I'd push my towards the sofa until it touched it and then keep pushing forwards to the sofa, still with my legs stretched out either side. It's kind of like the effect you get when you use a leg stretcher, but cheaper. I also used to stretch by standing with one leg out in front of me rested on my garden wall. It's just the right sort of height to stretch with!

 

Don't push the stretching too much at first, especially if you're very inflexible. Just a couple of minutes a day of LIGHT streching should be fine, especially as you're training as well.

 

Try this website:

 

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/index.html

 

and this one:

 

http://www24.brinkster.com/thecyberdojo/index.html