Martial Arts Training

[Cross_Trainer]

Hello. I'm posting because I wanted some advice on where to take my MA development. I live in a small town with limited options available, which are:

 

School #1 (3 different instructors)

 

Judo

 

Jujitsu

 

Goshin-Jutsu Karate

 

supplemental arts--

 

Aikido

 

Tang Soo Do (Korean Karate)

 

Link:

 

http://www.goldendragontraining.com/class.html

 

School #2

 

The place that I'm currently going--Goshin-Jutsu Karate (our sensei also knows some aikido, so this is another source for that). I am unsure as to the quality of this school, since it has a few characteristics of a mcdojo and a few that seem to indicate that it is a good school. These are:

 

On one hand:

 

1. It costs a good deal of money to get new belt rankings, do various seminars, etc.

 

2. We spend a lot of time doing kata, and need to learn a kata to get a promotion

 

3. We have many children who are up to purple belt (our ranking goes white, yellow, green, purple, brown, 1st dan) but none higher than this. Several of these children are definitely not qualified.

 

However, on the other hand:

 

1. One of the students there fought in the world competition for Goshin Jutsu karate in Russia, and won second place (he beat the guy who played Darth Maul in star wars)

 

2. Our sensei has been doing this for over thirty years, so he isn't one of those 1st/2nd degree blackbelt teachers

 

3. Our school always does well in tournaments, for what that's worth (small benefit maybe, but not much)

 

4. Our blackbelts seem to be generally pretty qualified (the test includes getting hit full-force in the stomach, for instance, and they have been doing it for at least 5-15 years before 1st dan)

 

5. Promotion is generally slow. I am a whitebelt after eight months (w/ the little yellow stripes on it) and I have progressed much faster than most other people who entered at the same time. The sensei's own son is only green thus far.

 

6. Our sensei also has taught several other people in other towns with their own Goshin-Jutsu schools

 

7. He also privately teaches some of the harder-core stuff (like ripping out cheeks, eye gouges, etc.) and things like hand conditioning. This is taught only to older and more responsible students.

 

link:

 

https://www.goshinjutsu.org

 

The YMCA:

 

We have a cardio kickboxing class (which, although I know that it would be nearly useless as a self-defense class, MAY be able to allow me to learn the TECHNIQUES of "normal" boxing to improve my hand techniques--I would spar with them elsewhere (There are no normal boxing instructors in the area--would this work?)

 

Shotokan karate--one of those "improve self-esteem and physical fitness while learning the art of self defense!" classes, claims to be family oriented, etc. etc. Probably not a good choice, but then again I have not talked to the teacher.

 

"Qigong Kung Fu and T'ai Chi Ch'uan"-- Seems mostly a mind-body class rather than a self-defense class; on the other hand the instructor has been practicing a variety of martial arts over the past 20 years and the Yang style of Tai Chi for eleven, so he may be able to teach fairly well privately.

 

link:

 

http://www.williamsportymca.org/

 

I'm looking to get well-rounded, self-defense oriented training, so cross-training in more than one of these is a definite possibility.

 

Also, I have a few questions about martial arts fitness and training:

 

1. General Conditioning

 

Currently, I am doing a complex training regimen with low-rep, high weight multimuscle lifts (deadlift, bench press, squat, weighted ab crunch, bent rows) immediately followed by the corresponding plyometric exercise (box-to-box squat jumps for squats, plyometric pushups for bench, etc.) On off-days I am doing a full-body stretching routine. I have not as yet started much cardio training, pending purchase of a heart rate monitor that I haven't been able to get for a few months. My periodized schedule is almost finished, and will also include hypertrophy (muscle building) as well as power-building exercises to give some extra padding against strikes. Nutrition I'm still working on, but as of now I'm getting lots of protein, carbs, fiber, and in a few months when I quit my acutaine treatment I'll be able to take a multivitamin. I'm also taking about 2000 mg of vitamin C and around 2000 IU of vitamin E per day to allow my muscles to recover faster. I do a full-body workout every other day (except on the weekends--it's usually 3 times per week). Right now what I do in each workout is:

 

WEIGHT TRAINING....................FOLLOWED BY

 

3x4 Bench................................+ Plyometric pushups (till exhaustion)

 

3x4 Deadlift..............................+ Clean & Jerk

 

3x4 Squat.................................+ Multiple box-to-box squat jumps

 

3x4 or 5 Situps (w/weights)........+ Situp pass

 

3x4 Bent Rows...........................+ Underhand medicine ball throw

 

 

 

2. Conditioning of striking surfaces

 

How best can this be done? I have heard two different approaches, short of smashing your hands against rocks or metal plates:

 

a. rub the surface against something over time, and a callous will form that will be able to pad the striking area

 

b. strike something slightly solid and yielding (like a makiwara, wood wrapped in carpeting hanging from the ceiling, or the like) and hit it repeatedly until the neres in the knuckles move/migrate further up the hand (or does it just deaden them?)

 

Also, what surfaces are safe to condition? Are knuckles, forearms, elbows, knees, lower legs, palms, top of the foot, and balls of the foot all fair game, or are some unsafe and/or need lighter/more specialized conditioning?

 

 

 

3. Books on martial arts conditioning.

 

So far, I have purchased, and read, six or seven books on general conditioning and two that are specifically martial arts oriented (the fighter's factbook and solo training, both by Loren Christenson). Can you recommend any other reading?

 

 

 

4. Other

 

Is there any other training or conditioning, mental or physical, that I can do? My goal is self-defense rather than looking showy in kata or being able to point spar well. So far I have been doing Goshin-Jutsu karate for eight months (I have been doing physical conditioning, including weightlifting, for two years now)

 

Thank you for your time

[cross]

We cant really decide what school is best for you, the only advice i can give is to go to each school and talk to the instructor and students, then decide which one you like best.

 

It appears you have your training routine well organised. Keep that up.

 

For conditioning of striking surfaces, the only conditioning i do is hitting the heavy bag and focus mitts. Forming callous' or deadening the nerves won't do you much good.

[SevenStar]

I can't really tell you which school to go to, bit I'll give my oppinion based on the info here:

 

stay away from the ymca class - the shotokan they state is "family oriented" that's about it - no other detail. And what the hell is "shadow of the dragon kung fu"?

 

I wouldn't go with the goshin.org school either. The classes are only once a week (hence 8 months as white belt really isn't that long...) A punch in the stomach is no indicator of skill level. private lessons to teach eye gouges and cheek ripping? skip it.

 

DO NOT take a cardio kickboxing class with hopes of learning proper boxing technique - that's a bad idea.

 

I would go with judo. The classes are three days a week and the instructor is a 4th degree black belt who has been doing judo since he was 10. There should be a wealth of knowledge there. for striking, you can attend the tang soo do classes that are offered two days a week at the same facility.

 

your strength training program is good, but I would add pullups to it, and back off at least one day of the plyos - you don't want to do them too often.

 

for conditioning, all you need is a heavy bag.

 

As for books, if you haven't already, check out "power to the people" by pavel tsatsouline. Chad boykin's muay thai book has some good training and conditioning info as well.

[Shane]

I also can not decide which school is for you, but I will tell you that you need to figure out which shcool would benifit you the most. Remember Martial Arts is more about you as an individual rarley are you going to have your instructor or fellow students with you on the street if you get into a situation and RANK means nothing on the street. So keep that in mind and make sure you have fun with your training, as long as it stays fun you will stay motivated.

 

GOOD LUCK