New to karate and exercise! What can I do to improve?

[TheDarxide]

I've been to two karate lessons so far, and i'm so out of shape it isn't funny.....

I've started cycling a couple of miles once or twice a week, but what can I do in terms of flexibillity and fat loss?

[Ben Martin]

ha i feel your pain man. when i first started kickboxing i was propper over weight i couldnt even do press ups and the thought of 10 burpees is a nightmare. running is great lots of short sprints. try sprinting to the first door on your street and walk back then to teh second and walk back then the third and walk back do that until you get to the end of your street that will have your heart racing. lots of cardio is the best thing lots of burpees to if you look in the kickboxing section there is a thread about them i personally think they are the best exercise. the more you stick at your training and do it the easier it will become. a few months ago i started doing kickboxing in a boxing gym on sundays with my class and its 2 hrs long it is a killer. but ive also started doing a hour and a half of boxing before hand then my class comes in and i do kickboxing. yesterday i over slept and missed the boxing an only did the kickboxing, insted of me coming out of the gym nackered i felt refreshed even though i trained really hard. so it just goes to show the more you practice the easier it will become:)

[fangshi]

Your karate is going to be quite a work out . To begin with I would mostly focus on your basics . Put as much energy as you can into them . With my beginners I typically tell them to do the in class warm up at home for the first little while along with endless reps of basic movements infront of the mirror . Our warm up is a very well rounded workout in itself , as it is in most of the schools I have seen . Dynamic - full range excercises to start then stretching then some strength and calestetic work . After you have that down you can begin to add aerobic and anaerobic excersises along with stretching . Basically any exercise that addresses the areas you feel are lacking .

Important to start slow , don't want injuries . But the most important thing of all is have fun !

[Jerry]

Skipping rope must be your friend. Also a great workout. But don't worry, you'll get into the thing in 2 or 3 months. It takes time. Keep cycling, drink lots of water and give it your all when you train.

enjoy!

[TheDarxide]

Thanks for the replies...

After the first week, I went to Gedan Berai [sp?] at home to practice and it hurt every muscle in my body......

....2nd week wasn't so bad.

[Ted T.]

When yo start to exercise, your muscles fil with blood. this leaves your brain a little empty and so it gets a bit oxygen starved.

so you yawn.

The number one best exercise to learn for a ma class is - learn to yawn thru your nose with your mouth clamped shut.

(I kid you not!)

[Ben Martin]

^why? the only thing i can think of is that you much get hit in your jaw when yawning.

[Ted T.]

Because sensei's around the world get mad if they see you yawn in their class. Test it....