Ideas for cardio class

[AikiGuy]

I teach a cardio kickboxing class once a week. My students are not martial artists so this is primarily exercise to them. I try to teach them combos, evading, and proper stances used in sparring as most similar classes do. Plus I throw in more traditional exercises like jumping jacks, laps around the room, and running in place. What I need now is some new ideas to throw in so it doesn't get boring. I try to do at least one thing different each class compared to the last class. So if any of you have taught (or attended) this type of class, please offer any suggestions of what I could add in.

[bushido_man96]

Have them start doing simple combinations. You can't stress true, proper technique quite as much as you would in an MA class. Just make sure they can do it well enough that they don't hurt themselves.

Pick up some 8 Minute Abs DVDs, and some of Billy Blanks TaeBo DVDs; those will give you some ideas.

[hapkido princess]

I second bushido_man96 suggestions. I've been doing Billy Blanks Tea Bo dvd's and they are good. I use to attend a cardio class they had at our school. They don't have it anymore, but one of the things she had us do were stations. Each station was 5 min. I think we had 4. Like station 1 was roundhouse kicks on the freestanding bag, Station 2 was jab, cross, hook, upper cut while moving in a circle with a parter, Station 3 was switch with partner for their punch combos and station 4 was any combo you want, must use kicks and strikes on a freestanding bag. In my Hapkido class sometimes we have endorance night. It will include running switch to side suffle inside, switch to suffle outside, back to run with lifting knees, to run kicking butt, dropping for 10 push ups back to running. If I think of anything else I'll be sure to add them. But the Billy Blanks dvd's have Great ideas...

[AikiGuy]

So you both recommend Billy Blanks' Tae Bo, huh? Well I did get one DVD for ideas a while back and I watched about half of it. A few interesting variations in that one but nothing spectacular. I figured "maybe these DVDs are all the same". Do you think I should get a couple more or will it just be more of the same thing? Also, I never tried the "8 minute abs" videos. It doesn't sound like it would be relevant from the title. But if you have seen it, I will check it out. Also I have never tried multiple stations but I have tried a single station (punch in place, go to bag and repeat punching drill, back to originial place and repeat). I will give this some thought though. I don't know how many stations I can create with the limited equipment they have at the gym where I teach, but we'll see. Thanks for the ideas, and let me know if you think of any more.

[bushido_man96]

Remember, it doesn't have to be flashy or spectacular. The simpler the movements are, the more easily they can do them, and then the more of them they can do. That is where the cardio benefit comes into play. Keep it simple, and add in pad work and bag work, and they should enjoy it.

[Chuilli, Kyo Sah Nim]

well as far as excercise goes we do 25 minutes of abs at the end of ours and its a great way to end cuz your not doing cardio anymore but your still sweatin. we use med balls and throw em at each other and we do leg lifts, pull ins, elbows to knees(both at once and then one at a time) and i think its a great way to end our program, we also do shuffling instead of running, and we do walking 8s sometimes too, those are a killer but i love them, good luck with your program.

in tang soo,

k.chuilli

[DWx]

Just a few variations on traditional cardio we do:

- Star jumps but with punches when jumping

- Jogging around the room and then the instructor calls a technique and you do it

- Sit-up then stand up

- Any of the traditional exercises like situp/starjumps etc but facing off against a partner. Instructor calls one and then you have to try to react and move faster- Press up position facing a partner, you then try to sweep the other person's arms whilst remaining in the press up. If you lose you have to do 5 situps/pressups/squat thrusts etc.

[lordtariel]

I mentioned this in a previous post, but it works here as well:

We started working on this a little while ago. You run along the mats in an "S" shape so you run down to the front of the dojo, turn 90, run half way, turn 90 again, run to the back of the dojo, turn... you get the idea. We do various sets on each straight:

Sprint, Sidestep, Sprint, Sidestep

Sprint, Backpedal, Sprint, Backpedal

Sprint, Sidestep, Backpedal, Sprint

You can mix it up however you want with whatever stepping you want. Sometimes after we've been run ragged, we'll line up for some sparring. Sparring when you're winded is much different than normal sparring and something I feel kind of useful. You never know if you'll need to turn and fight after running from or towards something.

[bushido_man96]

Sparring when you're winded is much different than normal sparring and something I feel kind of useful. You never know if you'll need to turn and fight after running from or towards something.

This is a good point in training. I don't think it should be done all of the time, because it could result in more injuries. However, being able to perform while tired is a very important apsect in training.