Fitness for the overweight martial artist

[storyteller]

I'm one of those sad cases of martial artists who went from perfect training/fighting form to carrying around a bit of a spare tire due to lack of training and lack of free time.

Now that I'm graduating college and am likely to have the opportunity to begin taking classes again, I'd like to get back in shape a bit before I jump back in.

I was wondering if anyone out here in karateforumsland would be able to offer me some training suggestions (weight training, endurance training, cardio, etc.) to help me get back into decent physical condition without overwhelming me right off and making me want to quit?

Many thanks.

[JackCrevalle]

This topic has been covered in a number of threads recently. You might want to peruse those.

The bottom line is that the fastest way to lose weight is still dieting although exercise helps and keeps you from losing muscle mass.

Exercise at 80% of your target cardio rate is more effective in fat burning than exercise at the target cardio rate.

Cycling is a great way to do this and so is fast walking. In another of this threads I was relating how I lifted weights one day with a heart rate monitor on and was able to stay about in the 80% zone. This was with high reps and lower weights however. Also, while I did not let my heart rate fall below the 80% rate while resting between sets, neither was I exercising so perhaps this isn't as effective as continuous activity such as cycling.

[bushido_man96]

The best thing you can do is start by analyzing your diet, and adjust your caloric intake accordingly.

Then, it will really come down to doing some physical activities that you enjoy, and make sure you do them 3 to 5 times a week, for around 20 or 30 minutes at a time. It may be lifting, or cardio, or a little of both. Even playing some pick-up basketball, or going for a walk every evening. Just make sure you enjoy what you do. That way, you stay motivated to keep doing it.

Good luck, and welcome to the Forums!

[lordtariel]

I agree. Go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx and find out how many calories a day your supposed to be taking in. Keep under the amount for weight loss and the pounds will slowly come off. Also, throwing in exercise will help speed up the process(or provide you with more available calories to take and still loose weight at the slower pace).

I've lost about 7 pounds in the last month from just lowering my food portions. No restricted diet, no forbidden foods, just eating less of what I have and being aware of what I'm putting in my mouth. I was really surprised to find that it wasn't the fat or sugar that was keeping the pounds on, it was the sheer caloric intake.

I'm also always looking for ways to get little bits of exercise throughout the day. I don't park in the farthest reaches of the parking lot because I'm afraid my car's going to get dented, I do it because it forces me to walk farther. I go for walks on my breaks at work. These little things might not seem like much, but I got a pedometer one time and found out I was walking an extra 2 miles a day. Every little bit helps. Good luck.