How much cardio do you do?

[Archimoto]

Good morning y'all!

Aside from MA specific classes and training, I try to run 5 miles at a moderate pace (aerobic zone) at least 2 if not 3 days per week if the work schedule allows. Curious whether and how you guys focus on your cardio.

To be clear, I'm not saying that you can't work on cardio while in class, just curious what type of cardio some of you are working on.

I find running to be beneficial in a variety of ways. When I increase the distance it is in fact therapeutic - you hear your breathing, your steps, the sounds around you, your mind wanders, it can be meditative. I also make sure to keep a comfortable pace, which in my case means very slow. The result is that I don't over stress my knees so I can keep running and running, I don't go above my aerobic zone so my cardio gets better and better, and a slow pace helps strengthen the ligaments in my knees which helps in and out of MA class. And lastly, I've made some very good friends who run - a comfortable pace keeps us conversational so you really get to know your running mates.

I've thought about swimming but I'm enjoying my runs too much! Curious what others are up to.

[jaypo]

The only sound I hear when I run a distance is my heavy breathing! I've never been a good distance runner. My cardio consists of about 4.5 hours of Karate a week and about 3 hours of strength/weight training a week. I can't run much anymore because of my knees.

After my weight routines, I usually spend another 20 minutes doing katas at a fast pace. That helps me burn a lot of calories!

[hammer]

Got into running about a year and a half ago and I'm trying to train for a half-marathon in August. I look at it as cross-training for MA since it's my understanding that it works different muscle groups. Main benefits are health (keeps the BP down) and weight control, and I also find it to be mentally therapeutic. Main disadvantages are that I have more of a tendency to get injured running, usually because I push it too hard.

Recommendation for cardio that I've heard for MA is to do interval runs. If running isn't doable or desirable then I also think that multiple sets of forms for 20+ minutes would work as well...

[bushido_man96]

I don't do any other than class right now. Maybe when things settle down more, I can find time in my schedule to do something. I need to do some, though.

[sensei8]

Cardio is critical, imho, and that's why I put some serious training in it. As I get older, I change, not the vehicle, but I change the gears, and a lot of that has to do with my doctor. Yes, I cheat on doctor order but I don't veer to far away.

My running has been replaced with swimming/laps, walking on treadmills, rowing machines, jump roping, medicine balls, and stationary bikes. If the machine is able to increase the incline, the better.

I also push around a big truck tire; lately it's killing me!! Maybe I need a smaller truck tire, if there's such a thing.

Circuit training has been my friend for more years than I can remember. But, I've tailored that down a tad by shortening the time through not visiting as many machines at each and every "beep" I hear. I'll do 10, where I use to do 15 machines.

I can't force my students to do cardio, they have to want it. Yeah, I nag them to death, but I won't make it mandatory. Why? They've a life outside of the dojo, and I respect that.

Sometimes age gets in the way...sometimes.

[jaypo]

After feeling too far out of shape to reach my martial arts goals, I began dieting and cut about 18 pounds. It has helped a lot. I've been weight training for years (mostly strength training with heavy weights), but my elbows and shoulders are starting to revolt! So I purchased a set of olympic rings to try and improve my core strength. I did my first workout for back and biceps today, and I can feel the difference from my regular training. I can also feel a difference in my heart rate. It seems to be a lot higher doing ring exercises than regular resistance training.

[DWx]

Not enough. One of our classes in the week is very cardio intensive and outside of that I try to run between 3 and 6 mile per week. Ideally I'd like to be skipping and then either swimming or rowing too but I just can't fit it in my day to day schedule... Occasionally my training partner and I also go Hill sprinting but we only manage to make it around every 6 weeks or so.

Got to try to work on it this year.

[Zaine]

I love riding a bike. It's my favorite way to get cardio in whether it be on the road or off.

[Archimoto]

Interesting replies.

Anyone try doing their cardio before class?

On Saturday mornings I'll do a run at 7:30 and show up sweaty and warmed up for our 8:30 class. It actually helps tremendously.

[sensei8]

Before class? Sure, but how soon before class? If class is about to start, NO, I'll be leading the warm-ups, and for me, that'll suffice. If there's time before class, sure. I'll hit the bags or the WC Dummy or skip rope or jumping jacks and the like, or something to get the blood flowing.