Fitness requirements

[BKJ1216]

Oh man this doesn't sound good for me, not at all good. I'm pretty out of shape I can't do any pushups and I can't do situps without someone holding my feet, and I damn sure can't run a mile. Should I call my dojos see if they do all this pushup running crap?

[hobbitbob]

I don't know if it is what most people think of as "physical training," but in the black belt classes at my school we often do kotekite drills (body conditioning).

[SaiFightsMS]

There is a big difference in schools in terms of what is expected out of those testing to be a black belt and those just beginning training as white belts.

[theswarm]

mine doesn't do any of that unless your in the state team

 

then you have to do like 150 pushups, legups, crunches, lots of jogging, and a whole bunch of other stuff that makes my biceps cry

[Mamutti]

Our black belt test has one of the four phases designated as physical endurance. We prepare students for this at each belt level. For my next test, I have to do 125 pushups, 125 Situps, 25 finger tip pushups, a 2 mile run, bag work, and then boxing. Having done this before, none of it is hard alone, but combined on a very hot July day really tested me. The bag work, minute on minute off, was the hardest part especially right before the boxing. I went into that exhausted. My general curriculum test lasted about 3 hours and was just as tiring- forms, techniques and self defenses at full power and speed.; it also included sparring. I would include this as part of our physical requirement. We also have sat preparation days for all candidates.

[Synaesthesia]

I think conditioning in classes is great. I find the that the instructors push me a lot harder, and drive me to push myself harder when I train alone.

[Kamidake]

Whoever was concerned about starting because they were out of shape: I had the same concern. I hadn't done ANYTHING in three years. The particular system I ended up with is called Jinenkan and is structured so everybody can be at a different level and everybody can go at his own pace, so it wasn't a problem for me. You might want to try to find one like that rather than the one-size-fits-all, aerobics-class approach where everybody's doing the same thing at the same time at the same pace. Jinenkan spins off another system called Bujinkan, so you might start your inquiries with those two. They're probably not the only ones who individualize it, you might have to shop around.

 

Yes, I was VERY sore after my first 2-hour class, although, in a paradoxical way, it was kind of nice to be sore, because it was the satisfying soreness you get from having done something, rather than the chronic pain of an ailment. If that makes any sense.

 

I would not let being out of shape stop you. If you go ahead and start, if nothing else, you'll get IN shape. I would tell them about any chronic ailments you have, though, to make sure that it's realistic for you to do the particular activity you're interested in. Good luck!

[nathanjusko]

I believe that physical fitness should be a concern to the martial artist, but not his/her goal. The goal is to become the best fighter possible, and to achieve a level of maturity and respect that becomes associated with your level of expertise. However, in order to achieve this the average person (99% of the population) should engage in fairly rigorous physical conditioning. The type of physical conditioning varies immensely with whatever style you personally practice under. TKD should do more leg work and flexibility training than say...an aikido practicioner, it all depends. You should take the movements that are common in whatever art you practice, figure out what muscles and body systems are used, then constantly challenge those specific systems and areas. Punches require explosive arm and chest strength, do push-ups. Having to twist your body in weird shapes requires 'core' strength, i.e. the sit-up. Jumping and kicks require leg strength and flexibilty, i.e. squats, slow kicks, and partner-stretching.

 

I also believe that the only test you should have to do physical testing on should be your black-belt exam, purely for bragging rights. Because that is a big step-up in confidence and you want your highest ranking students to leave your school with a feeling of physical and mental confidence that they will not ever be embarassed physically in society, where physical testing seems to be a bigger role.

[gdragon]

Dang! We just do KF for our tests! We also do the conditioning in class. I think it is incredibly beneficial. I think I could not possibly perform our techniques w/o really strong conditioning. You can really tell by looking at someone if they're barely strong enough to do their forms, etc. or if they have a nice reserve of strength. I really want to be able to do the demanding techniques well, so I love the conditioning. Our requirements are not formalized. I would not like to do the push ups, etc. during a test.

[RobinT830]

I know this is an older topic, but my BB cycle lasts 3 months up to a 3 day test.

 

We have to have a candidate meeting once per week, which we did a number of things from basics, all kata, sparring, self-defense, bag work, running, pushups, situps, role playing... During this cycle for one month, we were requied to take three classes in a row one time per week. I had to keep a food and exercise log to turn into my Sensei once per month, or whenever she wanted it. We had to run at least 3 miles, three times a week to get ready to pass the running test, which is 3 miles in 25 minutes or less. (age and physical limitations are taken into consideration).

 

During the test, we have vocabulary, knife, gun, club, chain, grabs from behind and front, kata and spar 10 rounds with 25 situps and 25 pushups in between each round (that is after about 100 of each during the conditioning and warm-up of the class ). We have a community service project we have to do as a team as well. Each one is different. Testing for my Shodan was the hardest thing I have had to do in my life so far.