“You practice martial arts? That’s a really good workout.”
As a martial arts practitioner, you have probably heard this comment from non-practitioners. While this may have been true when you began your training, you probably found later on that your fitness level was not at the level you expected and was holding you back.
Any serious athlete will tell you that cross-training off the field determines the level of performance on the field. The same holds true of performance on the mat or dojo floor.
“Cross-training is key to overall fitness and achieving a high level of performance,” notes fitness expert and BeachBody Coach Danielle Enriquez-Fowler. “Regardless of your sport or martial art, your fitness level, strength, and flexibility are key factors in performance and injury prevention.”
However, there are some who feel that the purity of the martial way can be sullied by external exercises. After all, if traditional training and exercises were good enough for sensei or sifu…
The difference is that old-time practitioners of budo, or martial ways, spent a good percentage of their lives in training. Traditional uchi deshi, or live-in students, either practiced at the dojo or cleaned it, with little time in between for sedentary activities. The few hours a week you spend at the dojo to counteract the effects of a modern desk job simply do not hold a candle to this level of constant physical activity.
When you begin your off-the-mat fitness program, the three basic areas of focus should be core strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.
Most martial arts emphasize centering, or tanden. Core muscles in the abs, hips, back, and legs are key to maintaining a strong, balanced center, and any exercises that strengthen these muscles will translate into a strong foundation from which powerful throws, kicks, and strikes can be launched. Weight training, isometrics, yoga, Pilates, and body-weight exercises all contribute to core strength.
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Martial arts, Pilates, and yoga share common roots and philosophies.” David Kedney, an Aikido third degree black belt and certified Pilates instructor, explains that the emphasis of yoga and Pilates on the center makes them almost custom-made for martial artists. Best of all, many of these exercises can be done almost anywhere, any time, without access to special equipment.Anyone who has experienced a match, rank test or actual combat will be familiar with the increased respiratory and heart rate that accompany these experiences. The body’s flight-or-fight response and the resulting adrenalin dump vastly increase oxygen consumption during these times of heightened stress. Sometimes, the margin of victory is determined by one’s ability to simply outlast the opponent. Cardiovascular fitness gains from a few hours on a bike or treadmill per week will give any budoka the needed cardio edge.
Regardless of whether you train in a striking or grappling style, flexibility translates into better range of motion and that, in turn, contributes to better form and increased power and reach. Yoga and Pilates, as well as some forms of aerobic exercise all contribute to flexibility. However, the importance of proper form in stretching cannot be underemphasized. Stretching cold muscles, bouncing, and improper weight distribution can do much more harm then good.
As with anything else, there can be too much of a good thing. For example, excessive strength training can reduce range of motion and flexibility. Too much exercise in general can result in chronic injuries. Martial artists by nature are passionate creatures, and nothing is more frustrating than lost dojo time from an off-the-mat injury.
Ultimately, the goal is to enjoy the limited time you get in the dojo or training hall. Increased fitness will vastly improve your experience. After all, what could be better than a day when the techniques are flowing and pain is but a low background buzz? Increased fitness will bring more days like this.
When you start your fitness program, you begin a complementary, yin-yang cycle of improvement. Your training on the mat will make starting a fitness program easier and in turn, your off-the-mat fitness program will enhance your experience on the mat.
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