Your Training Regimes/Methods

[Self]

What are your training plans, also what martial art do you follow? I ask this- out of interest so i i'm aware of what training others do for their martial art and perhaps i could adopt methods of training into my regime as could others.

[koto_ryu]

I concentrate solely on ninjutsu right now, so much of my time not spent with friends practicing techniques is spent training in movement and the like (i.e. rolling, leaping, kamae flow drills, phantom steps, etc.). As for actual workouts themselves, right now I don't do much as I'm giving my body a little bit of a break but I currently do plenty of stretching and calisthenics, the occasional kettlebell workout, lots of tree climbing and running, the Air Alert 3 program (a nice little program to make you jump a lot higher, so far it's working dramatically well), and occasionally I'll do some tricking just to have some fun and do my wallflips and aerials and tornado kicks

[Self]

I guess those martial arts in your signature is just you trying yourself and naming as many styles as you can then Seriously though- What does the Air Alert 3 consist of?

[koto_ryu]

They're all ones I have done previously, though I could only concentrate on a few as it was difficult being in the Marine Corps and the field all the time to train in them. I was also feeling them out, seeing which was right for me, and after the Capoeira teacher moved to L.A., I didn't have anything until I moved back to PA.

As for the Air Alert program:

AIR ALERT III PROGRESS CHART

WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
DATE
HEIGHT
AIR ALERT III WORKOUT CHART (ODD WEEKS)
ODD NUMBERED WEEKS ARE TO BE DONE ON MONDAY-WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY ONLY

Date Leap Ups Calf Raises Step Ups Thrust Ups Burnouts(wed) Squat Hops

sets reps sets reps sets reps sets reps sets reps sets reps
1 2 20 2 10 2 10 2 15 1 100 4 15
3 3 25 2 20 2 15 2 25 1 300 4 20
5 4 25 2 30 2 20 2 35 2 250 4 25
7 4 30 2 40 2 25 2 50 2 350 5 25
9 4 50 2 50 2 30 2 70 3 300 5 30
11 6 50 4 30 2 35 2 90 4 275 5 30
13 DO NOT DO AIR ALERT 3 IT IS IM PORTANT THAT Y OU RES T YOUR LEGS DU RING W EEK 13!! !!!!!!!!!
15 4 100 4 50 2 50 2 100 4 500 5 50
AIR ALERT III WORKOUT CHART (EVEN WEEKS)
EVEN NUMBERED WEEKS ARE TO BE DONE ON TUESDAY-THURSDAY-SATURDAY ONLY

Date Leap Ups Calf Raises Step Ups Thrust Ups Burnouts(wed) Squat Hops

sets reps sets reps sets reps sets reps sets reps sets reps
2 3 20 2 15 2 15 2 20 1 200 4 20
4 3 30 2 25 2 20 2 30 2 200 4 20
6 2 50 2 35 2 25 2 40 2 300 4 30
8 3 50 2 45 2 30 2 60 4 200 5 25
10 5 40 2 55 2 35 2 80 4 250 5 30
12 4 75 4 35 2 40 2 100 4 300 6 30
14 3 30 2 30 2 20 2 30 1 250 4 20
* Week 14 is designed to prepare your legs for the final week. The repetitions have been reduced for this reason. Do not exceed what is prescribed.
* Week 15 must be completed on Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday.

RESTING BETWEEN SETS (CHANGE)
The Air Alert III workout consists of multiple sets and repetitions for each exercise. After completing 1st set of an exercise, do not rest anymore than 2 minutes before completing the second or third set for the respective exercise. During the 2 minute resting period, it is important to massage the muscle that you are currently working on. If you are doing Leap ups, be sure to massage your thighs while resting. When moving from 1 exercise to a new exercise (for example, from Leap ups to Calf raises), do not rest at all. Move immediately to the next exercise.
AIR ALERT III EXERCISES
The Air Alert III exercises are identical to the Air Alert II exercises with the exception of a new exercise, Squat Hops™ (see below). See Air Alert II for instructions regarding the first 5 exercises. Be sure to follow all warm up and cool down instructions identified in the Air Alert II.
SQUAT HOPS - NEW EXERCISE
Squat Hops is our newest exercise and it is extremely excellent for isolating the entire thigh and produces unbelievable explosiveness. Squat Hops greatly helps to improve cardiovascular endurance, short distance running speed and lateral quickness. Squat Hops is a very taxing exercise and, for this reason, we designed the exercise to be completed only 1 day per week. During each week of Air Alert III, you must only complete Squat Hops on Wednesday and on no other day. Should you decide to do the exercise more than 1 time per week, you will be risking extreme muscle fatique and poor muscle recovery. Poor muscle recovery will lead to less vertical gains over a longer period of time. Squat Hops is a very simple exercise to complete. To begin the exercise, simply squat down to a sitting position with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle. Your thighs must be parallel to the ground. You will be in a complete sitting position. Make sure your back is completely straight and you are supporting yourself on the balls of your feet with your heels off of the ground. This can be achieved by keeping your head up and looking straight ahead and lifting your heels up. You will be sitting, but slightly standing on your tiptoes.
For balance, you will need a basketball or volleyball to hold in front of you with both hands gripping the ball to the side such as when making a chest pass. Or you can hug the ball during the routine. During the exercise, hold the basketball at your chest and look straight ahead. To perform the exercise, maintain the sitting position while gripping the ball. Look straight ahead and hop/bounce no more than 3-5 inches off of the ground. Your thighs MUST never leave the parallel position. You will use your calves and thighs to help you jump. One hop/bounce is considered one repetition. The Squat Hops Blast Off - At the completion (the very last repetition) of each set, you must explode into the air as hard and as high as you possibly can. he height of your jump will not be high, but will be effective. The blast off is extremely important. The blast off works your thighs slightly harder and will give you an additional 1-2 inches over the course of the 15 week workout. Be sure to exert as much energy during the blast off stage.
Step 1
- For balance, hold a basketball or volleyyball at chest level. You can hold the ball with your hands at each side of the ball or hug the ball.
Step 2
- Squat down into a sitting position whilee holding the ball. Make sure that you are looking straight ahead, with your back straight and that you are elevated on the balls of your feet (half tiptoed). And most importantly, make sure that your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Step 3
- Hop or bounce in the seated position bettween 3-5 inches per hop. Keep your thighs parallel. When you land, that completes 1 repetition.
Step 4
- After you complete each repetition (eachh landing), you eill land back in the original, seated position. Jump up again for the next repetition.
Step 5
- At the completion (the last rep) of the required set, blast off as high as you possibly can. For example, if you are required to do 1 set of 15 repetitions, you will do 14 Squat Hops (3-5 inches per jump) and on the 15th Squat Hop, you will blast off as high as you possibly can.
Leapups
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and jump up looking straight ahead. Come down about 1/4 of the way and jump right back up. This completes one leapup.
Calf raises
Stand on something so that your heels are not touching anything, stairs, a book etc. Go all the way up and come slowly down. Do one leg, then the other, this completes one set.
Stepups
Get a sturdy chair or bench, put one leg on the chair, and push yourself off the chair with your one leg. While in the air, switch legs, put the leg that was on the ground on the bench, the leg that was on the bench on the ground. Do the specified number of reps on each leg.
Thrust ups
stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and lock your knees. Then jump up just by using your calves, only bending at the ankles. As soon as your land, go right back up. This completes one thrust ups. You can use your arms if you want.
Burnouts
Stand in the same position as thrust ups, and go up as high as your can on your toes. Then jump up only using the sides of your thighs and your toes - you must stay as high on your toes as possible throughout the exercise. You can use your arms too.
Rest 1-2 minutes between sets.
GET OUT AND PLAY AND WORK THOSE LEGS
During the days that you are not doing Air Alert III, it is important that you help your legs get used to normal jumping situations. Air Alert III will increase your vertical, but you will need to train your legs to actual jumping situations. On your days off from Air Alert III, go out and play. And, practice jumping aggressively when you play. This helps to develop muscle memory.
The final week is designed to completely exhaust and breakdown the jumping muscles and prepare them for final recovery. That is the reason the repetitions are higher and 4 days required instead of 3. You will notice that your jumping ability will be the highest 4-7 days after completion of the program. MAINTENANCE At the completion of Air Alert III, you can maintain your new vertical simply by aggressively playing a jumping sport 2-3 times per week. You may also repeat week 8 on the alternating, 3 day per week routine. If you wish to redo the program entirely for additional gains, you should wait at least 1 full month before restarting. It is important to rest your legs from this type of workout if you wish to add additional inches. Your gains will not be as significant each time that you do the program.

[Self]

Thats much appreicated Koto Ryu Coudln't of asked for a better reply.

[koto_ryu]

*takes a small bow* You're welcome It's a fun program too, I'm only on Week 6 but I've noticed dramatic improvements in my jumping.

[koto_ryu]

As an update: finally finished the program, gained 12.5" approximately on height and a whopping 21" on distance. My legs feel like springs now, and a lot of my flashy show-off stuff is easier to do. My ukemi got a lot better as well.

[Self]

Wicked, thats hell of an improvement :O Astonishing infact. Ukema? Could you explain to me what that is?

[koto_ryu]

Originally Posted by Self

Wicked, thats hell of an improvement :O Astonishing infact. Ukema? Could you explain to me what that is?

We call it taihenjutsu, but ukemi is basically your rolls, breakfalls, cartwheels, handsprings, and the like.

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by koto_ryu

We call it taihenjutsu, but ukemi is basically your rolls, breakfalls, cartwheels, handsprings, and the like.

Those are called nak bub in Korean MAs. They are awesome for general coordination + breakfalls really condition your body for impact. After a few years of hard break falls, you can take a fall on concrete and still get up.

I took a dive (tripped badly) on an asphalt track about 3 months ago and my hands were slightly scraped up but other than that I was fine.

[koto_ryu]

Originally Posted by Tom Yum

Those are called nak bub in Korean MAs. They are awesome for general coordination + breakfalls really condition your body for impact. After a few years of hard break falls, you can take a fall on concrete and still get up.

I took a dive (tripped badly) on an asphalt track about 3 months ago and my hands were slightly scraped up but other than that I was fine.

Ninjutsu focuses more on rolls, its much softer on your body than a break fall not to mention you can get away from your opponent. More combat effective.

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by koto_ryu

Ninjutsu focuses more on rolls, its much softer on your body than a break fall not to mention you can get away from your opponent. More combat effective.

Agreed. The breakfalls are taught for when you are taken straight down really fast and when your opponent is still holding on to you. The rolls are for when you get thrown or fall outward.