aku aku

Hello,

After taking some time off I'm back in class and out of shape. Besides hitting the thai pads or heavy bag, which aren't always available, are there any other ways to develope stamina for kickboxing? The thai pad workouts are killing me.

Thanks.

chalambok

Jog every day, even if it is just for 10 minutes or so.
Skip rope.
Lift weights.
Stretch.

Sorry to be so abrupt, but I am in a hurry to go get a Big Mac and a milkshake and watch TV for a couple hours

SOUTHPAW

aku aku...supplemental training is very important for all types of fighting. Having said that, it depends on your experience, current fitness level, amount of MT training you are doing, knowledge of other training methodology, etc., etc. There is no simple answer, however, running is usually a good idea. If it is new to you, start slow with steady 15-20 min. runs. If you are fitter, intervals and hills are more specific for fighting conditioning. Weight training is good too, but don't waste your time with isolation lifts and light weight/high rep nonsense. Explosive lifts (snatch, clean & jerk, squats, deadlifts) build the kind of strength and explosive power a fighter needs. The single most important thing is to practice your skills. If you can't get to the gym, shadow box several rounds, run and lift end with more shadow boxing etc. Train hard and you will see results. Good luck.

KZL

I personally do not run. I have major shin splint issues, and my doctor warned me against running long ago when I was distance running. For less impact, and yet still great results, I cycle. I raced bicycles before getting into martial arts, and have remained an avid rider. It's a great low impact, reasonably safe and fun way to get your cardio system into great shape. You can do interval training, sprints, and my personal favorite, massive climbs. Besides, it's a rush to go downhill at 50+ mph on a bike. The only downside is the number of drivers who would rather hit you than accept the fact that you can ride down the road in excess of 30 mph.

Anything to keep you fit is good. You can go far with something like cycling and shadow boxing. Work your form a lot, and do any exercise to build up your cardio system, and then periodically rip into some thai pads like there's no tomarrow.

This is particularly wise for those high milage thai boxers out there.

__________________
Keith Z. Leonard

"hey, is that my toe over there??"

Infinite1

Hi Southpaw,

I'm in the same situation as aku. Currently, I lift like most people do heavy weights and slow reps. Could you explain to me explosive lifts? I'm a novice at lifting and stuff. Thanks i appreciate it!

Infinite1

SOUTHPAW

Hi Infinite1...No problem. A lot of the information around regarding resistance training is coming from the body building community. Although they are getting big and looking good for their sport, that type of training is not very valuable to a fighter. Isolation lifting, especially with various machines, doesn't develop explosive strength (power), or core strength. The most technically demanding and best lifts for overall athletic development are the Olympic lifts (snatch and clean & jerk) These are closed chain, compound movements that develop the type of strength and coordination that uses practically every muscle in your body. Here's the catch though, they are very technically demanding and take constant practice and expert coaching to develop. A good way to get increased benefit is to concentrate on the powerlifts (squats, bench press and deadlifts) heavy weights, low reps and increased sets produce the best results...in other words, instead of adding more reps with lower weight, increase the number of sets you do in a workout with say 3-5 reps at 70-85% of your 1 rep maximum.
Forget the lighter weight high rep advice that you will hear. That type of training is only marginally effective, as it targets strength endurance. You would be better served practicing gymnastic movements (dips, push-ups, pull-ups, muscle-ups etc.) for that type of training, and it is easy to incorporate these into your routine, say 10-15 min. at the end of a skills session. I hope this information helps a bit...feel free to give me a shout. Good Luck.

LiQuiD_PaRaDoX

hehe yer gunna have to run to burn off that Big Mac ... have you seen Super Size Me? hahha

LiQuiD_PaRaDoX

just a quick question...

How much cardio do you guys do a week? I'm a beginner to running and find it hard to maintain my weight with all this cardio combined with weight training and thai training.

So if there's any tips re that, lemme know.

Thanks all

EmptyneSs

u only really need like 25-30 min of cardio a few times a week to gain endurance. i used to use an eliptical crosstrainer machine at the gym 3 times a week and it boosted my cardio. basically to build cardio endurance, ur heart rate needs to be up for at least 20 min str8. nowdays i dont really do any cardio in the gym because i spar like 3 times a week for an hour, and that serves as a great cardio workout for me.

LiQuiD_PaRaDoX

Thanks for the tips + advice man!