Kung Fu Conditioning

[MrPARaNoiD]

Hi,
Im new to the art of kung fu and i am currently training in boxing. Unfortunatly i dont have enough money to do both and im waiting for my boxing contract to run out before i start Kung Fu. I should be joining Choy Lay Fut Buk Sing Kung Fu at the start of next year.

I was just wondering if my conditioning was accurate and effective.
I've bought a bottle of conditioning cream/medicine and rub this on my knuckles and forearms. At present i do boxing combos bare fisted on the bag for bout 10-15 mins then do 3 star hit (with twisting bow and arrow) on my clothes line. after this i do as many knuckle push ups as i can on wood first then concrete slabs (i can usually do bout 15 -25), Then repeat this exercise till my knuckles and forearms are raw. I do this 2 twice a week.

Is this sufficient for conditioning? are there more ways i can condition?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as i'd like to be more then ready for when i join kung fu.
Thanx for your time.

[Oraenor]

Yeah that'll do, boxing guys are usually well conditioned for kung fu anyway.

[MrPARaNoiD]

Do u think sok la hoy (not right spelling, horse shift weight forward twist and punch. can be done by first moving into cat then bak to horse extending and twisting as u shuffle// am i making sense) would be effective in the ring?

[HtTKar]

I'm not sure how long you were into boxing, but moving over to Kung-Fu you may find yourself one of the most fit persons there, barring the instructor and a couple really devoted black-belts.
Most Traditional Martial arts do not seem to develop the body as much as boxing. They focus more on the forms. Many people that go to these schools, use this as their sole form of excercise. However, dont be disappointed, everybody brings something with them that you can learn.

PS: Your hooks, crosses, and jab will come in real handy when sparring, as most of the people there probably know nothing but kung Fu.

[Garland]

Man...I should slap myself for saying this. My boxing and my muay thai pre-fight conditioning was some of the most gruelling stuff any (sane...which is borderline in my case) martial artist could put themselves through...but whenever I have to sit in a Wing Chun stance for too long, my legs go completely numb.

I guess that's a good thing, right?
So...stand in deep stances, and go through forms slowly.
And in Kali...man, too many heavy blows on a bag (kind of like a rotating numbering system for each bag, and like 5 of them, for like 15 minutes to build up strength and speed with a stick, KILLS your arms, man, KILLS them.)

My muay thai training was hell, though, but it prepared me for anything, in the realm of sports and fitness. Ten times worse than football 2-a-days, or the day we had to run for 2 hours for Lacrosse after the coach caught some kids smoking buds.

By some hand grips, some plate weight and a stick (windlass), and a wrist developer...I have one, I think it was designed for improving tennis swings...but it works and is large enough to fit my ankles for a dorsal flexion type motion.
Do (or work up to) sets of like...5 sets of 100 a day for each. (or whenever you can)
And/or hold them flexed for long periods of time...and practice holding weights in front of you and laterally with locked out arms.

These are good primary conditioning methods that I happen to like.
crunches, sit ups, jack knives, jogging/roadwork/"telephone pole" wind sprints, puch ups, triangle push ups for lats and triceps, and the HOUSE OF PAIN drills are all great and you don't require weight.

Try a two minute drill. Lay on your stomach with your arms under your shoulders, like your gonna do some push ups, keep your forearms on the ground, but other wise lift your body up for two minutes, after you do this, try doing it on just one arm, then the other.

Jump squats.
Ply push ups...long jump, and hurdle drills for agility and jump height/leg strength.

Stretching...and some weight training...and your golden for conditioning.
(so long as you're not gonna try an break shit with your hands or feet...or shins, or head, or pull a car with your lower lip, pull a hindu holyman and roll on your side up a mountain of broken glass, etc...which requires different type of conditioning and some general knowlege of the feat you wish to partake in.

[Hardball]

Makawari Board...................................

[Oraenor]

The only conditioning I would recommend is horse, forward horse(aka bow and arrow) and cat stances for atleast 30min a day. Its straining and boring at first but you can do it while watching TV or dumbell sets while doing it non stop. Stances are only useful in the instances of action(punch, grapple etc.) since it provide all the support & balance one needs.

[47MartialMan]

Be specific do you want strong legs or arms?

Here is one of many old gongs (practice) that my Sifu had us do:

Need:
Two books-encyclopedia size
Two cinder blocks:
Timer or time keeping device with alarm.

Stand the cinder blocks upright-shoulders apart

Stand on the blocks and hold the books with a all-fingers pinch

Hold the books to waist level like a western gun slinger for as long as you can (use the timer to beat each workout)

After several workouts;
Repeat with one variation-hold the books with the arm like a skier with poles.

After several workouts;
Repeat with another variation-hold the books with the arms straight out-like a full extention push"

No movement of the arm should be made once in position.

This is Phase 1 of 3 for this gong

Chuan fa (Gung Fu) is boring and repetitious.
Most cannot endure the boredom.
Most older sifu did not have special equipment other than want was crudely manufactured or "laying around"
It is not called "acquired/accomplished skill" for no reason.

[MrPARaNoiD]

Thanx for all the help just one question now what is a Makawari Board???????

[HtTKar]

For a build your own version. This version Uses the ground for its base.

http://www.ctr.usf.edu/shotokan/makiwara.html

Or another version that is mounted on a wall

http://www.gungfu.com/cart-tm/training_gear_punch_targets_makiwaras.htm

This second link has other conditioning devices also .

[MrPARaNoiD]

Thanx htkar
I finally have something harder than my bag to hit now. Looking forward to my conditioning days.

[bbbb]

? Soft Bag Not Helpful...

Thanx htkar
I finally have something harder than my bag to hit now. Looking forward to my conditioning days.

Try spear-hand's on the soft bag- coz you can't do them on a hard one!

Grab the bag with rear hand(to ready the target);

Punch with index knuckle protruding(phoenix eye fist) and have fist in vertical(wing chun style?!) position when it contact's the bag;

Twist as you thrust through the target to leave you fist in classic boxing
position-wrist bent slightly down to get power to the end of the weapon!!

good fun

the grab is a palm strike, then grab...just try it out?!

you must move forward a half step as you do this!!

[bbbb]

Spear hand's r

Hard- so you use them for soft target's-eye's/throat

The palm strike's are Soft and so are used to strike the head.

The hammer fist is also Soft and so is also used to strike the head.

[taoistscholar]

I suggest you try conditioning yourself internally.

[seppuku]

ive never tried kung fu, ill happily admit that. thai kickboxing conditioning, in essence, amounts to getting hit hard and often until it doesnt bother you any more. i suspect that will work with kung fu, tho as far as i know kung fu doesnt really go in for full contact fighting so its possible this approach wouldnt be suitable. also tricky without a partner...

edit: sorry this is in the wrong place, not how i expected quick reply to work, if someone would move it id appreciate it, thx