Richard Marsh

Biology MTP

Fitness Training for the Martial Arts

The great fighter Choki Motubu listed the areas of fitness essential to the
practice of martial arts as follows:
- Aerobic Fitness
- Stamina
- Speed
- Flexibility
- Raw Strength
He also maintained that these fitness goals should be applied in relation to the art
being studied rather than as abstract, detached goals with no relation to combat.
Punch Bag

Goals: Aerobic fitness, stamina, strength

Exercise: Continuous bouts of full strength attack on the bag, keeping in close
and putting full weight behind each strike. The attacks themselves work on
strength in that particular strike, while the length of the workout helps with
stamina. A similar exercise with whole-body spinning kicks will also build
aerobic fitness.
Targets: Increase length of workout, increase response from bag on striking,
shorter recovery time.
Stretching
Goals: Flexibility
Exercise: a range of stretches aimed at arms and legs
Targets: Longer/lower stretches, hold for longer, shorter recovery time.
Partner Practice
Goals: Speed, Stamina, Aerobic Fitness
Exercise: Beginning in a realistic street scenario, continue to full fight, ending
in ground fighting work with grappling. Continue to the submission of one
partner by tapping out.
Targets: Increase reaction time/speed, strike without your opponent blocking
while successfully countering their strikes, ability to continue to fight to
submission without a break will show levels of stamina and aerobic fitness.
Techniques with Weights
Goals: Strength, stamina
Exercise: Perform punches, backfist techniques and kicks at speed while
holding light weights. This exercise builds strength in the exact muscles used
for the techniques and, after many reps, will build stamina and resistance to
muscle fatigue.
Targets: Increase reps, improve recovery time.
Repeated Form practice
Goals: Stamina, aerobic fitness
Exercise: Practice forms (kata) repeatedly and continuously, as much as
possible in dynamic tension (every muscle tensed), techniques pulled to
prevent joint hyper-extension.
Targets: Increase length of session.