Sudrunk Monkey
Feb-03-08, 10:06 AM
I posted a somewhat relative article on my blog on MySpace, tho I wanna expand it a little more and rewrite it to focus on the technicals.
The main thesis is that starting simply and thinking simply is the best way to progress to become advanced.
I'm a.k.a. Bob in real life, btw.
----------------------------------------------
A TAO OF WORKING OUT
I have been a martial artist for close to 8 years and only lately have I consdered the severity of being a true artist, especially since tricking is being added to the modus operandi. On and off I've tried employing tidbits from this and that, but they all fall out.
My belief is that I was disorganized. I would write down plans on like what to do, when and how. However, actually sticking to it was the difficult part because the workouts will eventually become boring or an outside matter will steal me away. Also the body reaches a plateau where it becomes too used to the workouts that it doesn't even develop.
So I am writing my thoughts on the subject of working out.
-------------
1. SCHEDULING
Start simple.
Split workouts into the various subjects:
A. Cardio
B. Weightlifting
C. Calisthenics
D. Tricking
E. Katas, forms and etc.
Begin working out with one of these things. For example, I have started off with weights. Three times a week with weights is perfect for me. Schedule:
Tuesday
Legs, 30-50 pound weights
1. Calf Raises, 30 lbs, 3x8
2. Squats, 50 lbs, 3x8
3. Leg Curl, 30 lbs, 3x8
4. Leg Extension, 30 lbs, 3x8
5. Knee Raises, body weight, 3x8
6. Kicks (front, side, round, etc...)
Thursday
Arms, 16-45 pound weights
1. Wrist Curls, 16 lbs, 3x8
2. Bicep Curls, 35 lbs, 2x8
3. Upright Row, 35 lbs,3x8
4. Tricep Kick-back, 16 lbs, 3x8
5. Bench Press, 35 lbs, 4x8
6. Tricep Pull-Down, 20 lbs, 3x8
7. Butterfly, 20 lbs, 3x8
8. Good Morning, 20 lbs, 3x8
9. Military Press, 35 lbs, 3x8
10. Lat Pulldown, 40 lbs, 3x8
11. Shoulder Shrug, 35 lbs, 3x8
12. Side Bend, 16 lbs, 3x8
Saturday
Total Body / Max Out
1. Wrist Curls, 16 lbs, 4x8
2. Calf Raises, 50 lbs, 4x8
3. Bicep Curls, 30 lbs, 3x8
4. Squats, 50 lbs, 4x8
5. Upright Row, 35 lbs, 4x8
6. Leg curls, 30 lbs, 4x8
7. Tricep Kick-back, 16 lbs, 4x8
8. Leg extension, 30 lbs, 4x8
9. Bench Press, 35 lbs, 5x8
10. Knee raises, body weight, 4x8
11. Tricep pulldown, 30 lbs, 4x8
12. Front kick, 4x8
13. Butterfly, 20 lbs, 4x8
14. Round kick, 4x8
15. Good Morning, 20 lbs, 4x8
16. Crescent kicks, 4x8
This is simple for me.
THEN... I consider Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:
Monday
Cardio
Running
(Shadow) Boxing
Forms
Wednesday
Trick Day (maybe)
Kick Boxing
Friday
Reistance Training (kicks, punches w/lightweights)
That's just an example. But I start simple, and I perhaps I don't even do MWF until I'm used to TTHSat. Start simple.
If you go to a dojo, you already have something going on. I got to dojo two times a week (Tuesday and Thursday) and practice katas, maybe tricking, and sparring.
------------
2. WORKOUT EVOLUTION
Start simple, and then modify, modify, experiment... experiment... change... evolve!
Three simple and specific areas of the body.
A. Arms
i. Pushups
a. Grip: Normal, wide, close, linear, fingers, wrist (side and back), fist, one handed.
b. Angle: Normal up-down, side2side, diagonal.
c. Weighted (weights on back).
d. Face: Normal face-down, upside down (tricep pushups), sideways (one-handed pushup), vertical (handstand pushup, crab).
e. Modification: Clap behind back, hop in circle, cat stretch.
ii. Pull-Ups
a. Grip: Normal, wide, close, ultra wide = overhand, underhand, using a towel, one-handed.
b. Leg position: Raised, pointed up.
c. Body position: Normal, flipped.
d. Weighted.
iii. Flags
B. Abs
i. Crunch/Sit-Up
a. Normal, twisting, weighted, leg-raises, knees held in air.ii. Frog Kicks
a.Normal, weighted, Curling, Held, Bursts, legs straight or not.
iii. Kicks
a. Check a martial art or two...
b. Modification: Normal, spin, reverse, jumping, jump spin.
c. Weighted
C. Legs
i. Calf/Shin Raises
a. Normal, one footed, weighted.
b. Angled (check Dogen's Tutorials on Titanium Ankles).
ii. Squats
a. Normal, deep, bursts, breathing squats, Russian squats, pistols.
iii. Pure Jumping!
a. Normal hops or whatever, hard and bursting, weighted, with a run, slam-dunk, with a kick.
iv. Running
a. Normal, jogging, sprinting.
b. Weighted, obsticles (up-hill, down-hill, things to jump over, grass/concrete).
c. Modification: Forwards, Backwards, sideways, side2side on the road, knees raised, skipping, jumping (like over obsticles).
But that's all that comes to mind right now, and that's kinda simple to start off with just basic pushups, sit-ups, and squats. Then evolve.
-------------
3. MARTIAL ARTS
Tricker or not, martial arts can be beneficial. Not only are they, truthfully, a means of self-defense, coordination and self-discovery, but they are also a pathway to increasing your health, your view on life, and yo overall skillz.
There are thousands of civilizations. Throughout time, they have had to defend themselves against some adversary wishing to step within their boundaries and dominating them. These defending civilizations discovered their own ways of fighting against their oppressors, and the best of these "ways" survived.
Think about it: Karate, gung fu, boxing, krav maga, para serey (sp?), sambo or systema, and various others... these are examples of arts that people used to defend themselves or preserve their ancestors' ancient art.
So? What's important about that?
I say it's a obligation to study as much MA as possible and record them for all time.
Within each MA is a unique set of rules, standards, movements, strategies and philosophies intertwined with the style. Each is unique in some way. But above all, they all stress: discipline and hard work.
Both of those traits will carry a hard worker far if they want to progress far beyond their latterday selves, with no muscle or skillz.
-------------
4. MODIFICATION
I can easily get discouraged from working out. The workouts get boring; the same shite over and over again... -_-.
"Well, hmm, let's think a moment, Bob... I can do 50 pushups under 1 min. What about 2? Okay, okay, I can't do that yet, but I can get 1:30. That's halfway! Let's keep going halfway until I can get to 2:00!"
"But that's boring; we're just doing more pushups over time, and anyone can do that with enough practice."
"Ahhh... but what if I did it on my fists? >.< Could only do 15! Let's keep trying until I can get to 20! "
"I can run 2 miles easy under 14 minutes (not really XD at least not yet), Bob, it's too easy. Okay... try doing it while running backwards or running from side2side on the road. :O Dang, that's tough, but I'll keep trying!"
The reason for change is not only to for the challenge, because there's another aspect to modification.
"Alright! This week, I did what I planned a day before the start of the week! ^^ I bet I can do it agai--"
"Naahh, Bob. Instead of starting off your Tuesday with 50 lbs calf raises with 3 sets of 8, do calf raises while in a squat-- or walking around-- or with your feet pointed at angles."
"*_* You trying to kill me?!"
"Then, you gotta do benchpresses at an incline. Then you gotta do breathing squats instead of regular squats, and with a little more weight just for today. Then, you gotta jumprope for 2 minutes and you HAVE to do 2 dbl unders for every 3 seconds, or for after every fourth skip. Then, you gotta do military presses instead of lat pull downs. Then, you gotta run a mile but you gotta do it in larks and you MUST include sprints, side2sides, jogs, even more sprints, and hops.
Then..."
Of course, not all in ONE DAY. XD But for whatever exercise I did one day, I will do it differently or replace it with another but relative exercise.
It helps to build TRUE muscle and power, and it destroys the Plateau Effect.
----------------
5. WEIGHTS times THE HEAVY BAG
Regardless of whether or not it helps to tricking, I am an advocate to heavy bag training. For one thing, heavy bag training is strength applied to power: that is, instead of sloppy technique, you get good, POWERFUL technique.
"Bob, you need to spend one day a week of heavy bag training or do heavy bag training after you do weight training with your arms. If you do with your legs, you can practice your kicks. Plus, if train like a boxer, it helps to increase stamina and endurance."
--------------
6. REST DAY
I do NOTHING on Sunday. For me it's Rest Day.
--------------
7. FUELING YOUR INNER DRAGON
I'm sure there are articles here about that, 'cause all I know is to simply eat simple, eat well, eat what you NEED and not what you want, and plan your meals.
----------------
8. LEAN WIT IT, WORK OUT WIT IT
The music you hear on samplers, the stuff you hear on the radio, or stuff your posse listens to-- whatever it is, if your body moves with it, burn it on a cd and workout with it.
If, and this would be funny, you feel you can do a thousand kicks while listening to Buddy Holly, more power to you. I actually get a huge pump and inspiration to workout from listening to a range of music, from "Get Krunk" by Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz, to ''Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin, to "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne.
LOUD and PARTY FAVORITED music is good, too, and Heavy Metal is a good example. Juji has a few samplers with them ("Mr. Torture" -- Helloween, "Last Before the Storm" -- Gamma Ray, "Fight Until We Die" -- Manowar, "We Disintigrate" -- Nevermore). Try 'em out.
If its bumping and you are grooving to it, you should probably work out with it. ^_~
------------
In Conclusion
So, there are my thoughts. Start simple, start REALLY simple, and then you change and expand.
The main thesis is that starting simply and thinking simply is the best way to progress to become advanced.
I'm a.k.a. Bob in real life, btw.
----------------------------------------------
A TAO OF WORKING OUT
I have been a martial artist for close to 8 years and only lately have I consdered the severity of being a true artist, especially since tricking is being added to the modus operandi. On and off I've tried employing tidbits from this and that, but they all fall out.
My belief is that I was disorganized. I would write down plans on like what to do, when and how. However, actually sticking to it was the difficult part because the workouts will eventually become boring or an outside matter will steal me away. Also the body reaches a plateau where it becomes too used to the workouts that it doesn't even develop.
So I am writing my thoughts on the subject of working out.
-------------
1. SCHEDULING
Start simple.
Split workouts into the various subjects:
A. Cardio
B. Weightlifting
C. Calisthenics
D. Tricking
E. Katas, forms and etc.
Begin working out with one of these things. For example, I have started off with weights. Three times a week with weights is perfect for me. Schedule:
Tuesday
Legs, 30-50 pound weights
1. Calf Raises, 30 lbs, 3x8
2. Squats, 50 lbs, 3x8
3. Leg Curl, 30 lbs, 3x8
4. Leg Extension, 30 lbs, 3x8
5. Knee Raises, body weight, 3x8
6. Kicks (front, side, round, etc...)
Thursday
Arms, 16-45 pound weights
1. Wrist Curls, 16 lbs, 3x8
2. Bicep Curls, 35 lbs, 2x8
3. Upright Row, 35 lbs,3x8
4. Tricep Kick-back, 16 lbs, 3x8
5. Bench Press, 35 lbs, 4x8
6. Tricep Pull-Down, 20 lbs, 3x8
7. Butterfly, 20 lbs, 3x8
8. Good Morning, 20 lbs, 3x8
9. Military Press, 35 lbs, 3x8
10. Lat Pulldown, 40 lbs, 3x8
11. Shoulder Shrug, 35 lbs, 3x8
12. Side Bend, 16 lbs, 3x8
Saturday
Total Body / Max Out
1. Wrist Curls, 16 lbs, 4x8
2. Calf Raises, 50 lbs, 4x8
3. Bicep Curls, 30 lbs, 3x8
4. Squats, 50 lbs, 4x8
5. Upright Row, 35 lbs, 4x8
6. Leg curls, 30 lbs, 4x8
7. Tricep Kick-back, 16 lbs, 4x8
8. Leg extension, 30 lbs, 4x8
9. Bench Press, 35 lbs, 5x8
10. Knee raises, body weight, 4x8
11. Tricep pulldown, 30 lbs, 4x8
12. Front kick, 4x8
13. Butterfly, 20 lbs, 4x8
14. Round kick, 4x8
15. Good Morning, 20 lbs, 4x8
16. Crescent kicks, 4x8
This is simple for me.
THEN... I consider Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:
Monday
Cardio
Running
(Shadow) Boxing
Forms
Wednesday
Trick Day (maybe)
Kick Boxing
Friday
Reistance Training (kicks, punches w/lightweights)
That's just an example. But I start simple, and I perhaps I don't even do MWF until I'm used to TTHSat. Start simple.
If you go to a dojo, you already have something going on. I got to dojo two times a week (Tuesday and Thursday) and practice katas, maybe tricking, and sparring.
------------
2. WORKOUT EVOLUTION
Start simple, and then modify, modify, experiment... experiment... change... evolve!
Three simple and specific areas of the body.
A. Arms
i. Pushups
a. Grip: Normal, wide, close, linear, fingers, wrist (side and back), fist, one handed.
b. Angle: Normal up-down, side2side, diagonal.
c. Weighted (weights on back).
d. Face: Normal face-down, upside down (tricep pushups), sideways (one-handed pushup), vertical (handstand pushup, crab).
e. Modification: Clap behind back, hop in circle, cat stretch.
ii. Pull-Ups
a. Grip: Normal, wide, close, ultra wide = overhand, underhand, using a towel, one-handed.
b. Leg position: Raised, pointed up.
c. Body position: Normal, flipped.
d. Weighted.
iii. Flags
B. Abs
i. Crunch/Sit-Up
a. Normal, twisting, weighted, leg-raises, knees held in air.ii. Frog Kicks
a.Normal, weighted, Curling, Held, Bursts, legs straight or not.
iii. Kicks
a. Check a martial art or two...
b. Modification: Normal, spin, reverse, jumping, jump spin.
c. Weighted
C. Legs
i. Calf/Shin Raises
a. Normal, one footed, weighted.
b. Angled (check Dogen's Tutorials on Titanium Ankles).
ii. Squats
a. Normal, deep, bursts, breathing squats, Russian squats, pistols.
iii. Pure Jumping!
a. Normal hops or whatever, hard and bursting, weighted, with a run, slam-dunk, with a kick.
iv. Running
a. Normal, jogging, sprinting.
b. Weighted, obsticles (up-hill, down-hill, things to jump over, grass/concrete).
c. Modification: Forwards, Backwards, sideways, side2side on the road, knees raised, skipping, jumping (like over obsticles).
But that's all that comes to mind right now, and that's kinda simple to start off with just basic pushups, sit-ups, and squats. Then evolve.
-------------
3. MARTIAL ARTS
Tricker or not, martial arts can be beneficial. Not only are they, truthfully, a means of self-defense, coordination and self-discovery, but they are also a pathway to increasing your health, your view on life, and yo overall skillz.
There are thousands of civilizations. Throughout time, they have had to defend themselves against some adversary wishing to step within their boundaries and dominating them. These defending civilizations discovered their own ways of fighting against their oppressors, and the best of these "ways" survived.
Think about it: Karate, gung fu, boxing, krav maga, para serey (sp?), sambo or systema, and various others... these are examples of arts that people used to defend themselves or preserve their ancestors' ancient art.
So? What's important about that?
I say it's a obligation to study as much MA as possible and record them for all time.
Within each MA is a unique set of rules, standards, movements, strategies and philosophies intertwined with the style. Each is unique in some way. But above all, they all stress: discipline and hard work.
Both of those traits will carry a hard worker far if they want to progress far beyond their latterday selves, with no muscle or skillz.
-------------
4. MODIFICATION
I can easily get discouraged from working out. The workouts get boring; the same shite over and over again... -_-.
"Well, hmm, let's think a moment, Bob... I can do 50 pushups under 1 min. What about 2? Okay, okay, I can't do that yet, but I can get 1:30. That's halfway! Let's keep going halfway until I can get to 2:00!"
"But that's boring; we're just doing more pushups over time, and anyone can do that with enough practice."
"Ahhh... but what if I did it on my fists? >.< Could only do 15! Let's keep trying until I can get to 20! "
"I can run 2 miles easy under 14 minutes (not really XD at least not yet), Bob, it's too easy. Okay... try doing it while running backwards or running from side2side on the road. :O Dang, that's tough, but I'll keep trying!"
The reason for change is not only to for the challenge, because there's another aspect to modification.
"Alright! This week, I did what I planned a day before the start of the week! ^^ I bet I can do it agai--"
"Naahh, Bob. Instead of starting off your Tuesday with 50 lbs calf raises with 3 sets of 8, do calf raises while in a squat-- or walking around-- or with your feet pointed at angles."
"*_* You trying to kill me?!"
"Then, you gotta do benchpresses at an incline. Then you gotta do breathing squats instead of regular squats, and with a little more weight just for today. Then, you gotta jumprope for 2 minutes and you HAVE to do 2 dbl unders for every 3 seconds, or for after every fourth skip. Then, you gotta do military presses instead of lat pull downs. Then, you gotta run a mile but you gotta do it in larks and you MUST include sprints, side2sides, jogs, even more sprints, and hops.
Then..."
Of course, not all in ONE DAY. XD But for whatever exercise I did one day, I will do it differently or replace it with another but relative exercise.
It helps to build TRUE muscle and power, and it destroys the Plateau Effect.
----------------
5. WEIGHTS times THE HEAVY BAG
Regardless of whether or not it helps to tricking, I am an advocate to heavy bag training. For one thing, heavy bag training is strength applied to power: that is, instead of sloppy technique, you get good, POWERFUL technique.
"Bob, you need to spend one day a week of heavy bag training or do heavy bag training after you do weight training with your arms. If you do with your legs, you can practice your kicks. Plus, if train like a boxer, it helps to increase stamina and endurance."
--------------
6. REST DAY
I do NOTHING on Sunday. For me it's Rest Day.
--------------
7. FUELING YOUR INNER DRAGON
I'm sure there are articles here about that, 'cause all I know is to simply eat simple, eat well, eat what you NEED and not what you want, and plan your meals.
----------------
8. LEAN WIT IT, WORK OUT WIT IT
The music you hear on samplers, the stuff you hear on the radio, or stuff your posse listens to-- whatever it is, if your body moves with it, burn it on a cd and workout with it.
If, and this would be funny, you feel you can do a thousand kicks while listening to Buddy Holly, more power to you. I actually get a huge pump and inspiration to workout from listening to a range of music, from "Get Krunk" by Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz, to ''Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin, to "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne.
LOUD and PARTY FAVORITED music is good, too, and Heavy Metal is a good example. Juji has a few samplers with them ("Mr. Torture" -- Helloween, "Last Before the Storm" -- Gamma Ray, "Fight Until We Die" -- Manowar, "We Disintigrate" -- Nevermore). Try 'em out.
If its bumping and you are grooving to it, you should probably work out with it. ^_~
------------
In Conclusion
So, there are my thoughts. Start simple, start REALLY simple, and then you change and expand.