| When I started training Jiu-Jitsu as a system for | | | | hard, during the 5 to 7 weeks leading up to a |
| Self Defense, it became very apparent to me | | | | fight. Attending a class a couple of times per |
| that the students did not take their personal | | | | week and practicing your techniques is great for |
| Fitness to a level anywhere near that of | | | | getting your techniques sorted out but take your |
| competitive Martial Artists or Fighters. Having a | | | | own Fitness Training into your own hands. Try |
| competitive Boxing and contact Karate | | | | working on your Stamina, Strength, speed, |
| background made me far more conscious of my | | | | flexibility etc outside of classes. If you're going to |
| fitness than many of the people around me. | | | | wear a Club emblem, then wear it with pride and |
| There is not that same goal of getting into tip top | | | | live up to the expectations that other people |
| condition for an upcoming fight or Tournament | | | | have of Jitsuka. There is only an hour or two for |
| because that goal is often preparing for a fight on | | | | classes so much of the time has to be taken up |
| the street that hopefully would never happen. It is | | | | practicing and perfecting techniques so make an |
| very difficult to sustain a very high level of fitness | | | | effort to get some fitness training outside of |
| without a specific goal. Therefore, it is important | | | | Jiu-Jitsu classes.Whatever level you're at now, try |
| for the average Student to set their own goals | | | | taking your body to that next level of fitness, |
| and take their level of fitness to whatever they | | | | you may even get to like it! At least you know |
| feel is required for their own situation. Remember | | | | exactly what it took and what it feels like to be |
| why you are training and consider if your fitness | | | | there and get all the benefits that go with it. |
| will carry you through a real fight, especially if it | | | | When you are punching those bags just try to |
| goes on for more than a few seconds as it most | | | | simulate fighting conditions by raising and lowering |
| likely will.Try walking into your local Boxing Club | | | | the tempo. When you go hard, really go for it, |
| and you'll be punched by the smell of Sweat on | | | | when you lighten up think about your defence, |
| as soon as you walk through the door. The | | | | movement and striking technique and don't let up |
| whipping of skipping ropes, rattling of Floor ceiling | | | | on your speed. Use different strikes; fist, open |
| balls, speed balls, thudding on light and heavy bags, | | | | hands, sides of hands, elbows, knees, shins and |
| people doing sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, shadow | | | | feet. Know what it feels like to hit a solid object, |
| sparring and Sparring with their training Pals. The | | | | otherwise the first thing that you break could be |
| general level of energy is simply impressive. | | | | your wrist. Practice striking in combinations, it's a |
| These guys train hard for a couple of hours each | | | | far better way of getting through to your |
| night, so then ask yourself; "What kind of match | | | | intended target.The more you practice your own |
| would I be"? Some people have trouble showing | | | | striking techniques, the more natural they begin to |
| their techniques on a compliant partner so are | | | | feel and the more instinctively you will react. Don't |
| they really going to work on a guy that's | | | | just be a head hunter either and give some |
| continually pounding them with 3 and 4 punch | | | | thought to the many other effective targets that |
| combinations, dancing around on his toes and can | | | | are available. Sparring and grappling is also an |
| probably keep this up for quite some time."I'll just | | | | essential part of training so do not neglect it. Even |
| take him to the ground" you might think but how | | | | if you cannot follow a schedule as laid out here, |
| are you going to react when you've been hit | | | | remember that doing something has got to be |
| hard, maybe even for the first time and your | | | | better than doing nothing. You are responsible for |
| mind has gone blank. Have you trained so much | | | | your own Fitness and Health. We all know that |
| that instinct takes over and your body is reacting | | | | Boxers get themselves into incredible shape for a |
| automatically? If this guy throws anything other | | | | fight so it should make sense to at least do some |
| than the right arm swing that your practices have | | | | of what they are doing and change it as required |
| been limited to, you could well be in trouble. This | | | | to suit your style.A typical simplified boxing type |
| guy may not be a drunken bum throwing a single | | | | of workout could involve the following:15 minutes |
| Hay Maker, trouble can pop up anywhere. These | | | | Skipping or running10x3 min rounds Punch Bag/ |
| days Road rage for example is even becoming | | | | Ball work |
| pretty common, here you've got someone who | | | | (Hands and Feet)3x3 min rounds on focus pads |
| steaming from the ears and could really be | | | | with trainer3x3 minute rounds of SparringShadow |
| anyone from any background, trained or | | | | sparring (Wear heavy Gloves)Static exercises: (10 |
| untrained. Ensure that in training you have | | | | Reps of each) |
| different partners and vary the level of | | | | Sit up Twist |
| intensity.You don't need to train full-on all the time | | | | Push ups |
| with your techniques but every now and again | | | | Squat Jumps |
| raise it to a realistic level, it will not only give you | | | | Burpees |
| an inner confidence that this stuff really works | | | | Squat Jumps |
| but will give you more of a workout too. If we | | | | Squat Thrust |
| trained full-on all the time then many would get | | | | Knees - Chest |
| injuries and you'll end up having no one to train | | | | Pike Sit Ups |
| with. If necessary get your attacker to wear | | | | Sit Ups |
| padding to reduce that risk of injury at that higher | | | | Dorsal RaisesRepeat Static exercisesRepeat |
| level. Think for a moment about those guys | | | | Static Exercises again if you've got anything |
| getting trained up for an upcoming Kick Boxing | | | | leftWarm down with a few rounds of skipping and |
| Match, a full contact Karate fight, Judo or | | | | stretching**This type of workout is to be |
| wrestling. They know that if they do not get into | | | | repeated several times throughout the week and |
| Prime condition for that fight, then it's likely that | | | | remember, if you are cheating on your training |
| they'll get their Ass kicked soon after climbing | | | | then the only person that you're cheating on, is |
| through the ropes. Needless to say most are | | | | yourself**Train Hard / FightwizeBy Malcolm Bale - |
| pretty well prepared cometh the day.It's not to | | | | 2nd Degree Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu Self Defence run |
| say that you have to get to that level of fitness | | | | classes and courses for Men, Women and |
| and keep it all year round but be aware that | | | | Children. Learn Escape Techniques, Targeting and |
| these guys tick over most of the year with a | | | | Striking, Ground Defence, Keychain Defence, |
| reasonable level of fitness and then train hard, real | | | | Take Downs and Hold Downs. |