Martial Arts
Are you a martial arts practitioner looking to add some form of exercise to enhance your training? Plyometric (jump training) will provide an extreme cardiovascular workout that incorporates strength and agility while working the entire body. All you need to do is add a 20 minute routine three times per week to improve strength and quickness.Your muscles work on elasticity and jump training takes advantage of the way the muscle works to create strength. Stretching your muscles to their capacity makes the muscles react by tightening up. When we do plyometrics, we force the muscle to tighten and produce a quicker contraction which loads the power in the muscle and gives the added response of a stretch.Jumping rope is a simple plyometric exercise that focuses on the lower part of the body. The right way to perform this exercise is to barely jump off the floor and land on the toes softly. This movement will be done repetitively and various jump movements can be done to change it up. Begin slowly and aim to go for 5 minutes 3-4 times a week until you can work the time to the goal you have set.Adding a clap into the basic push up will reinforce the use of the upper part of the body. Start from a basic push up position, lower yourself to the ground and explosively push up so your hands leave the ground, use your hands to catch yourself from the fall and immediately lower and repeat the push.Slamming a ball is an exciting way to get a great workout. There are many variations that require you to slam the ball to the ground, against a wall, or toss it up in the air. When performing this particular exercise make sure to keep good form and keep the movement fluid.Make sure to perform the jump training correctly to prevent injury from the great amount of stress put on the muscles, tendons and ligaments around the joints. You must be at the proper level of fitness to start a plyometric training regimen. Most martial arts enthusiasts are already at an adequate level of fitness from the training they already do and this won't be a concern for them.How do you get yourself ready to start jump training? Set up a routine that is specifically tailored to build up your strength and cardiovascular conditioning. Incorporate dumbbells and free weights to build up coordinated strength and perform bodyweight exercise to build functional power. Sprint training is the best and stay away from long distance runs: they are the total opposite of what is needed for this type of resistance training.Rules to follow for plyometrics:Stay in control and keep good form. You want to execute the moves quickly as possible, but don't flail your body around.Always wear the appropriate footwear to prevent damage to your feet.Always land softly to protect your joints.Set up a circuit that works the whole body during training.If you want to increase explosive power and strength, then adding plyometric training is the best exercises for you. Incorporate jump training into a routine 2- 3 times per week and see how much quicker and explosive your movements become when throwing punches and kicks, practicing forms, or using escapes to transition off the ground. For more information click on Martial Arts.