Traditional training methods

[PalmStriker]

I once jointed in a YMCA Karate class. The instructor always started his class with sit up, push up, running around the room, .... I asked that instructor, "Why do we have to do this? I can do this at home." He said, "Most people don't do this at home." I then found a basic difference in training.

Some people

- come to school to "learn" and go home to "train".
- come to school to "train" and go home to "rest".

When

- someone asks, "How many times do you train weekly?"
- another person asks, "How many times do you train daily?"

These 2 persons definitely don't belong to the same page.

excellent!

[GoldenBrain]

Partner exercises are a good way to build teamwork and trust.

I'll describe a few that I know.

Pushups: One student is on hands and knees and the other does the pushups with feet on the kneeling students back. Arch back a little so you don't have a sway back. You can use knuckles, flat palm or whatever but mantis is a little hard for the unconditioned students. Also, try pushups while partner is doing wall sits. Place feet on wall sitters knees.

Sit-ups: One student holds the feet of the other. The one not doing the sit-ups can add resistance by pushing back at the shoulders of the one doing the sit-ups with each rep. Or, you can get 3 or 4 students together and lock legs like a woven mat and all do the sit-ups at the same time with each student pushing the opposite students shoulders to provide resistance.

Leg-lifts: One student stands with feet positioned on either side of the student laying on the ground doing leg-lifts. The leg-lift student can brace themselves by grabbing the ankles of the standing student. Try lifting legs straight up and side to side and with each rep the standing student can push the legs back down to offer resistance.

Wall sits: Try this one with a partner standing on your knees/thighs facing you. Unfortunately this one puts the junk of the standing student in your face but if you can get past this minor detail then you are not only training the legs but also wall breaching. The ninjas out there should appreciate this one.

Arm curls and triceps presses, chest and lats: For the curls and triceps face each other. One student holds a belt/sash and provides resistance while the other performs curls and triceps pushdowns. For chest and lats both students face the same direction. The one in front holds the belt/sash at chest level and the one behind grabs the belt/sash on each side. The one in front gets the chest workout and the one in back gets the lats workout.

[GoldenBrain]

Buy a bunch of standard red bricks from your local hardware store. You can also use wooden blocks.

Pushups: Perform pushups with knuckles or mantis on bricks. Work slowly and few reps until well conditioned. New students use flat palm on bricks until conditioned for knuckles and mantis. Also try with a tiger or eagle call grip with bricks either laying flat or standing on one end. Standing them up on end allows you to go deeper into the pushup for a tougher workout. Be careful if standing them on end for they may slip out from beneath you which could injury.

Arm circles: Hold bricks out to each side with arms parallel to the ground. Perform small, medium and large circles to the front and rear. Warn your students not to drop the bricks and if they feel them slipping to set them down. Bricks wreck wood floors and puzzle mats if dropped on them and they aren't to friendly on the feet either.

Dips: Stand bricks up on end and feet out straight on heels. Perform standard dips but be mindful of your balance or the bricks might slip out from under you and cause injury.

Note: I've dipped half of the brick in that rubber coating for tools (found in hardware stores) to save floors or you can adhere a piece of carpet to one side, or whatever you find is useful. Duct tape might work as well and it's cheep. Make sure to leave one side and end uncovered so it roughs up the knuckles a bit.