On a similar note...

Regarding my last post's reference to traditional martial arts... So that I can keep this blog focussed for the moment on kakutougi type training methodologies (as this blog has sprung from the Indonesian Mixedfighting Blog website...), please refer to my other site - www.zendokan.wordpress.com - for more depth regarding Okinawan Gojuryu Karate Bujutsu and my other endeavours... It is also a work in progress, so please be patient...!

Cheers,

BK

Okinawan Gojuryu

Hi all,

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted; I have been out of Indonesia but am back now and with a full head of steam!

I am just back from Okinawa, where I returned to my roots in Okinawan Gojuryu Karate (the bujutsu kind, not the sportive kind...!), training at the Jundokan dojo (www.jundokan.jp).

If anyone was to say that traditional karate or other martial arts don't have a contemporary application, they obviously haven't crossed hands with my instructor, Masaji Taira, 8th Dan Jundokan.

In the next few posts, I will attempt to enlighten readers regarding Taira Sensei's applied karate method. Watch this space!

Much better, though, that you come on down and train with me (soon!). Drop me a PM on bryson@gojuryu.net for details.

BK

Mental Preparation

Mental preparation

Before we get into the program, let’s take a look at the mindset we will require from the outset.

We can go through the motions of learning the skills required for this endeavour of ours, but we will need more than just the physical skills. In my own program (only some of which will be touched on in this blog; for the rest, you’ll have to come and train!), I cover SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE and ATTITUDES. All three are interrelated. Your level of skill will be influenced by your knowledge, your knowledge can mold your attitudes and your attitudes can influence to what degree you apply your skills. That is just one example of the interrelation, but it is not as simple and as linear a relationship as that.

The main message I like to get across to students at a very early stage is that combat or conflict is a stress-inducing situation and that physical skills are affected by your body’s reaction to stress.

Knowledge of the physiological effects of stress on the body will, by design, reduce those effects, and in turn enable you to function better in a confrontation (whether in the ring or in the street).

Next post will be a look at what those effects are and how we can train to overcome them.

Bryson

Fighting Fitness

Fighting Fitness

Let’s start with the lowest common denominator. You don’t have a gym membership and can’t get to regular classes. Therefore, you need a program that you can do by yourself, without a partner and without equipment…

Being from a military background myself, I can’t go past the basics, as follows:

Warm ups

· Start easy.

· All we are trying to do here is prepare the body for work.

Push-ups

· From the raised position to where the upper arm is parallel to the floor (90 degrees on the arm; don’t go more acute, or you might excessively open up the shoulder).

· Different hand positions will work different muscle groups; work by the feel.

· If you want to go on the knuckles, make sure you do it right; clenched fist, proximal phalanges (and knuckles, of course) of index and middle fingers as the base, metacarpals lined up with the forearm, wrist straight and strong. Any other variation will cause you grief.

Sit ups

· Crunches are good, but try to work all of the abs.

· Don’t worry about supported situps mostly working the hip flexors; that is good too (for your kicks and knee strikes).

· Don’t forget the obliques.

· Leg raises will work the abs too; watch your back.

Burpees

· Love these.

· Good for aerobic content.

· You can swap the ‘down’ position for a sprawl (get that muscle memory working).

Chin ups

· OK, this DOES require ‘equipment’, but you should be able to rig up a heaving beam somewhere…

· If not, you need a way to substitute the pulling or rowing motion; vital for grappling and for balancing your body out.

Squats

· You can try the Matt Furey ‘hundu squat’, the Frank Shamrock ‘breath’ squat or the karate-style ‘shiko’ or ‘sumo’ squat. All good.

· Let your knees tell you where you need to go; work WITH your body, not against it.

Skipping

· You thought it was just for girls in the schoolyard? Get over it.

· For warm ups or for aerobic content.

· One of the best overall exercises.

Bag work

· Can be used as an aerobic or endurance workout.

· Lets not go there until we have discussed your punching technique (next installment)

Road work

· An old boxers’ staple, but so hard to do in the Jakarta environment.

· Run for breath and stamina if you can; if you can’t, substitute with others fitness work

· More on running in a subsequent post…

Conclusion

This has covered only the basics. Circuit training should be the backbone of your fitness workout (Niko has posted some great circuits on his page, ‘Niko’s Corner’; check the link above). You will, of course, develop fitness through the progress of the fighting program, but should try to achieve a good standard of fitness prior to commencing that program.

We will look at partner drills in a subsequent post.

Train hard, fight easy!

Bryson

Hi

Welcome to my blog, which will focus mainly on ‘stand-up’ applications, as you can slip into ‘Niko’s Corner’ to see his thoughts on ground-fighting applications (my good buddy Niko Han needs no introduction as Indonesia’s number one BJJ practitioner).

My own background is largely karate, Muay Thai and military Close Quarter Fighting, so there will be an element of competition-fighting as well as a strong focus towards practical self-defence applications.

We will look at body positioning and body movement, defensive applications, and all of the attacking weapons (hands, feet, shins, elbows, knees and head). We will work on training drills and fighting strategy.

There will, of course, be times when there will be crossover with Niko’s info, as there will be times where the fight goes from stand-up to the clinch or to the ground, as well as times where the ground fight will go back to stand-up.

For all of you who are already stand-up fighters, let me suggest to you that you get along to Niko’s classes, or one of the other grappling-focused clubs across Indonesia; you can’t have an all-round fighting strategy without solid ground skills. For those of you who are grapplers, who wish to round out their game, watch this space!

I look forward to working with you all.

Bryson

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