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MEASURING FITNESS
Having established the need for structured training sessions to maintain progression and motivation. Using ‘round’ timing for your ‘timing structure’ will not only develop your fitness, but also specifically train your body to function under the conditions of competition.
Now we will take a look at using a round timing structure to measure your fitness levels.
Fitness Measurement
 We’ve established that ‘round’ training can significantly improve your fitness, but it’s also lends itself to comparative assessment, just like weight training. Weight training allows you to measure your strength performance by recording the number of repetitions (consecutive lifts) you managed with a specific weight, and the number of sets (times you repeat a set of consecutive lifts). Recording this information over a period of time allows you to measure your strength improvements.
This comparative measurement can also be applied to fitness training by monitoring the number of consecutive working rounds that you can manage, and the level of intensity worked during each round. Regardless of your chosen activity, whether it’s circuit training, running or sparring, you can compare structured performances of working round and rest intervals.
Specific & General Work-rate Measurements
During each round your work-rate can be measured either specifically or generally. For example, a general measure could be a perceived intensity level while hitting the pads low, medium or high. A specific measure may be as simple as the number of roundhouse kicks managed in a one minute round.
Examples:
General: Medium work-rate punches and kicks
Specific: 65 roundhouse kicks in one minute
General Work-rate Measure
‘General’ work-rate measurements are far more difficult to quantify, but a reasonable assessment can be made using the following approach. Work-rate can be derived from two components, speed and force. This simply means that the quicker you work – the harder you work, and the more forcefully you work – the harder you work.
By considering both your speed and the applied force, you can gauge your relative work-rate. An example table is given to the right – read across the table.
As well as considering your application of speed and force, you could also cross-reference your work-rate assessment by observing how heavily you are breathing during your rest intervals. You will soon get a feel for how hard you are pushing yourself!
 The example table above is not intended to provide a cross-reference between different people. It’s simply a way to establish a comparative measure for you, enabling you to track your personal fitness progress rather than compare to others.
The table suggests a method for quantifying work-rate, but please use a method that suits you.
Specific Work-rate Measure
We have already mentioned that counting the number of techniques completed per round is a method of ‘specific’ work-rate measure. This approach is only practical for limited drills, and a more versatile means can be adopted for greater training flexibility.
The best way to determine how hard you have been working is to look at your heart rate or pulse.
This kind of measurement allows you to assess how hard you’ve worked and how quickly you can recover. You can measure your pulse rate by applying pressure to the radial artery on the underside of the wrist with two fingers (see photo below) and counting the number of pulses in 15 seconds, and then multiplying by four.
There are also a number of different heart rate monitors available which simply display your heart rate on a wristwatch device – they’re both accurate and easy to use.
The topic of heart rate zones would require an article of it’s own, but we will simplify the details for the purpose of this column. To use a heart rate monitor you must first establish your maximum heart rate. You can do this by using the following formula: - subtract your age from 220, e.g. if you are 30 then your maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute. Your relative low, medium and high work-rates can then be defined as a percentage of your maximum heart rate.
To give you an idea of relative ‘work-rate’ to ‘pulse / heart rate’, please see the table below.
Watching Progress
Now that your work-rate can be defined, it’s simply a case of recording the number of rounds completed at this intensity level, and the duration of those rounds.
To push your fitness level higher you can either complete more rounds of the same duration as before, or increase your work-rate during the original rounds (by working faster and applying more force).
The next step would be to increase the round duration.
If we say that you can complete 4 rounds at a duration of 2 minutes, working at a medium work-rate, you could increase the demands on your fitness by either:
- adding another 2 minute round at the same medium work-rate
- replace some (or all) of your 4 x 2 minute rounds with high work-rate drills
- increase the duration of the rounds to 3 minutes and maintain the medium work-rate
 By applying these methods you can force your body to continue adapting, improving your work capacity and fitness. It’s important to select appropriate rest duration’s between working rounds to develop your fitness. The rest duration should be proportional to the length of the round that you have just completed.
Martial Concept advise that 15 seconds rest should be used between 1 minute rounds, 30 seconds rest should be used between 2 minute rounds and 1 minutes rest should be used between 3 minute rounds. This is the timing structure used in the Timer Training Mix CD, and ensures that you have adequate resting time while placing a strong demand on your fitness. Having these timings automatically sounded allows you to focus on both working out and measuring your work-rate.
You can quickly see improvements in your fitness by keeping a record of your work-rate along with the number of rounds completed at either one, two or three minutes in length. The activities chosen for working rounds are entirely up to you.
They could simply consist of exercises, such as circuit training drills, or could be specific drills for your martial art. We are now ready to begin looking at ‘drill structures’ – the specific activities conducted during the rounds.
Next month we will begin by outlining the use of timer training during a warm up.
If you missed last months column, you can see a copy on the Martial Concept website – www.martialconcept.co.uk.
For more information regarding the Timer Training Mix or timer training, please e-mail info@martialconcept.com.
You can buy the Timer Training Mix online at www.martialconcept.co.uk £11.99 – free UK delivery. Or simply send your cheque or postal order (made payable to martial concept) along with your address details to:
Martial Concept
37 Bury Park Drive
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 2DA
E-mail: sales@martialconcept.com
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