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WARM-UP
Now we’ll apply timer training to your warm up, which is an important (but often neglected) part of any training session.
A warm up both reduces the likelihood of injury, and also increases your level of performance. By preparing your body for the work you are about to do, you will achieve more in that training session than you could without warming up.You only need to spend 10 minutes to have thoroughly prepared your body to perform to an optimum level. A warm-up should consist of two main elements:
1. Aerobic activity
2. Stretching exercises
Aerobic Activity
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>Thermal image showing increased
blood flow and body temperature
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The aim of the aerobic element of the warm-up is to elevate the core body temperature; promoting faster blood flow around the body ensuring oxygen is readily available to the muscles, reducing fatigue. Muscle and connective tissue will also become more elastic and function more quickly and are less likely to tear.
Stretching Exercises
Stretching exercises should be conducted after the aerobic section of your warm-up taking advantage of thoroughly warmed through and pliable muscle tissue. I’m sure that you have a host of favourite stretching exercises that can be applied to this concluding part of the warm up.
For now we’ll look at applying timing structures to the aerobic element of the warm-up.
Timing Structure
As I stated in the first column, ‘The key to motivation is progression. The key to progression is structure.’ To motivate yourself to carry out an effective warm-up you should apply a structured approach. In the first column this ‘structured’ approach was also broken down into two areas, ‘timing structures’ and ‘drill structures’ (you can view this earlier column at www.martialconcept.co.uk).
A useful timing structure for a warm-up uses 1-minute rounds with 15-second intervals. By completing 8 consecutive rounds in this format, your total warm-up duration will be 10 minutes. Now all you have to decide is your ‘drill structure’, that is the activities you will conduct during each of the timed intervals of the warm-up.
Drill Structure
The following exercises are examples of those that are particularly beneficial in a warm-up.
Skipping is a great way to utilise virtually all of your muscle groups, while triggering both your co-ordination and your cardiovascular system for the rest of the session. Shadow sparring allows you to activate your nervous system to the specific movements of your art, and establish controlled balance footwork.
Combining strength exercises such as press ups, sit ups and standing squats will target your main muscle groups, warming them through, increasing contractile speed and force.
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>Standing squats for lower body strength
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>Press ups for upper body strength
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>Sit ups for torso strength
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Putting It Together
Dropping these drills into the timing structure produces the warm-up shown in table 1 below.
For the purpose of this column, it will be assumed that you are using the Martial Concept – Timer Training Mix to provide your timing markers. Once you have an appropriate timing method that will ‘sound out’ for you 1 minute rounds with a 15 second interval in-between, the warm-up works as follows:
Round 1
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>Skipping works aerobic capacity and coordination
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Starting the Timer Mix at track one (1 minute rounds) and begin skipping at a steady pace when the ‘start beep’ is heard. Continue lightly skipping until the ‘end of round beep’ is heard, and then begin to sprint skip as fast as possible for the next 15 seconds until the beep for the start of the next one minute round is heard.
Round 2
Reduce your skipping tempo back down to a steady pace for the rest of the round. Again, once the ‘end of round beep’ is heard you should accelerate up to sprint skipping – as fast as possible for the next 15 seconds.
Round 3
When the beep sounds for the start of the third round, you drop your rope and begin steadily shadow sparring, using only hand techniques. Concentrating on your footwork and your guard. Role play combinations of both attack and defence against an imaginary opponent.
When the end of round beep is heard, begin rapidly working your hand techniques as quickly as possible for the next 15 seconds.
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>Shadow sparring works timing and coordination
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Round 4
When the fourth round start beep sounds, begin steadily shadow sparring using leg techniques only. As before, drill footwork and strikes against an imaginary opponent until after one minute the end of round beep sounds. Then begin rapidly throwing leg techniques for the next 15 seconds.
Round 5
When the beep sounds for the fifth round, immediately pick up your skipping rope and begin steadily skipping for the next minute. When the end of round beep sounds, increase the pace and skip as fast as you can for the next 15 seconds.
Round 6
When the beep sounds for the sixth round continue skipping but slow the pace right down again for the rest of the one-minute round. Again, once the end of round beep is heard you should accelerate up to sprint skipping – as fast as possible for the next 15 seconds.
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>The class working strength exercises
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Round 7
When the beep sounds for the start of round seven, drop your rope and begin steadily pumping out 10 press ups, followed by 10 sit ups, followed by 10 standing squats. Then continue with another 10 press-ups etc. looping the exercises at a steady rate until after one minute the end of round beep is heard. Then begin hammering out the same exercises as quickly as possible.
Round 8
When the eighth round beep is heard, begin shadow sparring using hand and legs – working any combination of techniques you wish. Imagine moving effectively around an opponent. After one minute the end of round beep will sound, and you then apply your final rapid bust of shadow sparring (hands and legs) for the last 15 seconds until the next beep is heard.
After completing this 10-minute warm-up your body will be up to working temperature and your nervous system fully charged for rapid response for the rest of your work out. The next stage would to conduct some basic stretching exercises before the main body of your training session.
This worked example illustrates an effective warm up, and you should adapt it to suit your own personal requirements and training habits. By placing your training drills into a defined timing structure you can achieve a lot in a short space of time, maximising the result while minimising the time spent.
Next month we will look at timer training during bag work.
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 for £11.99 – free UK delivery. Or see the advert elsewhere in this issue.
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