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Of course I'm talking about training and training schedules.
We all seem to share a love for training whatever form that training
may take. I am interested to see what people do in the time they
have to train. I have had this discussion with friends in other arts
and have found it to be eye opening in many respects.
I have found it extremely useful to schedule and track my training time.
To achieve this end I use a Franklin Planner, which by the way
I also use my professional life. I have been using a planner for the
last seven years. It is amazing to look back over time and see
what I was doing, and how my priorities have changed.
Currently, I have a training schedule which runs for two weeks at a time:
Week #1
Monday Wednesday and Friday
Early in the morning (around 4:30 - 5:00 a.m.) I do a set of light stretches found
in the introduction to Chi Kung Way of Power by Master Lam Kam Chuen. In
addition to these, I also do some wrist manipulations I learned in Ju-Jitsu.
Next, I sit zazen for half an hour.
After sitting I do some exercises for my eyes (which I happened to pick from an
article in a kung fu magazine) and a spine strech which I picked up from Opening
The Energy Gates of Your Body by B.K. Frantzis.
To complete my morning, I take a class in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu which runs for an hour
and a half.
At lunch, I write out my notes or rewrite the notes I made from the mornings class.
Tuesday and Thursday
I get up around 4:30 - 5:00 in the morning.
The Magnificent Seven. This is a series of stretches and abdominal exercises done from
a standing position. I found this routine in Combat Abs by Matt Furey.
Zazen for half an hour.
Eye exercises.
Spine stretch.
Next, I do a series of pushups.
20 on the knuckles
20 on the fingertips
20 hands flat on the ground, and close to body
20 hands flat on the ground and wide
20 Indian wrestling pushups, hands and feet at shoulder width
20 Indian wrestling pushups, hands shoulder width, feet wider
20 Charles Atlas pushups
A few comments on the pushups. Between each set of twenty I take
a six to twelve second break. This will really get you breathing. The Indian wrestling
pushups I learned from Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey and the accompanying video tape set.
I believe the Indian name for this type of pushup is Bethak. My goal with the pushups is three
hundred total. I was at that point and I injured my left tricep. I am increasing the number of reps
for each type of pushup by 1 every two weeks. I find this exercise to be a great overall conditioner
and quite a challenge. Give it a shot. I think you'll love/ hate it.
Following this, it is off to the playground in my apartment complex. Here, I jump rope and work basic strikes
on a sand bag (I hang the sand bag on the jungle gym). I switch back and forth between jumping rope and
boxing. I'll do one three minute round of rope work, followed by a thirty second rest, then do a three minute
round of bag work. All totaled, I do five three minute rounds of jumping rope and five three minute rounds of boxing. For the rope work I vary the speed and footing. Regarding the strikes, I work basic combinations.
At this point I am nice and warm. I wrap up the morning with a good stretch.
At work, I eat my lunch (which on these days consists of fruits, grains and nuts) before lunchtime. During my
lunch hour, I work my grip strength (using a 1lb sand filled gripper ball) and I do a standing meditation for half an hour.
In the evening I do the following:
Holding a handstand (I am up to 2min)
30 Back Extensions (I have found this exercise to be a fantastic aide in strengthening my lower back. I bought a piece
of exercise equipment which allows me to do this exercise as well as dips. A great invesment.)
Note, Some of the following are basic skills specific to Brazilian Ju-Jitsu.
30 triangles
30 escapes (Focusing here on using body/hip position to escape various positions)
30 guard crunches (I use a motion which is a combination of dominating from the guard and a crunch)
30 guard combo (This is a series of moves which flow one into the other and result with a submission or a sweep.)
30 arm bar drills (Essentially a drill to work body/hip motion leading to various arm bars)
30 lying leg scissors, side to side, (four count exercise)
30 lying leg scissors, up and down, ( four count exercise)
30 leg circles clockwise
30 leg circles counter-clockwise
20 knee to elbow, (four count exercise). This is a killer. If you are familiar with Pilates, it is the Crisscross.
30 guard break
30 take downs
Wrestlers Bridge held for three minutes. Note, the top of my head is not on the mat, but rather my forhead and nose.
I do some stretching next. A number of the moves are from Pilates.
Gymnastic bridge held for one minute.
Done.
Saturday
The Magnificent Seven (see above)
Zazen
Eye exercises
Spine stretch
Holding a handstand (2min)
Pushup workout (see above)
30 Back Extensions
Brazilian Ju-Jitsu (whatever I want to work on)
Major stretching
Week #2
Monday Wednesday Friday and Saturday
Same as week #1.
Tuesday
The only difference here is I substitute the Karl Gotch Bible for the boxing and rope work. The Karl Gotch Bible is a routine I got from Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey. This exercise routine utilizes a pack of playing cards.
Specific exercises are assigned to groups of cards. The number of repetitions of each exercise is based on the value f the playing card or whatever value you've assigned the card. It takes me about forty-five minutes to complete.
A sample would look something like this:
Hearts and diamonds (2 through 10) would all be indian wrestling pushups (which are something like dive bombers if you've seen these). The number of repetitions is based on the value of the card pulled.
Spades and clubs(2 through 10) are a mixture of exercises. I work a combination of takedowns, and
isometric exercises for my legs and arms. Again, the number of the card pulled equals the number of
repetitions performed. All the face cards equal fifteen repetitions. The first five cards equal pushups of
various sorts. The next, three face cards are dips. Charles Atlas pushups are done for the next four face
cards. A note here, these pushups are done with two chairs which are approximately shoulder width apart.
Put your palms on the inside corner of each chair and lower your body so that your chest just touches the
back of your hands, then pushup. Your back is straight and your toes are touching the floor. I've seen this exercise by a number of different names and in a number of books. It is a great workout. Finally, the last
four face cards are squats. I use a cable for resistance when squating.
The only limit with this exercise is your own imagination. Shuffle the cards and go.
Thursday
I substitute a cable workout for the boxing and rope work. I currently use three different cables: a chest expander, one that hooks around my feet and over my shoulders (primarily for resistance while performing a squat) and several small circular cables. I got the cables from Lifeline USA.
Well, there it is. I'd be very interested to hear what other people are doing. Good training.
We all seem to share a love for training whatever form that training
may take. I am interested to see what people do in the time they
have to train. I have had this discussion with friends in other arts
and have found it to be eye opening in many respects.
I have found it extremely useful to schedule and track my training time.
To achieve this end I use a Franklin Planner, which by the way
I also use my professional life. I have been using a planner for the
last seven years. It is amazing to look back over time and see
what I was doing, and how my priorities have changed.
Currently, I have a training schedule which runs for two weeks at a time:
Week #1
Monday Wednesday and Friday
Early in the morning (around 4:30 - 5:00 a.m.) I do a set of light stretches found
in the introduction to Chi Kung Way of Power by Master Lam Kam Chuen. In
addition to these, I also do some wrist manipulations I learned in Ju-Jitsu.
Next, I sit zazen for half an hour.
After sitting I do some exercises for my eyes (which I happened to pick from an
article in a kung fu magazine) and a spine strech which I picked up from Opening
The Energy Gates of Your Body by B.K. Frantzis.
To complete my morning, I take a class in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu which runs for an hour
and a half.
At lunch, I write out my notes or rewrite the notes I made from the mornings class.
Tuesday and Thursday
I get up around 4:30 - 5:00 in the morning.
The Magnificent Seven. This is a series of stretches and abdominal exercises done from
a standing position. I found this routine in Combat Abs by Matt Furey.
Zazen for half an hour.
Eye exercises.
Spine stretch.
Next, I do a series of pushups.
20 on the knuckles
20 on the fingertips
20 hands flat on the ground, and close to body
20 hands flat on the ground and wide
20 Indian wrestling pushups, hands and feet at shoulder width
20 Indian wrestling pushups, hands shoulder width, feet wider
20 Charles Atlas pushups
A few comments on the pushups. Between each set of twenty I take
a six to twelve second break. This will really get you breathing. The Indian wrestling
pushups I learned from Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey and the accompanying video tape set.
I believe the Indian name for this type of pushup is Bethak. My goal with the pushups is three
hundred total. I was at that point and I injured my left tricep. I am increasing the number of reps
for each type of pushup by 1 every two weeks. I find this exercise to be a great overall conditioner
and quite a challenge. Give it a shot. I think you'll love/ hate it.
Following this, it is off to the playground in my apartment complex. Here, I jump rope and work basic strikes
on a sand bag (I hang the sand bag on the jungle gym). I switch back and forth between jumping rope and
boxing. I'll do one three minute round of rope work, followed by a thirty second rest, then do a three minute
round of bag work. All totaled, I do five three minute rounds of jumping rope and five three minute rounds of boxing. For the rope work I vary the speed and footing. Regarding the strikes, I work basic combinations.
At this point I am nice and warm. I wrap up the morning with a good stretch.
At work, I eat my lunch (which on these days consists of fruits, grains and nuts) before lunchtime. During my
lunch hour, I work my grip strength (using a 1lb sand filled gripper ball) and I do a standing meditation for half an hour.
In the evening I do the following:
Holding a handstand (I am up to 2min)
30 Back Extensions (I have found this exercise to be a fantastic aide in strengthening my lower back. I bought a piece
of exercise equipment which allows me to do this exercise as well as dips. A great invesment.)
Note, Some of the following are basic skills specific to Brazilian Ju-Jitsu.
30 triangles
30 escapes (Focusing here on using body/hip position to escape various positions)
30 guard crunches (I use a motion which is a combination of dominating from the guard and a crunch)
30 guard combo (This is a series of moves which flow one into the other and result with a submission or a sweep.)
30 arm bar drills (Essentially a drill to work body/hip motion leading to various arm bars)
30 lying leg scissors, side to side, (four count exercise)
30 lying leg scissors, up and down, ( four count exercise)
30 leg circles clockwise
30 leg circles counter-clockwise
20 knee to elbow, (four count exercise). This is a killer. If you are familiar with Pilates, it is the Crisscross.
30 guard break
30 take downs
Wrestlers Bridge held for three minutes. Note, the top of my head is not on the mat, but rather my forhead and nose.
I do some stretching next. A number of the moves are from Pilates.
Gymnastic bridge held for one minute.
Done.
Saturday
The Magnificent Seven (see above)
Zazen
Eye exercises
Spine stretch
Holding a handstand (2min)
Pushup workout (see above)
30 Back Extensions
Brazilian Ju-Jitsu (whatever I want to work on)
Major stretching
Week #2
Monday Wednesday Friday and Saturday
Same as week #1.
Tuesday
The only difference here is I substitute the Karl Gotch Bible for the boxing and rope work. The Karl Gotch Bible is a routine I got from Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey. This exercise routine utilizes a pack of playing cards.
Specific exercises are assigned to groups of cards. The number of repetitions of each exercise is based on the value f the playing card or whatever value you've assigned the card. It takes me about forty-five minutes to complete.
A sample would look something like this:
Hearts and diamonds (2 through 10) would all be indian wrestling pushups (which are something like dive bombers if you've seen these). The number of repetitions is based on the value of the card pulled.
Spades and clubs(2 through 10) are a mixture of exercises. I work a combination of takedowns, and
isometric exercises for my legs and arms. Again, the number of the card pulled equals the number of
repetitions performed. All the face cards equal fifteen repetitions. The first five cards equal pushups of
various sorts. The next, three face cards are dips. Charles Atlas pushups are done for the next four face
cards. A note here, these pushups are done with two chairs which are approximately shoulder width apart.
Put your palms on the inside corner of each chair and lower your body so that your chest just touches the
back of your hands, then pushup. Your back is straight and your toes are touching the floor. I've seen this exercise by a number of different names and in a number of books. It is a great workout. Finally, the last
four face cards are squats. I use a cable for resistance when squating.
The only limit with this exercise is your own imagination. Shuffle the cards and go.
Thursday
I substitute a cable workout for the boxing and rope work. I currently use three different cables: a chest expander, one that hooks around my feet and over my shoulders (primarily for resistance while performing a squat) and several small circular cables. I got the cables from Lifeline USA.
Well, there it is. I'd be very interested to hear what other people are doing. Good training.
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