Practical Combat Conditioning...Lessons Learned

[SteyrAUG]

I have cross trained with both asian style martial artists and american boxers. I can sum them up as such... 1. Martial artists - Most lethal techniques combined with substandard conditioning and lack of practical experience. 2. Boxers - Superb conditioning, real time experience but hindered by confines of sport. I love to cross train the two. I enjoy the expression on a black belts face when he gets knocked on his ass for the first time. I also enjoy the look of horror when a boxer remains standing after 3 really good hits. I also enjoy a boxers frustration when a talented martial artist takes him outside his realm of experience. I love watching boxers have their legs attacked. I love to see them locked, chocked and pinned out. Because, ultimately the above helps both parties.

Martial artists are incredibly skilled with a dangerous arsenal of technique. But rarely do they train in a practical way. Seldom are they as conditioned as a boxer. They usually cannot take real hits and stay in the fight. They often have never really hit anybody before. This is because most martial arts are studied in a non contact academic manner. Kinda like learning to swim but never getting in the water. Boxers are in shape. But they have a woefully inadequate arsenal. Their defense is based on the presumption of 10-14oz. gloves for additional coverage, they don't block. They have a mere handful of strikes that become predictable regardless of the combination used. And they have no finishing techniques. If they cannot land a knockout, they cannot win. So if you are a martial artist, train like a boxer. If you are a boxer, fight like a martial artist.

Another item of note. Boxers condition their entire bodies EXCEPT for their hands. Martial artists coincidentally often condition ONLY their hands. Funny huh... Result is boxers who get into real fights almost always break their hands. Without wraps and gloves to protect them boxers generate far more power and force than their hands can sustain. Martial artists on the other hand, generally generate much less power but manage a greater capacity for destruction of the target. And here is the secret...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makiwara

It's called a "makiwara" and is designed to build hard hands for striking without sustaining injury.



They are simply made and incredibly effective. Most will skip the "straw makiwara" route for simpler designs. I use (2) 2x4s one 6ft. and one 3 ft. I screw them together to support each other but let the top unsupported 3 ft. section flex. I bury them 1 1/2 feet below ground ending up with a 4 1/2 ft. tall target. For the striking area I use a 1" rubber pad inside a large towel folded and wrapped around the top of the post. This gives me the rubber target on the striking face and several layers of thick towel. I then bind the towel in place by cords at the top and bottom of the padded area. You can protect it from rain by placing a bucket over it.

When struck correctly you flex the 2x4 with each strike as you attempt to penetrate the target with driving force. After several reps it feels as if you are striking bare wood. Use extreme caution at first as the wrist and knuckles will be vulnerable and prone to injury. This is a gradual process of hardening the hands. The idea is moderate continuous reps not a few full power strikes.

I do 500 strikes a day and have done so almost uninterrupted for the last 10 years. Though my reps used to be only 200 (100 each hand). Again be very careful. Soreness is normal, blood splatter is not. 50 moderate strikes is more beneficial than 10 massive hits.

Beginners will probably want to use a single 2x4 for the striking post. This gives reasonable flex with good resistance. I have used 3x4 fence posts but found them unable to be flexed. The result is the energy is returned to the body causing frequent injury. I only use 3x4s for conditioning the feet as kicks are quickly withdrawn from the target surface. 3x4s also do not adsorb as much use and eventually snap at the base. 2x4s and double 2x4s will also eventually break but are easily replaced for a few dollars.

[gs013564]

So if you are a martial artist, train like a boxer.

Exactly. I was (and still am) a martial artist (black belt in TKD). However, I was fortunate to have a great instructor who, although eccentric, was hardcore enough to put his students through a rigorous schedule of training in a more traditional style of training. However, TKD by it's nature is very focused on kicks. So guess what? I did what you have already suggested: I trained like a boxer. All of the folks I sparred with hated me because I could land hard punches when they were expecting kicks.

Later on I tried BJJ. I'm no expert by any means (this was around the time life started to get extremely busy with my first "big boy" job). The MMA guys weren't overly impressed with the TKD (TKD doesn't have too many practical tools, but there are a few), but I did get compliments on my boxing.

It really does pay to cross train!

[SteyrAUG]

Exactly. I was (and still am) a martial artist (black belt in TKD). However, I was fortunate to have a great instructor who, although eccentric, was hardcore enough to put his students through a rigorous schedule of training in a more traditional style of training. However, TKD by it's nature is very focused on kicks. So guess what? I did what you have already suggested: I trained like a boxer. All of the folks I sparred with hated me because I could land hard punches when they were expecting kicks.

It amazes me how many martial artists cannot figure that out. I constantly hear "this school sucks" because they don't train realistically. The reality is a serious minded student can train "realistically" in almost any school that teaches effective methods.

And just as you discovered, even if you are in a good school, there will be those who still don't train very realistically and it shows when it comes to sparring.

Of course a reality minded instructor can go a long way towards creating a proper training atmosphere. On this subject I always think back to one of my Judo instructors. Despite teaching a "sport" lineage of Kodokan Judo once a week classes were done in street clothes outside in the parking lot in front of the dojo.

Either you could do breakfalls correctly or you got hurt. Parking lots are not a very forgiving surface for mistakes. Simple things like learning to thread in for a choke or hold became complicated to do without giving yourself a serious case of road rash. Learning to get good holds on a guy wearing only a t shirt made the most simple technique difficult.

I can still remember him telling us "If you ever have to protect yourself, this is probably how you will be dressed, it will probably be outside and it will probably be on a hard surface...so you don't want to be doing it for the first time without being familiar with such an environment."

Granted, he did have a problem with student retention. But the students he had were all actual martial artists. We didn't have any "Judo players", at least not for very long.

[Sensei]

I've found that Muay Thai and BJJ provide the necessary balance of technique, aggressive sparring for real world applications, and conditioning.

I generally divide my training evenly between BJJ and Muay Thai. About a total of 8-10 hrs per week. About 70% of is this is drilling technique with the remaining 30% being spent clinching / rolling. Both marital arts are an OK (meh) conditioning session, so I try to get another 4 hours per week of crossfit, weights, or running.

Having said that, I understand that many working professionals do not have 12-14 hours per week to dedicate to exercise and MMA, and my life takes turns where I have to cut back. If this is the case, I recommend that you focus on the MMA classes and drop the extracurricular conditioning. However, try to maximize the conditioning of the classes by taking less rest between rounds, shadow boxing during rest times, doing push-ups/pull-ups/sit-ups during breaks in instruction, and overall maintaining a high level of intensity. You can also get inventive during the daily routine by taking 10-15 minutes to sprint the stairs at work, bike/run to work, etc.

[Abraxas]

I've found that Muay Thai and BJJ provide the necessary balance of technique, aggressive sparring for real world applications, and conditioning.

I generally divide my training evenly between BJJ and Muay Thai. About a total of 8-10 hrs per week. About 70% of is this is drilling technique with the remaining 30% being spent clinching / rolling. Both marital arts are an OK (meh) conditioning session, so I try to get another 4 hours per week of crossfit, weights, or running.

Having said that, I understand that many working professionals do not have 12-14 hours per week to dedicate to exercise and MMA, and my life takes turns where I have to cut back. If this is the case, I recommend that you focus on the MMA classes and drop the extracurricular conditioning. However, try to maximize the conditioning of the classes by taking less rest between rounds, shadow boxing during rest times, doing push-ups/pull-ups/sit-ups during breaks in instruction, and overall maintaining a high level of intensity. You can also get inventive during the daily routine by taking 10-15 minutes to sprint the stairs at work, bike/run to work, etc.

I have wanted to do something like this for too long

[Sensei]

I have wanted to do something like this for too long

Send me a PM if you are ever traveling through Charlotte, NC. I train at East Coast Fighter (http://eastcoastfighter.com/default.aspx). We have daily AM and PM classes in both disciplines as well as a conditioning program (I use my own due to work constraints). The pedigree of our instructors and top fighters is excellent. We can also get some range time at Charlotte Rifle & Pistol Club or Mecklenburg Wildlife Club if your in town for a couple of days.

[Abraxas]

Send me a PM if you are ever traveling through Charlotte, NC. I train at East Coast Fighter (http://eastcoastfighter.com/default.aspx). We have daily AM and PM classes in both disciplines as well as a conditioning program (I use my own due to work constraints). The pedigree of our instructors and top fighters is excellent. We can also get some range time at Charlotte Rifle & Pistol Club or Mecklenburg Wildlife Club if your in town for a couple of days.

Thanks for the offer, you make me want to move back to NC. I will absolutely take you up on it when I make it through there again.

[gs013564]

It amazes me how many martial artists cannot figure that out. I constantly hear "this school sucks" because they don't train realistically. The reality is a serious minded student can train "realistically" in almost any school that teaches effective methods.

And just as you discovered, even if you are in a good school, there will be those who still don't train very realistically and it shows when it comes to sparring.

Of course a reality minded instructor can go a long way towards creating a proper training atmosphere. On this subject I always think back to one of my Judo instructors. Despite teaching a "sport" lineage of Kodokan Judo once a week classes were done in street clothes outside in the parking lot in front of the dojo.

Either you could do breakfalls correctly or you got hurt. Parking lots are not a very forgiving surface for mistakes. Simple things like learning to thread in for a choke or hold became complicated to do without giving yourself a serious case of road rash. Learning to get good holds on a guy wearing only a t shirt made the most simple technique difficult.

I can still remember him telling us "If you ever have to protect yourself, this is probably how you will be dressed, it will probably be outside and it will probably be on a hard surface...so you don't want to be doing it for the first time without being familiar with such an environment."

Granted, he did have a problem with student retention. But the students he had were all actual martial artists. We didn't have any "Judo players", at least not for very long.

Your Judo instructor sounded a lot like my TKD instructor. He was into the art no doubt, but he also was a realist about it. If you want to be effective, then you can't just "game it" anymore.

[pmarc]

You can also get inventive during the daily routine by taking 10-15 minutes to sprint the stairs at work, bike/run to work, etc.

Rope skipping!

This thread seems very similar to another one regarding martial arts.
IIRC, Steyr was also there.

In my current school we do not spend much time on hardening, since we are a self-defense only. As such, most engagements will be short enough. There is plenty of bag/focus glove time, tough.

However, I resent lack of breakfall training. During training, getting sore from hitting the tatami is one thing but if get slammed in the ground when things get serious, it would get pretty ugly.

Steyr, let me ask, how effective was the breakfall over tarmac/concrete?
If you feel if is effective, I might hit some Judo Dojo just for it.

Also, I would like to suggest you try Panuntukan (Filipino Boxing) for the striking arts, there's plenty of boxing, plenty of elbow, and no gloves, so you learn to effectively block, parry and aggressively parry incoming strikes. "Remove the fangs of the snake"

[jc000]

I've found that Muay Thai and BJJ provide the necessary balance of technique, aggressive sparring for real world applications, and conditioning.

I generally divide my training evenly between BJJ and Muay Thai. About a total of 8-10 hrs per week. About 70% of is this is drilling technique with the remaining 30% being spent clinching / rolling. Both marital arts are an OK (meh) conditioning session, so I try to get another 4 hours per week of crossfit, weights, or running.

+1.

I try to squeeze in 2 hours of muay thai sparring, 2 hours of bjj rolling, and 1-2 hours of mma sparring a week in addition to about 3-4 hours of drilling/technique.

Admittedly, depending how hard you go, over 2 hours sparring in a week can take quite a toll on your body.