Does strength training limit flexibility?

According to Sang H. Kim, author of Ultimate Flexiblity, the idea that strength training makes you less flexibile is a myth. "Just the opposite is true," he says, "thanks to the stretch-shortening cycle. A very simple description of the stretch-shortening cycle likens it to an elastic band. When you stretch the elastic, it becomes taut and ready to snap back with force when released. The more pliable the elastic and the farther you can stretch it, the more force it will generate when released." A detailed explanation of the reasoning behind coordinating your strength training with a good stretching program can be found in chapter 2 of Ultimate Flexibility.

Attendance Records Available for 2006

2006 Attendance Records are in and ready to ship. The use of student attendance records has been proven to improve student retention in martial arts classes at all age levels. When your students track their attendance daily, you can easily identify whose participation is lagging and contact them before it's too late. Each card is made of heavy card stock to withstand a full year's use and prepunched to fit conveniently in a 3 ring binder.

Martial Arts Injury Care: Ice or Heat?

According to Trish Bare Grounds, author of the Martial Arts Injury Care and Prevention book and DVD, this is one of the most common questions martial artists have about treating injuries at home. Her answer? Simple:


Use ice:

• If an injury is less than 7 days old the only thing you want to use is ice.
• If an injury still has quite a bit of swelling and/or pain, even if more than 7 days old, you want to use ice following any workout, even if you are going to workout or fight later on in the day.
• For any injury less than 3 weeks old, while the tissue is still healing, use ice to treat pain and prevent inflammation after a workout.
• Prior to entering the ring to fight or in the ring between rounds ice will slow the swelling of a minor injury received during a competition.
• Immediately upon being injured, apply ice even before you see bruising or swelling.
• To treat a cut or other external bleeding. Ice will slow the blood flow and stop bleeding more quickly.
  

Use moist heat:

• If the injury is no longer swollen and simply sore or stiff, after 7 days you can either use a moist heat pack or heat rub prior to a workout to help increase the blood flow to the area.
• If you are simply tight or sore from a previous workout a moist heat pack or heat rub can soothe aching muscles and help to loosen them prior to working out.

Trish has recently completed her Ph.D. at the University of Florida’s Sports Medicine/Athletic Training Program as well as a revised and expanded second edition of The Bare Essentials Guide to Martial Arts Injury Care and Prevention, scheduled to be released by Turtle Press in early 2006.

Boxing: How to Clinch

Michael Onello, author of Boxing: A 12 Week Course, gives these simple tips for learning to use the clinch, "Place your arms around your opponent’s shoulders with your biceps touching him as you pull them into you (not using your hands). Have your arms slide down to his elbows, keeping your head up over his shoulder, not on it. If you’re on the ropes or in the corner, spin him fast and hard. Keep your hands up on the break."

Clinching drill: Practice with a partner, in the center of the ring, on the ropes and in the corner. Take turns being the clincher. Mix and match partners if possible so that you can work with different body types.

Last day to save on Martial Arts Drills DVD

The 77 Fun and Exciting Classroom Drills DVD will ship on November 11th. Today is the last day to preorder and save $5.00 off the regular price of $24.95.

Break bad habits with the "one less" technique

There is no point in quitting, or trying to quit something that you don’t really have the desire or willpower to quit, according Aaron Hoopes, author of Perfecting Ourselves: Coordinating Body, Mind & Spirit. "Dependency is a tough adversary. Instead of trying to quit entirely, try a minor shift in attitude from indulging in excess to practicing moderation. Let it put you in motion on a path in the right direction rather than be a process by which failure is almost assured."

Have a bad habit you want to break? Try his "One Less" techinque:

One Less: Regardless of what negative lifestyle pattern is affecting your body, tomorrow see if you can do one less than usual. For example, if you smoke twenty cigarettes a day, tomorrow smoke nineteen. If you have three martinis with dinner, tomorrow have two. If you eat ten cookies at a time, tomorrow eat nine. Whatever it is, tomorrow do one less than today (or if you need to, one less this week or month than last week or month). Whatever the behavior, don’t think of it as “wrong” but simply as an excess with harmful effects.

Moderation is the key, and moderate behavior is soon rewarded by a healthier feeling in the body. As the body feels healthier, your behavior will naturally evolve. But the initial step is moderation. Don’t try to quit something you have no ability to quit. That will just stir more resistance. If you enjoy it, do it. Eventually, if you are genuinely sincere, you will reach a point where it doesn’t have a hold on you anymore and you can leave it behind. Until that time don’t stress about it.

Full or half sit-up: Which is more effective?

According to Martina Sprague, author of Strength and Power Training for Martial Arts, full sit-ups don't work the abs any more than partal sit-ups. "The abs are used primarily during the first 30 degrees of the situp. Then the hip flexors take over, which are strong muscles with the function of bringing the legs toward the upper body, or the upper body toward the legs. So full situps don’t work the abs more than partial situps. However, there is no harm in doing them." Martina also notes that a stability ball is preferable to the hard floor: "The rectus abdominis muscle also works through about 15 degrees of spinal extension, which means that in order to get full benefit from your ab workout, you should avoid lying on a hard floor that prevents you from extending your spine. This is one reason the stability ball is a good ab training device."

New Tai Chi DVD released

The Tai Chi for Life DVDs were released today. Instructed by Master Guangzhi Xing, this series covers the 38 Form and Broadsword Form of Chen style Tai Chi, the Simplified 24 Form and Tai Chi Sword Form of Yang Style Tai Chi and the Chinese National Wushu Competition Form of Sun Style Tai Chi. While not as long as or in depth as our Chinese martial arts DVD imports, these DVDs are an excellent method of learning or refining these shorter, popular tai chi forms. Master Xing's emphasis is on tai chi as a way of maintaining health and reducing stress. His teaching is straightforward and easy to follow, an ideal introduction to tai chi for the novice or intermediate practitioner.