We are in the final stages of editing two new Shotokan Karate DVDs taught by Steve Flores: Weapon Kata DVD featuring forms for the tonfa, bo, kama and sword (iaido) and Shotokan Karate Kumite DVD, sparring techniques for point karate sparring. Check out the videos below for a sneak preview:
Weapon Kata DVD Preview
Shotokan Karate Kumite (Sparring) DVD Preview
Friday, June 22, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Sang H. Kim Interview on Martial Arts Flexibility
In this interview clip from 1993, Sang H. Kim talks about flexibility for martial artists, especially those over 30.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Squats and Deadlifts for Martial Arts Speed and Power
Regarding high reps vs low reps: As I have written in all of my Turtle Press books, I recommend heavy weights and low reps. The neat thing about going heavy is that it stimulates your fast-twitch muscle fibers. So you get strong and your physical speed improves. What's heavy? As I discuss in Solo Training DVD, "heavy" is a poundage that makes you grimace, strain and barely complete the eighth rep.
High reps and light weights stimulate your slow-twitch muscles fibers. Not good unless you want to be slow. Now, it's okay to go light and do high reps once every couple of weeks or so to give your muscles a rest and to surprise them, but mostly go heavy. Get strong, get fast.
Regarding deadlifts: Personally, meaning that this is just my opinion, I think deadlifts are extremely dangerous. One little error, one little distraction, and you might be doomed to a lifetime of back pain and debilitation. Ask anyone with a bad back what that feels like.
I think your lower back gets plenty of work with all the martial arts that you do. Couple that with core work, as I show in Solo Training 2, and you will develop a powerful midsection: front, back and sides. All top trainers emphasize the core these days.
Regarding squats: Done incorrectly, weight squats are dangerous for everyone. Done correctly, they can be dangerous if you have a preexisting condition, such as a bad lower back, bad knees, ankles, and so on. The problem is that sometimes you don’t know you have a preexisting problem until you load a barbell and squat down. That twang you just heard from somewhere in your body is not a good thing.
In Solo Training DVD and Solo Training 2, I show how to do squats with dumbbells. These are safer and you work your grip and forearm muscles at the same time. Wrap a towel around the handles to really work your grip muscles.
Lots of fighters do free-hand squats, such as Hindus (Solo Training 2). They are done fast and explosively. Many instructors recommend working up to one set of 500. Since they aren't done slowly but hard and fast, there might not be the concern over the high rep slow-twitch muscle stimulation. Since I don't know for sure, I just do 100 and hold on to a couple of dumbbells. That’s 100 in one big fast set. You walk funny for a while after, but I've put on some muscle and have definitely seen a power improvement in my kicks.
Loren Christensen
www.lwcbooks.com
High reps and light weights stimulate your slow-twitch muscles fibers. Not good unless you want to be slow. Now, it's okay to go light and do high reps once every couple of weeks or so to give your muscles a rest and to surprise them, but mostly go heavy. Get strong, get fast.
Regarding deadlifts: Personally, meaning that this is just my opinion, I think deadlifts are extremely dangerous. One little error, one little distraction, and you might be doomed to a lifetime of back pain and debilitation. Ask anyone with a bad back what that feels like.
I think your lower back gets plenty of work with all the martial arts that you do. Couple that with core work, as I show in Solo Training 2, and you will develop a powerful midsection: front, back and sides. All top trainers emphasize the core these days.
Regarding squats: Done incorrectly, weight squats are dangerous for everyone. Done correctly, they can be dangerous if you have a preexisting condition, such as a bad lower back, bad knees, ankles, and so on. The problem is that sometimes you don’t know you have a preexisting problem until you load a barbell and squat down. That twang you just heard from somewhere in your body is not a good thing.
In Solo Training DVD and Solo Training 2, I show how to do squats with dumbbells. These are safer and you work your grip and forearm muscles at the same time. Wrap a towel around the handles to really work your grip muscles.
Lots of fighters do free-hand squats, such as Hindus (Solo Training 2). They are done fast and explosively. Many instructors recommend working up to one set of 500. Since they aren't done slowly but hard and fast, there might not be the concern over the high rep slow-twitch muscle stimulation. Since I don't know for sure, I just do 100 and hold on to a couple of dumbbells. That’s 100 in one big fast set. You walk funny for a while after, but I've put on some muscle and have definitely seen a power improvement in my kicks.
Loren Christensen
www.lwcbooks.com
Monday, June 18, 2007
New Kung Fu DVDs at TurtlePress.com
6 new Shaolin Kung Fu DVD titles from TurtlePress.com:
Shaolin Kung Fu Chang Quan Form DVD
Shaolin Cannon Boxing Form DVD
Shaolin Kung Fu Tiger Style Form DVD
Shaolin Kung Fu Fanzi Quan Form DVD
Shaolin Kung Fu Seven Star Fist Form DVD
Shaolin Chin Na DVD
All of these Shaolin DVDs are imported directly from China and taught by top Chinese masters.
Shaolin Kung Fu Chang Quan Form DVD
Shaolin Cannon Boxing Form DVD
Shaolin Kung Fu Tiger Style Form DVD
Shaolin Kung Fu Fanzi Quan Form DVD
Shaolin Kung Fu Seven Star Fist Form DVD
Shaolin Chin Na DVD
All of these Shaolin DVDs are imported directly from China and taught by top Chinese masters.
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