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Technique:

kata kata kata.

I didn't realise how great kata was as a work out until I had practiced it for 30-45 minutes a day. I went back to karate after a few weeks off and my sparring was quicker, my techniques were stronger and I felt more confident in my overall performance too.

But you need to practice kata like you mean it, as if you were in a grading or a competition. Just going through the movements isn't enough.



Strength:

Weight training can be good, but don't over do it because it can wear out your muscles and slow you down as well as reducing your capabilities and technique. Weight training can also help with speed:

- run through punching drills while holding weights
- squats and push up quickly can help with more speed and strength in legs



Fitness:

I've been told many things about this one...

Running - good for overall fitness, but not specifically for martial arts (apparently there was a reseach thing down and found it doesn't really improve anything)

Skipping - have heard nothing but positive things about skipping

Practicing on punching bags - sport specific

Get someone to beat you with a stick

*rofls at Darkling's post*

yeh, doing your katas is good (dont know the name if its not in karate... my friend told me the taekwondo version but i forgot)

what art do you do? certain ones will have certain things that you need to be able to do constantly and well... so practising those is good

my sister and i invested in a pair of gloves, so when we arent training at our club... we can still train at home. it helps quite alot.

so, martial art techniques are good to practise to stay in shape. pressups, stretches, katas, situps+general excercise, punching practise and maybe skipping.... these will keep you going well.

just imagine it is another day at your club, and do what you would usually do. but not forget to go as far as you can go. clubs will often make it a bit easier (as you wont always have people as good as you, and they dont want the younger ones to horribly struggle) so if you usually do say, 20 pressups, go and do 50, or until you are tired. you will only improve by pushing yourself.

I condition in several ways. Out of class at home I am constantly pulling out a matress and working on some of the acrobatic techniques I want to get, and working on one technique such as the back handspring 50-100 times really puts on a good sweat. I also love going out side on a clear day and choosing a random weapon and just start playing around with it seeing what I can do, and trying to create forms and self-defense techniques.

At the school I go through with a partner and work different self-defense techniques trying to create some effective techniques and what not. I also enjoy just using basic striking conditioning methods to toughen up the skin, such methods as the three star arm conditioning, or just no gear sparring with medium to hard contact. It really prepares you for sparring with others and, atleast with Tae Kwon Do, prepare you to for the strong kicks coming at you from others, as well as works on your speed and technique because you win the sparring match.

Finally in class, always put forth full effort. Never put in any less, even with the basics. One of my favourite instructors at my school is the co-owner of the school and senior instructor. Whenever she instructs the class we always do basics up and down the room, low blocks, middle blocks, everything. I always come out of it better than I was before, and I do my best to incorperate it in my home training.

I've heard katas called forms in Taekwando, but I could be wrong there. I also recommend practicing those a lot- normally I do every one I know twice without stopping, but possibly a small break if I'm not feeling well or just starting.

Sparring is a great cardio workout, so do that whenever possible.

I also love to practice kicks- it builds up the exact leg muscles for kicking, and you can practice the correct positions as well. Do 25 on each leg to start (of each) and see if you can work your way up to 50 each leg. Tough, but definitely worth it!

Also, overall fitness stuff is great, too. I started a running plan over the summer to get more endurance, which helped a little in karate. (Jumping rope is great for your calves, too!) Strength training honestly hasn't had an impact upon my martial arts skill, but I guess it couldn't hurt to be stronger.

Do what I do, sit around for a couple hours then eat for an hour, repeat 3 times, then sleep.

It will only get you injured if you start full contact. You start light and eventually build up until you can take full contact.