COMING BACK FROM INJURY AND HOW TO TRAIN EFFECTIVELY
Posted on | August 24, 2007 | No Comments
Back from the Brink
By: Kristie Groves
There is more to martial arts than just learning the techniques, forms, and fighting. The most overlooked component to being a martial artist is probably that of physical conditioning. It isn’t enough to just get in the ring and fight. To be able to give a solid hit, as well as take one, depends on how much you train your body outside of the ring. The ultimate benefit from being physically in shape is not only improved performance, but also the ability to bounce back faster from injuries.
I learned this one the hard way. Last year, I was involved in a major car accident. I broke my collarbone, shoulder blade, broke 7 ribs, cracked my sternum, and collapsed a lung (with one of the broken ribs). If I had not trained myself outside of the ring, it would have taken much longer to recuperate, as well as lessening my chances of returning to nearly 100% functioning within a year. Also, I may not have survived at all if I had not been in such good shape before the accident. Now think about that for a minute. Would you want to lose your life just because you were not in the condition to handle a physically traumatic event? There are two ways to ensure the best level of physical strength- cardiovascular training and weight lifting.
Let’s start with cardiovascular training. Cardio training has been researched intensively. It has been concluded that this type of exercise is the most beneficial you can do. Cardio fitness increases your ability to burn extra calories (FAT!) and raises your metabolism, which ensures less fat storage in the future. It boosts heart and lung strength, giving you better stamina in the ring. It provides you with a lower resting heart rate, which ensures better overall health, and also lowers blood pressure. You can reap the benefits of cardio training by doing cardio 3 times a week, for 30 minutes each session.
For those of you who balk at cardio training, the beauty of it is that you can train in so many different ways. You can train your cardiovascular system by running, swimming, biking, walking, yoga, volleyball, basketball, and many more. You can use any activity that brings you to your target heart rate to cardio train. Here is how you find your resting heart rate (RHR), which will help you determine your target heart rate (THR). Once you have achieved your THR, you are working your cardiovascular system!
Before you get out of bed in the morning, take your pulse for 1 full minute, counting each heart beat to find your beats per minute (bpm). To take your pulse, use one of the following methods:
1. Place your index and middle fingers directly under your ear, then slide your fingers down until they are directly under your jawbone, pressing lightly.
2. Place your index and middle fingers over the outside of your opposite wrist, just below the base of your thumb.
For a more accurate measurement, take your pulse for 3 mornings and take an average. A normal RHR for adults is between 60-100, although exercisers and athletes may have lower RHR (the lower it is, the more fit you are). If your RHR is over 100, you should call your doctor to get checked out.
To calculate the low end of your target heart rate zone for cardio training (THR), you’ll use the following formula:
220 – (your age) = Max Heart Rate (MaxHR)
MaxHR – (resting heart rate) = Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
HRR x 50% = training range %
training range % + resting heart rate = low end of THR zone
To calculate the high end of your target heart rate (THR), use the following formula- it is basically the same as above, but you multiply your HHR by 85% instead of 55%.
220 – (your age) = Max Heart Rate (MaxHR)
MaxHR – (resting heart rate) = Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
HRR x 85% = training range %
training range % + RHR = high end of your THR zone
You should now have two numbers that will range somewhere between 120-180 beats per minute, depending on your age and resting heart rate. This is your THR zone. It is within this zone that you are getting the most out of your workout, in terms of heart health and fat burning. It has been found that you can burn fat even in the low range. However, if you are looking to lose weight, I would recommend staying in the mid to high range of your THR zone.
So, how do you know what your heart rate is during your workout? The best way to measure this is with a heart monitor. If you don’t have one, you can also take your pulse for 6 seconds (while exercising) and then add a zero to the number of beats counted to get your approximate rate. You can also use the talk test. If you can comfortably carry on a conversation while exercising, you are in the low end of your range, which is sufficient for cardio health.The benefits of cardio are endless- you will notice a difference in your stamina within two weeks so be patient and be committed to incorporating cardio into your weekly routine at least 3 times a week. You can do this at the start of your weight lifting session or do it independently. The next step to getting into peak physical shape is weight lifting.
Weight training is crucial to the power behind your attacks as well as your ability to absorb your opponent’s attacks. At one time, weight training was frowned upon for martial arts. It was believed that weight training would make one too bulky, thus slowing one’s attacks and movements. However, today we know this isn’t true. Every athlete should weight train, if not to make advances, then to maintain a level of optimum performance. For maintenance, one should lift one day a week. For improvements, one should lift 3-4 times per week. Now when I say lifting weights is good, I don’t mean go out and see just how big you can get- bulking up should be done with care because getting too big will affect your quickness. However, you can achieve a bigger size and maintain your reflexes if you focus not only on lifting, but also cardio and speed drills.
I recommend keeping a workout log to examine your progress with weight lifting; this helps an athlete decide when and where to increase weights and to also have a record of injury and one’s recovery from such injuries. Let’s say you work out 3 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour and a half each day. You should do upper muscles on Monday and Friday- leaving Wednesday for the lower group. The next week do the lower on Monday and Friday, with your upper on Wednesday. This enables your muscles to recuperation time, which helps avoid injury and ensures better results! Don’t try to kill yourself in one week- chances are, if you overdo it, you won’t want to make lifting part of your weekly routine! Better to go easy the first week or two, and then slowly improve your performance with consistency and commitment!
For each day, I choose which muscle groups I am working and next to each entry, I write down the machine I used (or write free weights), the amount of weight I used, the reps, and if I struggled with the reps I add an exclamation point to indicate that I maxed out my potential on that particular exercise. Two exclamation points mean I did it with help from a spot! This shorthand method is very useful and less time consuming to log- plus it is easier to understand at a quick glance what was done, how many were done, and how hard it was for you!
Here is an example from my own lifting log:
UPPER~ DAY ONE_______________________________________________________
Date:
Warm-up: Stationary bike (you can jog, use a treadmill, or swim here)
Heart Rate: 125-140 beats per minute (ensuring cardio warm-up is important before lifting)
Time: 10-20 minutes is optimal for a good warm-up
Stretching: this varies but be sure to stretch the muscle groups which you are working that day!
Upper Chest: Incline Bench Warm-up: 50lbs x 12 reps
1) 70lbs x 10r
2) 70lbs x 12r
3) 70lbs x 12r! (maxed out)
4) 80lbs x 8r!! (2! means with a spot!)
Machine Fly Warm-up: 50lbs x 12
1) 60lbs x 10!
2) 60lbs x 9
3) 60lbs x 10!!
4) 70lbs x 9!
And so it continues on in each category. Warm-up on each lift is important. Warm up each group individually before going for the maximum lift. For toning, you want low weight with high reps (10lbs x 30reps). For bulking, you want high weights with low reps (30lbs x 10 reps). Never go past 12 reps when going for bulk- if it is too easy, add more weight! You don’t need to do eighty rounds of reps either. You can accomplish your goals in 3-4 sessions on each machine, taking a short 2-5min break to re-energize before continuing to the next set.
The remaining entries are blank- they are there to further illustrate my log- notice the line that divides upper muscle groups from the lower muscle groups. Abs may be included in either group and does not have to be done with both. You decide how often you want to work your abs- I often chose to do them every workout, even if just for a couple of sets.
Upper back: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Back (all): Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Triceps: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Biceps: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Abs: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
LOWER~ DAY TWO_____________________________________________________
Date:
Warm-up: Stationary bike
Heart Rate: 125-140 beats per minute
Time: 20 min
Stretching:
Quads: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Upper thigh/
Gluts (butt): Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Calves: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Abs: Machine/Free Warm-up:
1)
2)
3)
One final note on weight training is that you will get the best results from free weights as opposed to machines. Free weights allow for use of the surrounding muscles to stabilize your movements, and helps strengthen your total area better than machines!
Machines are useful to isolate certain muscles after injury, or to focus on trouble areas, like small calves.
And for those of you, who get bored with exercise easily, remember that variety is the key to sticking with a regular exercise regime. Variety not only helps kill boredom, but it also benefits your overall fitness as well. Your muscles and stamina can level out if you don’t change your routine every so often. If you started out swimming for your cardio, give yoga a try for a month or two, and then try biking for a while. If you always use machines in your weight lifting, try incorporating free weights more often. Most of all have fun with it. It doesn’t have to boring! Take your I-pod, bring your sparring partner, and enjoy the benefits of being in peak shape.
To wrap up, I hope I have inspired you to incorporate cardio and weight training into your weekly martial arts routine. You will see results in your stamina and strength within your martial arts performance if you commit to a regular cardio and lifting routine. Nevertheless, the most important benefit of regular exercise, in terms of being an athlete, is injury prevention and recovery from injuries. Bruce Lee was in the peak of his career when he suffered a major back injury. It was his physical fitness level that allowed him to come back from such an injury and continue to be one of the best in martial arts. If it weren’t for his commitment to physical training, he may have not been able to come back to martial arts at all. And what a loss that would have been! Good luck to you all!