# Endurance...got it?



## still learning (Feb 14, 2006)

Hello, For most beginners and old timers building endurance takes hard work.   What are some excerise do you do to build this besides "jumping rope"

In my son wrestling class..they do short burst of runs back and forth at full speed....number of times always changes..5 times,then break,then 8 times and so on....All out burst of running...this is one of the drills....

What are your "FUN" drills for building endurance?     ......Fun may not be the right word.....H..a...t...e to do...?  but works great!  .....Aloha


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## Jonathan Randall (Feb 14, 2006)

still learning said:
			
		

> Hello, For most beginners and old timers building endurance takes hard work. What are some excerise do you do to build this besides "jumping rope"
> 
> In my son wrestling class..they do short burst of runs back and forth at full speed....number of times always changes..5 times,then break,then 8 times and so on....All out burst of running...this is one of the drills....
> 
> What are your "FUN" drills for building endurance? ......Fun may not be the right word.....H..a...t...e to do...? but works great! .....Aloha


 
Walk during my lunch breaks. You'd be surprised what an extra forty minutes a day of brisk walking can do for your health. Also, lift at least once a week for endurance rather than strenght gains - lower weights, MANY more repetitions. Great strength isn't worth as much, IMO, if you can only summon it for a short period of time.


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## terryl965 (Feb 14, 2006)

riding a bike and also a treadmill.
PS SEX is suppoase to be a good one too by the way!!!!!!!!!
Terry


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## Grenadier (Feb 14, 2006)

What kind of endurance?  Different methods for different requirements, naturally.  

Swimming at a moderate pace can help improve overall endurance significantly, and also increase your lung capacity.  Best of all, it's easy on your joints.


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## Bigshadow (Feb 14, 2006)

Jonathan Randall said:
			
		

> Walk during my lunch breaks. You'd be surprised what an extra forty minutes a day of brisk walking can do for your health. Also, lift at least once a week for endurance rather than strenght gains - lower weights, MANY more repetitions. Great strength isn't worth as much, IMO, if you can only summon it for a short period of time.


That is what I do at the gym.  I lift 3 times a week and do cardio 4 or 5 times.  I vary my cardio, but I like to do interval work, which sounds like what was described in the initial post.


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## Andrew Green (Feb 14, 2006)

running & lots of sparring should do the trick


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## Eternal Beginner (Feb 14, 2006)

Building endurance is a tricky thing because different activities require different types of endurance. 

To quote Jan Carlos, M.E., CSCS and Rhadi Ferguson, M.A.T., CSCS, in Grappling Magazine (Nov.  2005),  "one of the biggest misconception of fighters is that they must be aerobically fit.  In part this may be true, but it is how one becomes aerobically fit that is of paramount importance."

Part of their assertion is that many fighters (and martial arts hobbyists) take part in long hours of "roadwork" in order work on their endurance.  They say this approach is great for weight loss but it  "does little to develop the type of conditioning needed in combat".

They go on to explain a very scientific process of Energy Currency and how the body draws on different systems of energy.  1) Phosphagen system - provides immediate energy for short bursts (1-15 seconds). 2) Glycolytic system - energy for up to about the three minute mark and 3) the aerobic system - for any energy demands past the three minute mark.

To build proper endurance for your needs you must understand these phases and train accordingly.  For MMA fighters, grapplers, wrestlers and most martial artists,  long runs are purely to cut weight and the general benefit of aerobic health, but not of paramount importance during training.  There are far more effective ways to train for endurance rather than just "running".  So, in Ferguson and Carlos's words again, 

"Since fighters go, and go hard, the slow energy production of a standard three- to seven- mile jog will not train the body to the intermitten, high power demands of combat.  When you jog, you are training your aerobic system to produce small amounts of energy at a slow and steady pace - nothing like combat....using repetitive sprints with short recovery periods is a more specific approach to train your cardiovascular system for the intermitent, high power nature of combat".

That being said, interval training along with a lot of time on the mat doing rounds of grappling (or sparring stand up) will go a long way in building activity  specific endurance.

I would recommend this article and many of the other excellent articles by Rhadi Ferguson on training practices related to Martial Arts.  It is a really well thought out, professional approach to getting the most out of your training, especially if you are interested in competing or just performing your best.


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## still learning (Feb 16, 2006)

Hello,  One drill that gives you a great workout is ...stand straight ..squat down...do one push up..come back up...then do it again 10-25 times.  (push-up can be with legs wide apart)...this drill is done fast.

....at my old Shotokan school we did a lot of punching and kicking drills in line none stop.................Aloha


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## bushidomartialarts (Mar 7, 2006)

First, you mention 'old timers'.  There's a great book out there 'Martial Arts over 40'.  It has some excellent insights on endurance training as we approach middle age.

For myself, it's not the exercise but the motivation that really drives endurance training.  Competition is a great motivator, whether it's you vs. a training partner or you vs. how well you did the last time.

What you do isn't so terribly important.  Just do it often, and with enough intensity to create the changes you want to see.


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## Hand Sword (Mar 29, 2006)

Mental mindset is definitely the key (as I'm finding out again, trying to get back into it) !


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## stickarts (Mar 29, 2006)

In my younger days a few of us got together and kept rotating with 3 minute sparring rounds, 2 rounds sparring with round round of rest in between. We built up to doing 10 cycles of this.
nowadays cycling and weightlifting is working pretty well as well as the usual training in kata and self defense. Just keeping active is a plus.


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## SFC JeffJ (Mar 29, 2006)

I do a little bag work, light enough to keep it aerobic instead of anaerobic.  Lots of walking and some windsprints.


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## 7starmantis (Mar 29, 2006)

Endurance is a big issue to me and really my style. I'll run down my weekly endurance related workouts....

46 minute bag routine / 3 time a week (2 minute rounds with no break)
All forms I know twice "all out" / 3 times a week
1 hour heavy jeem lim sau per day
Run 2 miles twice a week (mon-fri)
Body conditioning workout 2 times a week
2 hours fighting / once a week
Cardio workout on sundays includes - run 2 miles, 20 bleachers, 10 5-yard body hops, run hills, gashers on the football field, 5 sprints (straights of a 4 lap track), then light chi sau.
3 classes per week

I'm trying to increase that right now as I'm getting ready to do some more fighting....gotta get back in fighting shape so I dont make a fool of myself 

7sm


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## RoninPimp (Mar 29, 2006)

Building sport specific endurance sucks. Sparring, sparring, and more sparring when I can get on the mat. Crossfit for when I can't.


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## Hand Sword (Mar 30, 2006)

Yes it does! a necessary evil though, if your serious. I'm always saying to myself, "why am I doing this" , and "this sucks!" Where's the magic pill?


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