# Home exercises



## Maiden_Ante (Oct 16, 2010)

I asked my sensei what sort of exercises I could do in a somewhat limited space. He told me I needed to work on my relaxation, since I'm good at "sending energy" but not at keeping it. He means that I'm not relaxing enough after the strikes, that I tend to 'tense up', especially in the shoulders.

I was curious as to whether any of you know a good exercise I can do at home to work on this.

/Andreas


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## seasoned (Oct 16, 2010)

Limited space, start with one technique. From your ready stance, practice your punching. I find when punching in practice, students have a tendency to tighten up after the first punch, and it carries over into the subsequent techniques. After each technique, mentally check from your fist to your elbow and up to your shoulder. Learn to relax tension in that limb before starting the next technique. One of the biggest offenders would be the shoulders, because we sometimes lift our shoulder up, and out of structure, causing tension across our upper body. Picking on the punch, extend the punch out, then loosen the fist, maintain the elbow pointing down which will in turn keep the shoulder down, eliminating unwanted tension. Try this mental check list after each technique and it will help, along with not holding your breath. Breathe naturally while executing techniques.


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## Bill Mattocks (Oct 16, 2010)

I have that problem as well - I think many students do.  For me, doing kata to the point of exhaustion and then continuing to do it helps bunches.  You just can't be tense when you're nearly ready to drop.  And doing kata reps is always a good thing if you're practicing proper form anyway.  So it serves two purposes.

I also find that getting that bend into my knees helps.  I can't tense up my shoulders when I sink down into my stances as I am supposed to.  Americans tend to want to stand up and punch in a narrow stance, I am told.  One generates power from the hara anyway, so drop that center of gravity and use it.  As the legs tire from standing in a lower stance, the body will shift attention away from the shoulders and you'll relax up there.  You will also get improved muscle tone and strength in the lower extremities, so again, it serves two purposes.  My style (Isshin-Ryu) does not practice extremely low stances, but even a slight lowering of stance that involves bent knees is helpful, and one can always practice deeper stances than necessary in order to build leg strength and practice generating power from the hara and not from the arms or shoulders.

I'm just a student, so don't take this as gospel.  This is just works for me.


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## Maiden_Ante (Oct 16, 2010)

What I'm doing right now is to stand in kibadachi ( http://vckarate.com/files/Basic_info/stances/Kiba-dachi.jpg ) and do forward punches, just like "seasoned" explained. I'll try not lifting my shoulders too much!

I'd love to do kata at home, there's no room though. And it's too cold outside to practice there.

Thanks for the responses!
/Andreas


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## thepanjr (Nov 10, 2010)

You should just practice the basics but do them very slowly. Karate isn't about power and brute strength...and possibly the one lucky thing age doesn't affect. What you make up in lost power is with timing and skill.

Maybe front kicks, side kicks, rouldhouses, basic punches, combinations. Do at least 4 slowly for each fast one. On the slow form focus on breathing with your stomach, and slow controlled movements while being relaxed. Then the fast one just don't think about the form just do it and compare it to the slower one.

Also better to work on some physical strngth...even though it might not matter...It defintly helps latter on to have better control...though later technique will compsenate for strength. Be in a kibadachi stance for 1 min...then take a break do 3 sets. Then the second day after that increase the duration.

Be creative...use the internet to find other online resources to help compliment karate...or create a small bag filled with rice...and condition the arm. Then with the same bad try to punch the bag but stop 1mm before target....and don't touch it. You will get more control from it...there are many martial artist who have gone to train for other reasons. Some change and some don't....and some of them don't have really good control. Having control and being relaxed meand will help very well in the future!


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## Maiden_Ante (Nov 14, 2010)

Don't really have the room for any kind of kick other than regular front kicks, but thanks anyway!

Good suggestion about the relax-tense thing, I'll definitely try it. The bag-exercise is something that I could see the use of, I just lack any good place to hang it up on.


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## juliapaulson789 (Aug 10, 2022)

Hello,
I think you should hire an online exercise service. There are many online companies that provide this type of service. If you get an online service, you can save your time. I will suggest you home care company. Personally, I know about this company. That's why I am suggesting you.


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