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I sometimes(maybe once a week) practice my Kata’s as cardio, performing each technique as though my very life depended on it(as it well may someday). I use my heart rate monitor to control my work and recovery, and intersperse slower patterns/activities between forms. Always remembering that we, “perform like we practice” and trying to maintain an uncompromising demand for technical perfection. Does anyone else use Kata, or Basics as cardiovascular exercise?
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4 comments:
Timely topic. We were just discussing in class this week but from a different aspect. When I demonstrate a form I (and many others) have a tendency to over-do the form by using too much power or speed. By doing so, I lose the subtle emphasis' like dropping my weight or refining my stances. Even when I think I'm going slow and easy, my heart rate and lack of breath upon completion tells me otherwise.
I want to get to where you are at -dial it up a few notches on occasion for the cardio benefit but also being able to slow it down and focus on technique. Right now I'm stuck in overdrive while thinking I'm in first gear. Any suggestions you have for me is appreciated.
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If you mean getting the heart rate up and keeping it there for 20 minutes or so, then no.
I personally have found that an intense 2 or 3 minutes of forms and then a minute rest and then continue that pace for a half hour to one hour is good for me.
And the intensity doesn't necessarily have to come from speed. Dropping into every strike is tough. Trying to incorporate your core into each movement gets the heart rate up pretty quick,(not to mention the mental exercise of being in control of your body and not letting it control you).
Try this exercise: Do a set of side kicks, front kicks and back kicks, left and right legs, in this manner: each side will have a low, medium and high(as high as possible for you)target. Extend your leg slowly to the low target height and hold it there, steady, for 10 seconds(don't cheat). Re-chamber and then extend to the medium target height and hold, then as high as you can and hold, then back to medium, hold, and finish with low.
So, in all, you have slowly extended and retracted your legs 30 times and have held them in static position for a total of 5 minutes.
Let me know how heavy you are breathing when that is over.
Thanks, Mr. Eagle for a good topic. It's always interesting to see how others do their workout/practice.
Dittos to what Mr. Dragon said. No matter how meek I intend to do a form it always becomes a battle of life and death and one would think I just ran a marathon when I get through.
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I have gone through all the patterns hard a few times over the years and no doubt, it's a killer workout and a great tool when used in that manner. Usually now when I do some strength training I will run through my forms between sets to keep moving and to not waste the time.
But as Mr. Dragon mentioned, in class we are always working toward that subtle, elusive quality that comes from trying to avoid putting to much effort in. To let the techniques flow directly from the subconscious level. I believe that when we can do the movements like that, they will look (and feel) extremely powerful, but we will not be winded or exhausted, even after performing multiple forms.
Just like in sparring, the inexperienced student will become winded in a very short time, where the experienced player will be able to go round after round, showing no loss in technique or power, and not necessarily because he is in better shape either.
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I have tried to do forms by getting the heart rate up, and keeping it there, for 20-60 minutes but I have found that difficult. Each form has its own rhythm or personality, that makes keeping the heart rate steady very, very difficult (at least for me, anyhow). When I wish to do that type of training(20-60 minutes in the aerobic zone), I find something like, running, biking or skipping rope to be more useful.
When I train the Katas, I am essentially trying to do a series of “wind sprints” each sprint is one Kata long, and followed with an active recovery. I use my heart rate monitor to make sure that I don’t over do it, or I will find that I have been in “overdrive” too. I might suggest that anyone interested try using a HRM in there own personal training (it doesn’t work well in class).
I find that sinking in each technique, focusing on Big, Deep and Natural stances really seems to “dial it up a few notches”, at least for me; as Master Crane said, it’s tough! Also, Master Tiger (6th Dan) once suggested to me that if a person can’t pick a Kata, and repeat it 10 times, one right after the other, then they are putting too much physical effort/ strength into there performance. I found that to be an eye opening experience.
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