What Does a Ninja Need?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Jon

Historically, ninja were the consummate combination of super spy / super soldier. They possessed outstanding levels of fitness due to their intensely physical training and highly demanding mission requirements.

Their levels of fitness and training have been the subject of many stories and the genesis for many myths surrounding them.

How did they do it?

How did they train?

What type of methodology did they employ since creating this kind of warrior certainly required a very diverse fitness profile?

Ninja fitness needs were much more multi-faceted than most physical pursuits. They had to be as they were at once a combination of Olympic decathlete, Navy Seal, and martial arts master rolled into one. Let’s examine this a little more closely though, what kind of qualities did they possess and what did they need to be able to do?

Ninja Must Possess …

Strength
Agility
Coordination
Excellent balance
Flexibility / Mobility
Whole body power
Endurance

Ninja Must Be Able to….

Move silently
Run fast
Walk far
Leap high
Climb trees, walls, castles fortifications, etc.
Wield weapons
Fight unarmed – striking, kicking, grappling, locking, choking, etc.
Roll / fall / dodge / avoid
Crawl
And more…

As you can see from the 2 lists above, the ninja had a wide range of skills and abilities that had to be supported by a comprehensive fitness program keeping him at the top of his game.

Remember that for a ninja, fitness wasn’t just a nice to have; it was an absolute necessity to accomplishing his mission and getting him home safely. And the kicker is, they did it all with little to no fitness equipment.

Certainly a 16^th century ninja did not possess a Gold’s Gym membership. Nor did he own an Olympic weight set or have a stair master at his disposal. And, while kettlebells and dumbbells would have been great, he most likely had never laid eyes on either one.

So here we have one of the most highly trained and fit agents the world has ever seen created without the use of modern training equipment or modern training methods.

What might some of this training looked like?

I’m glad you asked. One of my favorite scenes in Hatsumi Sensei’s early Bujinkan training videos (DVDs now for you younger folks!) comes from Shinden Fudo Ryu. Here’s a short clip I found on Youtube. This stuff is seriously old school!

“One trains using the things of nature to make the body strong” – Hatsumi Sensei

What if we were to take the spirit of historical ninja fitness training and combine it with a little modern sports science and know how?

Modern methods allow us to take advantage of periodization, or programing and organizing training, to create a comprehensive fitness plan which will apply logical sequences to get the most out of each session. Protocols like HIIT, high intensity interval training, will be utilized to maximize both aerobic and anaerobic endurance in the same short, high intensity session.

Advances in recovery work from such sessions will allow us to recover faster thus making gains greater, and increasing our overall general physical preparation (GPP) will allow us to push higher into more sophisticated training. Effectiveness and efficiency will be combined in order to allow for shorter training sessions which maximize the use of one’s time.

As the ancient ninja did, we will create a strong, supple, highly conditioned warrior and accomplish this with little to no fitness equipment. We will, as Hatsumi Sensei says in the video clip above, use the things of nature to make the body strong.

If I were able to point to just one resource for the warrior that combines old school training with modern sports science, I’d look here… Ninja Missions <<==

Sample Exercise from Warrior Fitness Guide to Striking Power

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Jon

A Word on Strike Conditioning

Swinging your sledge hammer at an old tire is an excellent old school conditioning exercise for anaerobic strength and work capacity. It will insure your strikes have not only power, but endurance and as well. Old tires are fairly easy to come by, usually any Tire and Auto place will have a bunch of old tires sitting in a pile outside waiting for disposal. If you ask nicely, they are pretty happy to give you a couple for free.

There are a few different protocols that I like to use for this exercise:

Density training is one option. The concept of Density Training is pretty simple. Do more work in the same amount of time or do the same amount of work in less time. So, for example using hitting the tire with a sledge hammer as the exercise and the last time you used this protocol you managed to do 100 swings in 5 minutes, then this session you would either try to increase the number of swings you can do in 5 minutes or strive to do 100 swings in less than 5 minutes. Not rocket science, right? What if this is your first time attempting this type of training? Pick an amount of time, say 5 minutes. Then try to do as many hammer swings as you possibly can in those 5 minutes. Crank them out. Push yourself. Remember the time limit used and amount of reps achieved, or preferably write it down, and the next time do more.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is another one. It is perhaps one of the best ways to train for endurance. It will enhance all 3 energy systems in the body (2 anaerobic and 1 aerobic – see here for an overview), as well as prime the nervous system to recover automatically during lulls in activity. Simply put, HIIT alternates periods of high intensity exercise with periods of rest and recovery. It can be performed with almost any exercise and can be utilized both with and without equipment. The variety and adaptability of this style of training is second to none in results.

No discussion of interval training would be complete without touching on the Tabata Protocol. Dr. Izumi Tabata at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan performed perhaps the most well known study on interval training. A group exercising with moderate intensity endurance training was compared to another group using high intensity intermittent training. Each group exercised 5 days a week. The moderate intensity group exercised for 60 minutes, at 70% VO2 max. The high intensity group did 8 intervals of 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of recovery. They operated at 170% VO2 max.

After 6 weeks, both groups experienced improvements in maximal oxygen uptake. The biggest difference between them was that only the high intensity group gained improvement in anaerobic capacity. The high intensity group actually realized a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity AND a 14% increase in VO2max. So, the study concluded that high intensity intermittent training can improve both the anaerobic and aerobic systems simultaneously. Very impressive results!

I know that after reading the amazing results achieved by Dr. Tabata you’ll be ready to try using his protocol, I sure was! The protocol itself is pretty simple, in theory. Choose an exercise – say sledge hammer swings, for example (since we’re talking about them). Perform the exercise for 20 seconds as fast as possible while still keeping good form. Rest 10 seconds. Complete 8 rounds.

There are several different ways to swing the sledge hammer. I don’t care which way you do it – vertically, diagonally, hands apart, hands together, all are fine. Just make sure that no matter which way you choose, you do not bend your back – we do not train bad habits!

In this particular example, notice the slight turn of the spine where I store energy (SEE) in my lower back. The hammer swing is powered by the release of that energy, not by my arms. Also, notice the knees bend as I squat down to hit the tire and not bend my back. Keep good structure throughout the movement.

Like this exercise? This one and many more sledge hammer, medicine ball, resistance band, and body weight exercises are described in detail along with sample workouts in the Warrior Fitness Guide to Striking Power. Pick up your copy today!!

The Warrior’s Key to Greatness – The Way Lies in Training!

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Jon

Throughout history a few exceptional martial artists have stood out from the rest of the budo landscape.

Millions of people from every country and culture on the planet have trained in innumerable styles and arts across the centuries, yet we only know a small number of them by name.

These men distinguished themselves and rose to the very uppermost levels of physical, mental, and spiritual skill in their respective arts and in some cases even took their talent to such heights as to create an entirely new martial art.

Looking back at them today, we are awed and inspired by the levels they achieved through their single minded determination in reaching a goal, dogged pursuit of excellence in their craft, and amazing amount of self-sacrifice.

Why are They Different?

What made these men different?

What pushed them to greatness?

What did they do differently or more productively that propelled them to prominence?

Why were their names and storied passed down through the years, sometimes centuries?

What one factor do all great martial artists have in common regardless of style, country, or culture?

And, more importantly, how can we learn from them and apply it to our own training? Remember, we stand on the shoulders of giants, not to imitate them, but to be able to look farther.

Quotes from the Greats

Instead of listening to my opinion today, why don’t we go directly to the sources themselves? Here are some cool quotes I’ve complied by some of the greats talking about their own training.

Morihei Ueshiba – Aikido

“The instructor can only impart a small portion of the teaching; only through ceaseless training can you obtain the necessary experience allowing you to bring these mysteries alive. Hence, do not chase after many techniques; one by one, make each technique your own.”

“Always imagine yourself on the battlefield under the fiercest attack; never forget this crucial element of training.”

“This old man must still train and train” – said shortly before his death.

Gozo Shioda – Aikido

“Kokyu power is produced when we push ourselves to the limit, making the most efficient use of the capabilities that lie within our own bodies.”

“Even though the body has its limits, until your death, the strength of your spirit is limitless. This is precisely why, in the martial arts, there is no such thing as deteriorating as you age.”

Yukiyoshi Sagawa – Daito Ryu

“Intermittent training, no matter how intensive, is utterly useless. You must practice every day for your entire life. That, and only that, is true training, or shugyo.”

“People who think they can ignore training their bodies and only work on techniques are amateurs. They don’t know anything. Actually, if you can’t prepare your body properly, you have no hope of ever perfecting your technique.”

“No matter what level of mastery you attain, you will never achieve perfection. You should therefore never, ever assume that what you have achieved is good enough.”

“If people knew what my training regimen was like, they would be astonished.”

Masaaki Hatsumi – Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu

“Modern budo students often forget to practice by themselves. I used to practice by myself. When there was no teacher, I found the secret teachings by my own desire.”

“Studying for oneself and making one’s own discoveries is much more important than group learning, and this applies equally well to martial arts. As I often say, ‘Life is all about solitary training.’ This is because I want serious practitioners to discover the tricks of the trade for themselves.”

Miyamoto Musashi – Niten Ichi Ryu

“From the time I was young I have set my mind on the Way of Martial Arts, practiced the one subject of swordsmanship with my entire being, and experienced various and different understandings.”

“See to it that you temper yourself with one thousand days of practice, and refine yourself with ten thousand days of training.”

“Never depart from the way of martial arts.”

Yamaoka Tesshu – Muto Ryu

“Study hard and all things can be accomplished; give up and you will amount to nothing.”

“If you want to obtain the secrets of such wonderful techniques, drill yourself, harden yourself, undergo severe training, abandon body and mind; follow this course for years and you will naturally reach the profoundest levels.”

Inspired yet?

Ready to train and push yourself to the next level?

Check out the new solo training sensation – The Integrated Strength Program – and get started today!

Prepare Yourself Every Day

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Jon

Ever have one of those days when nothing goes right?

The alarm clock is blaring yet you hit the snooze again for the 5th time dreading the prospect of getting up and facing the day. When you finally drag yourself out of from under the covers and realize just how late it is, your heart jumps into overdrive as you rush through your morning routine desperately trying to get out of the house to make it in to work on time. If you have small children to get ready for school, daycare, or other activities as well, that simply throws more chaos into the mix.

In your rush, you forgot to eat breakfast and left your steaming mug of coffee sitting on the kitchen counter while you ran out of the house. Traffic sucks, of course, because you’re late, and when you finally get in to work there are 6 messages from your boss wondering why you missed the morning project meeting… and your day goes downhill from there.

Some days it just seems like the universe is conspiring against you and this time it’s personal!

What do you do?

How do you respond to the myriad changes and vicissitudes life throws at you?

Do you find yourself tossed about like a small boat on a rough sea constantly overreacting and over-correcting with each wave?

Or, do you have a quiet calm reserve of energy and strength that allows you to maintain a state of fudoshin – “immovable spirit”?

Fudoshin is a state of mind that remains undisturbed and not easily upset by either internal thoughts or external factors. It is the even keel that keeps your craft steady and on course during rough seas of life.

How do you develop fudoshin though? How do you cultivate that quiet reserve of strength and energy?

Prepare Yourself Daily

Daily preparation is the key. A reserve of strength must be built up gradually and nurtured daily, even when you don’t need it, especially when you don’t need it, so it’s there when you do. Like a savings account you invest a little bit each day so that when the unexpected happens the funds are there for you to draw upon. So let’s get to the nuts and bolts.

How do you prepare yourself daily? Here’s what I do…

Get up earlier each morning. Yes, earlier. Allow 30 to 45 minutes BEFORE you actually need to be up to get ready for the day.
Grab a cup of coffee. I love my coffee; there’s nothing like that first sip in the morning. Feel free to skip this step if you don’t drink coffee. 🙂
Head outside for a breath of fresh morning air (feel free to bring your coffee). According to Chinese Medicine, early morning is the springtime of the day and thus best for planting seeds to cultivate good health.
Stand tall, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, spine straight. Raise the arms laterally up over head breathing in slowly and deeply with the movement. As you inhale imagine the oxygen and energy carried by the breath is filling up your entire body. Hold the full breath for a moment or two, then slowly exhale completely bringing the arms back down. On the exhale, imagine the body is expelling tiredness. Repeat 3 to 5 times. Feel free to add other imagery to this exercise as well. For example, on the inhale imagine drawing in the positive qualities of strength, health, and confidence, and on the exhale imagine the breath drawing out and expelling negative qualities of weakness, sickness, and fear.
Perform a full, head to toe joint mobility routine to further wake up and enliven the body. For a complete discussion on joint mobility work and much, much more, see my book, Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts.
Depending on how much extra time you have, relax a few more minutes enjoying the strength and energy you have cultivated – and finish that cup of coffee before heading in to start your day!

Life is Stressful – Prepare Yourself!

Double Your Training Without Doubling Your Training

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Josh

In my teacher’s and my own dōjō (道場 – “martial arts training hall”) we spend a lot of time cultivating our skills as uke. An uke (受け) is a martial arts student who, during a given training session, “receives” a technique from another student acting as the tori (取り). Wikipedia defines the difference as one “who completes a successful technique [tori] rather than who initiates one [uke].” Having a good uke as a training partner is very important, but being a good uke is paramount.

The role of uke often gets a bad rap. Too many times I have seen students relegate themselves to becoming little more than an “I attack, then stand around while the other guy does something to me” participant. When it’s time to be uke, the “pause” button gets pressed and human punching bags are born. That doesn’t seem right, does it?

It certainly doesn’t feel right, at least not to me.

Continue reading →

Walking with Mickey Mouse

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Jon

Before leaving on our 11-day family vacation at Walt Disney World in Florida, I was a little concerned about the possibility of missing my regularly scheduled Warrior Fitness workouts. While I was looking forward to the family time and the amazing experiences that only Disney (and Universal Studios – Harry Potter was awesome!) can provide, I was also trying to figure out how I could escape from the parks and get in some Warrior Fitness style training every day. Well, it turns out I couldn’t break away. We were in the parks almost every day from opening to dinner time, and sometimes back after dinner for fire works too! But, since I’m a good ninja, I adapted! Here’s how…

It’s amazing how much walking you do on a daily basis at Disney. Whether it’s with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in the Magic Kingdom, or walking through 11 different countries in Epcot, exploring Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle at Universal Studios, or hanging with the mammals over at Animal Kingdom, you are walking or standing in line literally all day long. So, the question for the warrior is, how do you put all this walking and standing to good use? Train while you do it, of course! While the walking alone is good enough for most ordinary folks, warriors require a little more. So here’s a little sample of what I did to enhance it:

Push a child in a stroller as you walk. Add a backpack to increase the weight.
Carry that child intermittently while walking or standing in long lines. A child is an odd object – who needs kegs, kettlebells, or sandbags when you can carry a kid! They constantly move, squirm, change posture or position while being carried!!

Focus on moving and pushing the stroller from the core (hara) and not from the shoulders.
Balance – stand in line on one foot. Do it while holding your odd object (child).
Grip training – crush grip the stroller handle for 5 seconds. Rest and repeat. Do left, then right, then both hands. Contract the core, exhale hard and crush the handle. Also, isometrically try to “bend” the handle – first make sure it’s sturdy enough, your wife will kill you if you actually succeed!
Breathing – there are tons of opportunities to enhance walking and carrying through breath training. Match your breath to your steps. 1 step inhale, 1 step exhale. Try to make it up to 10 steps on an inhale followed by 10 steps on an exhale. Or, 5 steps inhale, 5 steps hold full, 5 steps exhale, 5 steps hold empty. Try to see how many steps you can take carrying your child on an empty breath hold. Do the same on a full breath hold. Don’t forget to ride a rollercoaster too – screaming and laughing are great breath training!
Bodyweight squats while holding your child in line.

These examples above will help keep you focused, training, entertained, challenged, and present while your kids have a magical time in the parks.

If you have any energy left when you get back to the hotel room, bang out a few sets of push-ups to round out your workout for the day. And, lastly, joint mobility and yoga asana are a great way to prepare your body for the rigours of Disney. Don’t neglect your 10 minute warm-up in the morning before heading out. It’s a life saver!!

Trust me, there are ample training opportunies outside of your regular workouts. You just have to be a little flexible and creative.

The Warrior Fitness Guide to Striking Power is Here!

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Jon

by Jonathan Haas, founder of Warrior Fitness Training Systems

Specific Physical Preparedness for ALL striking arts from old school Traditional Martial Arts to modern MMA!
Learn how to build a powerful structure to stabilize punches, kicks, and martial movement!
Discover how to use low-tech, high yield tools to strengthen strikes throughout a range of motion!
Sledge Hammer for force production, rotational strength, grip strength, and old school conditioning!
Medicine Ball for explosive strength and rotational strength!
Resistance Bands for force production, rotational strength, increased stabilization!
Bodyweight Exercise and Isometrics for structure and stabilization!
Discover how to use Intelligent Tension rather than general tension to power strikes!
Learn Breathing and vibration exercises for recovery and restoration!
Over 50 pages of pure, 100% actionable content – no fluff, no BS, no filler!
Sample Workouts!

Buy Now for only $15 USD!!

Warrior Fitness Guide to Striking Power is a downloadable e-book. No physical products will be shipped. After you order, you will get INSTANT ACCESS to download the e-book and all the bonus reports onto your computer. The e-book format is adobe acrobat PDF, which can be viewed on Mac or PC.

Blind Spots

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Jon

A few years ago I traded in my 2000 Honda Civic for a 2007 Civic. The minute I sat in the seat of this streamlined, yet economical car, I knew it was the one I would own. The way it shifted, its responsiveness to the road, the look of the dash, how the seat seemed to perfectly fit my body, somehow it just felt right and even though I wasn’t planning on buying another car with a manual transmission, I knew this would be the car that I would drive home that day. Training can be very much like as well, often it just “feels right” somehow.

Although the car felt good and right to me; one of the things that I immediately noticed was that it had many blind spots that my other car didn’t have… well, wait a minute, re-thinking that, it wasn’t that my other car didn’t have any blind spots, it’s that I got used to them and I eventually learned how to see around them, so much so that I almost didn’t even know that the car had any blind spots at all. Now, that I have owned this current Civic for a few years now, I don’t notice the blind spots that were so apparent when I first bought it. It is funny to think that once these blind spots were so apparent and difficult to see around, and now my mind has trained itself to see around these dangerous short comings and it is once again giving me the illusion that those spots aren’t even really there at all!

This same concept also applies to training and life. Each method, system and person has its blind spots; things that are just taken for granted and often overlooked until something happens to change that perspective. Growth and evolution sometimes can be a smooth, natural progression and other times, it can be challenging, difficult and cause great conflict.

How a system or person approaches their training be it martial arts, military tactics, verbal communication, health and fitness, strength, conditioning, world philosophy, politics, economics, science, etc., is due to a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the environment, context, past experiences, education, conditioning, limitations, strengths, objectives, philosophy, preference, etc. There are many ways to do many things, all aren’t right, nor are all wrong; however, some ARE better than others for sure. Many believe they have the corner of the market on the “right” way to do whatever they are trying to accomplish. This attitude lends itself to stagnation, justification and conflict with self and others. It is good to be confident; however growth and progress means change and change sometimes can be tough and take you places that were never anticipated.

“1500 years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And 15 minutes ago, you knew that people were alone on this planet. Imagine what you’ll know tomorrow.”

~Agent K (played by Tommy Lee Jones) talking to Will Smith’s character in the movie Men in Black.

Ok, so let me rein in this article a little bit to focus on the point I am trying to impart:

Always be open to the idea that no matter how good you or your training are, there are blind spots. Things that you just don’t see, obstructions that you have been looking around for so long you no longer see them. This is why not only instructors, teachers and coaches are necessary, but also having the “beginners mind.” Like the old Zen story about the student coming to a teacher with an empty cup so to speak. We all need to be perpetual students, remain flexible, seek to improve, be curious, and keep our egos in check.

A saying I frequently use is, “Learn like you know nothing, perform like you know everything.” This means keeping an open mind when learning, but when it comes time for action, whether in life, in the sports arena, or during a real conflict, where hesitation can cost you more than a trophy; (in the moment) do what you think you need to do with confidence.

No matter if today was your first day training or you’ve been at it for forty years, whether you are training the Israeli Defense Force, for the UFC, or just for fun, here’s your homework:

What are your blind spots? (In training and in life?) Uncovering those blind spots is a process that never ends. Remember it’s a journey not a destination. Enjoy the ride!

Keep going.

~Craig Gray

www.roninempowermentgroup.com

www.rgi.co

Craig Gray is a world traveler, speaker, trainer and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for numerous law enforcement agencies as well as Nationally Syndicated Talk Radio Show Frontlines of Freedom & WZZM TV 13 Web Community. Craig is responsible for creating the MCOLES (Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards) approved Krav Maga Self Defense for Law Enforcement Training Program. Craig is one of twelve hand picked instructors with Resolution Group International a conflict resolution training organization developed for the needs of military, law enforcement and business organizations. He is an adjunct instructor for hand to hand combatives and warrior ethics at the Homeland Security and Protective Services Academy within the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps. Craig also serves as education director for Her Survival Guide an organization that teaches empowerment skills, risk management and conflict resolution skills to college bound girls and their mothers.

Warrior Fitness 4th of July Workout Challenge

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Jon

Looking for a way to justify all the upcoming holiday weekend festive food and alcohol consumption? Try spicing up your 4th of July weekend with an intense workout or 2 to (maybe) balance it out. Here are 2 different hardcore challenge workouts that you can do pretty much anywhere with just your bodyweight and a pull-up bar. No pull-up bar, no problem – go outside and use a tree branch!

Strength Endurance Workout

100 Bodyweight Squats

100 Push-ups (break up into as many variations as you like: fist, finger tip, wrist, hindu, etc.)

100 Mountain Climbers

Conditioning Workout

10 Pull-ups (any variation you like)

10 Burpees

10 Ichimonji Jump Squats (switch sides each round)

10 V-ups

Complete as many rounds as fast as possible in 15 minutes.

Good luck and have a happy, healthy, and safe 4th of July weekend!

Hone Your Mind, Invigorate Your Spirit, and Make Fierce the Body with Warrior Fitness!

Ninja Endurance – Part II

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Jon

In part one of Ninja Endurance called, How to Train for the Endurance of a Ninja, we discussed strength endurance and I provided a sample workout to help you build yours. Here in part 2, I ‘d like to delve a little deeper into the whys of endurance training and how specifically high intensity interval training is an excellent choice for it.

What is Endurance?

Endurance is defined as being able to keep going without fatigue setting in, or being able to push oneself through fatigue. Essentially, it is the ability to resist or bear fatigue. What is fatigue? Fatigue is weariness or exhaustion from exertion, or the temporary loss of power to respond. An equally critical corollary to the definition of endurance, especially for the warrior, is that your level of endurance also determines how quickly you are able to recover between bouts of activity. Combat, like life, does not happen at one constant rate of speed. It is multi-faceted in nature. There will be periods of brutally intense activity followed by lulls in the action, again followed by another flurry of activity. Being able to use those lulls in action to recover is a critical ability for the warrior.

Steady state cardio, Long Slow Distance (LSD) training simply will not cut it. Running on a treadmill may be appropriate for a hamster in a cage, but human beings require more. Long distance running can be beneficial for mental toughness and/or active recovery, but it should not be the primary focus of a warrior’s endurance training. So then how should we train to maximize our ability to endure?

Warriors Need to HIIT!

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is one of the best ways to train for endurance. It will enhance all 3 energy systems in the body (2 anaerobic and 1 aerobic – see here for an overview), as well as prime the nervous system to recover automatically during lulls in activity. Simply put, HIIT alternates periods of high intensity exercise with periods of rest and recovery. It can be performed with almost any exercise and can be utilized both with and without equipment. The variety and adaptability of this style of training is second to none in results.

How else does improving your endurance through this type of conditioning aid your martial arts training? I’m glad you asked! If the benefits discussed above weren’t enough, consider that having a high level of conditioning also aids in learning new skills. How’s that possible? To put it simply, when the central nervous system (CNS) is fatigued, the body cannot effectively process new skills, especially technically advanced skills. So, in essence your lack of a general level of fitness and conditioning will actually impede your learning process as you will tire more readily and not have the ability to recover quickly enough during training. Want to train more, at a higher level, for a longer period of time? Want to get more out of your training time both at home and in the dojo? Want to build new skills and enhance your technical arsenal? Get yourself in shape!

There are several sample conditioning workouts here on the Warrior Fitness site. Here are a few examples:

Workout of the Week #1

Workout of the Week #5

Stay tuned for more Warrior Fitness style conditioing workouts to help you get and stay in fighting shape!

Warrior Fitness

Old School Training for the Modern Warrior

Category Archives: Body