In part one of this series, here, we discussed why it makes sense for Bujinkan practitioners, and indeed all martial artists, to include a fitness regimen as part of their training.

We also reviewed the basics of General Physical Preparedness (GPP), and why it is necessary.

Today, I’d like to talk about some specific examples of GPP type exercises and how to incorporate them into an overall training plan for both martial arts and fitness.

If you are attending classes and training on your own outside of dojo (highly recommended by the way), then you probably already have a pretty full schedule.  Add in a full-time job, spouse and kids to the mix and any extra time you may have dwindles down fairly quickly.  What is required is a way to obtain the benefits of this supplementary training without consuming more time you just don’t have. 

Therefore, let’s make it easy and eliminate a few of the top time-consuming excuses right off the bat:

Time Saving Strategies

1.  No gym will be required.  Right here you save the time it takes to commute to and from the gym, waiting for equipment, and the general socializing chit-chat around the water cooler.

2.  Virtually no space required.  We can do these exercises anywhere from a park and backyard to a small apartment living room or hotel room.

3.  No (or minimal) equipment required.  We can begin training right now with only our bodyweight as resistance and obtain amazing results.  Adding in portable equipment like clubs, sandbags, kettlebells and dumbbells will also add to the results!

So, we have pretty much eliminated time constraints, space constraints, and financial constraints from the equation.  No more excuses!  Let’s get down to work!

Oh, did I forget to mention that this workout will be brief, but intense,  and help to build whole-body functional strength?  Another time management function brought to you by Warrior Fitness.  The only caveat I have is this – remember that GPP exercises are not sexy.  Yes, they will help you to look sexy, but the exercises themselves don’t get seriously cool until we move up to Specific Physical Preparedness and beyond.

Exercise One

Push-ups.  Do them on your fists to strengthen the structural alignment for striking.  We will be incorporating the Dynamic Effort Method here, which is basically lifting a non-maximal load (your bodyweight) as fast as possible.  Begin in the top portion of the push-up.  Descend in a slow, controlled manner.  At the bottom portion of the exercise, explode upwards as fast as possible.  Do 10-25 repetitions.  Rest 60 seconds, then move on to exercise two.

Exercise Two

Bodyweight Squats.  Do them in Jumonji no Kamae, as shown below.  Utilize the same protocol as above.  Descend in a slow, controlled manner.  At the bottom of the squat, explode back to standing.  Do 25 repetitions.  Rest for one minute, then move on to exercise three.

Exercise Three

Straight Leg Sit-up.  Lie flat on your back.  Exhale, contract the core, and begin to sit up slowly keeping your spine straight.  Inhale at the top of the movement.  Exhale again and slowly lie back down.  Perform 5 repetitions of the straight leg sit-up.  Rest for 60 seconds and return to exercise one.  Continue until you have completed 5 sets of all 3 exercises.

How Often?

This workout can be performed 3 times a week, depending on your schedule and your fitness needs.  If you are including conditioning work as well, for an example see the WarFit Combat Conditioning System then this strength based GPP workout should only be done twice a week.  Here is an example of what a weekly schedule may look like:

This is just one option of how fitness and marital arts can be combined in a weekly schedule.  If you have the luxury of being able to do a conditioning workout after your martial arts class instead of on a separate day, you can save more time.  Or, try getting up earlier and doing the workouts in the morning so your evenings are free for family time or more budo.

Future articles in the series will look at Specific Physical Preparedness, as well as Activity (martial art) Specific Exercises for Bujinkan training.  Additionally, I will expand on GPP, showing new exercises, and how to increase the difficulty levels of the exercises discussed today.

To learn more about the Warrior Fitness training method, exercises, and programming options, check out Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts.

Jon

Jon Haas, "The Warrior Coach" has been training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu for more than 25 years and is currently ranked as a Kudan (9th degree black belt) under Jack Hoban Shihan. He has also trained in Okinawan Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Russian Systema, BJJ, Krav Maga, as well as Internal Martial Arts of Yiquan and Aiki.He is a certified Underground Strength Coach-Level 2, a certified Personal Trainer as well as founder of Warrior Fitness Training Systems. In 2008, Jon wrote the book, Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts, and since then has created numerous other online training and coaching programs helping people around the world become the strongest, most capable versions of themselves!

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