Endeavor: Two Methods to Improve Your Training

This article was published in Shotokan Karate Magazine (Issue 121, 10/2014) and posted here with the author’s permission.

I remember my first training back from a major surgery: I made it through the one hour training, but could barely walk off of the floor. My legs were struggling to hold me up and I found it hard to catch my breath even after simple drills. I thought to myself, “How will I ever get back, let alone improve my level?” As a sandan who has been training for 20 years, giving up wasn’t an option as karate is a part of my life. Though I continued to train, it was hard for me to get to the dojo because of how difficult the trainings had become. I wasn’t conditioned and my body wasn’t strong. I was training one or two times per week but I knew it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t until I decided to take my yondan exam that things began to change for me. I dedicated more time for myself in the dojo and made sure that I got there at least three to four times per week. Over time, and with an abundance of support, I reached my goal of getting back into shape and feeling an improvement in my performance. I felt my body become stronger: I had an improved stamina during training, my techniques were sharper and I was moving more efficiently. Looking back at that difficult year, I learned about and subsequently researched two key components which can bring karate players, of all stages, ages and abilities to their next level. Karate ka who are looking to advance their training must have a good level of athletic fitness and must dedicate themselves to deliberate practice.

Health-related physical fitness refers to a general state of well-being. A physically fit person is able to go about their life without struggle and is generally able to participate in physical activities. This level of fitness is achieved by consistent exercise.  Athletic fitness is an expansion of health-related physical fitness, in which the athlete focuses their fitness in such a way to maximize their success during performance.  This increased level of fitness allows the athlete to develop better and consistent proper mechanics through high repetition and intensity. Successful performance in karate training means consistent proper execution of technique, and an improvement in speed, power and agility. For this type of physical fitness, one should increase their cardiovascular endurance and capacity as well as improve their muscular power, balance and flexibility, as well as any sport-specific fitness component. Having cardiovascular endurance enables the athlete to train longer and at a higher intensity before fatiguing.  For the karate player, this means that one ought to push themselves to their max often and for longer periods of time during training to improve their cardiovascular endurance. This may not be possible right away and practitioners should ease themselves into this type of intense training over a three to four month period. While karate is a balance of slow and fast movements as well as hard and soft movements, karate players must prepare themselves to work. Cardiovascular endurance is needed during training to complete kihon, kata and kumite. When working on kihon drills, cardio is required so that the athlete can maintain proper form and technique while keeping up with the instructor’s count. Similarly in kata, one needs to be able to complete the given kata correctly with proper timing and demonstrate their understanding of the kata. For kumite, cardio endurance helps the practitioner perform with proper form, timing, and execution of technique. Without ample cardiovascular endurance, athletes are subject to fatiguing sooner than athletes with proper endurance. Fatigue first affects some karate players by diminishing their attention to detail. Their draw hands may be weak, targeting may be off and they have less focus between techniques. Next the big muscle groups begin to tire; the arms and the legs are weak. Stances, kicking, and arm techniques will become weak and not fully extended. Fatigue, in its final stages, leads to confusion, lack of focus and frustration which ultimately leads to mistakes.  In kihon and kata mistakes made may create bad habits and ultimately will not assist in improving performance.  Mistakes during a kumite drill or match can also lead to bad habits, will not aide in improvement and may result in injuries for both practitioners. Cardio endurance allows the practitioner to train longer before fatigue begins. When fatigue does happen, good cardio endurance helps athletes keep proper form and technique and therefore continue to improve their performance.

Sport-specific conditioning depends on the demands of the sport.  For the purposes of karate the hip flexor muscles, as an example, are some of the most important and greatly used muscles during training. Flexion is a term that refers to the movement that decreases the angle between two bones at a joint. Flexion is initiated by a muscle contraction and that muscle is called a flexor.  Hip flexor muscles are located where the hip and upper leg intersect and refer to the group of muscles which manifest hip to leg flexion.  Hip flexors are used during training to hold a stance, to kick, and are used during all types of movement. Because the demand on these muscles is so great, a karate ka must have strong hip flexors to maintain athletic fitness. During training and other fitness activities, the karate player should focus on strengthening the hip flexor area by repeated use and cross training activities. Such activities may include knee raises, kicking multiple times with the same leg without touching the floor, and kicking with the same leg multiple times in several directions. These activities should be done at high repetition to increase strength in the area.  Without strong hip flexors, or other sport specific conditioning, the athlete may fatigue sooner and may subject themselves to injury.

To increase athletic fitness one should also find a cross training routine when dojo training is not an option. When looking for a cross training workout routine it should compliment the components of karate. Running is a good way to increase cardio endurance but other than legs, little else is involved.  Plyometrics, or jump training, workouts are exercises which involve repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles to increase muscle power. Some examples of what may be included in a plyometric workout would be jumping (at a high intensity) across a series of different height obstacles, lunges, and jumping rope.  Plyometrics are a great cross training exercise because it incorporates the hip flexors, core, arms, and legs as well as turning and jumping. These workouts can increase muscle strength and joint stability as well as improve the practitioner’s agility, explosive capability (kime) as well as cardio endurance.  Working in tandem with regular intense karate workouts plyometics, or another appropriate cross training routine, will assist in making athletic fitness achievable.

A second factor that will help karate ka improve their level is deliberate practice. Deliberate practice refers to the concept derived from The Deliberate Practice Theory developed by K. Andres Ericsson and his colleagues. Deliberate practice is defined as a meticulously organized activity engaged in with the specific goal of improving performance. These deliberate activities, in order to be successful, are challenging, effortful and not immediately enjoyable. Such activity is different from work and play and the amount of deliberate practice is directly related to the improvement of one’s performance.

  Practice, or training, is something with which all karate ka are familiar, but often times it is done without “deliberate” purpose. Karate players who are looking to improve their performance should first set a goal for themselves. The goal may be proficiency of kihon, a kata, a successful dan examination, or a successful tournament. This goal will help the karate ka stay motivated throughout the improvement process. Engagement in these trainings must be physically and mentally challenging.  For a physical challenge in training, the karate player should focus on techniques and movement that are not yet natural or easy. For instance, if the karate player’s goal is to improve movement in kumite, they may focus their training on new ways to shift their body.  When in a kumite situation, it is natural for the defensive karate player to move backwards while blocking the advancing attack. To improve performance, this practitioner may decide to work on moving to the side or moving in to the opponent when attacked.  To achieve the goal of improved movement, the karate player should separate the basic mechanics of the body shifting. First they should focus on foot work, then add hand techniques and lastly add leg techniques. By separating and practicing the basic mechanics of body shifting, the practitioner is deliberately creating a new foundation for improved movement. Working on new body shifting must become familiar, and comfortable for the karate ka, which can not only be a physical difficulty, but mental as well. It will be physically difficult as moving to the side or in requires different muscle groups and reaction time.  Mentally, the practitioner must break the old ‘habit’ of moving backwards to defend themselves. These new movements, as well as all other training, must be done correctly as improper techniques may impede improvement.  Karate training can be described as ‘fun’ but it is not inherently enjoyable meeting the demands of deliberate practice as it is a difficult mental process. Training new movements and techniques are difficult psychologically because it is not uncommon that practitioners will begin to doubt their abilities, especially if they are struggling to adapt.  

 Ericsson argues that deliberate practice is different from work and play. When at work (competition) the body will use trained methods of success (gyaku-zuki) rather than finding new ways (techniques) to complete a task (kumite match or defending yourself). When at play (training done for general fitness), activities are done for enjoyment as opposed to skillful development. Karate players who are looking to improve performance need ample training designed to foster and strengthen their karate in ways not done before.  As stated above, one must actively and properly train different movements. In order to improve and grow in training, one must expand from what is already known and familiar and turn their focus to what seems unnatural and difficult.  For a karate ka to benefit from these exercises, they must dedicate themselves to spending several hours per week doing this deliberate practice; as the amount of deliberate practice trained has a direct relationship with performance level. The more time put into deliberate training, the better the improvement will be. Time spent in solitary practice, or self-training, in addition to deliberate practice with an instructor or mentor, is also directly related to improved skill level of the practitioner.  

Whether you are trying to come back from an injury, or to get to your next level of training, or trying to break a through a plateau, having a good level of athletic fitness and committing to deliberate practice can get you where you’d like to be.  Athletic fitness assists the karate player to be in shape for the demands of karate. The athlete will have the appropriate cardiovascular capacity and endurance to successfully complete kihon, kata and kumite. This endurance will allow the practitioner more time in training without fatigue, and once fatigue sets in, they will be better able to manage it.  Strengthening the sport-specific components of karate is important as it also maximizes training time (reduces fatigue) but also prevents injuries.  Less fatigue and injuries translates to proper and effective training and ultimately leads to improvement.  Karate players need to set an improvement goal for themselves and dedicate their training to deliberate practice.  This process will be both mentally and physically challenging and it will not produce an immediate reward.  The practitioner should also expand their focus from what is familiar and must concentrate on different skills which demand sufficient effort.  Karate players must also devote ample time to their training.  Athletic fitness and deliberate practice are not activities that will change one’s karate overnight. It is a journey which takes unvarying motivation and sincere commitment. Fortunately, karate is a life-long endeavor which leaves all karate ka with ample time for improvement.

  

This article was first published in Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue 121 Oct 2014. Republished on this site with permission from the author.