Speed training

[Walkman]

What can a 32 year old who's been out of the dojo for ten years do to regain the blazing speed he once had as a young whipper-snapper?

Thanks
-Walkman

[Karateka]

Squat thrusts, burpees, wind sprints any plyometrics will add explosiveness to your movements. At 32 you have something the younger guys don't, knowledge and patience.

[Walkman]

Plyometrics????

[Bill Glasheen]

Plyometrics are exercises that enhance your ability to use the dynamic stretch reflex.

* Static stretch reflex is what happens when you slowly stretch a muscle and it begins to contract (programmed in for self protection). It is proportional to the length (L) of the muscle.

* Dynamic stretch reflex is what happens when you quickly stretch a muscle and it contracts in response. It is proportional to the change in lengthening (dL/dt) of the muscle.

The goal of plyometric training is to develop this neuromuscular reflex. It is useful for speed and power development. The idea is to develop the ability to prestretch a muscle (quickly) before contracting it, and then running with the neuromuscular reflex. You need training time to develop and learn the reflex, and practice time to learn how to use it.

Donald Chu is a good start with his book Jumping into plyometrics. That same link will give you books on speed training as well.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

to regain the blazing speed he once had as a young whipper-snapper?

We cannot fight age. But we can learn to be smarter with what we have. Don't underestimate the ability of good timing to make up for raw speed. That can be trained much more easily than raw speed.

- Bill

[benzocaine]

I'm sure this isn't what you do when you have an occasional Bud light.

Never heard of Burpees.

[Walkman]

Sensei Glasheen-
That went WAY over my head.

Maybe I'll check out some books sometime.

We cannot fight age.

True.

"One cannot step in the same piece of water" and all that. My brain is just having a hard time with my body saying "HEY! You can't do that anymore". Back in the day I used to train with a lot of intensity, and the old mental habit is still there. Kinda' the training equivalent of "Your mouth is writing checks your body can't cash". LOL.

I'm sure this isn't what you do when you have an occasional Bud light.

I was thinking the same thing, but I didn't want to sound dumb if it was a common term.

[f.Channell]

We cannot fight age.

Sure you can, you just can't win.

Never heard of Burpees.

To perform a burpee you need to squat down as if leap frogging.
Then kick out both legs to a pushup position.
Return to the previous squatting position.
Spring straight up as high as possible.

Alternative ways are to add pushups or use hexagonal dumbbells or both.

Boxers often use these in between shadow boxing.

I also recommend jump roping to get back the spring.
Also try side jumps.
Have a partner lay out with legs straight, jump back and forth over them 50-100 reps.
This helps skiing as well.

Good Luck, at 32 I think you can win this fight.
F.

[gmattson]

Why hell man, you're still a baby!

Wait another 30 - 40 years. . .

[Bill Glasheen]

True... Many consider 32 or 33 to be the age of one's physical peak for martial arts. I actually was in better shape in my 30s than in my 20s - mostly because I trained smarter and more consistently.

You still advance after that age, but not in ways that make it easier to go toe-to-toe with other young bucks in the octagonal cage.

That went WAY over my head.

Sorry...

You've seen plyometrics before, Walkman. You just haven't known them by name, or what they are about. Good examples of plyometric exercises include bunny hops, jumping off of and back on to benches, jumping diagonally back and forth, doing clapping pushups, etc. Whatever muscles you are working, you make like a spring and rebound off the compression without pause.

Before plyometrics, not many people were dunking basketballs. Now even some white men can jump.

- Bill

[f.Channell]

Bill,
I do all those but didn't know they were plyometrics.

In judo we sometimes do a pushup where you slowly lower yourself in increments of 5, then raise yourself in increments of 10. The tenth being finished in an arm extended position. Is this isometric?

I also read an article online where lifting heavy weights for reps of 5-6 increases speed. I've been doing this so I guess I'll see.

F.

[Walkman]

I know I'm not THAT old, just feels that way. 10 years at a desk job with heavy drive time (and almost no exercise at all) and after 4 kids... anyway

Those that have kept in such great shape in their older years inspire me. Gushi Sensei is amazing.

NOW plyometrics makes sense. Definitely something to add to that daily workout I've been *ahem* talking about.

Thank y'all.

-Walkman

[Bill Glasheen]

In judo we sometimes do a pushup where you slowly lower yourself in increments of 5, then raise yourself in increments of 10. The tenth being finished in an arm extended position. Is this isometric?

No... Iso = same. Metric = position. You are instead doing slow Iso tonic exercise. Tonic means force.

The advantage of very, very slow isotonic is to cause muscular development along the full range of motion. Different parts of a range use different muscles in different combinations. By taking the momentum out of an exercise, you do not cheat yourself out of development at any one point. Problem is, this doesn't do much for your speed. After a while, your fast twitch muscles are fatigued and you're only using slow twitch. It's good if you are a bodybuilder; they care ONLY about mass and appearance. But from a functional standpoint, it has limited use. It must not be your only isontonic exercise. You need to add in some higher force where you end up with fewer reps.

I also read an article online where lifting heavy weights for reps of 5-6 increases speed. I've been doing this so I guess I'll see.

This should be part of your training regimen. Fiver or six reps at max effort is where you get the most mileage out of the fast twitch fibers, and are more likely to convince your body to switch over those fibers that might go either way.

Most trainers though preach periodization, where you go on 12 week cycles. You start doing the multiple muscle group exercises (bench, squat) with lower weight and higher reps, and work to the opposite at the end of a cycle. It seems to result in better results and fewer injuries for a number of physical and psychological reasons. Then, you revamp the routine before your next cycle. Keep things fresh.

- Bill

[Karateka]

Bill,
I do all those but didn't know they were plyometrics.

In judo we sometimes do a pushup where you slowly lower yourself in increments of 5, then raise yourself in increments of 10. The tenth being finished in an arm extended position. Is this isometric?

I also read an article online where lifting heavy weights for reps of 5-6 increases speed. I've been doing this so I guess I'll see.

F.

Drop down slow and then blast yourself up hard and fast...that would be a plyometric pushup.

OSU!

[TG]

Skipping rope is plyometric too, and good cardio to boot!
Talking about speed though, check out Dave Elkins' article on this site about "Fajin".
As opposed to repetitive speed,( like white belts punching 10 times a second,) Fajin is that explosive release like a rattlesnake,etc. Very useful in Karate.

TG