Training tips for the more agile from a martial artist

[WindTiger]

This article is for anyone that has a good level of flexibility, agility, and most importantly, an open mind. First off, I don't do much weights at all for the past few months because I've been trying to find other ways of increasing muscle while at the same time becoming anatomically balanced, more flexible, and increase speed and agility. Too good to be true? Not if you have the guts to ditch the weights for a little. Okay, if you're trying to get so big you can't look at your shoulder, you'll need to do weights, but you probably can't do much of what's here anyways, this is mainly for the guys who want a balanced, fast, ripped body.
(These are just a few examples, mail me if you like 'em)

=Leg power? Do some high intensity sprints, do fifty yard bursts, with a 5-15 second rest inbetween. Do it tell you start uncontrollably slowing down, then cut the distance to half. Since this should only take 15 or so minutes, this is a killer for your entire lower body. Too easy? Do it uphill.....with a chute dragging you.
=Push-ups-Yeah, not enough resistance right? hehehe. Get a good pair of push-up bars. Assume the normal position. Now put your knees resting behind your elbows, go for it. Still to easy? Go next to a wall so if you do a handstand, your heels will touch it just enough to keep you upright, do handstand pushups with the bars, and go low enough that the top pf your head touches the floor. WARNING- make sure that your neck is straight- do not look a the wall in front of you, you should be looking at the other side of the room.
=Tree climbing-(Not for the faint of heart)Find a tree with many branches growing in all angles. Let loose- climb up, down and all around as fast as you can. If that's not hard enough, find a branch that's growing horizontally, thick enough so when you hug it, your fingers touch, and go across it upside down, if this is your first time, do it for 5 minutes and I guarantee your entire body will hurt tomorrow.(A pair of ninja claws help for grip, and it makes you feel like you're going to assasinate an unsuspecting victim at the end of the branch ;)
=Up a stream-fight against the stream(swim, don't try and hit it, duh) If you like, get a pair of boogie boarding fins, and swim against it, seal style(imagine a seal, you'll ge the picture) Want an extran challege? Try to come out of the water like flipper the dolphin, remember to make the eek eek sound.
=In water-make sure your feet don't touch the ground. Put your hands by your right ear, facing foward. Now drag them diagonally down, so they end up by your left waist. Immediatly bring them next to your left ear and repeat in the opposite direction. Use this as your only means of keeping above water. Remember to use your entire torsro to help you with the movement. This builds your arms, shoulders and abs like crazy. Also give your punches and kicks amazing power.
-Well that's it for starters, tell me what you think
-WindTiger

[B_LEE]

Sounds good. Try this, stand with your feet together, put you're hands flat on the ground about a foot and a half in front of you're feet, index and thumbs touching so they make a diamond shape, see how many times you can put you're nose in the diamond. Like regular push ups. I hope I am explaining this well enough.

[B_LEE]

Originally posted by WindTiger
This article is for anyone that has a good level of flexibility, agility, and most importantly, an open mind. First off, I don't do much weights at all for the past few months because I've been trying to find other ways of increasing muscle while at the same time becoming anatomically balanced, more flexible, and increase speed and agility. Too good to be true? Not if you have the guts to ditch the weights for a little. Okay, if you're trying to get so big you can't look at your shoulder, you'll need to do weights, but you probably can't do much of what's here anyways, this is mainly for the guys who want a balanced, fast, ripped body.
(These are just a few examples, mail me if you like 'em)

=Leg power? Do some high intensity sprints, do fifty yard bursts, with a 5-15 second rest inbetween. Do it tell you start uncontrollably slowing down, then cut the distance to half. Since this should only take 15 or so minutes, this is a killer for your entire lower body. Too easy? Do it uphill.....with a chute dragging you.
=Push-ups-Yeah, not enough resistance right? hehehe. Get agood pair of push-up bars. Assume the normal position. Now put your knees resting behind your elbows, go for it. Still to easy? Go next to a wall so if you do a handstand, your heels will touch it just enough to keep you upright, do handstand pushups with the bars, and go low enough that the top pf your head touches the floor. WARNING- make sure that your neck is straight- do not look a the wall in front of you, you should be looking at the other side of the room.
=Tree climbing-(Not for the faint of heart)Find a tree with many branches growing in all angles. Let loose- climb up, down and all around as fast as you can. If that's not hard enough, find a branch that's growing horizontally, thick enough so when you hug it, your fingers touch, and go across it upside down, if this is your first time, do it for 5 minutes and I guarantee your entire body will hurt tomorrow.(A pair of ninja claws help for grip, and it makes you feel like you're going to assasinate an unsuspecting victim at the end of the branch ;)
=Up a stream-fight against the stream(swim, don't try and hit it, duh) If you like, get a pair of boogie boarding fins, and swim against it, seal style(imagine a seal, you'll ge the picture) Want an extran challege? Try to come out of the water like flipper the dolphin, remember to make the eek eek sound.
=In water-make sure your feet don't touch the ground. Put your hands by your right ear, facing foward. Now drag them diagonally down, so they end up by your left waist. Immediatly bring them next to your left ear and repeat in the opposite direction. Use this as your only means of keeping above water. Remember to use your entire torsro to help you with the movement. This builds your arms, shoulders and abs like crazy. Also give your punches and kicks amazing power.
-Well that's it for starters, tell me what you think
-WindTiger
I tried to post here, something's wrong. I'll try again............
I like you're ideas. Try this, stand with your feet together, put you're hands flat on the ground about a foot and a half in front of you're feet, index and thumbs touching so they make a diamond shape, see how many times you can put you're nose in the diamond. Like regular push ups. I hope I am explaining this well enough.

[Jack-MA]

Sprinting is definitely good for speed and agility, I like to sprint 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, and repeat till I drop. I mix this up with distance runs. Some other agility exercises for martial artists are things like jumping sideways over an object repeatedly, jumping to front side and back, etc. etc.

Also standing in a river or swimming pool and practicing is good, since the added resistance from the water builds skill-specific strength and speed, so when out of water the techniques can be faster, thus more powerful.


Some Pushups:

1. Standard
2. finger tip
3. two fingers
4. knuckle (use first two knuckles)
5. on back of wrists/hands with fingers pointing away from you, to the front
6. on back of wrists/hands with fingers pointing inward towards each other
7. on back of wrists/hands with fingers pointing towards you, to the back
8. on back of wrists/hands with fingers pointing outward
9. Feet on wall pushups. Feet are pressed against wall about two feet from floor height
10. Arched up pushups. Like chinese pushups, but hands form a triangle which you try to touch your nose in.
11. Handstand pushups. Use wall to keep balance.
12. Plyometric pushups
13. Clapping pushups
14. One hand pushups
15. Korean pushups. With feet spread wide apart and hand placed out in front so that your back is parallel with the ground, shift your body forward and down and then upward. Reverse the motion to go back.
16. Zen pushups. Lay flat on your stomach, hands flat on floor above your head with arms slightly bent. Then push up. These are very difficult and take much practice.
17. Wheel barrow, run & hop. Do wheel barrow with person holding your legs, resisting you as you pull yourself forward hand over hand or two handed hops.
18. Dip chair pushups. With your body between two chairs and your hands on the chair closest to them lower yourself down and then push up. Keep leg out in front of you.
19. Rolling knuckle pushups. Start with forearms on ground with fists pointing inward towards each other. Roll fists inward so that you end up on the first two knuckles.
20. Boxing pushups. Alternating one arm pushups.
21. Chinese pushups. First stand with feet shoulder with apart or less. Lean forward until your hand touch the ground while keeping legs straight. Now lower yourself and then pushup. Seems to use the shoulders quite a bit.


Pullups:

Chins and Pullups - Chins have your palms facing you, Pullups have your palms facing away. Vary these all with close, medium, and wide grips. You can also do these with a weight belt around your waste.

http://testosterone.net/html/100back.html

http://www.cyberpump.com/training/trainhard/chin.html

Check those two sites out also.

Dips:

You can do these for triceps and for chest - it aims more on the chest if you lean forwards somewhat. Again you can up the resistance on these with a simple weighted belt, or with holding a dumbell between your feet (you can do drop sets also with a dumbell between feet)

Pullups and Dips are good for overall strength which comes in handy for pullings and pushing opponents if you enter a grappling range.