The US Army as one of the top fighting forces in the world has strict fitness standards not only for passing basic training but also as part of on going testing to ensure a regulated high level of fitness. The US Army’s Physical Fitness Test (also known as the PFT) consists of just three basic exercises; push ups, sit ups and running.

“Running Portion”

The running portion of of the US Army PFT consists of a 2 mile timed run. Army recruits and personnel are graded on a point system that requires different levels of scoring depending on sex and age. The logic here is that if you can compete at the levels required by the US military’s combat troops you should at least be half way to being in the kind of fighting shape you need to be to become a serious UFC contender.

“High Level of Fitness”

Even though the US Army has to demand a high level of fitness from it’s troops and extremely tough training, it still recognizes the need for new recruits or potential recruits to build up to that level and avoid injury. The Army has dubbed their guidance for this part of training the ‘Walk to Run’ program, where potential recruits can work their way up to being in the required condition. The idea is for you to begin adding jogging and running into your walking gradually and build up strength and conditioning just like in MMA training.

“It’s All About Levels”

Level one consists of walking for 5 minutes followed by jogging for one minute and repeating for 30 minutes. This increases through level 5 reducing one of the walking minutes and increasing the consecutive jogging in one minute increments. Finally reaching level 6 you should be able to continuously jog/ run for 20 minutes, with walking 5 minutes before and after to warm up and cool down. So if you have wanted to get back into running, then this is a perfect structure for you to put in place.

We all know that power leads to explosiveness and explosiveness leads to quickness.  So, the quicker we are the better martial artists we can be especially when it comes to

A Higher Vertical Improves Sparring

sparring.  Many of the best sparring athletes are also very good athletes in other sports as well and furthermore a large percentage of them are good at basketball. So, we wanted to take a look how to increase this quickness, power, and explosiveness and thus our sparring through increasing our vertical jump.

Many people train hours and hours without seeing any substantial improvement in their vertical leap.

There are a 3 main reasons why this happens:

1. You need to train every muscle involved in jumping.    NOT just your calves and quads.

2. You need to do the correct amount of reps and sets. If you are doing the wrong combination and are training in the wrong “mode”, you may be increasing your endurance…and not quickness and explosion! Vertical jumping is all about quickness and explosion so that is what you need to train.

3. You need to incorporate multiple approaches to vertical jump training. If you are only doing plyometrics or only lifting weights or only doing jumping exercises, then you are short changing yourself and your vertical. You need to incorporate all training techniques to get massive gains.

If you are not getting the results you want from your vertical jump training then you are mostly likely falling victim to 1 or more of these reasons.

Make sure your training incorporates all necessary muscles, trains your explosion and quickness and incorporates all facets of vertical jump training.

If you are unsure of how to do this, then I suggest you grab a copy of our “Vertical Explosion Training Program” because these are the core principals it is based on.

You can read more about it here:
How to Increase Vertical Jump.

Whether you are training in the martial arts, kickboxing, or boxing the heavy bag is one of the

foundational pieces of any power training routine.   The heavy bag is responsible for shaping many champions in boxing, kickboxing and the martial arts.  However, many people don’t know how responsible it is for helping improve the fitness level of many non competitive athletes.  This is primarily due to it working the entire body when being punched or kicked.

Details of the Heavy Bag:

The heavy bag either come filled or unfilled and is made of leather or something very similar, they weigh anywhere between 40 and 100 pounds.  The primary use is for building power and improving punching and kicking techniques.  It is also great to use to improve overall fitness since it works the entire body. The Adidas Punching bags: Heavy Bag 70 lbs is a top quality heavy bag that takes any punishment you can give it.  I have seen this bag at many of the martial arts training facilities that I have visited and they always look knew even though I know it has been consistently used.

8 benefits of the heavy bag are:

1. Improve Aerobic Fitness.

2. Improve Power.

3. Improve Coordination, & Core Stability.

4. Improve Boxing Technique.

5. Develop Self Defense Skills.

6. Improve Body Shape.

7. Decrease Stress.

8. A Low Cost Activity, Requiring Minimal Equipment.

Additional tips:

Wraps: For injury prevention and overall comfort it is important that you wrap your hands before having long workouts on the heavy bag.  Begin wrapping by first applying to the knuckles and the to the wrist area.  Wrapping will help absorb a large portion of the impact and lessen the likelihood of osteoarthritis in later years.

Gloves: There are two categories of gloves and that is light and heavy.  The lighter gloves (around 10 ounces) are usually enough to protect the athlete while allowing them to focus on perfecting their technique

Although this is not specifically about the physical part of the martial arts it is certainly about

Will Smith and Jackie Chan

the mental aspect.  Let’s just say if Will Smith lines up against a 5 board spin hill kick, I’m betting on Will and with good reason, here it is: