Your first grading can be a daunting experience, particularly as you don’t know what to expect. With most martial arts disciplines, gradings come round every three months and Lee suggests that the minimum preparation is training at least twice a week,

“If you train twice a week; the average person should achieve their black belt within 3 and a half years. That’s the rule of thumb as we call it. But it’s up to the individual; if you only train once a week then it’s likely to take you 6 years, or [you] probably won’t achieve it to be honest. It’s OK to start off on once a week for adults, but after about 6 months you realise that you’ve got to do at least twice a week. Twice a week is the minimum. But it’s achievable and it’s enough.”

When Lee first started Karate, he would train as often as possible so that he had the necessary skills and experience to pass his gradings and compete in tournaments, however, as he got older and he progressed with his training; Shotokan Karate became more of a way of life,

“I think when you first start off when you’re younger; that’s what motivates you; it’s the colour of that martial arts belt, and achieving it and also tournaments. Up to 3^rd dan, we say it’s a physical grading, and the mentality of the student is “physical”; you want to kick faster, harder, higher. But once you get beyond that; you get to truly understand the “art” side of it and the philosophy and then you come into a higer understanding, and I always say “you don’t have to be fit to be effective”, you realise you start applying it in life. Your focus on grading starts to go out of your mind a little bit after 3^rd Dan and you start to focus more and more on the art”.

Lee’s most difficult grading was his 5^th dan. 10 years on from his 4^th Dan, Lee had already progressed onto teaching so getting back into “student” mode was his biggest challenge,

“As instructors we tend to not be as fit as we were when we were younger; we’ve got older now and moved on… but when you have to do a physical grading you need to be very fit… I had to lose a few pounds cause I’d put on a bit of weight where, as a teacher I wasn’t focusing so much on myself as I was on teaching my students. I had to literally go back to eating more protein rather than carbs, start eating good carbs, and then started to get myself into shape. I also had to work round my own injuries, you know as you get older; if you have any knee injuries for example, you’ve got to know how to get around but still be able to achieve.”

Fortunately, Lee passed his 5^th dan and has now moved on to become an examiner himself. Though he has never failed a grading, Lee does know what it’s like not to win a tournament that you might have expected to win, and encourages his students not to get disheartened in this situation,

“You can’t win every tournament… and it’s good, sometimes when you train so hard and your expectations are so high; to fail, you’ve got to learn to come back and it makes you a stronger person emotionally”.

As an instructor, and an examiner, Lee has seen both sides of grading and tournaments, and knows that there are a number of reasons why a student may struggle during a grading, particularly in Shotokan Karate,

“In our style of Karate… there’s no syllabus. The only thing you know is the forms or “Katas” as we call them. You know the Katas you’ve got to perform but that’s the only area of the grading that the student knows is pre-arranged. Everything else is thrown in on the day so they go in not knowing what to expect… [Grading] tests your emotional character so it doesn’t matter how strong or how fast [you are], or how fantastic your technique is; the grading should test your emotional character cause your emotional character is the one that’s nervous, that’s scared, that fears; and that inevitably controls your physical side… A good instructor should teach you to channel that nervous energy into a positive energy to give you the advantage; that’s the skill. When people ask “what is the secret of Karate” or any martial art; the secret is learning to harness and control that nervous fear and anxious energy. Some people call it adrenaline; it’s triggered off by the body and you need to know how to deal with it, calm it and use it for your benefit.”

In the final part of our interview series, we discuss Lee’s advice on fitness and nutrition for martial arts training and grading.

If you would like to share your experiences as a martial artist, we’d love to hear from you. Just fill out our Getting to Know You form and we may feature you in an article on our blog!

Woodchop Throw

Blitz Ballz – Med Ball Work Out 

Trying to use a variety of equipment in our work outs or circuits to show you that you can train anywhere at any time. Don’t let easy excuses of time restraints or lack of a gym stop you.

This week’s work out all you need is a medicine ball.

Pti used 5kg med ball for the whole routine. You may feel that you can use a heavier ball for certain aspects of the work out if you have them available.

This work out can be completed with a partner or on your own. 

Warmup

5 minute dynamic warm up and stretch

Circuit

50 x woodchop throws. Stand side on to your partner or a wall. Front foot pointing forwards. Start with ball low at back foot lifting it up to the front and release throwing ball at partner/wall. Repeat alternating sides.

50 x med ball slams. Lift ball with both hands above hands over your head then slam it to the floor.

50 x Russian twists. Sit in the crunch position. Move the med ball from side to side keeping core centered.

50 x single arm throw/push. Stand in fighting Stance . use your back hand to throw the ball towards partner/wall. Repeat alternating stance.

50 x wall ball squat with the med ball and at the top of the squat throw the ball high against the wall.

40 x alternate arm med ball push ups

30 x half burpee with med ball. 4 point burpee.

50 x squats with med ball

30 x “V” sits with medball

40 x both hands on med ball push ups

Cool Down

Cool down and stretch out

Russian Twists

Squats

Med Ball Slams

Push Ups

“V” Sits

Let us know what you think…

Follow us on Twitter at @BLITZSPORT  simply add #weeklyworkout at the end of your tweet to join the conversation!

If you need to invest in weights to get the most out of your workouts, visit the Blitz Sport website for a range of weights and sport equipment from kettle bell weights to dumbbells.

Workout created and practised by Phillip Hollister, a qualified fitness professional for Blitz Sport.

Martial arts puts strain on the knees, primarily due to the twisting action that we put on our knees as we practice, this comes either through turning while on the ground, or as the leg is twisted and extended when performing kicks. While we do not have to worry about the pounding effect of running or the continual grinding of cycling, in reality many people who do martial arts will also run or cycle (or even both) as part of their fitness routine, so the strains of martial arts take effect faster.

There are a number of things you can do to help protect your knees:

1. Stretches & Pilates

Stretching is an important part of any fitness routine, and you should be stretching every day to help maintain joint suppleness, even if you are not doing exercise. Many Pilates exercises are also great for building up the supportive muscles around your joints, minimising the risk of injury.

2. Supports

There are a wide range of joint supports available, with varying levels of strength, suitable for most major joints that are susceptible to sports injuries. Blitz Sport stocks a range of these which can be viewed at our martial arts supports page. Supports should be used to help joints, particularly during periods of recovery. Long term use should be avoided, with a focus on training the joints to be self supporting.

3. Supplements

Like supports, supplements should not be relied on as the sole way to keep joints healthy. However, getting the correct nutrients in the required amounts can be very helpful in maintaining healthy joints. Typically joint supplements will contain glucosamine, although this is essentially just a type of sugar. Look for supplements that also contain chondroitin, omega 3 fish oil, and vitamin C, all of which work together to strengthen the cartilage and the structures surrounding your joints. We stock a range of martial arts supplements for your body, which can be viewed in our online store.

4. Physiotherapy

 A regular physio session is essential for keeping supple. A physiotherapist will notice things that you could only hope to diagnose yourself, and looking up stretches on Google is no substitute for having a professional give you a look over. Physiotherapy should ideally be proactive rather than reactive, as keeping yourself in good condition all the time is a far better way to take care of your joints than only acting once it’s too late.

The four points discussed above are a great way of keeping your knees in good order, but they also apply to all the other joints that get used during exercise. The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body, and if something starts hurting it’s usually best to take it easy for a while. Pushing through the pain is rarely the best option.

As Baz Luhrmann said in his musical monologue Sunscreen, be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. If you haven’t heard Sunscreen, the full video is below.

Monounsaturated Fats

Cholesterol is a lipid (type of fat) naturally produced in the body. It is needed to make vitamin D and some hormones, build cell walls, and create bile salts that help you digest fat, however, too much cholesterol can clog arteries causing heart disease. All animal-produced foods such as meat and dairy also contain cholesterol meaning that, when we consume these foods, we are taking in more cholesterol than is required by our bodies.

As cholesterol cannot travel through the bloodstream by itself, it combines with certain proteins forming a Lipoprotein. Lipoproteins can be divided into 2 categories, High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL) and Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL). You may have heard about LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol as it is this type that can cause artery blockages and heart disease.

Cutting meat and dairy out of your diet may not be a viable solution as they both have other health benefits as part of a balanced diet. Alternatively, eating foods with high levels of Monounsaturated Fat can help to combat bad cholesterol by reducing levels of LDL when taken in place of saturated fats. These “healthy” Monounsaturated Fats can be found in olive oil, canola oil, almonds, avocados and cashews.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are found in unsaturated fats and can be categorised into Omega 6 Fatty Acids (Linoleic Acid) and Omega 3 Fatty Acids (alpha-linolenic acid). EFAs are needed in the body to help build cell structure and Omega Fatty Acids can also help to prevent depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and skin disorders.

As the body cannot produce its own Omega Fatty Acids, they need to be sourced through food. Omega 6 can be found in grains such as wheat, rice and corn, as well as sunflower and safflower oils. Omega 3 can be found in cold-water fish such as Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel and Sardines. Alternatively, you can buy fish oil supplements at most health food retailers.

While these EFAs are important, it is essential that you get a healthy balance of both Omega 3 and Omega 6. Omega 6 helps to produce hormone-like substances called pro-inflammatory prostaglandins that cause inflammation and swelling as part of the immune system’s response to injury or infection. Conversely, Omega 3 helps the body to produce anti-inflammatory prostaglandins which help reduce pain and swelling. If you have too much Omega 6, it can contribute to the development of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, which is why it is important to have a balance of both Omega 6 and Omega 3 in your diet.

While some fats can have positive health benefits, it is important to remember that too much fat of any kind can result in weight gain. These “healthy” fats should still be consumed in moderation as part of a balance diet, and of course plenty of exercise.

At Blitz, we supply a wide range of fitness equipment, nutritional supplements and, of course, martial arts equipment.

Just enter the code SHOCKDOC10 at the checkout! Offer ends midnight on Sunday 19th May 2013.

Lee began training in Shotokan Karate when he was 14 years old. Whilst training in Judo; Lee discovered Karate almost by accident;

“Because I was the bigger kid in the class, the [Judo] instructor used to throw me around a lot and I hated that. So, I wanted to give it up after about 3 months and as I was going downstairs [at the club]…I heard all these people shouting and screaming…I looked though the window in this hall, and they were all kicking and punching… I though “I’ll try that”; and that was Karate, which I didn’t know at the time.”

Karate soon became a fundamental part of Lee’s life and though he has tried a number of martial arts throughout the years, including Kung Fu and Tai Chi, he has always come back to Shotokan Karate. Lee’s Instructor for many years was his wife; Pauline Laville Bindra; “I always trained with my wife; we went training together twice a week for around 20 years. It became my way of life; it literally became my philosophy.”

Pauline began I.S.K (International Shotokan Karate) in 1983. The I.S.K has a number of Dojos around Kent and Greater London, offering Shotokan Karate to both adults and children. One of the greatest attributes of I.S.K is ‘building a Strong Character through Discipline and Respect’. Lee explains how a discipline, such as Karate, is much more than just getting your next Karate Belt;

“I’ve never ever looked at my martial art as a sport and I think [for] those that do…it doesn’t go beyond winning a trophy or a tournament. Whereas, if you really get into you martial art and understand the teachings of it; it helps you to cope with everyday life… What happens with your martial art, once you really get into it, is you get beyond the punching and kicking; the physical side of it; that becomes a side effect of it. The great thing about most of these styles of martial arts is the “art” side of it; it is a way of life and you can apply it to everyday life situations and [the] problems, stress and strains that life brings.

With over 40 years of experience, including being a member of the all styles Junior and Senior England Squad in the 70’s and 80’s; Lee goes on to explain how anyone looking to take up a martial art should do their research before joining a club:

“I think it’s really important that if you’re going to take up a martial art [you should] do research on the instructors; look at their pedigree, look at their depth of knowledge, the time they’ve spent in that martial art and who their instructors were…I was lucky as there were very few martial arts clubs in 72 but now there’s about 40 in each town…there’s so many inexperienced instructors…you’ve really got to do research if you want to get into [a martial art]”.

With so many clubs having their own websites; it’s easy to look into a club and find out more information about the instructor. This is especially crucial if you are a parent looking to find a martial arts club for your child. Lee has been teaching Shotokan Karate for over 30 years and understands the worries that parents can often face not only with finding a club, but understanding the effects that practicing martial arts can have on their children,

“[In] the traditional martial arts as I call them; the karate, the judo, the taekwondo; three quarters of their membership are kids… in my opinion; taking part in my martial art and teaching kids for the last 20, 30 years; it’s brilliant, it’s phenomenal…If a child is a bully at school or maybe more hyper, let’s say; it calms them down and disciplines them. But if the kid is very shy and an introvert; it brings them out of their shell…I’ve seen this time and time again and it’s great as an instructor to see that. The parents also learn actually, and in my experience, at a lot of our clubs; the parents actually took it up themselves because they bring their child along and after about 6 months of seeing their child progress and grow; they get into it as they have something in common, and they get to train together as a family”.

Though his years of teaching, Lee has taught students from all walks of life and believes there isn’t just one piece of advice for everybody thinking of taking up a martial art. Individuals take up martial arts for their own reasons, whether it be self defence, the way of life or maybe even just fitness. No matter what the reason; Lee suggests that martial arts can offer much more than just physical fitness;

“To begin with, it’s all physical and some people take it up just for fitness…it’s a fantastic and cheap way of keeping fit as here you’ve got an instructor… and in effect you can just use him as a fitness instructor… [However} you get the social side of it as well. You meet new people and you get to see them week in week out. If you go to the gym, you pay your membership and you go on the machines, unless you’re willing to pay an extra £30 an hour for a personal trainer…whereas with martial arts, it’s probably the cheapest form of training yet it has all of these benefits.”

Stay tuned for part two of this series when we discuss Lee’s experience as a Karate instructor and grading examiner, with advice for students taking their first grading exams.

If you would like to share your experiences as a martial artist, we’d love to hear from you. Just fill out our Getting to Know You form and we may feature you in an article on our blog!

Blitz Weekly Workout

Yes! We are on Week 6 already!

Here is a quick but tough workout for you to complete in less than half an hour!

Good Luck!

Warmup

5 minute dynamic warm up and stretch

Circuit

500 Metre Row

X 1 Rope climb (if you don’t have a ceiling rope do gi pull ups or regular chin ups for 5reps)

X 10 Jump Squats

30 Metre Bear Crawl

X 10 hanging knees to elbows

Repeat the entire circuit and try to complete as many full sets as you can in 25 minutes.

Each time you complete the work out throughout the week, make note of how many full sets you have managed to complete and aim to beat it each time.

Go that extra mile

If you want to make this tough work out even harder and really push yourself:

- Try weighted jump squats using either dumbbells or a medicine ball.

- Add resistance to your bear crawls either pulling a sled or use a martial arts belt around your waist with a partner holding the ends.

- Finally double up on your rope climbs and complete 2 rope climbs per set.

Cool Down

Stretch Out and cool down completely, focus on the areas that you have used during this work out.

Let us know what you think…

Follow us on Twitter at @BLITZSPORT  simply add #weeklyworkout at the end of your tweet to join the conversation!

Workout created and practised by Phillip Hollister, a qualified fitness professional for Blitz Sport.

Not all martial arts clubs are the same and there are no specific guidelines or syllabuses in place to regulate the quality of instruction. How then, do you determine the right martial arts club for you? If anyone can start their own business as an instructor, how do you know that you will be getting the best possible training?

Although it is often easier said than done, by try to look past the cost of training. If you’re looking for the best clubs with the most experienced instructors, quite often you do get what you pay for. Price can often be determined by your location also; training in central London, for example, may cost more.

When looking for a club; the best place to start is looking on the internet. Make a list of all of your local clubs that offer the martial arts discipline that you’re looking for and weed out those that are too far to travel or may be difficult to get to if you don’t drive. Remember that you’ll most likely be travelling to a from the club around 2-3 times a week so an hour long journey may seem okay at first but could quickly get tiring.

When you’ve got your narrowed down list, contact each club and arrange to view one of their classes. If the club declines to let you watch a class then they’re possibly not right for you; the last thing you want is to sign up to a club and find out it’s not right for you later down the line.

When you do go to a trial class, there are a number of things to look out for:

Attitude

The attitude of both the instructor and the students can make a big difference. If students are messing around with little or no discipline then it’s unlikely that you’re going to get the level of encouragement from an instructor that you may need to develop and improve your skills. Additionally, if an instructor demands respect from his or her students, but gives none back, then they are best avoided. Equally, if respect seems forced rather than natural then the club may not be the best choice. A good instructor should be able to lead a group whilst paying attention to each individual. Watch how they deal with students that may not be performing a move correctly, singling out or mocking an individual in front of the group can be embarrassing and, as a potential beginner, can be quite disheartening.

Equipment

Ideally, a club should be able to provide adequate martial arts equipment for all their students’ use during classes. Unless you already have equipment, you don’t necessarily want to turn up to your first lesson fully kitted out in case you decide, in a month’s time, that you want to change disciplines. While the majority of training equipment is versatile and can be used for most disciplines, specific clothing or martial arts weapons may not. Some facilities may also have changing rooms and showers available; however this is not always the case as some smaller clubs tend to hire out school halls for their classes.

Quality of Instruction

Often as prospective students, we are drawn to clubs that are run by a well known Martial Artist. We naturally assume, therefore, that he or she will be the instructor, but this is often not the case. By watching a class first, you will be able to determine, whoever the instructor, if their teaching style suits you or not.

When choosing a club, everyone has individual preferences, however the above points can help you determine what kind of instructor and teaching methods will be right for you. If there is anything you still aren’t sure on after the trial class then it is advisable to speak to the instructor direct.

The 10 Station Circuit

The warm bank holiday weekend has pre-warned us that summer is most definitely on its way whether we are body ready or not!

The 10 station circuit is really going to hit the legs and gain explosive power as a result.

This is a fantastic workout on your own but even better when performed as part of a team circuit.

Warmup

5 minute dynamic warm up and stretch

Circuit

Aim to do each station for 45 seconds as hard as you can go.

Take 15 second rest period and move onto the next station.

Repeat entire circuit, all 10 stations, 3 times round

1. Tyre flips – just the same as we done last week – (see the picture below for a recap)

2. Sledge pull - Using a 8m rope tied to a 50kg sledge, stand shoulder width apart and back straight. Place one hand over the other and pull the sledge to you. Then move back set  yourself up again and repeat. Do it over 15m shuttles.

3. Sledge push -  Using a 50kg sledge, push the sledge along over 15 meter shuttles.

4. Active plank -Remember to engage your abs!

5. Med ball slams – Take hold of the med ball with both hands. Raise the ball above your head then slam it in to the floor!

6. Wall balls - Start in squat position holding a medicine ball. Push through your heels and at the top of the squat throw the med ball high against a wall. Catch the ball on its return and repeat.

7. Box jumps - Stand in front of a secured box or platform. Jump onto box and immediately back down to same position. Immediately repeat and continue for 45 seconds.

8. Bear crawls – Easy and a great strength and conditioning exercise.

9. Sumo squat to up right row - Use a bar or a weight to assist this exercise.

10. Burpees – Aim for a 5 point burpee.

Go that extra mile

If you wish to go that extra mile this week – Add a 2 mile run in before you complete the 10 station circuit.

Cool Down

Stretch Out

Tyre Flip

Sledge Push – improvise!

Burpees

Med Ball Slams

Sumo Squat

Active Plank

Let us know what you think…

Follow us on Twitter at @BLITZSPORT simply add #weeklyworkout at the end of your tweet to join the conversation!

These workouts range from exercises you can complete at home to various options that you require martial arts equipment to complete correctly. If you can’t do all the circuit in your gym, take inspiration from the workout and add it into your usual routine. Go at your own pace and build on strength.

Workout created and practised by Phillip Hollister, a qualified fitness professional for Blitz Sport.