Hand to hand combat training

   
Some hand to hand combat training can be hard work, physical draining and tiring in the extreme. You know what it’s like you have your hand to hand combat training, martial arts, self defence class, krav maga – whatever it is – and you’refeeling a little lacking in the motivation factor. Lacking is an understatement. It’s raining cats and dogs, it’s cold, the footballs on T.V., your other half looks rather fetching in that outfit/non-outfit/chicken suit.

In fact you’d rather stick pins in your testicles and whack them with a baseball bat than trudge down the dojo to be thrown about like rag doll. Training can be like that. It is easy to feel a little deflated and under energised. We need some ways to keep our enthusiam high.

  • Thinking of a long term goal will keep your vision in front of you and inflate your enthusiasm levels. Remind yourself that you’re getting there with every passing week of training and even if you don’t notice much improvement there are unconscious changes to your bodies mechanics and learning going on that you are not even aware of.
  • It helps to give yourself smaller short term goals – belts, perfecting a technique and so on.
  • Keeping a training diary can really help as it allows you to chart your progress plus it is good discipline. It is often surprising when you look back after a couple of months and see how far you have come. It doesn’t have to be an essay either, just a few notes about where you are.

Do you want to be looking back in a few years time and be thinking to yourself if only i’d stuck with the training I could be a black belt/leaping up walls/a jedi by now? No, well take those pins out of your testicles and get ready for class.

Hand to hand combat flexibility

Reaching a good level of proficiency in hand to hand combat, contact sports and martial arts training requires a high degree of flexibility.

Stretching is the tried and tested method for gradually improving flexibility over time but it most be performed with due care and attention or you could end up pulling more muscles than you thought you had. As martial artist we all suffer now and again from sore muscles that have been pulled and strained and developing a decent stretching routine will go a long way to preventing this. It might not rule out pulls forever but it should mitigate extreme reactions.

   
By flexibility we are talking about a range of movement around our joints and stretching allows us to push beyond that normal range of movement. Stretching allows to push our default range of movement to higher level creating more freedom and reach in our moves. It is said that our natural ability to reach or move in certain ways is restricted by our genetic make-up . Well, maybe so , but we can all improve if we want to, no matter what position we may be in now.

The key with stretching is controlled movements. Don't bounce or jerk. You mustn’t move into a stretch suddenly. Don’t surprise your body with an unprepared move as this will more likely result in a tear or a damaged muscle. A gradual easing into a stretch is the best way followed by slow and smooth movements. You can increase general flexibility each day by:

  • Being aware of your posture at work and during the day particularly if you have an office or desk job and acting to prevent stiffness. Don't slouch.
  • Walking consciously and keeping yourself upright rather than stooping or shuffling – good for a confident demeanour too.
  • Stretching out your muscles each morning before you start your day, to get rid if any lingering stiffness from sleep.

The more flexible you become the more you extend you natural range of movement and the more impact this will have in your hand to hand combat training, your martial arts training and your self defence moves.
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