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Old 12-01-2016, 05:53 PM   #1
MrIggy
Dojo: Aikido Klub Tisa - Novi Sad
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Body conditioning for Aikido

What type of exercises do you recommend for conditioning the body for Aikido training? Here is an example from Wroclaw Aikikai:

https://www.facebook.com/WroclawAiki...8573337604120/
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Old 12-01-2016, 09:58 PM   #2
jurasketu
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Standard High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) will provide stamina to spare for any type of martial arts. Or just life in general.

All paths lead to death. I strongly recommend taking one of the scenic routes.
AWA - Nidan - Started Aikido training in 2008
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Old 12-02-2016, 12:15 AM   #3
Janet Rosen
 
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

More aikido training. :-)
Some Feldenkreis, tai chi, or other method that helps you always be aware of where your center and balance are.

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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Old 12-02-2016, 05:38 AM   #4
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Another example from the same dojo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNzgkkNq3Ms

Good, but there is some bad form in some exercises. This can cause poor movement patterns and injuries.

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Some Feldenkreis, tai chi, or other method that helps you always be aware of where your center and balance are.
Absolutely.

Last edited by Demetrio Cereijo : 12-02-2016 at 05:46 AM.
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Old 12-02-2016, 10:13 PM   #5
MrIggy
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
Robin Johnson wrote: View Post
Standard High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) will provide stamina to spare for any type of martial arts. Or just life in general.
I looked it up, it seems similar to the type of training we did in high school. My teacher then has a PhD in sport science, he was a soccer player in his youth and latter a soccer coach and also a professor at a sports academy. It's no wonder soccer players have such physical endurance.

If someone else is interested here is a little bit more information: http://7-min.com/the-science-behind-...rval-training/ , also some videos for beginners:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q20pLhdoEoY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZnsLVArIt8

In general good stuff.
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Old 12-03-2016, 02:49 PM   #6
jurasketu
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Those are good links Igor.

For many years, I have followed a HIIT program of my own design (for my own needs and lifestyle). In general, it is a good idea to design your own or work with a trainer to design a program that accommodates your individual needs. It is also important to understand that a program must be based on your current level of fitness.

HIIT has two great attributes. First, it is necessarily short. Second, no fancy monitors required - just how hard are you breathing. It does hurt but it is short and delivers real fitness without hours of boring exercise. I would rather spend those hours doing an interesting activity like Aikido.

I have a naughty right knee so I use a stationary bike. I am very fit so I have to work like a demon to reach the necessary intensity. I go slow for 30 seconds. Then hell to leather for 60 seconds. Then slow for 30. Then hell to leather for 45 seconds. Then slow for 30. Then hell to leather for 30 seconds. Then slow for 30. Twice a week. That's it for my weekly "aerobic exercise". My resting pulse is 52 to 60 (depending on how many cups of coffee I've had...). Mind you, the last 10 seconds of each interval are usually really uncomfortable. A stationary bike is easy to adjust to reach the critical level of intensity. So if I'm feeling weak on a given morning, I can dial back the resistance and still reach the right level of discomfort. When I want to test myself, I'll do the 60 second interval while holding my breath.

I also do a variety of calisthenics, flexibility exercises and light weightlifting - but again those are designed around my needs and lifestyle. There is no perfect set of exercises.

The science says HIIT works. And I can say it works for me.

All paths lead to death. I strongly recommend taking one of the scenic routes.
AWA - Nidan - Started Aikido training in 2008
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Old 12-03-2016, 04:19 PM   #7
Walter Martindale
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

I found that the conditioning gained from competitive sculling and rowing gave me heaps of "keep going" ability - usually at a higher intensity and for a longer time than the people around me. (note - past tense used).
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Old 12-03-2016, 04:37 PM   #8
rugwithlegs
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

I do have to agree with Janet. The exercises are for people who want very athletic ukemi, and for people who are already in shape - anyone coming with injuries or limitations is not going to last long in this regime.

How we receive technique and how we apply technique is two sets of skills. Faster, more effective, better timed technique is very much tied to better structure. I had a few teachers show standing meditation. No, it won't build up cardio. Better balance, better root, better use of whole body power and you might find the cardio goes further and your functional strength is higher.

Back in the day I did lots of long distance cross-country skiing. Hours of skate technique with hands coming up in Ikkyo Undo while feet moved off the line and changing directions while not losing momentum. I never thought about it at the time, but it's most of my randori now. Using ropes and pulleys for resistance training, or baguazhang post gardens have also been helpful. Use of makiwara for weapons training like Saito and O Sensei did - I like this too.
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Old 12-03-2016, 04:38 PM   #9
rugwithlegs
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Walter was a never ending power house! Go row a boat!
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Old 12-03-2016, 11:48 PM   #10
MrIggy
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
Robin Johnson wrote: View Post
In general, it is a good idea to design your own or work with a trainer to design a program that accommodates your individual needs. It is also important to understand that a program must be based on your current level of fitness.
As much as i have understood, today is pretty much mandatory that you have your own workout program so that you can achieve the best results and latter on manage to maintain them. This applies not just for professional athletes or movie starts, singers but also for general public aka recreational athletes. I think martial artist can fall in both groups.

Quote:
HIIT has two great attributes. First, it is necessarily short. Second, no fancy monitors required - just how hard are you breathing. It does hurt but it is short and delivers real fitness without hours of boring exercise. I would rather spend those hours doing an interesting activity like Aikido
I agree.

Quote:
I have a naughty right knee so I use a stationary bike. I am very fit so I have to work like a demon to reach the necessary intensity. I go slow for 30 seconds. Then hell to leather for 60 seconds. Then slow for 30. Then hell to leather for 45 seconds. Then slow for 30. Then hell to leather for 30 seconds. Then slow for 30. Twice a week. That's it for my weekly "aerobic exercise". My resting pulse is 52 to 60 (depending on how many cups of coffee I've had...). Mind you, the last 10 seconds of each interval are usually really uncomfortable. A stationary bike is easy to adjust to reach the critical level of intensity. So if I'm feeling weak on a given morning, I can dial back the resistance and still reach the right level of discomfort. When I want to test myself, I'll do the 60 second interval while holding my breath.
Now that is something i have found interesting. At times i have found myself doing certain physical activities, basketball, running, techniques in Aikido with my breath completely halted without actually loosing my breath for longer periods. I have been told that it's because my lung capacity has been increased, at some point in time, and that i simply haven't used up all of my oxygen. The only thing is that since i didn't work on it more it happens only in some situations. Anyway great job on your workout plan, it seems pretty intense.

Quote:
I also do a variety of calisthenics, flexibility exercises and light weightlifting - but again those are designed around my needs and lifestyle. There is no perfect set of exercises.
I also have done and do some calisthenics, flexibility exercises and weightlifting. I am currently looking into isometric workouts.

Quote:
The science says HIIT works. And I can say it works for me.
I will definitely have to try it out.
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Old 12-03-2016, 11:59 PM   #11
MrIggy
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
Walter Martindale wrote: View Post
I found that the conditioning gained from competitive sculling and rowing gave me heaps of "keep going" ability - usually at a higher intensity and for a longer time than the people around me. (note - past tense used).
Rowing is a heavily intense workout. An acquaintance of mine was European and world champion in K1 and K2 canoe sprinting, a monster of man in physical sense.
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Old 12-04-2016, 02:56 AM   #12
MrIggy
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
John Hillson wrote: View Post
I do have to agree with Janet. The exercises are for people who want very athletic ukemi, and for people who are already in shape - anyone coming with injuries or limitations is not going to last long in this regime.
Not so much for athletic ukemi,at least in my case, as much as a way of achieving high level athletic physical stress situations that can help maintain endurance, if i am ever caught in such a situation, but also psychological stability and awareness (zanshin) that is needed in such situations and comes with this type of training. I agree unfortunately that people with injuries and other limitation wouldn't get what they need from this type of training but that's why there are more ways then one to develop adequate Aikido skills, such as zanshin. .

Quote:
How we receive technique and how we apply technique is two sets of skills. Faster, more effective, better timed technique is very much tied to better structure.
I agree. The exercises we have pointed out can help build a better structure but of course they are not mandatory and if they aren't used in the proper manner can have side effects.

Quote:
I had a few teachers show standing meditation. No, it won't build up cardio. Better balance, better root, better use of whole body power and you might find the cardio goes further and your functional strength is higher.
Kokyu breathing exercises and gasho maybe?

Quote:
Back in the day I did lots of long distance cross-country skiing. Hours of skate technique with hands coming up in Ikkyo Undo while feet moved off the line and changing directions while not losing momentum. I never thought about it at the time, but it's most of my randori now. Using ropes and pulleys for resistance training, or baguazhang post gardens have also been helpful. Use of makiwara for weapons training like Saito and O Sensei did - I like this too.
Wax on, wax off
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Old 12-04-2016, 05:02 PM   #13
Janet Rosen
 
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
Igor Vojnović wrote: View Post

Kokyu breathing exercises and gasho maybe?
For structure, I would go outside of aikido - Feldenkreis or tai chi as I noted will help you focus on identifying and normalizing what is center and then finding it in movement or weighting changes without having to search for it within kokyu breathing exercises, or the tree-holding types of Chinese ma internal exercises are explicitly aimed at improving structure.

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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Old 12-05-2016, 12:21 AM   #14
MrIggy
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
For structure, I would go outside of aikido - Feldenkreis or tai chi as I noted will help you focus on identifying and normalizing what is center and then finding it in movement or weighting changes without having to search for it within kokyu breathing exercises, or the tree-holding types of Chinese ma internal exercises are explicitly aimed at improving structure.
When i mentioned kokyu and gasho i was referring to the standing meditation that Mr. Hillson mentioned.

As for structure it's not once that Tai Chi was mentioned to me but honestly i don't know how much help it will be. The two arts are very different. Also there is the matter of instructors and styles. There are several styles of Tai chi as well as Aikido and more importantly the matter of qualified instructors and the way they teach. I don't think i will venture in those waters for the time being. Sometime in the future, maybe.
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Old 12-08-2016, 09:27 AM   #15
MrIggy
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Iron body conditioning from Uechi Ryu Karate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbuitki1G8o
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Old 12-15-2016, 07:16 AM   #16
Susan Dalton
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Yoga has helped me get stronger. Thanks to Aikido, I had great balance as long as I was "planted"--Sensei always told me I had too much "down" and not enough "up." Yoga has helped me learn to raise a leg or be out of hanmi and still feel balanced. My knees are stronger, too.
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Old 12-15-2016, 06:42 PM   #17
Walter Martindale
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Well... I'm on break at work, so... If there's a local rowing club, go ask if a coach can help you learn PROPER TECHNIQUE on the rowing machine - that's if you haven't competed in the sport, and if you don't have a dodgy back.

Then, at your local gym, hop on a rowing machine 2-3/week, and work your way up to an hour. Steady, firm pace, about 20-22 strokes per minute, getting as high a wattage as you can sustain. (not fly and die). After starting out at (say) 3 x 5 minutes with 5 minutes "light" between them, work up to an hour of "hard steady state"... Heart rate between 140-150 (if you're male in your 20s) After 3 months, or maybe 4, see if your aikido fitness has changed.

The Kawahara shihan almost always said I was too strong. But he also liked it when a certain nidan tried to "bully" me when I was a gokyu...
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Old 12-16-2016, 02:14 PM   #18
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Rowing machine is my second favourite gym equipement, first is the swiss ball.
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Old 12-16-2016, 02:58 PM   #19
rugwithlegs
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Quote:
Walter Martindale wrote: View Post
Kawahara shihan almost always said I was too strong. But he also liked it when a certain nidan tried to "bully" me when I was a gokyu...
He was a rare breed - eyes glittering when someone held him firmly in kokyu doza "FIGHTMEFIGHTMEFIGHTME!!!!!!!!" Good times.

Getting ready for my sandan, I did a lot of swimming. The importance of balancing regular impact with a zero impact activity was helpful for me.
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Old 12-18-2016, 12:48 PM   #20
Conrad Gus
 
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Jo suburi, bokken suburi. Work your way up to 1000 shomenuchi a day and get that hip power!
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Old 12-21-2016, 11:54 AM   #21
Rupert Atkinson
 
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

I have done lots of different things through the years. Now, my preference is for light taichi type movement. Sometimes I turn it heavy. Then light. Lots of it.

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Old 12-29-2016, 01:01 PM   #22
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

I always preferred cardio, body weight exercises, and (for me) lots of stretching.

Chris Sawyer
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Old 02-18-2017, 07:04 AM   #23
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Re: Body conditioning for Aikido

Reading Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere again and as far as physical preparation is concerned it only references doing the basic stretches and aiki taiso that we are usually done before or after class

Chris Sawyer
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