Fartlek (speedplay)

Just a quick post about the use of 'Fartlek' training or 'Speedplay' when training for Boxing or other combat sports.

The nature of combat sports rules sets up the 'round' system with set breaks between, typically

5 mins/1min MMA, 3 mins/1 min Pro-Boxing, 2 mins/1 min Kickboxing & Amateur Boxing and 1.5 min/1 min White Collar Boxing. It makes sense therefore, to adopt interval training during cardio work or circuit training on the road or in the gym. However, you can also make use of 'Fartlek' during the rounds to further replicate the stress of combat sports.

Here is an example routine for the treadmill, but it follows that the principle can be used for any cardio style workout or circuit:-

(based on 3 min/1min pro boxing)

1 min walk

1st Round - 1min jog - 1min medium pace - 1 min fast pace

1 min walk (rest interval)

2nd Round - same as round 1

1 min walk

3rd round - 1 min medium pace - 1 min fast pace - 1 min sprint

1 min walk

4th round - same as round 1

1 min walk

5th round - same as round 3

2 min walk cool down

That's a twenty minute run with 2 minute cool down. A very efficient way of getting your cardio done without spending ages jogging round the block!

Until next time, good Training!

Training around injuries

I've been carrying a knee and ankle injury for quite a while now and it has restricted the type of training I have been able to do. I have been mainly concentrating on weight training to help me with Jiu Jitsu. This is an art of using your opponents strength against him and, for high level practitioners this strategy works very well, but for us lesser mortals strength plays a much greater role because you are wrestling with men that weigh between 85 to 110kg.

Anyway, I have neglected my kickboxing training for about a year, doing minimal cardio training to tick over until recently, that is where I had a rude awakening and did some sparring. What a shock to the system! The rolling Jiu Jitsu fitness, which is extremely hard didn't translate at all to the fast moving cardio required for kickboxing. Needless to say I was gassed after three rounds, whereas before I could easily knock out 12 rounds, no problem. Well, I love a challenge, it was time to re-address my fitness training.

Getting back to the topic of this post 'training around injuries' I guess I have been hiding behind them as an excuse for not doing serious cardio. My Jiu Jitsu instructor 'Wilson' has spent the last 3 months in Brazil because of 'carnival season' having fun and kicking back, but he still looks fit as a fiddle. I asked him his secret and he said "I ran every morning whilst I was there" The light, as you might expect, went off in my head, time to get running!

So back in the gym on Monday, I stretched out and jumped on the 'X' trainer to warm up my ankle and knee to prepare, for 10 minutes. When I was good and warm I moved to the dreaded treadmill, which I have avoided for so long. I set the incline to 1% and set off walking to get used to the idea of moving, without going anywhere. Yes, this felt alright, time to speed up to a slow jog. My knee and ankle were twinging and complaining a bit, so I concentrated on keeping good running form so as not to place undue pressure on them. After a while the twinges disappeared and I was getting into a nice stride, then it hit, my lungs started to gasp for air and I had to go back to walking. This was the one aspect of running that I had forgotten about, how the lungs can give up before the body is ready to.

Anyway, I'm now on week two and all is going well and I'm managing to run 4 minute out of a 5 minute cycle (1 minute walk) and keeping going for 20 minutes. I even managed a sprint finish today! Next week I will increase the cycle to 10 minutes and so on until I can do 30 minutes straight!

I will let you know how it goes.

A word on my current weight training schedule I thought I might share with you:-

I've always been a fan of 'Pyramid sets' for building strength and power e.g. for a bench press start with 20kg dumbbells for 12 reps, then increase to 22kg but decrease reps to 10, then carry on increasing weight and decreasing reps to about 90% of your max lift at 4 reps - total of 5 sets. To make gains you just increase your start weight every week or so, which in turn pushes up your 90% max. lift at 4 reps.

However, I thought I'd revisit a variation on this system to see if i could get a better result. First thing is to time your rest periods to a minimum of one minute between sets, then instead of going right down to 4, you do two drop sets of 12 reps instead e.g. 6 reps at 26kg then 12 reps at 24kg then another 12 reps at 22kg.

I have tried this for two sessions to date and have made the following observations:-

The workout is much more efficient and is over quicker.
The short rest periods feel halfway between weight training and circuit training, so you get a slight cardio effect (elevated heart rate and sweating)
The first drop set is quite hard and gives you a slight burn
The second drop set is very hard and you have to draw upon mental strength to complete the set, ideal for martial arts!
The pump lasts for longer after the workout.
The gains a more noticeable straight away.

I will let you know how it goes in future posts, if you want to comment or ask any questions, please feel free!

2 week break

We are just coming up to our annual summer break (27th July to 9th August) it's always nice to have a break and recharge the batteries, but it's also a good time to reflect on the last years training and make plans for the new season. Currently I train every morning, alternating cardio days (cycling, rowing, bagwork) with weight training days for building raw strength rather than physique. I tend to do my martial arts training (Kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu sparring) at the weekends. Your body will soon get used to demands you place on it, so it's a good idea to vary your routine every six weeks, to shock the body back into a productive phase.
Anyway, I'd like to hear what training you do to supplement your kickboxing, so if you get a spare moment - get writing!

Hi everbody! Welcome to the new academy blog.

Please feel free to talk about anything and everything to do with kickboxing and training.

Here's a pic of the team who competed at Battle of Kent 5 - Jon, Stan, Pepe, Dan, Kev, Steve, Barns, Kendal, Paul and Glen

Look forward to getting your first posts!