Just some clearity..

[IHateRabbits]

hey everyone! This is my first post, been mozying around the forums for the past month or so. Gonna start training muay thai classes at a gym hopefully real soon. I know they say dont worry about your current shape before starting (atleast that s what the trainers said to me) Though I do want to get into shape.

Anyway, looking through previous posts running, sprinting, stairs = leg power
Now I played 6 years of school football and trained karate for 4 years. So I have muscle, and know how to throw kicks (boxing punching I need to work on)

Now for my question... Can someone just clearify for me somethings: Everyone runs in the morning. Now when you say run, does that mean jog, or run, or RUN!
A lot of you mention you do sprint intervals and/or stairs. Is that done first thing in the morning, or more in the middle of the day like a normal workout would be. Now I got lots of muscle under this husky exterior, and I dont want to lose the muscle I have. So when you guys do your morning: running? jogging? sprint intervals? do you do it on an empty stomach? Or have a little bit to eat beforehand?

Coordination are different intervals of jumproping different foot techniques sufficent? 5-6, 3-4 minute rounds? Then rounds on the heavy bag working on kicking for cardio?

And yes, I did use that little search button, found some answers, but I just dont understand them fully..

Anyway, hello to everyone! sorry for rambling, and yea...

~IHR

[gregimotis]

1) Why rabbits?

2) The reason you don't understand them fully is because everyone has their own theory on roadwork.

I recomend: Get to where you can run three miles in around twenty minutes, then start alternating three-five mile runs with sprint or interval days.

Khun Kao (who has more exp. than I) advocates running longer distances, and switching to sprint work as a fight nears.

The only problem with is approach is that at amatuer fight levels, one often doesn't know when i fight is coming very far in advance

The real answer is that as long as you work some sprints for anarobic (sp), and some distance for muscle, you are getting the bulk of the benifit.

[Ghost]

IM not a fan of long roadwork personally.
i prefer runs in about 20-30 mins in duration as fast as possible.

[IHateRabbits]

Do you guys run on an empty stomach? Or have a small shake beforehand? Like protein with some simple carbs? or complex carbs?

Anyway, thanks for the into

[Khun Kao]

I wouldn't say that I advocate "long" distance running..... I advocate a mix. You need to include all styles of running for different reasons. Longer runs give you the endurance to keep going in a fight. Sprints allow you to recover quickly. Running drills like hills, cherry pickers, running backwards, and stairs help develop your leg strength.

Ideally you want to alternate the different styles of running throughout your training, but if you haven't been doing so, that's when I advocate starting with the long runs, and as fight time approaches, gradually adding sprint work.

[Ghost]

Do you guys run on an empty stomach? Or have a small shake beforehand? Like protein with some simple carbs? or complex carbs?

Anyway, thanks for the into

Depends, for fat burning slow steady state on an empty stomach.
If its for fitness then carbs beforehand not a shake, no point. any type of carbs really, i tend to go for complex.
TBH a couple of bananas or so would do the trick to stave off catabolism.

[fightstuff]

Let me get the food question out of the way first. You shouldn't be eating anything before you do any form of exercise. The reason why is that when you exercise you are using energy for your muscles. Obvious statement I know but it leads me on to my point. If you eat then immediately train then you will be using energy to digest your food and exercise your muscles at the same time. Unfortunately your body cannot cope with this and you will get indigestion or throw up. If you know you are going to excise then you should aim to eat 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the activity.

Drinking fluids during exercise and after exercise is important as you need to keep your body hydrated. If you don't you will feel dizzy or pass out. The best fluid for your body is water. You can drink an isotonic drink before training as it will help with your energy level during exercise due to the way isotonic drinks release their energy. However drinking an isotonic drink during training will not suddenly give you an energy boost, because isotonic drinks release their energy over a duration and not immediately. You can also drink isotonic drinks after training. However if you are dehydrated you better go straight for the water, as this is the quickest way to hydrate your body again.

Regarding your running question, everyone will have their own views on running. Personally, I advocate running as an integral part of training. I have a couple of different ways I train. The first is to start off with a slow jog of about 6km. After that I will do about 7 - 8 100m sprints. The reason why I do this is when you fight and train the pace will vary, so my theory with this type of training session I kind of simulate that. The other training session I do is a standard 3 mile run finishing just under 20 mins. With any type of cardio activity you need to be doing it for at least 20 mins to see any benefit.

Finally where possible you should aim to run on a soft surface like grass or sand, as concrete will impact on your knees and may cause you problems later on.

[fightstuff]

Just saw your co ordination bit, so I will just tag this one on to my previous post. Co ordination is very important in MT as you might of gathered. Especially hand and foot co ordination. If you get hand and feet co ordination correct, elbow and knee co ordination will follow naturally.

There are quite a few ways to improve co ordination. Please see below some of them.

1. Skipping - this is properly the best one. Skipping you can combine with so many different style. For Example, jumping with the feet together, simulate a jogging movement whilst turning the rope, double jumps for co ordination and stamina, etc. Just a tip don't look at the rope or your feet whilst skipping. Keep your head up.

2. Footwork - there are quite a number of different footworks and for me footwork is the key to everything. If your footwork/balance is wrong this will reflect in any technique even your boxing. Most beginners think that the power in boxing comes from the arms. When in actual fact it comes from getting your footwork right on the floor then getting your legs, hips, shoulders and elbows to work in a single motion to throw the punch. Anyway the main footworks are: step, changing guard, zig zag and circular. There are a few more but I will let you find them out ;-)

3. Star Jumps - this is a good one. Perform a star jump as normal then when you do the next one make your left foot go forward and your right foot backwards then on the next both the legs go out to the side again then on the next one your right foot should go forward and your left foot back. Repeat that routine for a couple mins will help you improve coordination

Ok I think that's enough for tonight :-) Not taught for a while so feeling a bit frustrated at the moment.

[Little Apple]

If you haven't run before, this is what I'd recomend:
At least jog, at least every other day, until you get these first two goals.
1st goal: Run a mile straight through
2nd goal: Run 20 minutes straight though
3rd goal: Find a running program, and no matter what it is, stick to it. You can worry about tweaking it for efficiancy later, your begining goal is to get on some kind of program and stay there.

[IHateRabbits]

Thanks a bunch guys for your input/help! Its greatly appreciated!

I have started the morning runs, mostly to get use to it..then gonna start implimenting some sprints/stairs!

~IHR

1) Why rabbits?

This was just a camping thing, that when sitting around a camp fire, and the smoke is blowing right at you, you say I Hate Rabbits 3 times, and it will blow in a different direction....never really worked..