Training for the Small

[Ryo]

Hello All. First post.

Anyway, I have recently transferred to a more difficult Tae Kwon Do class in which the other students my age seem to be athletically conditioned. I, however, am the smallest (and youngest) in my class and significantly less fit. This is even more disconcerting due to the fact that I am a higher belt. I take one hour classes twice a week. My goal is to take part in some sort of conditioning program in which I could improve my flexibilty, strength, speed, kick, etc. Bulk is not the goal. Strength is the goal.

Any advice?

[EmptyneSs]

lift weights

[fanman.]

https://www.spartanhealth.com

[koto_ryu]

Do Combat Conditioning, specifically the Royal Court. Do it every day for a month and I guarantee you'll see improvement. The Royal Court is:

Hindu Squats
Hindu Pushups
Back Bridge

http://www.cbass.com/Furey.htm has Hindu Squats and Hindu Pushups, but no back bridge pix. http://www.whitewall.fsnet.co.uk/furey.htm has one of what you should be attempting to do whenever you do a back bridge.

[Broadsword2004]

Do 1 set of pullups everyday too; find your maximum, then do like 1 set of 70 % of your max everyday for 2 weeks. Then increase the rep by one and do for another 2 weeks. Then increase by one again and do for another 2 weeks. Then test your maximum again and keep doing that.

So if your max is like 10, do 1 set of 7 pullups for 2 weeks, then 1 set of 8 pullups each day for 2 weeks, then 1 set of 9 pullups each day for 2 weeks, test your max, then keep doing it; that should help you to build up your pullup number in an efficient manner.

Also do pistols (one-legged squats). To do these, work by lowering and raising yourself to like the 2nd stair on your stairway (on a chair), and raising up back up. Do like 5 sets of 5 reps everyday for 2 weeks. Then lower to a lower stair, and repeat. Then, eventually you should get to full one-legged squats (i.e. pistols). If your legs are too weak for even going down halfway on pistols, just do 5 sets of 5 reps of lowering yourself down to that stair or chair for 2 weeks. Then you should be able to lower down and raise up from the chair. Then just go from there, following the above program.

Also do dips too, those are great. And walk on your hands. Do handstand pushups too, if you can.

And don't forget, the good ole' barbell squat IS a very effective exercise as well, it just won't build endurance simultaneously while building strength in the same way the Hindu squats will.

[koto_ryu]

I don't think he's old enough for weight training, that's why I offered the Combat Conditioning instead. It works out everything and it's quick. If you're going to do dead hang pullups however, make sure you come to a dead hang after each one. Otherwise you're just cheating yourself

Hindu Squats would be better for him to start as well, let him build a good foundation on those before pistols.

[Broadsword2004]

Oh; well, I didn't know his age, so anyways......yeah, speaking of pullups, do like koto says, come to a dead hang, it is amazing how many people I see in the gym who do pullups and don't come to a dead-hang after each one.

And don't swing your legs on pullups, use your pure back and arm strength, otherwise you're also cheating yourself.

[Ryo]

Thank you for your advice, though I believe that there are some misconceptions about my...abilities. Pull-ups result in me dangling uselessly from a steel bar amongst the scoffing laughs of cruel onlookers. But the conditioning sounds good, so...thanks.

[koto_ryu]

Try the flex-arm hang first then to strengthen up your muscles. Have a buddy boost you up and hold a pullup in the up position for as long as you can. If you can hold it for 70+ seconds, congratulations, you can do as many as a tough female Marine. Now work on those 20 pullups and you'll be just as tough as a guy one

[bodhisattva]

I was in the same boat as you, ryo.

Don't worry about not being able to do a pull up today. Just stay concentrated on the fact that it only pays to reason that if you work on it, you one day be able to do them.

It's good to invest in something you can do pullups on safely. many places sell a pull up bar you can put in your doorway at home. I have one, it only took 4 screws to install. Make sure you install it in a solid fashion.

Do the flex-hangs as suggest above.

Also, with a partner, hang from the bar, while they stand behind you. Have them lace their fingers together, and hang their arms down in front of them, with their knuckles pointed to the floor. This should have their hands in a position where you can bend your knees, and place the tops of your feet in his palms. Now, start exerting to do your pull up.

AS you exert, concentrate hard on pulling your elbows downwards, and back, at your sides. These are the muscles to concentrate on hardest. Most people, when starting, naturally concentrate too hard on their biceps..which are usually much too small to lift a beginners body weight. So use your mind to engage the proper muscles.

Since your foot is slung into your partner's hands, you can use the large muscles of your legs to assist you in the pull up. Try to use your legs as little as is necessary to pull off your reps.

This is a good way to develop the necessary strength to get off an unassisted pullup.

Take comfort in the fact that no matter how small you are, the biggest obstacle you really have to overcome is A) belief that you can do one with work and B) the coordination to engage the proper muscles to maximum effort.. The strength is probably already there. You just gotta coordinate it.

Good luck, and don't stop trying. I didn't stop trying, and I can do many, many pull ups now.

Also, bridging, and Hindu pushups, suggested above, will help you develop the strength, too. Be very careful with your neck bridging. I don't agree with some of Matt Furey's advice..but do agree with most of all of it.

[Builderofmuscle]

Have u taken a look at www.crossfit.com?