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Hi guys
I just wanted to share with you a couple of exercises I’ve been doing at home that require next to no equipment, but I feel have benefited my overall speed, co-ordination, balance, strength etc.
The emphasis here being that you need nothing other than standard household items to do these exercises, they can be done in a confined space, and they are not harmful to delicate objects around you (TVs, computers etc).
So the exercise I invented today I found very fun and wanted to share with you. I felt it improved my accuracy, speed, balance and general technique so maybe somebody else will find it useful. At worst (if it’s really a useless exercise) I just had a bit of fun!
It’s very simple. Take a pair of socks, fold the one sock over twice, take the other sock and fold it around the first sock, then turning it inside out over the first sock. The result, however achieved, should be a tight ball of sock.
What I did was to stand in the fighting stance, with my punching fist ready at my side (can be a jab or a straight punch). Then I hold the sockball with my other open hand, toss it lightly into the air so that it goes above my head, and when it comes back down, about opposite my head I whack it with a punch! (this sounds crazy, I know).
The first few attempts I completely missed the sock, and then I noticed also technical problems that you guys should be aware of in this exercise.
1) Retract your punching hand as soon as possible, certainly before the sock hits anything.
2) Keep your balance.
3) Hit the sock with the correct part of your fist, and do not overextend your elbow while punching.You can make this exercise harder by adding a second followup punch to the air after your first punch, trying to execute AND retract that punch before the sock hits anything! You can also pounce after the sock as soon as it has landed (some of you here might want to grapple with the sock, but it can be tricky to get that armbar :D)
I also did the exercise with elbows (much harder) and it can be done with kicks but I think then you definitely need a friend to throw the sock for you. Even the punching exercise can be made interesting with a friend throwing the sock (clean socks, please!)
Other exercises I do include shadow boxing, practising combinations in front of the mirror, seeing how quickly I can lift up my leg to the chambered position and put it back down again, and finally seeing how quickly I can kick and get my leg back again without telegraphing (no big windups or anything). I also see how slowly I can do the kicks, maintaining perfect balance and form.
I also do stretches for my legs because I have terrible flexibility in my legs and I cannot side kick very high at all. My front kick is fine, I can kick over my head, but side kick past my waist hurts me in my groin area like crazy! I also cannot sit down on my knees and bring my body back over my feet. Dunno if that will improve with time…
Finally I tend to have a bit of a messy room, so when I move across it I see how quickly I can get across while maintaining proper fighting stance and not losing my balance! When moving chairs and stuff I keep my hips close to the chair and use my leg positioning to maneuver it about. I also am careful to keep my balance and have the correct leg positioning and good balance while opening doors, bending down to fetch something from a low shelf, etc. Yes, it gets kinda obsessive LOL.
So anyway, what do you all think of my exercises? And what exercises have you guys invented (or not invented but you think it’s useful).
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
I do a lot of foot work exercises, or going through KM defensive motions slowly. Also training my vision, by getting into an opposite fighting stance and looking at myself in the mirror, then slowly punching and kicking, so I can train my brain to see the punches coming. Or going over ground fighting moves, imagining the guy is in my guard, which moves to do from there and the like.
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GiantkillerRe: Exercises for cheap people!
Tried it once seems to be a good exercise. Will keep trying it though.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
I will have to give them a try. Always looking for cheap easy exercises.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
Sort of something like GK mentions here…I have been doing light shadow boxing in the shower with my eyes closed and concentrating on feeling where the water hits me as I move slowly to “feel” the form. Works pretty well because I can actually feel if I am out of form on punches..I wouldn’t recommend kicks due to the possibility of injury.
If you have a small dog they are great for working on ground defense(practice keeping them off you) or bear crawling after them and trying to knock them down. 10 times faster than we are and great for reaction. Plus my dog seems to absolutely love it. 🙂
Also, if you have a heavy chair or maybe a laundry basket on wheels you can strap a pillow to it and practice front kicks by pushing it around the room. My kids think I have gone insane but it works by providing some resistance, moves back, and then I can move forward and do other combatives if I want to on the pillow.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
You could always hang 2 tennis balls or… several in a line from the ceileing with some string.
Some drills could be moving (bobing and weaving without touching them to include footwork).
You could also practice strikes with them at varying heights and when you hit them you need to duck/bob/weave so that it doesn’t come back to hit you, retract your hand and hit it as it comes in.
They do that with limes in Human Weapon: Savat… I think.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
quote Nixxon:They do that with limes in Human Weapon: Savat… I think.Think that was the muay thai episode. They were training in some remote jungle location.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
Didn’t they pour the lime juice into their eyes?
Shadow boxing in the shower sounds interesting. I got to try it.
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GiantkillerRe: Exercises for cheap people!
quote Giant Killer:Didn’t they pour the lime juice into their eyes?Shadow boxing in the shower sounds interesting. I got to try it.
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GiantkillerI believe so. I’m probably not at that stage yet, might start off with a kiwi.
As for shadow boxing in the shower, I’m sure the environmentalists will take issue with unnecessary water consumption, National Safety council will probably remind us most accidents happen at home and that shower floors can be slippery, and finally… this thread is useless without some youtube vids for demonstration purposes. Come on you people with video cameras… we have a video section here just waiting for your krav shower scenes!
:jerry:Re: Exercises for cheap people!
When you become a true master of your art you begin to slowly add salt… then tequila… until you become “The Human Cocktail”….. coming soon to the cooking channel!
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
quote Nixxon:When you become a true master of your art you begin to slowly add salt… then tequila… until you become “The Human Cocktail”….. coming soon to the cooking channel!Mmmm.. pretty soon you will be the first walking, living, breathing Long Island Iced Tea. :beer:
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
Hazardous, I bartended for three years, and I can tell you, at least where I am…there are plenty of walking, living, breathing LIT’s by pure virtue of the fact that they’ve drank so many they should be classified as one.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
KravMDjeff lets not judge. I myself enjoy a fine fumagation every once and a while.
🙁
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
quote KravMDjeff:Hazardous, I bartended for three years, and I can tell you, at least where I am…there are plenty of walking, living, breathing LIT’s by pure virtue of the fact that they’ve drank so many they should be classified as one.Yeah one of my best friends growing up could easily be in that category as well unfortunately. He became a total azzbag when drinking.
Needless to say we don’t speak any more or more like I don’t speak to him any more.
Re: Exercises for cheap people!
Check out how UFC’s Brock Lesnar does it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTczMKtmvdQ
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