Ninjutsu Training Tip: Conditioning!
Here is a brand new Ninjutsu Training tip for you to digest and it is what separates martial artists from sports competitors, and it lies at the heart of ninjutsu training. That is Physical Conditioning will help you succeed in a combative, stressful environment.
Now it is well known that the best training for an event is the event itself. Example: try and run a marathon if you have never trained for a marathon and then ran a practice event to get you ready for the physical trauma that your body will endure. The same analogy exists in your ninjutsu training, you have to be a part of the event to gain the physical conditioning to participate in the event.
For example: when is the last time you climbed a rope? You think hitting the makiwara is preparing you to climb a rope? “Wrong Answer!” Climbing a rope, pull ups, overhead presses, leg exercises and of course rope climbing will prepare you for rope climbing. But not only that it will condition you for grappling not give you tactics to grapple but condition your grip and upper body to pull and lift both physical attributes a good grappler needs. So what about long distance endurance? Running, leaping, carrying a weighted pack over distances, etc all of these physical skills quickly translate out into various aspects of our fighting art. So now go back to your training now review what you do, weights, running etc. and let’s add a few twists to your routine: add running with weights, or run a fartlek, rope climb, hang for time, work on your balance skills etc. When you return to the dojo, watch how your skills translate and how you can begin to handle stressful situations in a much easier fashion.
More Ninja Warrior Conditioning articles and videos coming soon!
Bufu Ikkan