Street Fighter has a lot of different martial arts styles in it, but there is one fighter is particular who is definitely based on a real-life person. Fei Long is based on real-life martial artist, author, and action star Bruce Lee. So, I'm going to post a few workouts for Fei Long based on some of the training Bruce Lee is credited with doing during his life. Even though this workout doesn't seem like a lot, you have to remember that Bruce also practiced martial arts each day, regardless of his strength or cardiovascular training. At the end of the Fei Long series, I will also post a couple of bolt-on martial arts workouts to be added to the end of whatever workout you are doing for that day.
Fei Long's Weight Training
Clean and Press- 2 Sets of 8 Reps
Barbell Squat- 2 Sets of 12 Reps
Barbell Pullovers- 2 Sets of 8 Reps
Bench Press- 2 Sets of 6 Reps
Good Mornings- 2 Sets of 8 Reps
Barbell Curls- 2 Sets of 8 Reps
Notes:
Clean and Press:
Barbell Squats:
Barbell Pullovers:
Bench Press:
Good Mornings:
Barbell Curls:
For rest periods, you should rest no more than 2 minutes between each set of each exercise.
That's all for today, guys! Until next time, good luck and train hard!
So, thanks to some of our readers, I have had to start moderating our comments. I didn't want to do that, but since we do actually have younger readers, I'd rather keep inappropriate content unassociated with the blog.
In other news, anyone who doesn't know who Jon Jones is should totally go look him up right now. This guy is an anime character incarnate. He operates, quite literally, on a freakin' Grappler Baki level in terms of skill and physical ability. I am so looking forward to seeing what he becomes in his reign as Champion. I highly doubt he will be dethroned any time soon.
This is a pretty cool manga. There is not a lot of training in it, but there are a few workouts I can pull from it. A couple of you guys have actually suggested this manga to be reviewed here, so who am I to disappoint? The story follows Kohinata Minoru, a student at Reinan University (a school where academics take a back seat to sports and physical clubs). After getting kicked out of the gymnastics club, he finds a place at the University's Second Karate Club. Overall, there's some good fighting and decent humor in the manga, so it's definitely worth a read.
Karate Shoukoushi Kohinata Minoru- Basic Karate Training
There are a bunch of things that could've been included in this workout, but weren't because it's supposed to be for someone who has never practice Karate before, but is kind of used to physical activity, much like Minoru.
Back arches are essentially like a sit-up, just lying on your stomach and arching your back, instead of lying on your back and rolling up into the sit-up position. It is a good exercise for your back, especially if you've never done any back exercises.
For the Karate Sparring, I recommend that you wear a mouthpiece and a cup. Remember, no strikes to the face with your fists. However, if we are using the style of Karate in this manga, strikes with fists to the face are fine, as are elbow strikes... but just start with a Kyokushin style of sparring first and then maybe you can build up to something a little more rough.
That's all for today. Until next time, good luck and train hard!
If you haven't already done so, please help with the disaster relief efforts for the country of Japan. Donate to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, or any other relief effort going out to help the Japanese public!
Ippo defeated Sendo for a second time to become the Japanese Featherweight Champion. However, that is not the end of the journey. At this point, Ippo has a target on his back and every Featherweight in the country has his sights set on him. There isn't really anything new shown for Ippo's training during this time, so this will kind of just be a modification of the last workout. Ippo did a little bit more running and bag work on screen, so that has been adjusted for.
Ippo's First Two Title Defenses
Morning
3 Mile Run, 7 Sprints Throughout (Shadowbox 15 seconds at the end of each sprint)
3 x 3 Minutes Heavy Bagwork (Focus on Full-Power Punching)
4-6 Hours Later
-OPTION 1
20 Push-ups
20 Sit-ups
20 Squats
--10 Rounds OR
-OPTION 2
MAX One Arm Push-ups (Each Side)
MAX Decline Sit-ups
MAX Jumping Hindu Squats
--5 Rounds, then
3 Mile Run, (Sets of 3 Minutes of Running, Followed by All-Out Sprint, repeated throughout the course)
3 x 3 Minutes Heavy Bagwork
3 x 3 Minutes Mitt Work
3 x 3 Minutes Heavy Bagwork
3 x 3 Sparring or Sledgehammer to Tire
Neck Bridging- 3 Minutes
Headstand Work- 3 Minutes
1 Mile Run, as fast as possible
Notes:
If you are going to attempt this training (or any of the other upper-level Ippo workouts... or other upper-level Real Anime Training workouts, for that matter!), please have a well-built foundation of the lower-level workouts. If your fitness is not adequate, not only will you not get as much out of the workout, but you may actually end up injuring yourself.
If you don't have someone to time you on the run, it may be in your best interest to have some kind of stopwatch or timer to determine when it's been three minutes. Alternatively, I suppose this run could be completed on a treadmill.
That's all for today. I'm glad to be getting back into some Ippo, although I would certainly appreciate just a tad bit more variety in it. It is coming, we just need to get a little further into the series.
#17: Cinnabar Palm- This training is a "soft" gong fu, with a rather simple training method. All that is required, at least initially, is a tub filled with very fine sand. You must immerse your hands within the sand and rub your hands together underneath the sand until exhausted. This training should be completed in this manner every day until, eventually, the author states, you should be able to move the sand by rubbing your hands together above the sand at a distance of about 12 inches.
After achieving this level of skill, it is necessary to replace the sand with iron or steel shot and, I imagine (because it is never explicitly stated), you return to immersing your hands in the steel shot. After you are able to move the shot from a distance in a similar fashion to the sand, you apparently should replace the steel shot with iron or steel balls weighing approximately a quarter of a pound a piece. When you are able to move these balls without touching them, the author says that killing a man without touching him is possible. However, mastery can take as long as 15 years! This one is a little far-fetched in my opinion, but I have never trained anything with such intensity for the length of time it apparently takes to master this skill.
#18: Exercise Lying Tiger- I've heard this exercise called "Tiger Push-ups" and starts in a push-up position, with the palms flat on the ground underneath the shoulders and the with the toes flat on the ground. To begin, move your body forward and upward, your back arching. Then, pushing back on your hands, return to the starting position. Rather than go on and on about it and still have you not understand. I will post of video of the exercise.
The progression of training after about a year is to replace palms with fists. After some time, fists are replaced with the thumb and middle and forefingers. Then, having only one foot in contact with the ground, using your toes to support you, alternating which foot every so often. Eventually, you will do the exercise with a weight of up to about 100 lbs on your back. The form of the exercise will change, unless of course you use a weighted vest of some sort.
#19: Swimming and Diving Skill- This is essentially knowing how to swim, however it is not exactly like a crawl or butterfly or anything. It is apparently a group of specific kinds of swimming skills. The first one is pretty much the Dog Paddle, the second is very much like how Link swims in "Twilight Princess," the third involves sitting at the bottom of the pool in a horse stance, learning how to keep yourself vertical while under the water, then walking on the bottom of the pool before (finally) learning how to "walk" amidst the water as if you are on land, with your head and shoulders above water.
Truthfully, the author doesn't really express a detailed knowledge of these skills, himself. So, my advice is to learn how to swim in as many ways as your can, on top of the water and fully submerged. Get used to moving in the water as if you were going to have to fight under the water. Become very comfortable in the water and have no fear of it. The author himself says, "one has to oneself and everything will be all right."
Example of Link swimming in "Twilight Princess"
Well, that's all for today. I hope you guys are enjoying the 72 Arts of Shaolin! Let me know if you guys are doing any of these and which ones. I would also be happy if you would record your successes and report in!
This isn't necessarily about the motivation to train or to get stronger, although it can be applied to it, without a doubt. It's obvious what motivation is: it's what keeps us going. Why we continue to do something over a long period of time. However, motivation can come and go. You don't always feel like training, for one reason or another. It's not always fun to workout or to do things we may have to do to achieve our goals, but, if we don't do those things, nothing gets accomplished.
Sure, I try to keep things fun. I change it up with new training ideas and cool new anime workouts or sparring sessions, but, even then... sometimes, you just aren't feeling it. There are some ways that you can stay motivated, though.
Keep it fresh!- Don't always do the exact same thing. Things can get boring in a hurry and to avoid that, it's always best to throw in some variety.
Goals- Set both short-term and long-term goals. You'll be surprised at how much faster the long term goal seems to get achieved, when you are continuously achieving smaller ones.
Remember why you're training- If it's to look good, post a picture of what you'd like to look like in a place where you can see it a lot. If you want to be stronger, remind yourself why you want to be strong on a daily basis. It's a great way to motivate yourself.
Just do it- Sometimes you don't want to train. Sometimes you aren't motivated. To those times, I say-- just train anyway! Seriously, if you don't want to train, just go ahead and get ready to do it and just do it! You'll thank yourself later.
Sometimes life is going to get in the way of your training. It will stifle your motivation and drive you into stagnation. During these times, motivation is more about choosing to persevere, rather than a feeling. Many times, feelings will follow action. Let me tell you, my recent personal experience is certainly reflective of this sentiment.
I'll try to post a lot more things for you guys this week. A lot of crap has been going on, but I'm not going to let it get in the way of posting. Thanks for your patience, guys. You guys are amazing!
