Fist of the North Star: Other Workout

Sikorski's Prison Climb Workout (Grappler Baki)

The start of New Grappler Baki introduces us to some seriously dangerous convicts. They are immensely strong and kill without warning. All of them escape from Maximum Security Prisons and some of them even defy the Death Penalty. One inmate of particular interest is the Russian inmate, Sikorski, who possesses a finger strength and climbing ability that is likely unrivaled in the entire world. He used a single finger on each hand to scale the the nearly-smooth walls of a 100-Meter tall missile silo! This workout is going to focus on finger and arm strength and rock climbing ability.

Because in prison, what else are you gonna do besides try to escape?

Sikorski's Prison Climb Workout

LEVEL ONE:

1. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL TWO:

1. 25 Pull-ups 
2. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL THREE:

1. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
2. 25 Pull-ups 
3. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL FOUR:

1. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups 
2. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
3. 25 Pull-ups
4. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL FIVE:

1. 10 One Finger Pull-ups 
2. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
3. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
4. 25 Pull-ups
5. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL SIX:

1. 5 One Arm Pull-ups (each side)
2. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
3. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
4. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
5. 25 Pull-ups
6. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL SEVEN:

1. 5 One Arm Two Finger Pull-ups (each side)
2. 5 One Arm Pull-ups (each side)
3. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
4. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
5. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
6. 25 Pull-ups
7. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL EIGHT:

1. 5 One Arm One Finger Pull-ups (each side)
2. 5 One Arm Two Finger Pull-ups (each side)
3. 5 One Arm Pull-ups (each side)
4. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
5. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
6. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
7. 25 Pull-ups
8. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL NINE:

1. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups 
2. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
3. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
4. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
5. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
6. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
7. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
8. 25 Pull-ups
9. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL TEN:

1. 10 Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups 
2. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups
3. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
4. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
5. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
6. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
7. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
8. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
9. 25 Pull-ups
10. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL ELEVEN:

1. 10 One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
2. 10 Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
3. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups
4. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
5. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
6. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
7. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
8. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
9. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
10. 25 Pull-ups
11. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL TWELVE:

1. 5 One Arm Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
2. 10 One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
3. 10 Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
4. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups
5. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
6. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
7. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
8. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
9. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
10. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
11. 25 Pull-ups
12. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL THIRTEEN:

1. 5 One Arm-Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
2. 5 One Arm Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
3. 10 One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
4. 10 Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
5. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups
6. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
7. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
8. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
9. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
10. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
11. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
12. 25 Pull-ups
13. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL FOURTEEN:

1. 5 One Arm-One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
2. 5 One Arm-Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
3. 5 One Arm Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
4. 10 One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
5. 10 Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
6. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups
7. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
8. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
9. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
10. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
11. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
12. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
13. 25 Pull-ups
14. Rock Climb 100 Meters

LEVEL FIFTEEN:

1. 20 Minutes One Finger Rock Climbing Practice
2. 5 One Arm-One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
3. 5 One Arm-Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
4. 5 One Arm Fingertip Pull-ups (each side)
5. 10 One Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
6. 10 Two Finger-Fingertip Pull-ups
7. 10 Fingertip Pull-ups
8. 5 One-Arm One-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
9. 5 One-Arm Two-Finger Pull-ups (each side)
10. 5 One-Arm Pull-ups (each side)
11. 10 One Finger Pull-ups
12. 10 Two Finger Pull-ups
13. 10 Triangle Pull-ups 
14. 25 Pull-ups
15. Rock Climb 100 Meters

Notes:

• If you have to break the Rock Climb distance into pieces due to lack of a 100 Meter rock wall (which is likely), that's fine. Just make sure that you are able to complete the distance comfortably before you advance to the next level. Also be sure to use the appropriate gear and assistance in your training and, if possible, have an instructor handy. 
• You will need to be able to do all 25 pull-ups in a row before you advance to the Third Level of the workout. 
• Triangle Pull-ups start with a standard pull-up grip. You'll pull your body up along the line of one of your arms, then when your chin is over the bar you will move your body toward your other hand and then back down the line of your other arm. You are essentially tracing a triangle with your chin along both your arms and the bar. Alternate the direction you go, but count each triangle you make as 1 rep. 
• Two finger pull-ups will require you to use the index and middle finger of each hand to suspend yourself from the bar. It will be remarkably more difficult, because your palm and thumb will not be able to press against the bar. This is very important for increasing the strength of your fingers. 
• One finger pull-ups will require you to use just the middle finger of each hand to suspend yourself from the bar. You'll use the middle finger because it is the longest finger and will be very useful in climbing. 
• The One-Arm Pull-up is going to be difficult. You may have to start with doing negative reps, where you might jump up to the top of the movement and then fight the descent. Eventually, the strength for the movement will come on its own, with enough of this training. 
• The One-Arm Two Finger Pull-up is just what it sounds like. You will do a One-Arm Pull-up with just two fingers on one hand. At this point, the main issue will be if you have the finger strength to hand to movement, because you've already done the One-Arm Pull-up. 
• Same thing goes for the One-Arm One Finger.
• Fingertip pull-ups are best done on the frame of a door or a small ledge, but make sure that you are not far off the ground for safety's sake. 
• Two finger fingertip pull-ups are done using the index and middle fingers. 
• One finger fingertip pull-ups are done using the middle finger. 
• One-Arm Fingertip, One-Arm Two Finger, and One-Arm One Finger Pull-ups are a combination of everything you've done up to this point and they will be immensely difficult, so be patient and do what you can. Everything will come in time, as long as you've built the base with the previous exercises. 
• The One-Finger Rock Climbing is you purposely using only the middle finger of each hand to climb on a rock wall. Ideally, you wouldn't even use your feet, but you can build up to that over a long, long time. There is no given distance to travel, so just do as much as you can in the allotted time frame. 
• This will most likely take a long time to reach the highest levels, so be very patient. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Thor's Basic Training (Chiaki Yuma)

Chiaki Yuma, or Thor, is the Seventh Fist of Ragnarok and a user of Sumo. He's massive, powerful, and fights "for all the fat men of the world."

"This body is the perfect blend of muscle, fat, and sex appeal!"

Sumo wrestlers go through some intense training. They live in "stables" with only other sumo practitioners, waking at 4 or 5 AM to train for several hours. Then, they eat a huge meal at around 11 AM or noon and then take a two hour nap before waking up to eat again and then going back to sleep. It's safe to say that the life of a sumo is 100% about the art. The training that these men undergo is all about building the raw strength, balance, and flexibility (yes, flexibility) to push another equally large man outside a ring.


Thor's Basic Training
Sumo-Kenko-Taiso Practice (You can find most of the exercises listed below here in PDF format.)

1. Kishizume no Kata (Concentration Exercises)
2. Chirichouzu no Kata (Clapping and Rubbing the Palms)
3. Shiko no Kata (Stamping)
4. Sliding Practice
5. Shinkyaku no Kata (Leg Stretching)
6. Matawari (Extreme Leg Stretching)
7. Shikiri no Kata (Preparing to Wrestle)
8. Seme no Kata (Attacking Exercises)
9. Fusegi no Kata (Defensive Exercises)
10. Yotsu Mi no Kata (Belt-Grabbing Exercises)
11. Sori no Kata (Bending Backwards)
12. Kinsei no Kata (Balance Exercises)
13. Douyo Iri no Kata (Entering the Ring)
14. Teppo (Stepping and Hitting Exercise)- Wooden Post
15. Teppo- 75#+ Heavy Bag
16. Butsukari-geiko (Hitting Practice)
17. Practice Matches

Start at 5 Minutes for each exercise. After you comfortable with this volume of training, increase the time for each exercise to 10 Minutes. When you are comfortable with the volume of training, which may take a while, increase it to 15 Minutes per exercise.

Notes:

• Reference the link at the top of the workout for anything not listed here in the notes. The PDFs will have descriptions of the exercises as well as some basic illustrations.
• This is a pretty long workout, even at the beginning level, so go easy if you aren't in shape.
• Check the above link for Shiko, but here is a video.
• Sliding is a form of footwork useful in Sumo matches. Here is a video of it.
• Teppo is stepping with the same hand and same leg for hitting against a wooden post or a heavy bag. The post is the traditional way, but the heavy bag gives a different feel and allows you to practice against a moving target and work on your timing. Here's a video of an American doing Teppo.
• Here is a video of some training and practice matches.
• Butsukari-geiko is pretty much slamming your body into the body of your training partner. You'll get a little bit of a running start (most likely using sliding footwork to move) and hit your chest/stomach area together. Be careful not to bash your heads together.
• Be careful with hitting your head together on the practice matches as well. You'll need a ring and you win by either pushing your opponent out of the ring or putting them on the ground.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Maito Gai's Handstand Training

Maito Gai is one of the strongest Jounin in Konoha. He imposes strict training on himself at all times and, if he fails at something, he pays for it by undergoing additional training. When he lost at Rock-Paper-Scissors to Kakashi, he said that he would walk around the village 500 times on his hands, because the training may help him not fail next time, whenever another challenge arises.

You should see what he does when loses at poker. 

Sounds like a plan.

Maito Gai's Handstand Training

1. Phase 1: Walk 100 Meters on Hands in a 8 Hour Period
2. Phase 2: Walk 500 Meters on Hands in a 8 Hour Period
3. Phase 3: Walk 1,000 Meters on Hands in a 8 Hour Period
4. Phase 4: Walk 2,500 Meters on Hands in a 8 Hour Period
5. Phase 5: Walk 5,000 Meters on Hands in a 8 Hour Period

Notes:

• Walking on your hands is hard at first. You might not even be able to stay up long enough to move toward the beginning, so you'll just have to practice getting up into the handstand. You may need a mat or very soft grass to fall on during this time, so please be aware of that. 
• A football field or other flat, grassy area are generally good places to do handwalking.
• You may want to invest in some gloves if you are not interested in building callouses on your hands.
• Try to walk the distance in as few sets as possible, but if you are unable to walk on your hands for the entire length, that's okay. However, try to do the sets in distances no smaller than 10 Meters. If you can't cover 10 Meters without falling, you'll need to redo that section. 
• Do not advance to the next phase of the training until you can complete your current phase on three separate occasions, holding to the "at least 10 Meters without falling" protocol mentioned before. 
• The later workouts may take you a long time, so you will want to set aside the appropriate time for them.
• The final phase is actually the world record that was set in 2002, according to Guinness World Records, so good luck with that!
• After becoming very good at this kind of training, your shoulders, triceps, core, and balance will be on a completely different level from before. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

There you go, Lee.

Grappler Baki: Gaia's Basic Military Training

Gaia is a character with a split personality. His normal personality, Nomura, likes to kill, but he's not the strongest or the most skilled warrior. During combat, Nomura was captured and put in front of a firing squad. However, as fate would have it, he was rescued at the last second, but the rush of adrenaline and fear caused a split in his personality and all his hair fell out. As a result, whenever Nomura experiences an adrenaline rush, he switches to Gaia-- a warrior who controls the body's natural limit-breaker of adrenaline to push himself to whatever level of strength, speed, and awareness that the situation requires. His belief is that he does not need to put on the additional muscle mass in order to be stronger, because he can merely manipulate the level of adrenaline his body is putting out.

"Take your bulging biceps elsewhere, mister!"

Baki, however, shows him the error of his ways by stomping a mud hole in the hairless Gaia. Score one for training! Nomura, at some point, would have had to undergo military PT and, I imagine, probably still continued those exercises, since they don't really build much mass, but are good for developing basic strength and good muscular endurance, which is very important for a soldier. As such, this workout is based on general military PT.


Gaia's Basic Military Training, Workout A

1. 100 Jumping Jacks
2. 50 8-Count Bodybuilders
3. Run 3 Miles
4. Stretch- 10 Minutes

Then,

1. 5 Pull-ups
2. 10 Push-ups
3. 20 Sit-ups
4. 30 Squats
5. 40 Flutterkicks
6. 50 Mountain Climbers
7. 60 Second Plank

--5 to 10 Rounds, depending on fitness, then stretch 10 Minutes:


Gaia's Basic Military Training, Workout B

Pick one:

• Ruck Training: 25-70lbs, depending on level. 2-15 miles, depending on level. If you are just starting out, do 25lbs and 2 miles and increase either the weight OR the distance when you get stronger. If you can, you should do this in very hilly or mountainous terrain. You can increase either the distance or weight when you are able to finish the given course with the given weight at a 4 minute/mile pace. 
• Swim Training: Sets of 400 Meters, any stroke. Increase number of sets as your fitness allows. Rest 1 to 2 minutes in between sets. If you cannot swim 400 Meters without stopping, you can break it into however many sets you need to, but do not do more than 400 Meters in a workout if you cannot swim it in one go.
• Long Run Training: Run 5-20 miles at a slow, easy pace. You're going for the distance, not speed. If you're not sure if you can take it, pick 3 miles. If you're not sure you can take that, alternate jogging and walking for the distance. Obviously 20 miles is going to take a long time to get to, so increase your mileage gradually. 

Notes:

• 8-Count Bodybuilders are kind of like burpees, but a little different. 1) You squat down and put your hands on the ground next to your feet. 2) With your hands flat on the ground, shoot your feet out behind you to go into the top position of a push-up. 3) Jump your feet out into a Y position. 4) Jump your feet back together in the top of the push-up position. 5) Lower yourself into the bottom of the push-up position. 6) Push-up from the floor back to the top of the push-up position. 7) Jump your feet back in between your hands. 8) Explode from the bottom position into a jump, with hands overhead.  That's one rep. 8-Counts. Get it?
• Flutterkicks are done by lying on your back, with your hands underneath your hips and your feet about six inches off the ground. Then, you alternate your feet up and down from 6-12 inches off the ground. Up and down on each side is one rep.
• Mountain Climbers are done by placing both hands on the ground, with one foot leg bent underneath you, foot on the ground and the other leg straight behind you. Your butt is up in the air and you alternate the position of your feet. Moving each leg back and forward is one rep.
• Plank is done at either the top position of the push-up or on your forearms. Focus on keeping your abs tight and your body straight. Your butt with want to go either up or down from straight to make it easier, but focus on a straight line all the way down your spine and legs. 
• Make sure if you are going on a long ruck or a long run that you have drink water regularly, take in about 30g of carbohydrates every 30-45 minutes, and wear comfortable clothing and shoes. No matter what your level of fitness is, if you don't fuel and hydrate yourself or keep yourself comfortable, you'll end up failing a lot sooner and that's not what we're going for at all. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Hunter X Hunter:

Judo in Anime and Manga: Masahiko Kimura's Training

There aren't as many main characters in manga with judo backgrounds. There's Yawara (which is pretty awesome), but other than that, I've not come across too many judo manga. There are some judoka in Grappler Baki, Shamo, Holyland, and History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi; however, the judo players in these manga were secondary characters and are often taken out relatively early in whatever fight they are in. Poor Ukita in HSDK just gets the raw end of just about every deal he's involved in.

I mean, just look at the poor bastard.

I think this is unfair. Judo is badass.

Look at current UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey-- she's 11-0 in professional MMA and won a Bronze Medal in Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Judo is the precursor to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Helio Gracie, the founder of BJJ, was beaten by a judo player. However, to be fair, it took the one of the greatest fighters, if not the greatest fighter, in the world at that time: Masahiko Kimura, to accomplish that feat. This man was ridiculous. His philosophy was that if he put more effort into his training than his opponents, he would be victorious-- he did... and he was. Kimura will be the basis for this workout.

So, this workout is dedicated to all the judoka who've been overlooked. This is for you guys!

Masahiko Kimura's Training

1. 1,000 Push-ups or Hindu Push-ups
2. Bunny Hop- 1 km
3. Headstand- 3 x 3 Minutes
4. Judo Practice- 100 Throws 
5. One-Arm Barbell Lift and Press- 15 Reps each side OR Bench Press- 3 Sets: 3, 2, and 1 Reps
6. 200 Sit-ups off Partner's Back or Decline Sit-ups
7. 200 Squats with Partner/Log/Barbell/Sandbag (150-200lbs)
8. Judo Practice- 100 Submissions
9. 500 Shuto (Knife-hand Strikes)
10. Judo Practice- 100 Entries
11. Judo Randori- "X" x 3 Minute Rounds
12. Practice Throws (particularly Uchi-mata) Against a Tree- 1 Hour
13. Additional Judo Practice- 1 Hour

Notes:

• This is a day workout and can be broken up throughout the day as needed. 
• The 1,000 push-ups can be in any number of sets and reps. 
• Bunny Hopping a kilometer will be pretty rough, so rest as needed during it. 
• Do the headstand against a wall or with a partner. Also, you should use a mat or a large folded towel. If you can't do the full 3 minutes, you can rest and do it in sets, but try to do the full time. 
• Examples of Judo Throws: Animated, Video/Pictures, Animated, and Video. Needless to say, you'll need a partner for this. 
• The One-Arm Barbell Lift and Press can be a single-arm Clean and Press, a deadlift followed by a curl followed by a press, or it even be a snatch (I know there is not a press in the snatch, but whatever.) Here are some examples: 1, 2, and 3 (content warning on this one!). Start off light and really focus on the form here.
• The bench press is here so that you can occasionally focus on some heavier upper body lifting. 
• The sit-ups off a partner's back will require a partner (no crap!) to be on all fours. You will sit with your butt across their shoulders and your legs wrapped around their body. You will do sit-ups from this position, but obviously be careful, since you'll be laying back over your partner's head. Alternatively, and possibly better, you can just do decline sit-ups. 
• This is a lot of squats with a lot of weight. What I'm going to suggest is to pick whatever weight you are going to squat with and just squat it as many times as you can. You can do it in whatever sets and reps you need to, but the eventual goal is to be able to do a 150-200lb squat 200 times without stopping. (Mind you, I did say eventually.) To keep from getting bored, it might be fun to switch it up and occasionally use a partner or a barbell or a log or a sandbag. Each will offer their own challenges and tax your body in a different way. 
• In case you didn't know, judo is not just throws. It has submissions, too. Unfortunately, due to the rules in judo, you don't get to see them as much. However, if you think about it, BJJ is essentially just judo with a crap-ton of newaza (ground techniques) in it. Check out some newaza here and pay attention to shimewaza (chokes) and kansetsuwaza (joint locks). Here's also a video. You're just practicing the techniques here, so you're going to need a partner.
• Kimura was also known to practice some Karate, especially the shuto or knife hand strike. You can just do it in the air or against a target. It's 500 total strikes, so 250 on each side. 
• Entering means just practicing the footwork before a throw, like the spin for a hip throw or the leg set up for an Uchi-mata. For example, this video here.
• Judo Randori is essentially just sparring. You're going for a decisive throw, a 25 second pin, or a submission. Old school example and new school. Do it for as long as you like, but do it for at least 3 minutes. 
• Kimura would often go into the forest late at night and practice his throws against a tree, particularly his entering techniques for those throws. Particularly, he would practice Uchi-Mata. Knowing the throw was one thing, but getting into the position to use the move is absolutely essential. That's why there is an additional hour of practice for this. 
• The additional judo practice can be randori, technique practice, or practicing the entering for your throws. Whatever it is, just fill the time slot. 

Hope you guys enjoyed this one! You guys have been asking for a judo workout for a while now, so here it is! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Kimura is not impressed.