Mutou's Basic Training (KSKM)

Mutou's Karate training was built on a combination of basic technique and kata practice, as well as a high volume of sparring. I'm fairly certain, with the musculature that he possesses, that he also performed regular strength training. The main idea behind Mutou is that he has burned Karate into his soul and that means endless practicing of the basics, kata, and kumite. His bulging muscles came with time, gradually adding to his training, but the main bulk of his training should have been his Karate.

1. 25 Pull-ups
2. 50 Knuckle Push-ups
3. 100 Sit-ups
4. 150 Squats
5. Kihon- 10 Techniques at 100 Reps each side (Using makiwara, heavy bag, or in the air)
6. Kata- 100 Times 
7. Kumite- 10 x 2 Minute Rounds
8. Run 10k (6.2 miles)
9. Pick One Technique: 1000 Reps each side

Notes:

• If you need help with the exercises, you can do negative, jumping, or assisted pull-ups; you may do knee push-ups or not use your knuckles for all of them; you can start with crunches; and you can do half squats to start. You can break them into as many sets and reps as you need to in order to complete the reps or you can just cut the reps entirely. Make it work for you. 
• Pull-ups can be any grip. When you are able to do all 25 in a row, you can add weight or try to do pull-ups to your sternum instead of just under your chin. 
• For the sit-ups, you can use a decline bench or weight to make them more difficult. 
• For the squats, you can add weight to make them more difficult once you reach the 150 rep mark.
• Kihon is "basic training." You just pick individual techniques and hammer them out. 
• If you don't know any kata, you can find any number of kata online. Kyokushin, Shotokan, Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu, or whatever style of Karate you like. Find a kata or two and practice the hell out of them.
• If you don't have a sparring partner, you may do bag work or shadowboxing. If you are sparring, try to use gloves, a mouthpiece, and headgear if you are striking to the face. Otherwise, you can go bare knuckle if you feel like you can handle it. 
• After the rest of the training, running the 10k is probably going to be more an exercise in endurance instead of how fast you can actually run it. 
• After all is said and done, maybe even a few hours later, you can pick a single technique and do 1,000 reps of it on each side. If you've never done 1,000 reps of a technique, let me tell you, it becomes very meditative and you begin to understand how you can throw the move more efficiently as you begin to tire. 
• You can always scale back any of these workouts as far as the number of reps or weights or anything.  Make things easier, so that you can do them and then you can eventually do the full version. 

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

Tenjo Tenge

Punching hanging iron pans

Running 20km in 1 hour 10 minutes

Standing on a sword for balance

Shinogi Kureha: The Ultimate Athlete (Grappler Baki)

This workout takes all of Kureha's attributes and throws them into a single training session. Strength, speed, endurance, flexibility-- the whole package. It is very hard, but can be scaled down. I will put the scaled version of each of the exercises in the notes.

Shinogi Kureha: The Ultimate Athlete

3 Minute Iron Cross

Then,

1. 20 Ring Pull-ups
2. 20 Ring Dips
3. 20 Handstand Push-ups
4. 20 Widowmaker Squats
5. 20 Wall Walks
6. 400 Meter Run (Meters= 400 x Round #)

--AMRAP

Notes:

• If you cannot do an Iron Cross, which is very difficult, you may start by holding yourself up on the rings for as long as possible. Eventually, you may begin to move your arms further and further out, until you are able to hold both arms completely straight out on each side of your body. 
• During the Rounds, if you fail during any of the exercises, you may not advance to the next round. Go ahead and complete whatever round you are on with full reps, but stop after the run on that round. 
• If you cannot do Ring Pull-ups or don't have rings, you can do normal pull-up or assisted pull-ups with a band or assisted pull-up machine.
• If you cannot do Ring Dips or don't have rings, you can do dips at a dip station, in between two chairs or something similar. 
• Widowmaker Squats are squats where you use a weight you would normally do 12 repetitions with and you push yourself to get 20 reps. It's going to be difficult, but you will have to rest at the top position and push through. 
• Wall Walks begin with you facing away from a wall and bending back, while walking your hands down the wall until your hands are on the ground and you are in a gymnastic bridge. You then walk your hands up the wall in the same fashion. That's one rep. 
• For the run, depending on what round you're on, it may be 400 Meters or more. The first round is 400 Meters, the second is 800, the third is 1200, the fourth is 1600 and so on and so forth. It's doubtful that you would be able to get more than two or so rounds into the workout, due to the possibility of failing on the other exercises.

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

Yamcha's Weight Training

While waiting for the Androids to appear, Yamcha shows us some training that might not be super effective for a Dragon Ball character, but is actually effective for us. It is especially effective if you are just looking to begin your fitness training. Yamcha is shown using a selectorized weight machine, but he ends up destroying it, because he is too strong. However, in the spirit of the attempt, this workout is based on weight lifting machines.

But it can still work for you!
(To be fair, not much works for Yamcha.)

Yamcha's Weight Training

1. Leg Press- 3 x 15 Reps
2. Chest Press- 3 x 15 Reps
3. Leg Extension- 3 x 15 Reps
4. Lat Pulldown- 3 x 15 Reps
5. Leg Curl- 3 x 15 Reps
6. Shoulder Press- 3 x 15 Reps
7. Leg Abduction- 3 x 15 Reps
8. Side Lateral Raises- 3 x 15 Reps
9. Leg Adduction- 3 x 15 Reps
10. Seated Row- 3 x 15 Reps
11. Machine Chest Fly- 3 x 15 Reps
12. Machine Rear Delt Fly- 3 x 15 Reps
13. Seated Machine Dips- 3 x 15 Reps
14. Machine Biceps Curl- 3 x 15 Reps
15. Triceps Extension- 3 x 15 Reps
16. Machine Ab Crunch- 3 x 15 Reps
17. Machine Back Extension- 3 x 15 Reps

Notes: 

• This is a lot of volume, so if you aren't used to this much volume, do only one set of each exercise and gradually build up to 3 sets. It should be two or three weeks before you add a set and two or three more before you add the third. 
• The 15th rep should be the last possible rep you can get. If you are doing more, the weight is too light. If you can't get 15, it's too heavy. 
• When you are able to lift a weight more than 15 times, it is time to increase the weight on the next workout. The same protocol exists when you are doing multiple sets as well. If you lift 45 pounds 16 times in your first set, in your second set, you can attempt 50 and see where that gets you. 
• On many of these exercises, you also have the option of doing single limb versions, in order to make sure that your dominant limb is not doing more of the work than your non-dominant leg. 
• You may use machines that utilize a set path for the exercise or cables for more freedom. It's entirely up to you. If you do not have access to a particular machine, you may just omit it from the workout. 

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

CrossFit Riverchase's "3333 Memorial WOD"

This past weekend, I competed in this event with a bunch of other CrossFitters. It was brutal, to say the least. It was fun to be able to push myself and see everyone else do the same. I ended up competing in this event on a week's notice, but I ended up in 9th place with a final time of 1:41:36, so that's not too bad.  Over an hour and a half of pain. Take a look at the workout and give it a try, if you like. If you need to see any of the exercises, here's a video of the movement standards.

Have fun with it and... and try not to die!

Sonic the Hedgehog's Workout

We had a request for a "Sonic" workout, so I took a look at all of the different video games and came up with this workout based on everything you Sonic is required to do to complete levels and advance in the game.

If you were as fast as Sonic, you could have your own video game, too.

Sonic the Hedgehog's Workout

1. 10 Second Sprint
2. 3 High Jump Squats
3. 10 Second Sprint
4. 3 Long Jump Squats
5. 10 Second Sprint
6. 3 Forward Rolls
7. 10 Second Sprint
8. 3 Box "Up and Overs"
9. 30 Second Sprint
10. 3 Box "Up and Overs"
11. 10 Second Sprint
12. 3 Forward Rolls
13. 10 Second Sprint
14. 3 Long Jump Squats
15. 10 Second Sprint
16. 3 High Jump Squats
17. 10 Second Sprint
18. 10 Trampoline Jumps
19. 10 Second Sprint
20. 10 Second Ring Dip L-Sit
21. 10 Ring Push-ups
22. 10 Ring Dips
23. 10 Ring Rows
24. 10 Ring Pull-ups
25. Rest 1 Minute

--7 Rounds

Notes:

• The short sprints are going to build your ability to accelerate and reach your maximum speed more quickly, while the different jump squats will build explosiveness in your legs and everything combined will tax your cardio. 
• The forward rolls should be done from shoulder to hip and you should alternate sides. 
• For Box "Up and Overs" you will hop up onto a box, like a box jump and then hop off the other side. As soon as you land, you will hop over another box that is placed near the first one. Jump up on the box, hop off the other side, jump completely over the second box. That's 1 rep. 
• If you do not have a trampoline, you can just attempt to jump as high as you can 10 times instead. 
• Ring Dip L-Sits are holding your feet out in front of you at the top of the Dip position on the rings. If you do not have rings, you can use parallel bars or boxes to get into position. You do not actually dip at all during this time.
• For Ring Push-ups, you lower the rings close to the ground and get into a push-up position, with your hands on the rings. Then, paying attention to your balance, you perform push-ups on the rings. 
• Ring Dip are just like dips on a dip station or parallel bars, but having your hands in the rings instead. 
• For Ring Rows, you will be underneath the rings and, while keeping your body straight, you will pull your body up to the rings. Your body should be as close to parallel with the ground as possible. 
• Ring Pull-ups are just pull-ups on the rings instead of a bar. 
• This workout calls for 7 rounds, but if you are not capable of completing that many rounds, do as many as you can. 

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