Natsu's Combat Workout (Fairy Tail)

This workout is designed with the specific techniques that we see Natsu perform during the course of the series. Only the ones that have potential real-life analogs were included (for obvious reasons).

Natsu's Combat Workout 

1. Fire Dragon's Claw- 100 Roundhouse Kicks to Heavy Bag (each side)
2. Fire Dragon's Iron Fist- 100 Straight Punches to Heavy Bag (each side)
3. Fire Dragon's Wing Attack- 50 Throws of Heavy Bag from Bear Hug/Underhook 
4. Fire Dragon's Sword Horn- 20 Headbutts (top of head) to Heavy Bag
5. Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist- 30 Sec On/30 Sec Off All-Out Punching to Heavy Bag (until tired)
6. Free Fight Training- 3 x 5 Minutes of Shadowboxing/Heavy Bag/Mitt Work/Sparring (pick any)

Notes:

• Make sure you keep good form for this workout. The main point of the first part of the workout is just perfecting technique and building strength. You should set up each strike and make sure your form is perfect and then hit the bag with full force. You can build cardio and your rhythm and everything else during the last part.
• You may land kicks with your foot or shin, your choice.
• Your straight punches can be boxing-style, karate-style, or whatever style of martial arts you practice.
• Try to throw the heavy bag over your head if you can. If that is not possible, try to throw it behind you over your shoulder or around your body.
• On the headbutts, try to start light and build up to being able to hit hard. You don't want to injure your neck or your brain by slamming your skull into the bag super hard right off the bat.
• The 30 sec all-out/30 sec off just means you will hit the bag as hard and fast as possible for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds. You will repeat this until you are unable to continue another round.

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

Natsu Trains for Erza (Fairy Tail)

After challenging Erza to a fight, Natsu is shown doing a training session in Lucy's apartment. He's doing a series of calisthenics and appears to have a dumbbell, so this workout is based on that. It's fairly simple and, because of that, would likely be the kind of training that Natsu would do.
Natsu Trains for Erza

1. Dumbbell Curls- 10 x 25# (One arm at a time on all DB exercises)
2. Dumbbell OHP- 10 x 35#
3. Dumbbell Front Raise- 10 x 10#
4. Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise- 10 x 10#
5. 50 Sit-ups
6. 50 Push-ups

--5 Rounds

Notes:

• The Dumbbell exercises are all done one arm at a time. This will also work your core while you are lifting and allow you to get accustomed to real-world lifting. 
• For the DB curls, make sure that your elbow stays at your side the whole time and that you are completing the full Range of Motion for the exercise. That means a full hang at the bottom and curling until your arm doesn't bend any further at the elbow. 
• On the DB Overhead Press, start with the weight racked on your shoulder, palm turned in toward the center line of the body. Press the weight up, while keeping your elbow from winging out too far, and rotate the dumbbell so that your palm is facing the away from you at the top of the movement. Achieve full extension of the arm at the top of the movement and return to the start. 
• For a DB Front Raise, hold the DB in one hand, palm facing down with the weight resting against your leg. Lift the weight in front of your body with your arm almost completely straight (arm slightly bent) and your palm facing downward. Raise the weight until it reaches the height of your head and then return to start. 
• The DB Side Lateral Raise is very similar to the Front Raise, but the weight now begins against the side of your leg and travels up along the side of your body with your arm straight out. The palm of your hand is once again facing down and the weight will raise until it is level with the top of your head before returning to start. 
• Your shoulders, arms, and chest are going to take a beating on this workout, so if you have to do less than five rounds, that's perfectly fine. If you feel like the workout is getting too easy, you may either do more rounds or increase the weight of the DBs. 

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

Real Anime Training Demonstrations: The Muscle up

Rock Lee's "Springtime of Youth" Workout

This workout is an accumulation of several of the things seen in Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals.

Rock Lee's "Springtime of Youth" Workout

1. Forward/Backward Roll Practice- 10 Minutes
2. MAX Push-ups
3. Heavy Sandbag/Stone/Log Lifting- 10 Minutes
4. Sandbag/Ankle Weight Deadlifts to Side Lateral Raises- 5 Minutes
5. Gymnastic Bridge Walking- 5 Minutes
6. Slow Practice of techniques/forms/shadowboxing with wrist and ankle weights- 30 Minutes
7. Partner Carry- 5 Minutes
8. Dodging Practice- 10 Minutes
9. Wooden Dummy Practice- 10 Minutes
10. Sparring- 10 Minutes
11. Hill Sprints- 15 Minutes

Notes:

• When practicing your forward and backward rolls, try to roll from one shoulder to the opposite hip. You shouldn't roll directly along your spine. It's best to start practicing from one knee on the ground and then gradually move to standing. Eventually, when you get good enough, you can run and even jump while doing your rolls. It's also best to start on mats, because it takes a lot of practice to roll on harder surfaces. 
• Whatever you have for the lifts, be it a log, a sandbag, a bar, or a large stone, it should be relatively heavy. Pick it up as best you can, maintaining proper spinal alignment and get the weight as high as possible. The lighter the weight, the higher you should be able to lift it. I would recommend using a variety of objects of varied weights in order to train yourself for a lot of different situation. 
• Using whatever ankle weights you have, place them on the floor in front of you, bend down, and pick them up. When you bend down, keep your butt down, your head up, and your back straight, just like a normal deadlift. Your arms will stay straight down until you completely stand up. At this point, raise your arms out to the side until, with your palms down, until your hands are level with the top of your head. Reverse the movement until the weights are back on the floor. Repeat this until the time is up. 
• Walking in a gymnastic bridge is very difficult, so take frequent breaks. You can walk in any direction you like, but don't try to go too fast, at least not at first. 
• Practicing your techniques slowly while wearing the weights on your wrists and ankles will protect your joints and will build strength in those techniques. Make sure you really focus on the form of each of the movements, whatever style you practice. 
• The partner carry can be over your shoulders, a piggy-back ride, a bear hug in front, sitting on your shoulders, or held in your arms. Your choice. Pick up your partner and move. Rest when needed. 
• For dodging practice, you can have people throw tennis balls or dodgeballs at you. Try to maintain your fighting postures as much as you can, so that you could potentially counterstrike whenever possible. 
• If you don't have a wooden dummy (which is likely, because most people don't), you can use a heavy bag or a wooden post or even a tree. You can hit the hard parts of a post or tree with your forearms, the bottoms of your feet, and your palms; however, if you are going to hit with your fists at all, I'd recommend wrapping those places in some sort of padding, at least to begin with. Hand conditioning is a long and arduous process. 
• During sparring, you should wear gear. Gloves, mouthpiece, cup, headgear, shin guards: This is training-- don't hurt yourself.
• For the hill sprints, the steeper the hill the better. Sprint to the top and then walk back down. When you get to the bottom of the hill, take a few deep breaths and repeat. If you need to stop during this section, because you aren't in shape yet, that's fine, but do your best to push on. 
• If you need to rest in between any of these exercises, please do. 

Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Natsu Hates Transportation (Fairy Tail)

While Natsu is extremely tough and very brave, he lacks the ability to ride in any type of vehicle. If he so much as sets foot on a moving car, boat, ship, aircraft, or even walking vehicle, he is immediately incapacitated with severe motion sickness. Due to this, Natsu will often suggest things like swimming to an island instead of taking a boat or he will just run somewhere that he needs to go, avoiding transportation unless it is absolutely necessary. Because of this, it is very likely that Natsu can run and swim long distances with relative ease and that is the purpose of this workout.

Natsu Hates Transportation 

LEVEL ONE

1. Run 1 Mile
2. Swim 400 Meters
3. Run 800 Meters
4. Swim 200 Meters
5. Run 400 Meters
6. Swim 100 Meters

LEVEL TWO

1. Run 2 Miles
2. Swim 800 Meters
3. Run 1 Mile
4. Swim 400 Meters
5. Run 800 Meters
6. Swim 200 Meters

LEVEL THREE

1. Run 3.5 Miles
2. Swim 1200 Meters
3. Run 2 Miles
4. Swim 800 Meters
5. Run 1 Mile
6. Swim 400 Meters

LEVEL FOUR

1. Run 5 Miles
2. Swim 1600 Meters
3. Run 3.5 Miles
4. Swim 1200 Meters
5. Run 2 Miles
6. Swim 800 Meters

Notes:

• You may have some difficulty finding a place to run and swim, but you may do this with a pool or a pond/lake. This is simple, but hard, because you're having to switch between running a swimming multiple times. 
• Only move up to the next level of the workout if you are able to complete each of the running and swimming sets without stopping on three separate occasions. 
• Make sure that you stay hydrated and that you bring a carbohydrate source with you when you train. You should consume 30-60 carbs every hour are going to be training. That means, you may not need any at all during the first level of the workout, but you certainly will need a carb source after that. 
• If you are unable to complete a distance, that's perfectly fine. You can walk to finish it or just wait until the next workout. You cannot, however, advance to the next level until you complete it on three separate occasions, without having to stop to cover a listed distance. If you aren't used to long distance training, just do your best and stop when you feel like you need to. 

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

Shingeki no Kyojin: Cadets' Movement Workout

The Cadets in Shingeki no Kyojin are extremely mobile. They have to be. Movement is vital to their survival, because the Titans are not just going to stand still and let them attack. Dodging attacks, scaling walls, and running at break-neck speed are just some of the things required of a Cadet. This workout is set up to build the ability to switch between running, climbing, and jumping when necessary.

When you run out of gas, you're gonna have to run your butt off.
Get ready!!

Cadet's Movement Workout

Jog 1 Mile, then 5 to 10 Rounds of

1. 200 Meter Sprint
2. 10 Meter Climb
3. 10 Long Jump Squats

Finally, after the 5 to 10 Rounds

• Run 2 Miles

Notes:

• The first mile is just a jog, so keep it at a very easy, conversational pace. It's just an additional warm-up for the middle part of the workout. 
• Go for 80-90% of your top speed on the sprints. You don't want to go 100%, except maybe on the last round. 
• For the climb, you can use a rope, a rock wall, or a tree. Be safe, whatever you do. If you don't have but 10-12 feet to climb, you can do multiple ascents. 
• When you get done with the climb, immediately do 10 Long Jump Squats. You'll squat down deep then drive forward explosively with your hips as you come up, leaping forward. As you land, make sure you land in a squat and then immediately start the next rep. Try not to pause in between squats. Make sure that you stay on your heels during the squat, your knees stay in line with your toes, and that you are squatting with your hips and not your knees. 
• For the last 2 miles, put everything you have into it. Push, push, push. The Titans are chasing you. You've fought as much as you could. It's time to run. Get back to the wall as FAST AS YOU CAN!

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