Ryouzanpaku Master Workout #6: Sakaki Shio, the 100-Dan Brawler

Sakaki Shio is a man who lives and breathes Karate. He has fought against many different people in real battles as a "hero for hire" on occasion and just in his own brawls. He solves his problems with his fists, which is why he is often call the "100-Dan Brawler."  The spirit of this workout is full-on traditional Karate training. And it will beat you into shape.

That's not the sun, kid. You're dying.

Start slowly. This is a Master workout. Combined with the Ryouzanpaku Master Workout #2: Sakaki, you'll soon find yourself in a state of Karate bliss... also known as exhaustion.


Ryouzanpaku Master Workout #6: Sakaki Shio, the 100-Dan Brawler

Skill Training

1. Kihon Practice- Choose 10 Techniques to Perform 10 Reps on Each Side
2. Kata- 1 Hour (Any Kata, slow or fast)
3. One Step Kumite- 4 x 2 Minute Rounds
4. Three Step Kumite- 4 x 2 Minute Rounds
5. Free Sparring- 3 x 2 Minute Rounds

Strength and Conditioning

1. Nigiri Game (Gripping Jars) Lifting- 50 Lifts
2. Any Karate Footwork w/Nigiri Game- 100 Meters
3. Chishi (Stone Club/ sub out for sledgehammer) Lifting- 50 Lifts
4. Ishi Sashi Lifting (or KB Lifts)- 50 Lifts
5. Weighted Kicks- 50 Total Kicks
6. Awkward Heavy Object Lift- 10 Lifts

Striking Post Practice (Choose 3)

1. 100+ Straight Punches
2. 100+ Back Fists 
3. 100+ Elbow/Forearm Strikes 
4. 100+ Shuto/Knifehand Strikes
5. 100+ Haito/Ridgehand Strikes
6. 100+ Palm Heel Strikes
7. 100+ Hammer Fist Strikes
8. 100+ Side Kicks
9. 100+ Round Kicks
10. 100+ Front Kicks
11. 100+ Back Kicks

Additional Skill Training (Choose 1 to Practice Until Finished)

1. Free Sparring
2. Kata
3. One Step Kumite
4. Three Step Kumite

Notes:

• This workout is designed to be done throughout the day, so you definitely do not need to do all the sections back to back, but keep the sections together at least. Do skill in the morning, strength and conditioning later in the day and striking post work in the evening for example.
• Kihon practice is just the practice of your basic techniques. You can do them stationary or while moving.
• If you don't know any Karate Kata, I suggest you look some up or attend a Karate class. Also, if you don't know any Kata, why are you doing this workout?!
• One Step and Three Step Kumite or Sparring is a set attack/defense pattern repeated over and over between two partners.
• For Free Sparring, if you are going full force, be sure to wear some sort of gear for your own safety. If you are wearing minimal gear, like in Kyokushin Karate, don't punch to the face. 
• If you don't have gripping jars, you can fill a protein container with water or sand and use that or you can grip one end of a hexagonal dumbbell. Start light and work your way up.
• Make sure you control all weights and move relatively slowly to save your joints.
• Any time it just says "Lifts" in the Strength and Conditioning section, it just means some sort of lift. With the jars,  you'll raise the jars into various positions that you would find your arms in during kata or sparring. For the stone club (you can sub it out for various weights of a sledgehammer), you'll hold it out in front of you while in a deep sumo stance and raise and lower it in various fashions, trying to keep your wrist straight. You can also use it to lever to the left or right or front and back to train the wrist further. Try to maintain a good horse stance or some other karate stance while doing the majority of these lifts. You need to train those legs!
• The jars will be held down at your waist during the footwork portion.
• Ishi sashi resemble Shaolin stone locks and kettlebells to such a degree that any of them will be acceptable. The weight should always be held so that the heaviest part is furthest away from the body as you lift it. Try to mimic your karate movements as you lift the weight. 
• Weighted kicks are done relatively slowly and can be any kicks you like. You can weighted sandals, heavy shoes, or ankle weights for this portion.
• The awkward heavy object lifting can be rocks, atlas stones, logs, pieces of a car or whatever you have. The point is that you should switch between objects each time you do the workout and try to raise each object as high as possible on each lift, even if that means only a few inches.
• When practicing with the striking post, start out very light on your techniques and only complete a maximum of 100 reps for each technique that you choose for that day. As you get better, you can add a little more force and 5 or 10 reps per technique. Maybe one day, you'll get up to 10,000 full force strikes to the post like Sakaki, but for now, start slow and build up over a very, very long time.
• At the end of the day, if you have anything left, use it to come back and focus all of your attention on your Karate practice in the form of various types of sparring. Go for as long as you want, but once you start to throw out sloppy techniques, it's time to call it a day.

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