Kiichi's Growth Workout (Koko Tekken-den TOUGH)

This workout is a collection of the training the Kiichi did in preparation for several fights from the beginning of Koko Tekken-den TOUGH, as well as some insight based on what Kiichi is capable of. The training is unique in some fashions, but also rather simple. Fitting for the heir of the Nadashinkage.

Kiichi's Growth Workout (Koko Tekken-den TOUGH)

1. Underwater Punching- 5 Rounds to Failure 
2. Sprinting and Dodging- 10 x 20 Yards
3. Run 1 Mile with Heavy Bag on Shoulders
4. Kicking and Punching Tires- 3 x 3 Minute Rounds
5. Continuous Grappling- 20 Submissions

Notes:

• There's not much here, but there really doesn't need to be. The underwater punching is going to build lung capacity and stamina.  Sprinting and dodging is obviously speed and agility. The run with the heavy bag is going to build strength and stamina. The tires will help with toughness and power. The continuous grappling will push your skills and finish up your stamina. 
• Each of these things can be pushed to become more and more difficult. 
• For underwater punching, you will need a swimming pool; weighted sandals, shoes, or a weighted belt; and you'll need a rope to help pull yourself out of the water and a spotter so you don't drown. You'll be completely submerged for the round and so you will be holding your breath for the entire time you are throwing punches. Kiichi was hitting a punching bag under the water, but it would be difficult to submerge a bag and the equipment for it. After a time, you'll be able to stay under longer and longer. Rest for 1 minute in between rounds. 
• Sprinting and dodging is going to be slightly different than in the manga.  Instead of using metal pipes attached to rope (because cause that is absolutely insane!), you can put tennis balls on the ends of rope (you can add more as you need) and work your way on sprinting and slipping through them. 
• You can start with a 50lb heavy bag (or if you need to go lighter, you can use a sand bag), then move up to a 70lb, and maybe a 100lb. However, stick with the 50lb for a long time, because running a mile with a 50lb heavy bag across your shoulders is pretty freakin' ridiculous. 
• You can stack tires on top of one another (preferably with tougher edges, but you can always word up to that) and maybe bolt them together so they don't move and then you can perhaps bury it, two or three tires deep in order to keep it from moving. Be easy at first and then work up to hitting it harder. Punch, kick, knee and elbow. Focus on kicking it with your shins to build up the toughness of them. 
• Continuous grappling means no breaks at all until somebody gets 20 submissions.  After each submission, reset, and immediately begin again. 

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

Naruto's Early Training

For the record, this workout is NOT in the anime or the manga, per se. However, it is on the front page of Chapter 10 of the manga. The workout is hanging on the wall, behind Naruto's right shoulder. It's simple, straightforward, but still hard. I'm going to start looking a little harder for workouts in Naruto, but that's going to be rough considering a lot of the training has to do with Chakra and learning Ninja Techniques. Hopefully, though, we can get some more good stuff out of one of the most popular manga/anime in the world.

Naruto's Early Training

1. Run 10 Kilometers (Approx. 6 Miles)
2. 100 Push-ups
3. 100 Sit-ups
4. 100 Pull-ups
5. 30 Minutes "Ninjutsu Training"
6. 100 Punches to Kakashi Doll, i.e.- Heavy Bag

Notes:

• In general, we're going to use "Time" as a function, so try to do the run, push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups as fast as possible, while keeping good form.
• Your "Ninjutsu Training" can be whatever kind of martial arts training you want. You may do forms/kata, shadowbox, hit focus mitts, practice Iron Palm skills, or whatever. The point is that you are training some sort of skill or ability relevant to combat. Heck, you could even blindfold yourself and walk through your house, if you think that ability would be useful. I'm leaving this one up to you guys-- build your own skill set!
• The punches to the heavy bag can be from whatever stance you want, using whatever style of punch you want, but do no more than 100 total punches.  I would also recommend bag gloves, so you don't tear the skin off your knuckles.

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

Of Manga Reads and Movie Reviews

Started reading a couple of really cool manga:

• Veritas- It's like an old martial arts movie with super powers. (Really recommend.)
• The Breaker- Haven't gotten very far, but it shows some promise. (I'll let you know later.)

Also, I watched the live action version of Shamo. I was really excited about checking this movie out, because the manga is so badass. I've got mixed feelings about the movie, though. I feel like they tried to do too much in too short a time (which appears to be par for the course in the live action adaptations for manga that I've seen) and, in doing so, had to completely eliminate some characters or collapse the roles of those missing characters into existing characters. Unfortunately, when they combined the characters in this way, they really changed the core "feel" of some of the characters. Truthfully, the movie should have been twice as long to cover the material needed to not feel so rushed, especially toward the end. Once they got to the middle of the film, watching the movie was like looking at nearby stuff out the window of a car going 120 miles an hour.

I should have another post up for you guys sometime later in the day. Till then!