Rock Lee Workout Add-On: Weighted Clothing

One more note about the Rock Lee workout. After you can complete the final level of the workout, you may want to increase the difficulty. In order to do so, you may add ankle weights during the jump rope, handwalk, and sprinting portions of the workout.

Start off with 2lb ankle weights. When you can finish the workout on three separate occasions, you can try 5lbs on each leg. Proceed in this manner (+2 and 1/2 pounds per leg) every three successes, until you are at 20 lbs per leg.

I just want to say: This WILL take a long, long time, but if you work hard, train diligently, and get adequate rest, a few years from now you may be at the super advanced level or even adding the ankle weights.

Good luck and train hard!

Naruto Training Manual- Part II

We're gonna jump around a little bit with the Naruto Training Manual. The topic for today: Rock Lee. Everybody knows that Rock Lee is a training fanatic. He can't do Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, so he's stuck with just his Taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat). Even though he's limited in this fashion, that didn't stop him from becoming one of the toughest young ninjas in Konoha.

We see more of Rock Lee's training than just about anybody in the anime, except for maybe Naruto. The workout below is tough, but not impossible, especially if you take it slowly and don't try to jump to the higher levels too early. Here we go!

Rock Lee's Conditioning

(Note: Do not go up to the next level workout until you are able to complete your current level's workout on three occasion without failing during any exercise.)

Beginner Level

1. 50 Push-ups

2. 50 Yard Handwalk

3. Jump Rope- 500 Times

4. 50 Straight Punches to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

5. 50 Roundhouse Kicks to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

6. 100 Squats

Pick One:

7. 5 x 50 Yard Sprints

8. 2 Sets of 90 Degree Sprints

Intermediate Level

1. 100 Push-ups

2. 100 Yard Handwalk

3. Jump Rope- 1000 Times

4. 100 Straight Punches to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

5. 100 Roundhouse Kicks to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

6. 200 Squats

Pick One:

7. 6 x 50 Yard Sprints

8. 3 Sets of 90 Degree Sprints

Advanced Level

1. 25 One Leg in Air Push-ups (Each Side) OR 150 Push-ups

2. 150 Yard Handwalk

3. Jump Rope- 1500 Times

4. 150 Straight Punches to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

5. 150 Roundhouse Kicks to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

6. 300 Squats

Pick One:

7. 8 x 50 Yard Sprints

8. 4 Sets of 90 Degree Sprints

Super Advanced Level

1. 25 One Arm Push-ups (Each Side) OR 250 Push-ups

2. 250 Yard Handwalk

3. Jump Rope- 2000 Times

4. 250 Straight Punches to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

5. 250 Roundhouse Kicks to Heavy Bag (Each Side)

6. 500 Squats

Pick One:

7. 10 x 50 Yard Sprints

8. 5 Sets of 90 Degree Sprints

Some Notes on the Workout:

• Straight Punches means you can do any straight punch: a seiken punch from a horse or forward stance, a 1-2 combination, a forefist, or even a Wing Chun straight punch. Whatever!
• Roundhouse kicks may be thrown from the lead or rear legs. If you want to do both, that's cool. If you want to do just one, that's fine, too. Just remember to do the left and the right sides.
• The Handwalk will probably be the exercise that keeps you on a certain level the longest. What you can do (and it wouldn't be considered cheating) is break up the longer distances into sets of 50 yards with a couple of minutes rest in between them. BUT, if you can pull off the 100, 150, or the 250 without your feet touching the ground, you have my applause.
• You should not stop at all during your jump rope sessions. There are times your foot may catch, but don't stop otherwise, or it doesn't count toward a success.
• One Leg in the Air Push-ups are just like they sound. Put one of your legs in the air and do a push-up. You'll find that you are pushing more with the arm opposite the leg. Thus, we end up with almost a supported one arm push-up. It's a good transition exercise and will help you bridge the gap between push-ups and one arm push-ups.
• One Arm Push-ups are tough for two reasons: 1) You are pushing your bodyweight with one less limb and 2) You are having to balance a lot more. To help with this, spread your legs slightly for the exercise. Not too much, because it gives you too much extra help. About shoulder width or just a tiny bit more is acceptable. If you can pull that off, try with your feet closer together. There's always so many ways to make exercises more difficult.
• When squatting, you may do a "conventional squat," where your feet are just about at shoulder width or a little wider or a "sumo squat," where your feet are pointed at about a 45 degree angle away from your body and are wider than a conventional squat. Remember to breathe in when going down and out when coming up. If your thighs do not at least go parallel with the ground, your squats don't count. You can hold your hands in front of you, behind your head, or cross them in front of your body. Just don't rest on your knees.
• After each set of sprints, walk the distance back to catch your breath for the next set.
• 90 Degree Sprints are best done on a baseball diamond. You are essentially "running the bases." We are using this as an option for the workout, because Rock Lee makes alot of quick turns when he is at top fighting speed. 1 Set of a 90 Degree Sprint is one lap around the diamond and back. Remember, this is a SPRINT-- not a run or a jog. Go all out the whole time. After each set, rest until your breathing returns to just about normal before beginning the next set.

I know there was a lot of "do this, but don't do that" in this workout, but I wanna make sure you guys are safe in your training. If you ever have any question about an exercise, feel free to ask in a comment, e-mail me at realanimetraining@gmail.com, or just look it up on the web.

Much like Ryo Narushima's Basic Training, this workout takes into accoung the loooong term, so please try not to get over-eager and jump ahead in the levels, because you might injure yourself. Rock Lee didn't know how to quit or rest, either and he ended up getting really hurt at one point, so take a lesson from the Green Beast of Konoha. Increase your workload gradually and make sure to get adequate rest, because the Lotus doesn't bloom twice in the real world.

Thanks guys! Until next time, have fun and train hard!

Hajime no Ippo- Part IV

Three Months to Counter

Ippo is training like a madman for his sparring rematch with Miyata. He only has three months to gain the skills necessary to match a fighter train since he was child. Kamogawa has a plan to deal with Miyata's counter: "Irritation Tactic." The plan is to move in circles around Miyata in order to eliminate the use of the counter entirely (because the counter uses the force of the opponent's power against him). Taking away your opponent's greatest weapon through your own movements or techniques is a very smart way to fight... but Ippo's not the smartest guy. More on this in a moment.

While buying boxing shoes (read: "getting swindled"), Ippo runs into Miyata, who helps him out a little by saving Ippo from buying the most expensive pair of shoes the store owner had, instead suggesting he buy a pair of shoes made for inboxers (at a much lower price, no less!). In return, Ippo offers Miyata a can of juice, which the other fighter reluctantly takes.

It is important to buy the proper equipment for training and competition. Do not just assume that because something is expensive that it is automatically the best. Read reviews, talk to people in your gym or dojo, and ask plenty of questions if you are buying from a local dealer. The quality and usefulness of your training and competition equipment can mean the difference between winning and losing, so just keep that in mind.

Ippo bombards Miyata with a torrent of questions about boxing, before settling on Miyata's father as a topic of conversation. Miyata's father was a very good technical boxer: fast and precise, but his jaw and spirit were shattered in an OPBF title match by a "lucky punch." Miyata promises that he is going to prove that his father's boxing is not wrong and Ippo makes his own decision...

In the next training session with Coach Kamogawa, Ippo tells the Coach that he wants to fight Miyata's counter head-on, which fits in with his love of fighting spirit and courage. You can almost see the joyous masochism in his eyes as he tells Ippo of the impending training schedule. Kamogawa tells Ippo he needs to increase his dashing speed in order to get close enough to Miyata to cut the power of his counter in half, by intercepting it before it is fully extended. The exercises' explanations are listed below the workout. Here's the workout:

(Please note: The exercises are not listed in the same order shown in the anime, but in an order best suited for training.)

Ippo Prepares for Miyata

• Push-ups- 25 Reps
• Sit-ups- 25 Reps
• Hindu Squats- 25 Reps

--3 Rounds, then

• Neck Bridging- 3 Minutes (Keep the clock running if you have to rest)
• Headstand- 15 Reps Side to Side, 15 Reps Front to Back (Use hands for support/balance)
• Roadwork with Sprints- 3 Miles with 5 Sets of Sprints throughout
• Hill Sprints- 5 Sets (The steeper the hill, the less distance required. Use own judgement.)
• Pulling Big Tires- 3 x 2 Minute Rounds (1 Minute Rest)
• Jump Rope- 3 x 3 Minute Rounds (1 Minute Rest)

Choose one of the following:

• Mitt Hitting- 3 x 3 Minute Rounds (1 Minute Rest)
• Bag Work- 3 x 3 Minute Rounds (1 Minute Rest)
• Shadowboxing- 3 x 3 Minute Rounds (1 Minute Rest)

Explanations:

• Push-ups and Sit-ups we've covered so far, but not Hindu Squats.
• The Hindu Squat (or baithak) is an exercise utilized by Indian Wrestler's for conditioning purposes. It has made it's way to Japan and is used by many athletes. The Hindu Squat is performed by placing your feet at just about shoulder width, toes facing forward. The bend is from the knees and, as you go down, your back should remain as straight as possible, you will come up onto your toes and, after going all the way down, exploding back up. This exercise is best done at a fairly quick pace. You may do it with your hands behind your head, but it is easier to get a rhythm down if you swing your arms during the movement. As you begin, your arms will be fully extended in front of you at shoulder height, but as you start to go down, pull your arms in like you are rowing, and allow them to pass beyond your body and going down as you go down, finally swinging down at the bottom and coming back up to the front at your starting position. Also, breath out as you go down and in as you come up. Make sure your breath is forceful. You should be able to find a video on Youtube if you need further explanation.
• Neck Bridging is a very useful exercise for the developing the strength in the neck, spinal erectors, glutes, and hamstrings. In the anime, it show Ippo doing the neck bridge on the top of his head. It has come to my attention that this is improper form and the bridge should actually be done on the forehead, with the nose touching the ground. This may look easy, but it is not. You will probably need your hands for support at the beginning and I bet you won't be able to hold it for more than 15 or 20 seconds with any considerable amount of your bodyweight on your neck. When you can go a full 3 minutes without rest, it's time to add weight. Please, no more than ten or so pounds at a time. You will not be starting with a guy sitting on your chest, but you may be able to hold two 5lb dumbbells up in each hand. Go easy, but rest assured, this is essential for amazing core strength.
• Headstands are great for neck strength, but please be careful. Use your hands for support and always use a wall for support, as well. You won't stay just straight up and down; instead, you will lean as far as you comfortably can to the left and right for the rep count listed and then front and back for the rep count. BE CAREFUL!
• Roadwork with Sprints- First off, start with an all-out sprint (after a quick warm-up and stretch, of course) to start out your run. Then, continue running. When you feel your breath returning to a steady pace (for running, that is), throw out another sprint. Do so, until you get to five. I recommend saving your final sprint for the last leg of your mileage.
• Hill Sprints- After you are sufficiently rested (say 15, 20 minutes-- during which you should stretch, and perhaps drink a small protein/recovery drink), find a hill and commence your sprints. Let's say 100 Meters is the base for a flat land sprint, if the hill has a low grade, do 75-100 Meters. Moderate grade, do 50-75 Meters. High grade, do 25-50 Meters. Use your own judgement. If you're feeling up for it, just pick as big a hill you can find and go at it. Rest in between sets the amount of time it takes for your breathing to return to about a normal rate.
• Pulling a Big Tire- Ok, it doesn't have to be a big tire. You can pull an SUV for all I care. The point is, you are going to use a rope, a harness, a chain, or whatever to drag a very heavy object. If you have big tires, use 'em. If you have a weight sled, good for you. If you are struggling to find big tires, use one normal tire, put some boards on the inside of it, preferrably bolted on, and load some weights on it. Hell, you can even pull logs. Just pull something heavy for the time and rounds listed in the workout.
• Jump Rope- Jumping or skipping rope is a very useful tool for developing rhythm, timing, footwork, and endurance. If you are beginner rope jumper, take the following into account: 1) Don't jump too high, you only need to clear the rope. 2) The jumps should be mainly from the lower portion of the legs, with a very slight bend in the knees, unless you are doing fancy footowork or something. 3) The jumps should be quick and on time with the rotation of the rope. 4) If you have never jumped rope before, try just jumping on one foot for awhile (alternate every now and then, or course). This will help keep you from "double jumping," which is jumping twice for every one revolution of the rope.
• We've covered shadowboxing and mittwork, but I just want to say one thing about heavy bag work. Remember to move around the bag as you hit. You should be imagining an opponent as you work the bag, so it's like you are blending shadowboxing into another exercise. You may also, however, just hit the bag as hard and as fast as you can for the time duration (still try to move, though), in order to build stamina.

Honestly, this is a KILLER workout, so I understand if you think you may not be up for it. If you feel a little overwhelmed, try just doing the workout up to the sprints a couple of times and then, when you're feeling a little more confident in your fitness, try the whole thing. However, this is not something you're going to do every day. Try to change up your training by jumping in between Anime Training workouts. Dragonball one day, Baki another, then Naruto, Ippo, DBZ, Ippo, you get the idea.

Thanks guys. Until next time, have fun and train hard!

Shamo- Part I: Ryo Narushima's Basic Training

Shamo

(Warning: Shamo contains a lot of blood, nudity, and sexual content. Please read the manga with that in mind.)

Shamo is about a 16 year old boy who goes to prison after killing both of his parents with a knife. I know what you're thinking: "What the hell does that have to with training!?" Yeah, that's what I said, too. Even so, Shamo is one of the coolest fighting manga I've come across. I'm not going to go into the story a lot, because a lot of it is drama not related to training or fighting, so I'll just skip to the good stuff. :D

While in prison, Ryo (the main character) attends a Karate class taught by an adult convict named Kurokawa. In this class, he learns the vital skills necessary to keep him alive in a place where everyone wants to kill the kid who stabbed his parents to death. The first skill he teaches Ryo is the Seiken.

To perform the Seiken close each of your fingers, starting with your pinky, placing the tip of the finger at it's own base. When all of the fingers are closed, squeeze the forefinger to tighten the fist. The punch is thrown from the waist, the hand rotating from palm up to palm down and ending by striking with the knuckles of the forefinger and middlefinger. The opposite hand comes back to your waist as the punch goes out.

Here is a list of the Karate techniques that Ryo is seen practicing:

• Middle Straight Punch (Chudan Seiken Zuki)
• Backfist (Riken)
• Knife-Hand Strike (Shuto)
• High Block (Seiken Jodan Uke)
• Inside to Outside Middle Block (Seiken Chudan Uchi Uke)
• Low Block (Gedan Burai Uke)
• Middle and Low Block (Seiken Uchi Uke Gedan Burai)
• Front Kick (Mae Geri)
• Side Blade Kick (Sokuto Geri)
• Roundhouse Kick (Mawashi Geri)
• Sideward Elbow (Yoko Enpi Uchi)

There are a fair amount of techniques listed here and if you are unfamiliar with them, Youtube has a lot of good videos to demonstrate the proper execution of these skills. You'll probably be better off putting in the Japanese name for the technique, rather than sifting through all the English-named techniques hoping it matches up with the original. The proper stance for practice will be covered in the videos you find.

Ryo Narushima's Basic Training: The Workout

1. Middle Straight Punch
2. Backfist
3. Shuto
4. High Block
5. Middle Block
6. Low Block
7. Middle and Low Block
8. Front Kick
9. Side Blade Kick
10. Roundhouse Kick
11. Sideward Elbow
12. Fingertip Push-ups*
13. Knuckle Push-ups
14. Sit-ups

This workout is really all about reps. Don't forget to warm-up and stretch. The goal here is to build muscle memory, endurance, and strength in these movements. That means, you have to do a LOT of reps. I'll lay out the levels for you for the workout.

Beginners: 25 Reps of every exercise. Strikes and blocks should be done left and right sides.

Intermediate: 50 Reps of every exercise. Strikes and blocks should be done left and right.

Advanced: 100 Reps of every exercise. Strikes and blocks should be done left and right.

Very Advanced: 200 Reps of every exercise. Strikes and blocks should be done left/right.

SUPER Advanced: 500 Reps of every exercise. Strikes and blocks... yadda yadda yadda.

I recommend you start at beginner, unless you are already a shodan or nidan, because you already know what you're doing here. Osu!

The obvious question is: When do you move from beginner to intermediate and so forth? The answer is that there is no definite time frame, but if the beginner workout is killing you, you won't get anything out of attempting the SUPER Advanced version. Something that may help you figure out when you're ready is whether or not you are able to complete the push-ups and sit-ups without stopping. Don't expect to reach advanced, very advanced, or super advanced quickly. This is taking the long term into consideration, here. However... if you are capable of doing the very advanced or super advanced workouts, you'll definitely be a whole lot tougher.

*NOTE: Fingertip push-ups do not always have to follow the rep count. You could do 25 fingertip push-ups as a beginner, 25 minus the pinky as an intermediate, 25 minus the pinky and ring for advanced, 25 using just the thumb and forefinger for very advanced, and 25 with just your thumb or forefinger for super advanced. You can also start attempting handstand fingertip push-ups once you are doing pretty well at the advanced level.

That's all for today. Good luck and train hard!

OSU!

Hajime no Ippo- Part III

Beware Old Men with Canes

On his way to the Kamogawa boxing gym, Ippo has the "pleasure" of being introduced to his two sempai, Aoki and Kimura. They decide to take Ippo under their wings and show him the ropes of boxing (More puns! Yay!). Luckily, Takamura intervenes and saves the young newbie. However, Coach Kamogawa attacks Takamura with his deadly cane of Old Man DOOM and takes over from there. Out in the gym, Kamogawa tells Ippo to put on the gloves for mitt hitting.

Focus Mitts

Focus mitts are very useful tools for developing accuracy, coordination between attack and movement, and rhthym. The "feeder," or the person holding the mitts, should hold up which mitt they want the fighter to hit. If the feeder holds up his left hand, the fighter should hit with his own left and if the feeder holds up his right hand, the fighter should hit with the right as well. This is, of course, from each person's perspective. Remember, you are mirrors of own another, so your attacks will cross your body to hit the mitts.

Coach Kamogawa holds the mitts in such a way as to build muscle memory for Ippo: the mitts are held up where the fighter will actually hit in a fight. Some feeders will often hold the mitts too far away from their bodies to the left or right, creating unrealistic hitting points and forging bad habits for a fighter's strikes.

If you are just starting to hit the mitts, please take it slowly, especially if your feeder is new to the process as well. Don't be in a rush and end up punching your friend in the nose. Take your time and enjoy the learning process. Start with just the jab and cross (1-2 combination) if you are a beginner and just get use to throwing punches. You'll see that continuously hitting the mitts will take a lot out of you if you are not use to it.

Boxing Rounds (Among Other Things)

Boxing rounds are three minutes in length with a one minute rest period in between. If you like, you can use this as a template for your own training or you can pick another time frame. For instance, some Karate matches only have a two minute fight time (some only have a one minute fight time) and Professional Mixed Martial Arts matches generally have five minute rounds. Whatever you do, try to push yourself the whole time. Obviously the tempo will be different in a one minute round rather than a five minute round, but you shouldn't go at a snail's pace just because you've got five minutes to get the job done.

"One Good Punch"

Miyata comes in and Kamogawa takes the opportunity to stokes the fires of rivalry a little bit. He tells Ippo that his punch is good enough to take out Miyata (Ippo fervently disagrees) and, not only that, but Kamogawa says that technical boxing is worthless. I doubt he truly believes that, but he's trying to build Ippo's confidence in his style and (I'm sure) to piss off Miyata a little. A powerful, unrelenting attack can often destroy a very technical fighter. That is not to say that technical boxing is worthless.

On the contrary, if a technical fighter is also very powerful, that's double for him. It really comes down to how you are choosing to fight. If you choose to fight (with boxing as an example) as an infighter, then you need to learn how to deal with outboxers as such and vice versa. If you choose to fight (with mma as an example) as a striker only, you need to learn how to effectively fight a grappler or a mixed fighter. The more you know as a fighter, the better, but it is true that some people are more suited to certain styles than others. Pick how you want to fight, train hard, and fight to your limit!

Uppercut

The uppercut can be a very powerful attack for two reasons: 1) The uppercut comes from below, catching the opponent off guard and hitting him from an angle he might not be ready for. 2) The uppercut utilizes the power from the legs, the torso's twist, and the rising power of the body through the fist.

Kamogawa wants to teach Ippo the uppercut as a way to defeat Miyata's counter. Much to the old man's surprise, though, Ippo took to the uppercut like a fish to water. Try to work the uppercut into your mitt work after you acquire some skill with the straight punches. You can do an uppercut with the lead or rear hand. To throw an uppercut, lower the the hand toward the waist, turn the waist, and explode up with the legs and arm.

Shadowboxing

Kamogawa can't always watch over Ippo's training, so, on the day's he's out, he tells Ippo he should do some shadowboxing. Shadowboxing is essentially fighting an imaginary opponent. You can make him as skilled or unskilled as necessary, but your should use your shadowboxing time to work on whatever you need to work on. Sometimes you need to train your defense and sometimes offense. Whatever it is, imagine an opponent that will help you accomplish that goal. If you are going to fight a particular opponent, try to build an image of that opponent's fighting style through watching him spar, fight a match or shadowbox. This will allow you to get a good image for your shadowboxing sessions. Work hard at it, whatever you do.

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

My Training

I went through a little funk after a friend of mine died earlier this year and I got a little out of shape; however, I've been back on track for a little while now and I've been enjoying the little aches and pains and soreness that comes with training.

I have completely switched to doing Anime Training workouts. I'll continue to post more workouts as we get deeper into each anime, so there will be more and more to pick from. Gonna post Hajime no Ippo- Part III tomorrow, so be ready for that.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to go ahead and post the workouts that I've made for each anime (even if we aren't exactly there yet), just so you guys can have some variety and then we'll keep the Training Manuals separate from the workouts. If you have an opinion, leave a comment and (while you're at it) go ahead and click the "Follow" button on the side over there or subscribe, if you like! :D

See ya tomorrow. Good luck and train hard!

GRAPPLER BAKI- PART XI

Who's An Adrenaline Junkie?

Chances are you've heard of the lady who lifted the car off her child out of sheer force of will. This limit-breaking ability is due to the flow of epinephrine, commonly known as adrenaline. Adrenaline release is a part of "fight or flight" response in humans, preparing us to either meet a threat head on or escape it in some way. The increase in strength or performance for humans during an "adrenaline rush" has not been entirely fleshed out. Needless to say, in some rare cases adrenaline has prompted human beings to perform feats just short of miraculous, but sometimes at the cost of their own well-being.

In this episode of Grappler Baki, we are introduced to a man taken to the absolute brink of death, his adrenaline pumping so hard that his hair falls out, but is saved by his comrades at the last second. In this extremely rare occasion, the soldier's body remembered the feeling of the adrenaline and, in dangerous situations, a second personality would take over, fueled by adrenaline, turning the man into a superman named Gaia.

Nomura, the soldier Baki easily defeated, unburies himself and rises to meet the young Hanma in one-on-one combat as this super soldier. Baki is generally outclassed by Gaia because the adrenaline has pushed his senses and reflexes to superhuman levels. This continues for a while, until Gaia decides to give Baki a little critique on the punishment he's been dishing out to his body through training. He tells Baki that his body will not listen to him because he has abused it using "unnatural" training methods for so long. Gaia says that training in such a fashion is not needed, because all he needs to do become stronger is to increase the flow of adrenaline in his body to meet the need. Baki is stunned, to say the least.

Baki's Body Answers

Once Baki stops thinking about how he is going to defeat Gaia, his body automatically begins to respond to Gaia's attacks. The techniques Baki has practiced thousands of times come to his aid without thought. Muscle memory allows a human being to perform an action not only more efficiently than someone who has never trained at that action, but also (if trained enough) to respond to a stimulus without thought. This is the reason why martial artists, athletes, and anyone who wants to be good at anything have to practice. Tens of thousands of punches and kicks, hours of drilling throws and submissions against live opponents-- without practicing the techniques, they do not become second nature and, in a fight or playing a sport, if you have to think about what you're going to do before you do it, it's probably already too late.

Gaia pulls out his trump card: Environmental Weapons. He claims that anything and everything in the environment is his weapon. As an example, he uses a blade of grass as a knife and then wraps a vine around Baki's neck, hanging him from a tree (with Gaia dangling off his back!). Baki's body answers again with the power to break the very branch the vine was curled around. Baki then says that while Gaia has been pampering his body with adrenaline and then resorting to weapons, he has crafted a body that has no need for such things and a mind that is full of ways to beat another human being in combat. To prove it as such, he simply walks up the shocked Gaia and places both his thumbs and forefingers on the veins in his neck, forcing him to pass out. When he awakes, he admits his defeat and the soldiers invite Baki to stay for dinner.

The majority of the episode was fighting, so there's not a whole lot of training, but I would like to pose a few tasks for you to try:

• Stand at least waist deep in an in-ground pool and try to jump onto the dry land. It's ridiculously hard. If you can do that, good job! Now try stomach deep. Chest deep? Neck deep? If you can do it from neck deep, you're a monster. It's not necessarily a workout, but you can supplement your normal training by practicing this feat once or twice a week for about twenty or thirty minutes. Believe me, you'll be tired enough after just that.
• Make a commitment to pick one technique that you know and practice it like wildfire for 1 week. Practice your other techniques too, but supplement your training with an extra 100 reps a day or so of a technique. Perhaps one you're having trouble with? Also, remember to do both the left and the right sides.
• If you've never sparred hard before, find a friend you trust or ask your martial arts instructor to have a hard sparring class. You need to know what that flood of adrenaline feels like and the things it will do to your body. Just reading about it isn't enough to prepare you for it. Some people just freeze up or pass out. You need to find out where you stand before it's a real "fight or flight" scenario.

That's all for this installment of the Grappler Baki Training Manual. Good luck and train hard!