Hutt Valley Kyokushin Karate Blog

‹ Back

 

Four Ways to Improve your Stamina.

 

Stamina is an essential part of your karate at Lower Hutt Kyokushin karate. It’s a key component to any karate practioner’s repertoire. Without stamina, moving through the belts will be challenging. Beginners are very tense when joining, there are so many facets to focus on simultaneously. Stances, balance, breathing, speed,technique and the list goes on. Here are 4 steps to help you on your journey to improve your stamina and karate at Hutt Valley Dojo.  

 

Uneconomical movement: It’s very important to constantly be working to refine and improve your techniques. At Hutt Valley Dojo, you’ll hear Sensei Paul emphasise technique first, followed by speed second. Whatever the technique, there are so many facets to factor in order to improve it. Footwork, balance, retraction, accuracy, etc. It’s important to always monitor your technique to make sure it’s energy efficient and incorporates maximum speed and power. There are always ways to become better and more efficient. 

When your technique isn’t economical you waste a little bit of energy each time you execute it. This all cumulatively adds up. You’ll notice when you’re sparring higher ranked belts in Kyokushin karate, their shots count. Their techniques land more consistently due to a number of factors such as not telegraphing; correct distancing; speed and even their eyes. Beginners tend to look where they’re going to strike next giving away their moves.Tip: Practise in front of the mirror.

 

Relax: You need to continuously be able to relax. Tense and stiffness wastes energy and makes your technique look clumsy. The best and one of the easiest ways to start with this is shadow sparring. You’re not having to hit anything and nobody is critiquing you. From there the next level would be partner work on pads or mitts. You now have somebody challenging you with movement and timing. Finally sparring: First, start with pre-arranged sparring (yakusoku kumite) such as blocking only. Become proficient with the Ichimura blocking drill to master the basic blocks. Next is uke-kaeshi (block and countering)  then actual sparring. Tip: Stretch regularly to keep the body limber and flexible. 

 

Learn to breathe: From the moment you start class in seiza position you should be focusing on your breathing. Class always starts with the 4 / 2 / 4 breathing. This empties your mind and switches you into training mode. Count to 4 inhaling, hold for 2, exhale for 4. It takes time to learn to breathe while training, so be conscious of it and pay attention to it. Holding one’s breath is very common when learning something new. Beginners tend to over focus on the technique, forgetting to breathe, tiring you as your body struggles to get oxygen. Tip: work on exhaling through the mouth when striking and inhaling through the nose when retracting.

 

Power: You don’t always have to deliver maximum power, it should be selective. Try hitting a bag continuously at maximum power and see how long you last, probably 10 - 15 seconds before your Alactic energy system runs out. Stay around 50 - 70% and apply a power shot every now and then on the bag. Tip: Heavier bags are better for power and lighter, thinner bags are better for speed. 

 

Be mindful of these four points the next time you train. Work on one at a time, once you feel you’ve got that, try another.