The Ins and Outs of Ups (Push-ups, that is)

Post By: Sensei Kris

Push-ups are one of those exercises that we all know we should do, but don't always want to do them. But they're important, and for many reasons besides being a requirement for each of the belt ranks! In the last few years I've learned and discovered a lot about doing these things over and over and over. As recently as three years ago, I still couldn't really do full-length push-ups due to a shoulder injury sustained when I got T-boned by an SUV while riding my bicycle home from the office. But those days are behind me.

Up front, though, let's acknowledge that many of us have learned how to cheat at push-ups, by sticking our rear ends way up in the air or just barely bending our arms at all. And while that might let you keep up with the pace of the class, it's only really cheating one person - you. So the first step in this 12-step program is to admit you have a problem with push-ups and to commit to doing them correctly. Because cheating yourself just means that you will never develop the muscles and coordination to do the technique correctly.

From a physics perspective, there are really two things to look at in the motion of performing a push-up: force and work. So I did a little physics to calculate the way the force you are applying changes at different points during the push-up, and guess what? Just like the cheaters have always known and avoided, the hardest part - the maximum force you have to apply - happens at the start when you're closest to the ground. If you do a full-length push-up, with your back and legs perfectly aligned, and you start as close to the ground as possible, you are lifting about 62.5% of your body weight at the start of the push-up. So if you weigh 120 pounds, you're basically doing a 75 pound bench press. But this force drops off as you extend your arms and change the angle your body makes with the ground. At maximum arm extension, this force is approximately 58% of your body weight, so that 120 pound person is only doing a 70 pound bench press. Not a lot of difference, but over the course of many push-ups, it adds up. I also looked at how the distance between your legs changes the forces. And it turns out that the force does decrease as you spread your legs, but even at a 60-degree angle, you still have about 94% of the maximum force possible.

In terms of work, which is a measure of the amount of energy you use to lift your body against the force of earth's gravity, the results are a little more interesting. Doing a half-push-up uses less than 40% of the energy required to do a full push-up. So if you are only bending your arms half-way, you are really losing out on training. Doing 10 all-the-way-to-the-ground pushups burns as much energy as doing 26 half-pushups! That's a big difference. And spreading your legs actually lets you burn a few more calories, so long as you don't spread them too far (don't put your feet farther apart than your arm span.)

And speaking of calories, if you go to FatBurn.com and use their free tool for calculating calories burned during exercise, you find that a minute of moderately paced push-ups burns about 11 calories for a person my size (basically 0.61 calories per 10 pounds of body weight.) So it's not just about the mechanics, but how fast you do them.

Finally, there are some easy modifications to make to help you work toward your next push-up mile mark. We all know about the modified position, doing push-ups from your knees. But you can do full length in a variety of ways. To make them easier without sacrificing form, change the level of your head slightly by positioning your hands on chairs or a low wall or windowsill. When that gets easy, try doing them from much lower - like the edge of the aiki mat. Then go to where you head and hands are even. On the other hand, if you are finding full length pushups easy, but don't want to just do another 100 of them, try raising your feet higher than your hands. These techniques are easy if you do them outside on the hill - all you need is to reposition your body to make it easier or harder.

Don't forget to always keep your back straight and your rear end down. Work toward being able to do 10 perfect form pushups. Then go for 20. Or pick up the pace. Lately, my routine for pushups is to do a set of 50, rest and stretch my arms for a minute or less, do a set of 40, rest, set of 30, rest, set of 20, rest, and a set of 10 (that's 150 total). When that gets easy, I'll shift to sets of 55, 45, 35, 25, 15, and 5. And then work up. And when I'm close to the next mark, I'll use my hand and foot positions to help me transition to the new goal.

The bottom line is simple. It's up to you to keep yourself honest and to get the most out of every training session. If you are going to train, get the most out of the time you're putting in. We're all too busy to waste time by training at less than 100%.

Photo By: Ken Smith

Spring Training

Spring is here! And among other things it means that it is time to wake up and push forward with our training. Spring is that special time of year where you naturally feel more energized as the days become longer and warmer, but the hot and humid days of summer are still months away.  We have some fun events coming up at the dojo:

Sensei Phil is testing for his second degree black belt on March 31 at 10:00 AM. Make sure you are there and prepared to participate.

The Outdoor Seigan continues! With things like sunlight and above freezing temperatures, training outside this time of year is enjoyable. Come to practice Thursdays ready to venture out onto the hill.

Advanced Breaking Seminar for brown and black belts is on Friday the 23rd. Sign up for an opportunity to break boards, bricks, and ice!

Think about any possible seminars you would be interested in having. Contact any of the black belts about ideas or interests you have.

Along with all this, take some time to look over your testing requirements. Work on conquering your goals in the martial arts. That might mean achieving your next belt rank, attending more classes, or getting better at a specific facet of your training. Whatever your goals are, focus and use this time to train hard and experience the necessary mental and physical growth required to achieve them.

Photo By: Dan Hucko

Board Breaking

Post By: S Lee

Board breaking is one of those iconic karate things that new students are often in awe over. It is a showy and strong example of sheer power as a hand or leg blasts through wood or even concrete like it was nothing. Reserved for seminars and belt testing, board breaking is also a "special" activity we don't get to do at every practice.

While breaking boards looks impressive, you may find that it is not at all as difficult as you first imagined. Some power, speed, and muscle are needed, however, most of the ability to break a board comes from your mind. Staying focused and hitting through the board, as opposed to ending your strike on contact will determine the likelihood of your success. Mentally, you have to imagine that you are going to explode through that wood board. Being afraid or timid will likely result in failure. Send your energy past the board and into the holders, as if the wooden separation isn't even there.  

That being said, there are other nuances to board breaking. Your Sensei will help you and explain what you exactly need to do. Listen to them! Some techniques are more difficult than others, and if a Sensei suggests trying something else, there is a good reason for it. There are many different techniques to use, including kicks and upper body strikes. It is best that you pick something you are familiar with, especially if it is your first time breaking.

There are different ways to go about breaking your 4 boards. Some students will go through them one by one, choosing one technique at a time to focus on. You pick your technique and find someone to hold your boards. After performing a few practice strikes, you then launch your technique and break. More advanced students, typically green belt and above, will do a series break. This is where you select at least two techniques to do in a sequence without a break in-between. After finding your holders, position them where you want. It might be with them standing across from each other or in a circle around you. Practice your entire sequence a few times. As soon as you are ready, break your boards in the order of your sequence. Another option is to break multiple boards at once. Pick a technique that is very strong for you, like an elbow strike. The holders will keep at least two boards steady, giving you a chance to break both boards at the same time with just one strike.

Enjoy board breaking! This is a fun way to challenge your mind and body. Those boards won't stand a chance this seminar!

This comic used to hang in the Kung-Fu studio. It always made me smile!

Photo By: Ken Smith 

   

Thoughts on Testing Requirements

Post by: Lee Phelan

When I was in high school I loved art, and my day was packed full of art classes. There was one particular project that I was extremely excited about. We were asked to construct a box out of whatever materials we wanted, the inside was supposed to represent our inner selves, while the outside was what we portrayed to the world. I was so excited about it that I took my project home and stayed up all night working on it, ignoring the other homework I had been assigned that day. By five in the morning the box was done and I was thrilled, however, the art teacher was not.

He explained to me that this project wasn't going to be due until the end of the month, giving us three weeks or so to work on it. To my dismay he pointed out how hastily my box had been constructed: there were uneven edges, blobs of glue showing, and the drawings were sloppy. Most importantly, he noted that I simply did not take the time for my ideas to solidify. My box met all the requirements for the assignment and it was “done,” but it was not the finished and thoughtful piece he was looking for.

Testing in the martial arts is like my art box. It is easy to get in a hurry, to check off the requirements in the book, to expect your next belt, and to inevitably feel crushing disappointment when told that you are not ready. Despite all the years of your training, despite doing Seisan kata or Aiki-Otoshi five million times, you may not be ready. It isn't that you are doing the techniques wrong, or that you didn't complete the requirements set out before you. Instead, it is because Sensei has the ability to see your potential, and that you have not quite gotten there yet.

Initially you may feel like ripping your box apart and throwing it in the trash. You may wonder why you even bothered working on it so hard only to be told it isn't good enough. You may look at the boxes around you and start comparing them to yours. You may even wonder if other teachers would better appreciate your box. But this will get you nowhere.

Trust in those who have walked this path before you, and most importantly, trust in yourself. Your journey in the martial arts is not about what you are, but instead it is about what you will become.  

Photo by: Graeme Weatherston