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Cardio

"The first wealth is health" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Exercise is vital for general health and well-being. Fortunately, there are many forms of exercise that are cheap and easy to do. Unfortunately, a growing majority of people in western countries are not getting enough exercise. Many are unaware of how much of a difference being fit can make to every aspect of your lives. Exercise helps to control your weight, reduces stress, provides a socially enhancing environment, reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer, reduces the effects of aging, helps you sleep better, boosts hormone levels, improves your sex life and your immune system. Exercise makes you feel better, live longer and more able to enjoy life.

Many people start training in karate to improve their fitness levels and get some exercise. This is fantastic. Karate provides opportunity to improve many aspects of your fitness. However, if you are to progress further with your karate training, cardio-vascular fitness is a key assessment element. You need to be fit if you want to grade to black-belt. Gradings generally go for 3-5 hours, are often in summer and will push you to the limit!

Cardio-respiratory endurance is the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and to remove wastes, over sustained periods of time. Adults should strive to

• Engage in moderate-intensity activity for at least 30min on at least 5 days of the week

• Engage in vigorous-intensity activity for at least 20min on at least 3 days of the week

In my opinion the best forms of cardio-vascular training are running and boxing. They both use your whole body, with running obviously focusing on your legs and boxing on your upper body. Its important to mix up your routine so you don't get bored. Alternate between a long run, sprinting sets and hills. Sand-running barefoot is also great for strengthening your lower legs as well as a great cardio workout. Its important to make sure you know how to run correctly. If you have never received coaching, it would pay to check it out. Running outside is generally better than using a treadmill.

Remember with running that to get maximum benefit - you should only run for periods of 15-30 minutes. After this time, internal changes start to occur which can be detrimental if you wish to maintain strength for karate training. Two or three intense but short running sessions per week should be more than enough to keep your fitness levels on a high. Make sure you have suitable shoes. With running shoes - you get what you pay for!

Similar precautions apply to boxing. Make sure you technique is correct and make sure you have appropriate equipment. Similar short intense sessions are best.

Personally, I would recommend one running session, one boxing session and one alternate session per week for the serious karateka.