Let’s talk about fitness fallacies.

Here’s a common fallacy in the fitness world: certain types of training are only for athletes. You need to be really really fit to engage in these forms of exercise, otherwise there’s just no point.

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Last week I made a video and article on integrated training, and I had someone reach out to me about two of the components: plyometric and SAQ (speed, agility & quickness) training. What are those? Never heard of them.

Many people haven’t heard of these, most likely because of this misconception that these forms of training are only for serious athletes. We’re used to the traditional approach: cardio, strength training, and stretching, with maybe some core training thrown in if we’re feeling plucky.

It’s time to up the ante. We can do better, and we will perform better if we engage in a more holistic form of training.

So for best results in your health, wellness, and performance, include the following in your workout program:

  • Plyometric training: This is also known as reactive or jump training. With this, you’re engaging in powerful, explosive movements. So for example, box jumps, or squat jumps, or jumping lunges. These forms of exercise are awesome for improving your ability to move explosively, which can be really helpful in martial arts.

  • Speed, agility and quickness training: Speed drills can be performed using an agility ladder, or cones. The idea with this form of training is to propel yourself forward as quickly as possible, and to improve on your ability to change speed and direction quickly. As with plyo training, SAQ training can be really useful for martial arts. Think: better reaction time. Here’s a video on ladder drills to get you started.

Incorporating plyometric and SAQ training in your routine will make a huge difference to your strength, power, response time, and performance. So what are you waiting for?

Are there any days this week in which you could incorporate plyometric and speed training into your routine? You can do these different exercises within the same workout, or on different days, just be sure to give yourself adequate time to recover in between training sessions. 

Recommended Resources

Here’s an agility ladder that comes with cones.  And here’s an example of a plyometric box. 

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You’re reading Try These Forms of Training to Improve at Karate by Sabrina Bliem, originally posted on The Karate Shrimp. If you’ve enjoyed this post, be sure to follow The Karate Shrimp on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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