Different kinds of fitness/stamina!

[jeltz]

I do martial arts and one reason for getting the bike was to help stay in shape running up to my black belt grading at the end of the year.

I regard myself as pretty fit, strong legs with good stamina and recovery rates. However, although I could do things like repeat 2 minute sparring matches with 30 seconds rest several times, when I stared cycling, I found that after an hours cycling my legs were like jelly.

In the month I've been cycling I've found that my fitness has adapted quite quickly but the 50 miler I did on Sunday left me knackered even this morning my legs felt like lead. I'm MA training this evening and thankfully they are OK now, but it just goes to show that there are different kinds of fit.

The fitness test for black belt is a mile run, 100 press ups, 100 squat thrusts, 100 sit ups and to 1.5 minute rounds on punch bags (high work rate) with 30 break between rounds. The bag work is the hard part and hopefully the cycling stamina will help me out with that.

I suspect that I should do some long runs and some sprints to improve my overall stamina but would be grateful for any advice.

 

[fossyant]

Cycling is an endurance sport - certainly if doing bigger miles. You'll get there though.

 

[Bigtwin]

The bag work is the hard part and hopefully the cycling stamina will help me out with that.

I very much doubt it - apples and oranges. Best help for that is doing more of it. Do 2 mins with 30 rest - hard training, easy war.

 

[ohsoslow]

Ditto ,

I practise Muay Thai ( Thai Boxing ) but I'm now getting a bit too long in the tooth for the road work , jogging really takes it's toll on my knees .

So I started cycling with a view to increase my fitness , to be honest I've found the cycling has pro's and con's for martial arts .

On the plus side it's really improved my stamina , I feel much stronger in the last rounds now .

On the down side I've noticed a reduction in hip flexor flexibility but I'm trying to counter this with stretching after rides .


For your bag work test try shadow boxing with weights , sadistic for sure but really works wonders .

 

[jeltz]

Thanks, my hip/leg flexibility has always been my weak point (upper body is freakishly flexible) and I'm actually finding that the increasing strength is improving it very slightly but I do know its supposed to have the opposite effect.

Yep, I sometimes do the shadow boxing with weights in class but should do more at home, as well asl kicking with leg weights too

 

[walker]

your not going to get pper body endurance with lower body work. Your lung capacity will improve but your endurance for push ups, punches etc will not. you need to be doing these types of exercises, to build on your type 2b fibres to be able to keep up the endurance that is needed. Try lots of plyometric work to gain this easier and faster (i.e. push ups with claps)

 

[ComedyPilot]

Ditto ,

I practise Muay Thai ( Thai Boxing ) but I'm now getting a bit too long in the tooth for the road work , jogging really takes it's toll on my knees .

So I started cycling with a view to increase my fitness , to be honest I've found the cycling has pro's and con's for martial arts .

On the plus side it's really improved my stamina , I feel much stronger in the last rounds now .

On the down side I've noticed a reduction in hip flexor flexibility but I'm trying to counter this with stretching after rides .


For your bag work test try shadow boxing with weights , sadistic for sure but really works wonders .

I used to do a bit of Muay Thai, but now I am more into cycling, and don't want anyone kicking these nicely sculpted legs.