On this page you can find tips for a successful martial arts career.
Watch the videos below and read their descriptions to learn more!
How to improve your kicking techniques by Johnny Kennedy
Key points om improving kicking technques will be put on soon!!!
Forearm pad routine
This drill is a great way to practise your basic punching and kicking techniques.
Preparing for a Black belt grading by Chrissy Thomas
We are very lucky to have this training program given to us by Chrissy Thomas from Christchurch Olympic Taekwondo who recently passed her 1st degree Black belt test.
This was the training program she followed for her build up towards her grading and would be useful to anyone wanting to have a guide to work with when preparing to go for a belt test or tournament.
(Black belt training schedule)
MORNING TRAINING - These exercises were practised every day except Saturdays & Sundays.
6:00am - 50 push-ups, 75 press ups, 50 situps turning 6 times while going down (25 each side), Splits- 1.5 minutes, Jumping over a object 80 times, Jumping over belt as much as you can in 2 minutes without stopping, Stretching 30 bi-ceps - tri-ceps weights, Holding weights on ankle for 2 minutes, Plank position 2.5minutes, 100 squats.
Monday:
4:00pm- Practice Poomsae (Kata)
5:30pm- Assist childrens class (take part in the exercises)
6:30pm- Take part in adult class
8:05pm- Pratice poomsae (kata) with a blck belt
Tuesday:
4:30pm- Practise brake falls
5:00pm- Running with Hayden
6:30pm- Tournament class
7:40pm- Practice brake falls on the mat. (Get Alan to help with advanced kicks to make them perfect)
8:00pm- exercise bike
Wednesday:
4:30pm- Self defence
5:30pm- Assist childrens class (take part in the exercises)
6:30pm- Take part in adult class 8:05pm- Pratice poomsae (kata) with a blck belt
Thursday:
5:00pm- Do all kicks in slow motion
6:00pm- Karate
Friday:
4:00pm- At the dojang (dojo) with grading partner, doing self defence
5:30pm- if black belt there train with them
Saturday:
9:00am- Tournament class
11:15am- practice patterns (kata) and brake falls
12:00pm- run the Halswell Quarry
3:00pm- weights
Sunday:
10:00am- do all kicks in slow motion
11:00am- Tournament class
12:40pm- Practice patterns (kata)
1:30pm- weights- on ankles and bi-cep tri-cep
*Each week add 25 to all the exercises (in the amount you do) and 30 seconds to the time exercises eg 50 sit ups would be 75 then 100 etc Splits- 1.5 minutes would be 2minutes etc
Speed- Sprinting the length of a rugby field is a great way of improving speed. You need a rugby field and someone with a stop watch. For round one you have to sprint the length of the rugby field there and back. You get a 20 second rest or if you have a partner it’s their turn. Each round is 2.5 minutes (because that’s how long Taekwondo round of sparring is including rest) After the first round you get 1.5 minutes rest. I advise to have a small drink but don’t drink too much or you will get bloated and want to vomit. (speaking from experience also don’t have yoghurt beforehand) Round 2 you will do the same except sprint the length of the rugby field twice (there and back is once) then 20 second rest or your partner goes. After the 2.5 minutes has ended another 1.5 minute brake. Round 3, the final round. Sprint the length of the field 3 times. *Note; if the 2.5 minutes has stopped in the middle or your round, keep going, don’t stop. Your drink brake will start once you have finished you lap.
Poomsae or Kata- I have been doing poomsae (kata) in tournaments for 2 years. The best way I have trained for this was first of all practicing them until I had all the techniques and moves correct. I would ask black belts who specialize in patterns to help. The main thing I do is practice all the stances slowly to try and get them perfect that would normally take an hour. Then I would run through the patterns. I would pick one pattern a week that I would work on. And that pattern I would do every way I could think of. With my eyes closed, backwards (starting at the end of the pattern and working my way through it) A press up or some other form of exercise in between each move, in every direction. I would also make sure that I landed in the same spot after every pattern. I have found that the easiest way to do that is have a sticker or duck tape marked somewhere. Videoing yourself is a great way to see where you are going wrong so you can improve is also good, or using a mirror to check your stances.
Kicks- Kicking is very hard to do. It takes years to get the most basic kick right. The way I train for these are by breaking them down. First practice chambering the knee and holding it there for 30 seconds. Then after you have done that for awhile kick out and hold the kick out for 30seconds then bring the knee back in and down.