Hell Fire: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

Yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow is Easter, the days we commemorate Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection respectively.  That makes today Holy Saturday, the day we reflect on Jesus lying in his tomb — the day many Christians contemplate the Harrowing of Hell.

“Harrow” is a very old word that means comb or rake.  In the old days a giant square device with teeth was dragged across the fields behind a plow horse to break up the larger clods of dirt, smooth out the earth, and pull out weeds.  Nowadays that task is done by a disc harrows.  This prepares the soil for planting so that seeds can sprout and grow.

The idea of the Harrowing of Hell is that, after the rock was rolled over the door to his tomb, Jesus descended into Hell.  After having spent his life ministering to the living, Jesus then spent his death ministering to the dead and sharing their experience.  Just like an agricultural harrow prepares the soil for its spring reemergence, Jesus prepares the dead for their ultimate resurrection.

The night of Holy Saturday is also called the Easter Vigil — when bonfires are made from which to relight the sacred candles which yesterday were dark, when new catechumens (adult converts) are baptized into the faith, and so on.

HELL FIRE: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING INVOLUTION #203

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.

• Try to set a PR (personal record) at one of your martial metrics. I hope you have some!  How many minutes can you go all out on a heavy bag without taking any breaks?  How fast  can you complete 250 kicks vs. air?  How about 150 max power kicks vs. heavy bag?  How many times can you hit your pell with a tomahawk in 4 minutes?

• Complete this month’s constitutional.  In Cabal Fang we create a new constitutional every month and we complete it twice a week.  This month’s is sandbags.  Video below.

• Harrowing meditation.  Wait until after sundown and make a fire in your fireplace, in a fire bowl on your back deck, in the chimenea on your patio, or in the burn barrel in the alley if the fire codes allow.  In the Middle Ages, Easter — tomorrow — would have been New Year’s Day.  Consider that the greatest of us brave the darkest places to help the those who are lost and in danger.  Think about the fact that it is the sacrifice of self that leads to rebirth.  Before you go to bed, write a few words your journal about how this speaks to you as a martial artist.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then set a timer for 10 minutes.  

Beat It: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

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The Alchemical AZOTH — The Universal Medication — the Fiery Water — the Secret of Transformation

Setting goals is not optional.  If you are not setting goals and doing what it takes to hit them, like establishing performance metrics and tracking methods, developing programs, setting benchmarks, etc., you are not going to get past the intermediate level -- at anything.

In this week's T.I. you are going to start setting goals, and maybe even beat the old man at his own game.

Beat It: Martial Arts Training Involution #203

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.

• 150 max power kicks vs. the heavy bag.  Warm up by doing 8 x 5 kicks with each leg at 50% power, alternating legs each set.  Take a 1 minute break and then start your stopwatch.  Kick the bag with maximum power 150 times as fast as you can.  Switch legs as needed.  Write down your time me and make regular attempts to beat it.  The first elder’s personal record (PR) is 4:00.

• Constant Contact Drill.  Walk off the kicks for 3:00.  Now glove up and go after your heavy bag with hands, feet, elbows etc. with maximum speed.  There should be some part of your body in contact with that bag pretty much at all times.  See how long you can go before you have to stop.  Write down your time me and make regular attempts to beat it.  The first elder’s PR is 2:27.

• Balboa Run.  Start a stopwatch and run your chosen distance -- punching the air the whole time.  Beginners go 1/2 mile, intermediate and advanced, 1 full mile.  If you have to rest, do so in place and leave the clock running.  When you finish, write down your time me and make regular attempts to beat it. The first elder’s half mile PR is 6:15, 1 mile is 14:29.

• Reflection.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then sit down with your training journal and do a goal review.  Are you hitting goals, establishing proper metrics, setting PRs, structuring your training in order to hit goals and PRs, etc.?  If you don't keep a training journal you had better start! 

Survivor Mix: Martial Arts Training Involution #201

Survivor Mix: Martial Arts Training Involution #201

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. Do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.

• Wrestling and grappling mix.  Select a sandbag or heavy bag appropriate to your size and fitness level (I used a #70).  Set timer for 3 x 3:00/1:00.  Do Scarf Hold Switches from hip to hip until you can't do any more, then drop the bag and run Wrestling Clocks until you fail.  When you do, put the bag in your Bottom Scissors and squeeze until you gas, swap your ankle wrap and squeeze again until you gas.  Then go back to Scarf Hold Switches and repeat until the bell rings.  When it does, shoulder the bag and walk laps for your 1:00 "rest."  When the 1:00 is over, pick up where you left off and do that two more times.  When you're done you should be "moist."

• Sprints.  Set a timer for 30-second intervals.  Sprint for :30 and then walk for :30.  Repeat 9 more times for a total of 10 minutes.

• Contemplation.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then set a timer for 10 minutes.  Have a seat in your posture of choice and regulate your breathing.  Leave your eyes open, and do not fidget, wiggle or scratch.  Now think about exactly nothing.  Clear your mind as completely as you can and allow yourself to stop thinking in words while maintaining total awareness of your surroundings. 

UPDATE: Cabal Fang Coronavirus Safety Plan

CABAL FANG CORONAVIRUS SAFETY PLAN

All meetings are discontinued for further notice.

Training outdoors in small groups significantly reduces the likelihood of transmission. But just driving around town can lead to contact by increasing the frequency of gas tank fill-ups and by normalizing travel.

Even though our meetings are generally less than ten people, we are leading from the front by canceling our meetings.

Obviously the pandemic is still evolving, and this policy is subject to change, so watch this space for updates. And please follow the advice of the CDC to stop the spread of germs.

Stay Safe,

~Robert Mitchell

Founder and First Elder of Cabal Fang

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ANTIVIRAL: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING INVOLUTION #200

Antiviral: Martial Arts Training Involution #200

ANTIVIRAL: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING INVOLUTION #200

Gyms are a great place to expose yourself to diseases of all kinds.  Good news is, you can exercise just fine at home with this zero-equipment, solo training session.

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.

• Complete this month’s constitutional.   Intermediate and advanced folks should be able to get this done in under 15 minutes:  Lunges(50), Push-ups(50), Get-ups(25), Crunches 3-Way (25), Prisoner Squats (50), Wall Touches (100), and Sprints (25).

• 250 kicks as fast as you can.  Set a timer and complete 250 kicks vs. air.  Don’t to them in static isolation — do them in combos while you move around realistically.  Intermediate and advanced should be able to get these done in under 10 minutes.

• “Antiviral” contemplation.  Cool down for about 3 minutes, then set a timer for 10 minutes.  Have a seat in your posture of choice and regulate your breathing.  Leave your eyes open, and do not fidget, wiggle or scratch.  Now think about exactly nothing.  Clear your mind as completely as you can and allow yourself to stop thinking in words while maintaining total awareness of your surroundings. 

Drag Strip: Martial Arts Training Involution #199

"There's no sense getting serious about my training until..."

Stop delaying.  Stop surfing YouTube for the perfect training tricks, drills, tools and secrets. Stop combing magazines and books and websites searching for the perfect program or tool.

Strip away the bullshit. The training you do right now is 100% better than the training you put off until next week.

Shut your laptop, turn off your tablet or phone, and complete the training session below.  Tired,  weak, sore?  Old?  Rehabbing from an injury?  Modify the exercises to suit your limitations.  Lower the weights, reps or intensity as needed. Anything you do is better than nothing.

Strip it down.

Drag Strip: Martial Arts Training Involution #199

*  Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work.

*  16 minutes of survival martial arts.  Set a timer and complete 2 minutes each of Drags, Strikes, Shoulder Rolls, Strikes, IMT Sprints, Strikes, Drags and Strikes.  Take as few 12-second rest breaks as you need to finish.  For the the striking rounds, you can shadowbox, work a heavy bag, or do whatever you want.  I did tomahawk swings, braces, toe and eye strikes and cocking drills. Here's how the rest work.

• Drags: Go out to the shed or garage and find something to drag.  Here's a rig I made with a trashcan lid.  Cargo straps make perfect harnesses. 

• Shoulder Rolls: If you're a martial artist and you don't know how to do a shoulder roll, that's a problem.  Watch this.

• IMT Sprints.  IMT stands for Individual Movement Technique, and it means running, dropping to avoid being targeted, and popping up to run some more. Read more here.

*  "Stripping it down" meditation.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  Have a seat in your meditative posture of choice and regulate your breathing.  Leave your eyes open, and do not fidget, wiggle or scratch.  Now think about what makes you special.  What makes you unique?  Your favorite foods, colors, movies, books?  Your behaviors, your little quirks?  No, that's just the bullshit that make you just like everybody else.  Meditate past your mask and seek the "true I."

STUBBORN: Martial Arts Training Involution #198

We are here to stubbornly remind you that you need to make sure that your fitness work dovetails with your martial work as closely as possible.

STUBBORN: Martial Arts Training Involution #198

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. We generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) something aerobic, like jogging of jumping rope (b) some light calisthenics like Half Squats, Push-ups on knees, Touching toes, Arm Swings etc. and (c) shadowboxing or light heavy bag work.

• 20 minute pyramid of  6 martial fitness exercises.    Jump, Sprawl 'n' Punch, Smearing Push-ups, Shoulder Carry, Switches, and Step-ups.  This will really build the kind of strength you need for grappling and self-defense.  Get yourself a heavy bag you can manage (I used a #45) and set a timer for 10 minutes.  Start with 1 rep of each exercise, then 2, 3, 4 etc.  Climb until the timer beeps.  Finish the set you're on and then descend.  If you don't slack off, you should finish up just before the timer beeps. See video below for details. A full pyramid up to 6 is a nice target number for this drill.

• 10+ minutes of sacred reading.  Pick a book that's good for your spiritual development and spend some time reading.  Doesn't have to be overtly religious, like the Holy Bible or the Tao Te Ching -- it can be something that promotes mindfulness, wisdom, or philosophy.  Read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Occidental Mythology, Modern Man in Search of a Soul or whatever you like.  Meditation, contemplation, prayer and spiritual reading are the four cornerstones of the spiritual life and none should be neglected.

TCB: Martial Arts Training Involution #197

TCB means "Takin' Care of Business," which is also the title of a great song by Bachman Turner Overdrive about how working hard at what you love isn't work at all, whereas punching a clock doing something you hate is a "slaving job to get your pay."

If you love your art you will do whatever it takes to make it. Sometimes we do not want to do certain things.  For example, this month’s constitutional is really hard. But it makes our art "prettier" — if that makes sense. Sure hope it does.  Because if you don't find a way to love and appreciate the things you need to do in support of your martial arts, you're training is going to be either laborious or lopsided.

TCB: Martial Arts Training Involution #197

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) something aerobic, like jogging of jumping rope (b) some light calisthenics like Half Squats, Push-ups on knees, Touching toes, Arm Swings etc. and (c) shadowboxing or light heavy bag work.

• 3 x 8 Grappling drill.  Complete 3 sets of 8 reps each of Throws (I picked Seoi Nage), Clinch Maneuvers (I did Cross-arm Clinch Rear Lunges), and Bear Walks (15').  Use a grappling dummy, floor bag, or weighted duffel bag for the Throws and Clinches.  Your final count should be 24 Throws, 24 Clinches, and 24 Bear Walks (300' or 100 yards), all in about 10 minutes.

• 11 minutes on the heavy bag -- all-in for power.  Break it up into round lengths appropriate to your fitness level.  Beginners: 4 x 2:00/1:00, intermediates: 3 x 3:00/1:00, advanced: 2 x 5:00/1:00.  Go at your bag with the intent to do as much damage as you possibly can.  Punch it.  Kick it.  Body lock it and squeeze as hard as you can.  Don't hang on it -- but do practice clinching, stepping into cross-buttocks position, etc.

• 10+ minutes of sacred reading.  Pick a book that's good for your spiritual development and spend some time reading.  Doesn't have to be overtly religious, like the Holy Bible or the Tao Te Ching -- it can be something that promotes mindfulness, wisdom, or philosophy.  Read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Occidental Mythology, Modern Man in Search of a Soul or whatever you like.  Meditation, contemplation, prayer and spiritual reading are the four cornerstones of the spiritual life and none should be neglected.

Warrior Rising: Martial Arts Training Involution #196

Tough constitutional this month.  Most take a little over 20 mins to start but get knocked down to ~15 by the end of the month.  This one took 30+ the first time and still hasn't been done in under 20 yet.

The fifth exercise is generating questions so here's the low-down.  Whether you're in Japan or Joliet  there's only so many ways for a warrior to kneel and stand while maintaining a stable base for fight or flight.  The Japanese Get-up is the traditional method employed by Japanese and Korean martial artists, and it's mostly universal.

Warrior Rising: Martial Arts Training Involution #196

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. Do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) something aerobic, like jogging of jumping rope (b) some light calisthenics like Half Squats, Push-ups on knees, Touching toes, Arm Swings etc. and (c) shadowboxing or light heavy bag work.

• Heavy bag ziggurat for power.  In architecture, a ziggurat is a stepped pyramid in the ancient Mesopotamian style.  In training terms, a ziggurat is what I call a stepped pyramid for time instead of for reps using 30 second (:30) increments.  Set timer to beep every :30.  Strike heavy bag with full power for one :30 interval then then rest for :30.  Then strike for two intervals (1:00) then rest for :30.  Then do three (1:30/:30), four (2:00/:30) and finally five intervals (2:30/:30) and go back down again.  That will be a total of = 16.5 minutes of oxygen sucking goodness.

• Complete the February constitutional.  Beginners take care -- this one's real peach.  If you can only do half, that's fine.  Carve away it and maybe you get through all of it by the end of the month.

• 10 minutes of eyes open contemplation.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Remain completely motionless.  Do not fidget, wiggle or scratch and do not think in words.  Simply sit and experience reality in stillness.  

Crop Circles: Martial Arts Training Involution #195

This training involution is called "Crop Circles" because (a) you go in circles and (b) it contains exercises that can are based on real chores one might do on a farm raising crops.

Crop Circles: Martial Arts Training Involution #195

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I generally do 8 minutes of MBF or either 2-3 minutes each of (a) something aerobic, like jogging of jumping rope (b) some light calisthenics like Half Squats, Push-ups on knees, Touching toes, Arm Swings etc. and (c) shadowboxing or light heavy bag work.

• A Frontier Rough 'n' Tumble pyramid.  Get yourself a weight -- a sandbag, large bucket full of rocks, or even a dumbbell if that's all you have.  Suggested weights beg/sm #40, int/med #60, adv/lg #80.  Set up a bench, shelf, truck bed, etc. to load onto.  Beg/sm 3' high, int/med 4', adv/lg 5'.  Mark off an 8' - 10'  diameter  circle.  Cabal Fang folks, and others who fight unarmed, go empty-handed.  FRT folks, stick a sheathed tomahawk in your belt.  Others who train armed, select your dull weapon of choice.  Pick up the weight in one hand and Suitcase Carry it around the circle once.  Then pick it up and load it onto your bench/shelf, release, then pick it up and put it back on the ground.  Deploy your weapon and pursue an imaginary enemy around the circle one time with maximum malice.  Next, with weapon in hand, complete one shoulder roll.  Then walk 2 circles, load your weight 2 times, pursue the enemy around the circle 2 times and do 2 shoulder rolls.  Then 3 of each, 4 of each, and 5 of each, then go back down to 1 of each.  Take as few 12-second breaks as needed to finish.  Your goal should be to complete this in 20 minutes or less.

• 10 minutes of eyes open contemplation.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Remain completely motionless.  Do not fidget, wiggle or scratch and do not think in words.  Simply sit and experience reality in stillness.  

Pull and Hit: Martial Arts Training Involution #194

This is the last involution in the striking series for this month.  In the video below you can see Athanor Robert experimenting with a Rough 'n' Tumble, Hatmaker-styled pulling towel for street-ready fighting combos.

Obviously this approach assumes clothing, which means that it wouldn't work in a shirtless MMA environment.  But in the real world there's almost always a shirt of some kind, and this time of year there's often a coat -- even better.

By all means at least try putting a towel on your heavy bag.

Pull and Hit: Martial Arts Training Involution #194

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching -- or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.

• 3 x 3:00/1:00 on the heavy bag with the towel.  Experiment with both one and two-handed pulls.  Which do you like best?  Make sure when you give the bag a yank that you pull down as much as you do inward.  You want your opponent to get off balance and, if possible, for his head to come down so you can clobber him with a rabbit punch to the back of the head.

• 3 x 3:00/1:00 sparring with the pulling technique.  Obviously you never want to strike your training partners with a rabbit punch!  But what you can do is put shirts you don't care about and practice your quick grabs and yanks.  If you do get your partner's head down, substitute a hammer strike to the bicep or lats.  Really get after it -- this is the great thing about grappling and wrestling: you can go really hard without too much risk of injury.  It's the striking, and risks of concussion, that present the highest risks.  Play safe, modify, adapt, and overcome.

• 10 minutes of meditation on why you're doing martial arts.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your meditative posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Spend the time meditating on your reason for practicing martial arts.  Do not think in words.   Step back.  Imagine that you are watching your martial arts highlight reel playing on television,  It plays backwards from the moment you shut your eyes all the way back to the moment you first started your martial journey.  Experience the mental images without linguistic thinking until the timer beeps.  Pick up your training journal, write down what you saw and learned, and then begin to explore in words why you're doing martial arts.  The answer may be different than you think!

Bubble Buster: Martial Arts Training Involution #193

“Bubblegum Bubblegum in a dish
How many pieces do you wish?
1,2,3,4,5,6,7
8,9 10 and then 11
Bubblegum Bubblegum in a shoe
How many pieces can you chew?”

Do you remember from when you were a kid the old jump rope rhyme beneath the picture on the right?

Well, around these parts we believe jumping rope was great for you back then and that it’s still good for you now.

Are you one of those naysayers who says that jumping rope doesn’t benefit martial artists?  Well, this T.I. is your bubble buster.  Shut your pie hole until you’ve worn out a few ropes.

BUBBLE BUSTER: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING INVOLUTION #193

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 or 3 minutes each of light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.

• 3 x 3:00/1:00 on the heavy bag.  Do all three rounds with your focus on mobility.  Lots of slips, circling, lumberjack hooks, décollage kicks, etc. Up, down, back, forth, in, out!

• 15o kicks vs. the heavy bag as fast as you can.  Really get after it, but don’t let your power level get below 75%.  If you cannot get this done in under 5 minutes you should do this drill more often.

• Jump rope conditioner.  Set a timer for 1:00 rounds, no breaks.  Alternate rounds of jumping rope and Bodybuilders for 10 minutes.  See how many Bodybuilders you can complete (I got 32) and how few jump rope flubs you can make (I made two).

• 10 minutes of meditation.  In Cabal Fang we use various symbols to access universal truths about ourselves the world we live in.  Pick one of the Cabal Fang’s twelve symbols — Quill, Hourglass, Hand of Mysteries, Bell, Candle, Rose, the Luminaries, Chalice, Book, Cross, Pentangle or Staff.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your meditative posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Visualize the symbol and meditate on it until the timer beeps.  Do not think in words — you want to experience the symbol outside the linguistic/logical spectrum.

Lift-Off: Martial Arts Training Involution #192

“Citizen Number One with a Bullet” by Robert Mitchell

Collage is a French word that means glue or stick down.  A collage is generally done by taking snippets of magazines, posters, newspapers, etc. and pasting them all together to make art.  There's also a lesser known art form called décollage, which is kind of the opposite.  It's French for un-glue or maybe lift-off.  See right for an example.

In this week's T.I. we're not going to do anything that has to do with paper.  But it is striking month here at Cabal Fang headquarters.  So we are going to practice our décollage from a striking perspective.  That is, we're going to practice the décollage from Savate.

Lift-Off: Martial Arts Training Involution #192

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching -- or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.

• Do the monthly constitutional.  You can find it by clicking here.

• 15 minutes of décollage.  Do 10-rep sets of the following combos until the timer beeps.  If you don't have a partner, just practice them vs. your heavy bag.  Reverse them if you fight southpaw.  (1) Offense only combo: Left Jab, Right Cross, Décollage Left, Right Roundhouse Kick.  (2) Counter combo vs. lead hand Jab-Hook combo: Slip Right, Bob, Décollage Right, Left Roundhouse Kick. (3) Exchange combo: Left Jab, Right Cross,  Left Foot Piston Check (vs. opponent's Roundhouse), drop step into Left Décollage, Right Roundhouse Kick.

• 10 minutes of meditation.  In Cabal Fang we use various symbols to access universal truths about ourselves the world we live in.  Pick one of the Cabal Fang's twelve symbols -- Quill, Hourglass, Hand of Mysteries, Bell, Candle, Rose, the Luminaries, Chalice, Book, Cross, Star or Staff.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, have a seat in your meditative posture of choice, and regulate your breathing.  Visualize the symbol and meditate on it until the timer beeps.  Do not think in words -- you want to experience the symbol outside the linguistic/logical spectrum.

Can Do View: Martial Arts Training Involution #191

When you need to train a certain skill or body mechanic you don’t make excuses about the weather, your lack of money or equipment, or your limited time.  You don’t whine about your bum knee or any of that.

You find a way to train so as to fill the gap safely and efficiently.  You modify, adapt and overcome.

You get it done.

This isn’t just a material truth for the training hall.  It is also a spiritual truth for the ages, as you are about to see in…

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~Theodore Roosevelt

CAN DO VIEW: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING INVOLUTION #191

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.

• 20 mins of practical all-in self-defense and fitness.  2 mins each, twice through of each exercise: Sledgehammer shovels, Jumps (SBJs or Boxes, your choice), Sled Pulls, Shoulder Carries, and Weapon Strikes v. Heavy Bag.  Improvise!  If you don’t have a sled, load up a plastic trash can lid and tie a rope to it.  Shoulder a bag of mulch or a floor bag.  Whatever training weapon you use — stick, rubber/wood training knife, etc. — carry it with you for the whole 20 min. duration (in your hand or belt) to build your command and mastery of the weapon during real life activities. 

• 10 minutes of meditation.  The present emerges to us out of the future, which is to say that what you are today is a consequence of the greatest possible future you were capable of admitting yesterday. You cannot achieve the incredible unless you attempt the impossible.  Aim for no less than heaven and maybe you’ll get close.  Have a seat and meditate on that for 10 mins.

Bump and Run: Martial Arts Training Involution #190

The slip ball is especially important for people who have limited sparring opportunities because it reinforces slipping body mechanics -- which are perishable.  Watch the video and then dig into...

Bump and Run: Martial Arts Training Involution #190

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching -- or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.

• 20 mins on the slip ball.  Remember to keep good striking form as you contract, moving as if there's an elastic cord connecting your shoulder and the opposite hip.  Punch between slips and slip between punches.  Bunch them together randomly.  Punch,slip-slip, punch-punch, slip-slip-slip, punch, slip, etc. The body mechanics of slipping and punching are the same -- except that when you slip your fists stay at your temples.  That way your punches will cover your slips and vice versa.

• 20 mins of running.  Set a timer for 10 mins and start running.  Maintain an aerobic pace, that is, such that you can just barely manage to sing a familiar tune.  When your singing starts to become halting, slow to a fast walk and resume when you can sing again.  There's a reason why armed forces sing and run.  That pace actually does a better job of building aerobic capacity other paces. When the timer beeps, turn around and head home.

• 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down -- for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm --  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

Battle Box: Martial Arts Training Involution #189

Question: When practicing self-defense against sincere training partners, either empty-handed or armed with training weapons, which do find more troublesome?(A) wide, circular attacks or (B) straight, direct attacks?

And which do you find more intimidating? (A) single attacks in isolation or (B) multiple fast attacks in combinations or chains?

Hopefully you answered “B” to both of those questions.  There are no unqualified rules in fighting.  But, for the most part, the hardest attacks to defend against are the ones that are fast and straight and delivered in quick combos.  Which means that, by-and-large anyway, that’s how you should be delivering them.

This is called “staying in the battle box.”  The battle box runs from the eyes down to the groin and is the width of the torso.  In today’s T.I. you’re going to practice staying in the box.

BATTLE BOX: MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING INVOLUTION #189

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching — or I just do 8 minutes of MBF.

• 15 min Half Pyramid.  Set a countdown timer for 15 minutes and start with 1 each of Drop Duck-Unders, Narrow Push-ups, Crunches Legs Elevated, and Shoulder Rolls.  Then do 2 of each, 3 of each etc. See how how high you can climb before the timer beeps (I made it to 8).¹

• 15 mins in the battle box with fists or wooden training weapon.  Set a timer for 3 x 5:00 (no breaks) and focus on form.  Round 1, shadowbox in the box.  Round 2, attack your heavy bag in the box.  Round 3, hit your double-end ball in the box  Tip: To change the angle of attack without putting your arms outside the box, turn your waist, flex your knees (this is especially important when attacking low), and move your whole body left, right, up, down, in and out.

• 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down — for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm —  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

---

¹ For the math nerds: the formula for the total reps in a Half Pyramid, where peak = P is:

Example: If you complete a Half Pyramid to 8 reps you will have executed 36  reps of each exercise because 8² = 64.  64 – 8 = 56.  56 / 2 = 28.  And 28 + 8 = 36.

Hocus Focus: Martial Arts Training Involution #188

Here’s a guy who knew how to hit with power. His book is still one of the best — if not the THE best — boxing book ever written.

Do you ever just walk up to a heavy bag and start aimlessly pummeling away?  Is your goal to "get sweaty" or "do some cardio?"

That's not training.  That's "working out."

Working out is like ambling around the great outdoors taking pictures -- it's fun and beneficial in a million ways, but it's not training.  Training is like climbing Mount Rokkō. You have to prepare, plan, and execute.

If you've just been working out, the improvements in skill and fitness you'll see when you switch to training with focus will seem like magic -- hence the name of this week's T.I.

This week we're training for power.  Come on, let's go!

Hocus Focus: Martial Arts Training Involution #188

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  Try 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching.

• 4 minutes of Thrusters.¹  If there was ever a way to train for power, this is it!  To warm up, do 2 x 10 low-intensity Thrusters at about 50% of your single rep max weight.  Then set a timer for 8 Tabata rounds (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest).  Do as many Thrusters as you can for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.  While resting, stand tall with your weight in the racked position -- at shoulder level and ready to go.  This sounds like nothing, but trust me, it is killer.  Note: Cut your estimated weight for this by about a third.  If you think you can do it two #25 dumbbells, go with #15 and thank me later.  And while you're at it, thank the immortal Dan John for this little slice of hell.

• 8 minutes on the heavy bag for power.  Set your timer for 16 Tabata rounds (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest) and then go all in -- punches, crams, braces, palms, kicks, knees, etc.  Take 3 mins to cool down.  You'll need it.

• 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down -- for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm --  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

¹ What's a Thruster?  It's a Squat and a Military Press at the same time.  You can do these with a barbell, two dumbbells or kettle bells, a sandbag, etc. Your choice!

Take 'Em Down and Put 'Em Up: Martial Arts Training Involution #187

Take 'Em Down and Put 'Em Up: Martial Arts Training Involution #187

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes.  Try 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching (never stretch static when cold).

• Take ‘em down. Do a full pyramid to 7 of Shots and Sit-Outs.  Perform 1 Shot and 1 Sit-Out, then 2 of each, 3 of each, etc. up to 7.  Then do 6, 5, 4, etc. down to 1.  That's 49 Shots and 49 Sit-Outs.  Modify as needed based on experience and fitness.  Beginners, sub Russian Squats if and when you gas on the Shots.  Experts, after every Sit-Out go to plank position and complete a Push-Up, then go straight to the next rep (no resets).  Take as few 12 count breaks as you need in order to finish.  If you don't know how to do a wrestling Shot or Sit-Out, looks like you need to come out and train with us!

• Put ‘em up — your dukes that is. Bang out 3 rounds on the heavy bag.  Go all in -- punches, crams, braces, palms, kicks, knees, etc.  -- and all out for speed and power.  Beginners run 2:00/1:00 rounds, intermediates 3:00/1:00, and experts can skip the round breaks and take three 12-count breaks max.

• 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation.  After you cool down -- for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm --  have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

Cut 'n' Run: Training Involution #186

Cut 'n' Run: Training Involution #186

• Ready your equipment and set the stage. Pretend you are in the middle of a bad situation -- there's been a riot, there's a state of civil unrest, etc. and you're in the middle of a melee. To set this up you'll need (1) something you can vault over safely, such as a fence or an 8' long 2" x 4" lashed to a couple of sawhorses, etc. You'll also need (2) a blunt training weapon (rubber, wooden, etc.), (3) a heavy bag with chains removed or taped up, (4) a 50 yard distance marked off, and (5) a timer set for 20 minutes.

• Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. I like to do 2 minutes each of jump rope, light calisthenics, shadowboxing, and dynamic stretching (never stretch static when cold).

• Start your 20 minute timer. When it beeps at 20 minutes, this training session is over no matter where you are, so flat out hustle for the duration. Take as few 12-second breaks as you need in order to get through.

• Deploy your training weapon and attack as you Split Vault over that fence or rail 50 times. Pretend you are beset on all sides by assailants and obstacles. Place off-hand on rail and send the attacking hand and same-side foot over at the same time. As you get airborne, go belly down and pull the opposite foot and arm over. Land on the first foot, pivot, and keep running. Confused? Watch Allen do a Split Vault at the 2:00 minute mark in the video below.

• Sheath your weapon and pick up your heavy bag. Pretend you got clear of the bad guys and now you need to get an injured person to safety. Complete 10 Shoulder Carries of 50 yards each. Swap sides as needed.

• Drop the bag and scramble. The bad guys are back and now the terrain is harsh! Get on all fours and scramble like a raccoon 5 x 50 yards as fast as you can.

• Run. Start running and don't stop until the timer beeps. The faster you do the first three segments the longer you'll have to run.

• 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation. After you cool down -- for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm -- have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.

100 Bodybuilders: Training Involution #185

November is Mettlecraft Month at Cabal Fang and the time has come to face the 100 Bodybuilder Challenge!  Go get it done.  Post links to photos, blogs and videos in the comments below.

We took a shot at it on 11/26 and we're going to do it one more time on Tuesday 12/3.  So far the record is held by Mark Hatmaker at 10:43.  Where are you going to come in?

Need some last minute prep work to get ready for next Tuesday night?  Video below!

100 Bodybuilders: Training Involution #185

• Warm-up thoroughly. Jog, jump rope, lightly shadowbox, etc. for a total of at least 8 minutes.

• Complete 100 Bodybuilders. My method is to set a 1 minute interval timer and complete about 7 reps "OTM" which stands for "on the minute." That gives me about 20 seconds of rest between each set of 7. My son Robert prefers to do them "Cabal Fang Trial Style" -- he does as many reps as he can until he gasses, takes a 12-count break, and repeats until he gets his 100. See technique video below.

• 10 minutes of meditation or contemplation. After you cool down -- for about 3 minutes or until your heart rate is below 100 bpm -- have a seat and do 10 minutes of internal work.