Solo Training

[MickyC]

One of the first things I did when I first started learning about Bruce Lee beyond his movies, and having picked up Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method: Basic Training was reading that the most neglected aspect of martial arts was physical development.

Usually the first thing that needs to be implemented from the get-go is to engage the muscles ready for movement, and overcome lethargy, especially for those who are first starting out and don’t know where to begin.

I’d recommend starting off with something simple and easily accessible, where you don’t need any equipment, and can practice at any time or in any place.

I read that Bruce often carried a rubber ball that he would squeeze to strengthen his grip, but you don’t necessarily need an object to begin with, just clenching your fists will help. You can start off simply clenching on and off in rhythm. Engage with full tension followed with complete relaxation.
You can clench and relax in rapid succession.
You can do this in many different ways, such as holding tension for a given amount of time, or for as long as you can.
You can clench, relax, then open your hands with tension in the opposite direction.
You can clench and move your wrist inwards, outwards, or to either side. And twist, and roll clockwise and anticlockwise, feeling the subtle changes in how your muscles tighten and relax.
Once you’ve shaken any lethargy, Shake out any remaining tension and stretch out your muscles.

Just like your hand grip, do the same with your calves, raising onto your toes, and clenching them in various ways.
The same can be done with your abdominals.

You should move on and do this with every part of your body where you have more freedom to do so, contracting and relaxing, twisting, bending and stretching your muscles ready for more active movements. Straightening out your limbs with full contraction, moving through their full range of movement, and relaxing.

You can then move on to doing bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats, sit-ups, crunches etc. and more advanced stretching exercises.
Jogging, then running and sprinting. You can alternate your pacing.

Once you’ve gotten into gear for more advanced exercise you can start implementing equipment such as a skipping rope, cycling, using weights and so forth.

Remember Bruce’s advice:

“Knowing is not enough,
We must apply.
Willing is not enough,
We must do.”

Hope this helps as a base-level starting point for the forum, and for those first starting out.

[Author]

Posts