Many people use martial arts to become strong, fast, and capable. However, you may not have known that it is easier to excel in martial arts like Jiu Jitsu if you cross-train your body and get into excellent shape. Use the following exercises to improve in your various workouts, but more importantly, use them to work your way into an amazing body.
V-Ups for Abdominal Muscles
Sit on the floor and lift your legs together, angling your upper body to create a V shape. By creating this shape, you force your abdominal muscles to balance the rest of your body and tighten your core substantially. You can raise your arms level to the floor or extend them out past your head to extend the V and add a bit of arm strength training.
Squats for Strong Leg Muscle Groups
Want to improve your quadriceps? Narrow your stance as you lower into a squat with weights in hand or balanced over your shoulders. Widening your stance will improve the gluteals and hamstrings as well. Make sure that you push to get as low as you can, ideally with your upper legs parallel to the floor, and as you improve, increase the weights on the barbell you use.
Pull-Ups for Back Strength
As you learn to do partial and then full pull-ups, you’ll notice that your latissimus dorsi and other back muscle groups will grow more toned and defined. There are many grips that work for pull-ups, and varying your grip will help you to work different muscles evenly. Work toward being able to extend your arms fully and pull them 180 degrees to fully bent; machines at the gym can help you to work up to this level over time through weight assisting.
Mountain Climbers for Intense Fat Burning
By placing your hands on the ground in push-up position, then elevating your butt and “running in place,” you achieve one of the more intense workouts that can be done anywhere. You’ll be sweating quickly, but make sure that every time you start these that you finish by doing one or two more counts than the previous day to continue to tone and train and burn fat.
Burpees to Combine Strength and Agility
Burpees start in a squat position, then rock into a push-up position with power, where you do one push-up. The burpee isn’t done: jump up as high as you can, squat again, and repeat for the next burpee. These exercises require speed and strength but they also test the limits of your balance and poise, so they work your whole body. There is a reason they are a favorite among fitness boot camps.
Using this combination of exercises, you will quickly see results as long as you consistently workout and push yourself to the next level.
