Physical Development in Budo

Strength - Agility - Balance - Control - Flexibility

Physical Development is required if there are any expectations of skill development.

To develop the body and make it stronger, faster, fitter and healthier is a constant unending goal of Budo training. 

Taira Shinken showing the results of
physical development training.

 

Hojo Undo

Within Okinawa-Te a specific type of training was devised solely for physical development of the body, Hojo Undo. Inspired by Chinese practices, Hojo Undo (補助運動) meaning 'Supplementary Exercises' is meant to improve all aspects of physical development including strength, agility, balance and control simultaneously. While technically Kihon can be called a type of Hojo Undo exercise, there are other exercises using different equipment and tools that are more typical of Hojo Undo from old Okinawa. Some of these include lifting and resistance equipment for example:

Chi Ishi

Sashi-ishi

 

Ishi Sashi

 

Nigiri Game

 

Kongoken

Tan

Geta

There is also equipment used for striking and conditioning, for example:

Makiwara

Kakite Bikei

 

Jari bako

Hojo Undo can be very beneficial, but also dangerous for those Budoka who are too eager and might 'bite off more than they can chew'.
It is important to start small and go slow.
It can be easy to pick up the large weights and overdo it, resulting in serious or even permanent injury.

It is always best to know what you are doing and have a certain level of competence before undertaking any Hojo Undo exercise, especially if the exercise is part of your regular training routine.

If you wish to learn more about Hojo Undo, the book ‘The Art of Hojo Undo’ – By Michael Clarke is the ultimate source of information on this subject.

 

Strength

Agility, balance and control all require strength.
Training to develop strength in the correct muscles is one of the most important parts of the physical training (after technical skill, of course).

Everyone has a different level of fitness and strength. The idea of strength training isn't to be 'the strongest', but to be stronger than you were yesterday. You're doing it to make your techniques better in general, not better than someone else's technique.

I have heard instructors say things like "It doesn't matter how strong you are, as long as the technique is correct". This is ridiculous, it encourages students to not bother working on their own body and/or fitness, just focus on technical technique.
While it is true that poor technique will always be 'ineffective', strength training it still vital to the effectiveness of every technique.
Put it this way, if you're 70kg 57 year old and you need to defend yourself against a 120kg 23 year old boxer, keeping your elbows in and your wrist straight may not turn out as you hope.
BUT... if you had been training correctly for years and years, you might have a very good chance of using your Budo effectively.

 

Better strength is required for agility. 

To be agile requires sudden bursts of speed and flow through movements with a certain amount of grace, this requires strength, especially core and leg strength. A certain amount of flexibility is also required for agility to help with the range of motion, so the body can move freely.

Strong muscles are required for balance, both to maintain and to regain balance if it has been lost.

Strength is most important with regards to control. Capable Budoka should be able to do what they want when they want to do it. This is only possible with control.

Control isn't just being able to pull a punch so you don't injure a fellow Budoka.
Control is required to do any movement (or stop any movement) especially at full speed with power.

In a self-defence situation, control is vitality important as it is the difference between your techniques being effective or not.
The worst case scenario is if you are simply defending yourself, but due to your lack of control you go too far and unintentionally permanently injure or even kill the attacker. (This comes under 'Martial Understanding' and is looked at further in later posts).
The development of strength is the key to making your body use your skills the way you want to use them.

People tend to confuse the difference between strength, power and tensed muscles.
Just because a person is tense doesn't mean they poses the correct strength. In fact being able to relax at the right times is also related to control and therefore strength.

'Power' is something different again. Power is the force you can generate in any single technique. It requires strength and is a result of correct technique. Strength and technique work together to generate that power.


Of course, regular exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, running, squats, chin-ups, leg raises, jumping jacks, burpees and tuck jumps are also good for general fitness and physical development. These exercises can technically be called 'Hojo Undo' (in the same way the Kihon can).

All of these help to build strength and develop the body physically for better Budo ability.

Flexibility

Flexibility, in many ways, is the opposite of strength. Where strength is how well the muscles have the ability to contract and pull.

Flexibility is the how far the muscles and tendons can stretch contributing to the range of movement throughout the body in areas like the joints and through the hips, back and neck.

Flexibility can be maintained through normal Kata and Kihon training, but a Budoka can improve the flexibility with regular stretching.

There are a couple of different types of stretching exercises, the two main methods of stretching that should be used within Budo to increase flexibility is static and dynamic stretching. (There are other types, but are either dangerous or only used by experts in medicine).

Ballistic stretching is a good example of dangerous stretches that can result in serious injury. Ballistic stretching involves bouncing to push the stretch further and should not be done within Budo training.

Dynamic stretching involves using the momentum (for example swinging legs or arms) to momentarily push the muscles and tendons to the limit. A Budoka should be careful not to exceed the natural range of motion or dynamic stretching becomes ballistic stretching.

Static stretching involves stretching while not moving. It is about relaxing the muscles stretching them out and holding that position for a period of time. Both static and dynamic stretching should be utilised for a Budoka to develop overall flexibility.

A Shaolin child who is more flexible
than you or I will ever be!

Budoka need to be smart when actively trying to increase their flexibility, stretching can result in permanent injury if done incorrectly, too often or too hard. A Budoka should never stretch cold muscles. Always warmup before stretching!
 


Physical Development is a key part of martial training. We must train to make the body to be stronger (in general and in specific areas) to make the techniques work better, stronger and faster.

In the same way as a Samurai would care for and sharpen his sword, we must care for and strengthen our bodies. Being better involves not just skill and correct technique, but development of the body, so it is more natural at executing the martial techniques.


Comment below to share any thoughts or opinions you might have.  :)

Thanks for reading.
Derm

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