Training Dangers in Traditional Martial Arts

Training Dangers in Traditional Martial Arts Introduction research studies focused on instruc- being modified to feature “low Imagine that you are a world- tors. As expected; the instructors impact” rather than “high impact”. class Taekwondo competitor. You became very fit. However, the good As a result, more people then ever have proven your skills time and results were accompanied by an have been able to train, regardless of time again. In fact, your techniques excessive amount of training inju- age or physical condition. are so quick and crisp that you rarely ries. Those results alerted fitness lose. Furthermore, your opponents experts to the fact that many well- Historical Root can barely score any points against established fitness theories were Although this article is focusing you, nor can they injure you. There potentially counterproductive. upon Taekwondo; the information is is only one problem. Your knees and Research confirmed that applicable to any martial art. Many ankles become swollen, painful and repeated, long-term jumping, of the traditional training methods weak after a day’s competition. bouncing and jogging were clearly have a common root. As mentioned Why? You are the victim of poor the cause of the injuries. More above, Hatha Yoga, an Indian training methods. specifically, attitudes of working religious discipline, was the founda- Fiction? No, there are several through pain were found to be tion for most of the oriental martial top Taekwondo competitors who directly responsible for chronic arts. This is because Hatha Yoga suffer those maladies. In fact, a training injuries. As a result, was used by Buddhist missionaries to recent article in the U.S. Taekwondo physical fitness programs in the U.S. provide discipline training for their Union Newsletter noted that 15 of have made some major renovations. students. Those exercises empha- the 16 team members of the 1985 Additionally, international training sized the control of the body and its World Championship team suffered programs are beginning to confirm functions. Of course, the religious training injuries prior to their meet. U.S. findings, and some of those connotation has disappeared; leaving Additionally, competitors are not the programs are being modified. the rote practice of the technique. only ones to suffer from injuries. Martial arts practitioners may Martial artists must understand that Training injuries are common among have heard about those findings; yet Hatha Yoga was done originally to older practitioners and people in none seem to have recognized a prepare the physical body for poor physical condition. connection between aerobics classes spiritual growth. Physical fitness The oriental martial arts have a and martial arts classes. Most was only part of the reasoning for the tradition that extends back more than oriental martial arts use exercises Hatha Yoga postures. The primary 2000 years. Many of the traditional that hurt joints or bend the body into reason for the postures was to training methods are very ancient. uncomfortable postures. Those enhance the stimulation of the The perceptive, well informed techniques are done to gain flexibil- chakras, or centers of psychic observer may recognize Hatha Yoga ity. Martial arts, like Taekwondo, energy. techniques in the calisthenics. use jumping techniques to gain Hatha Yoga exercises did Furthermore, most participants in a stamina or “springiness”. Some provide a level of fitness because it class often comment that it is painful schools use heavy bags or impact took flexibility and bodily discipline to execute the exercises. This article resistive devices (makiwara) to to perform the routines, but many of will explore traditional training develop bodily weapons. One thing those routine were not safe. Hatha methods, particularly regarding is sure—all of those techniques Yoga was best when it emphasized Taekwondo, and recommend new greatly increase the risk of injury. smooth movement and relaxation, methods of training for today’s It is likely that many martial but it was at its worst when it forced martial artist. artists may say that there cannot be the joints into severe hyperextension. authentic traditional training without Those exercise techniques have Background those exercise techniques, but that is become the basis of martial arts A tremendous amount of not true. Traditional techniques calisthenics, but they are not the information has been collected on the were relative to the time of their most dangerous techniques. subjects of exercise and kinesiology creation. In other words, they were due to increased interest in physical the best techniques known at the Exercise Dangers fitness. The spectacular growth of time. The modernizing of training What kind of exercises are aerobics training programs has methods will not be the demise of dangerous? Using Taekwondo as a intensified the impact of that kind of traditional martial arts. For ex- baseline; the following exercises are training on a large segment of ample, aerobics have not disap- the most risky: First, repetitive American society. Most of the peared; even though techniques are jumping in place, such as Jumping Jacks, especially when done on a by exercises that hyperextend joints. easy to understand the source of the hard floor, can injure joints and the Martial arts training utilizes two problem. The turning kick, tollyo spine. Second, exercises that bend classifications of hyperextension chagi, is often used to deliver a joints beyond normal limits or techniques. The first are those speedy, powerful kick to an oppo- exercises that stress joints, such as exercises that bend the joints beyond nent’s body or head. Competitors the earlier noted kicking and normal limits. The second are those use a kicking pad or heavy bag to punching into the air, can cause exercises that hyperextend the joints simulate contact to an opponent’s hyperextension injuries. Third, because of ballistic thrusting of the body. The training often features exercises that require strikes with limbs. Those injuries are usually powerful repetitive kicking to the improperly utilized hand or foot related to excessive kicking or training target with the instep of the weapons against resistive appliances punching techniques that do not foot. This is the primary cause of are a significant cause of injuries. encounter a resistive target. Taekwondo ankle injuries. Finally, forging exercises that are The injury is caused by two intended to toughen students prior to related traumas—the hyperextension sparring, if done improperly, of the ankle joint and the impact of can cause severe the heel bone against the lower leg physiological trauma. bone (see: foot/ankle diagram). Furthermore, poorly Bringing the instep into forceful executed forging contact with a resistive exercises do not even target, a heavy bag, for work as intended! example, applies excessive force to the Ballistic Injuries top of the foot. As the The most danger- foot is only attached to the ous and damaging lower leg by ligaments; the exercise techniques are force pries the foot away those classified as ballistic. from the lower leg. That Those include: jumping and bounc- stretches or damages the ing; or punching and kicking into ligaments surrounding, the air. Most modern exercise and including, the programs have begun to anterior talotibial eliminate these types of ligament. The same exercises from their lever action forces the regimens in favor of non- calcaneus (heel bone) into ballistic exercises done for a the tibia (large lower leg longer duration. Many bone). While infrequent martial arts classes may have incidents of this trauma are students doing ballistic exercises for often sustainable; it is not more than an hour in each class. If Use of Body Weapons desirable. Furthermore, repeated use students participate in several classes As Taekwondo uses various of this technique in training is per week then the risk of injury is parts of the body as weapons; they almost a guarantee of a permanent, greatly increased. are susceptible to injuries. The chronic injury. Today, most fitness authorities injuries at the beginning of this The injury described above is but reject the philosophy of “No pain: no article were the result of misapplied one example of training that uses the gain”. Proper exercise should not kicking techniques. The example wrong type of bodily weapon. There hurt. It should make a person tired cited in this article described a very are similar problems caused by or sore after using new muscles, but capable Taekwondo champion who misuse of forging tools like the it should not hurt. They also suffered from injured ankles. That makiwara. The intention of this advocate an exercise program injury does not come from the article is to alert the reader to emphasizing consistency rather than sparring competition. It is the result potentially dangerous training “going for the burn”. Nevertheless, of the pre-event training used to techniques. It is left for the reader to it is very difficult to transform the develop powerful kicking. The discover other examples of related indoctrination of many years into a injury is very widely shared, yet is it problems. belief that favors new perceptions. subtle. This article will detail the cause of the injury. Forging Training Dangers Hyperextension Injuries Taking the time to analyze the Traditional martial arts have had Another serious danger is posed typical training for sparring; it is a long history of using forging, or toughening, training. Many people training. The major cause of those the most vigorous. Another high are familiar with images of Mas injuries is the lack of modernization quality fitness advocate is Richard Oyama pounding on a oak tree for in the training methods. Simmons. He provides quality many months until it was finally information on diet and exercise, but felled. However, those exercises are Modern Training Regimen he may not be sufficiently vigorous more directed at toughen the attack- The previous segments de- for the intensive martial arts working tools.

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