Martial Arts Training Exercises

Utilizing martial arts training exercises can be a great way to supplement your work in the dojo. Depending on your particular martial art and school, your instructor may give you exercises and items to work on when you're not in class. When you have some time and energy, here are some martial arts training exercises that can improve your performance.

1. Always stretch. While losses in your flexibility can be made up if you lag behind, gaining flexibility is something that you can work on with limited time and space. Perform your stretching routine on a regular basis, and not just when you're in class. Remember to add variety to your routine to see the gains that you are looking for.
2. Take advantage of your heavy bag. A heavy bag is one of the best pieces of training equipment in martial arts. If you have one you can use it to work on all kinds of strikes. Add combinations into the mix to work on speed and quickness. However, don't make the critical mistake: always keep your guard up and move into defensive position as normal.
3. Add intensity. Your training exercises don't have to be bland, and certainly, cardiovascular fitness is something that you should concentrate on outside of class.  Mix both into your training sessions, adding a higher pace. Combine it with the previous point, such as high-intensity three-minute rounds for a great workout.  The possibilities are endless for your training sessions.
4. Don't forget about strength training. Strength training is not to be forgotten in martial arts. As most do not while they're in class, work with some weights to complement your training. Depending on your body, martial art and goals, you should consider how heavy of weights to use.