Training: examples of constant changes

What are the benefits of constant change?

After the explanation of what we mean by “constant change” in 6 Dragons Kung Fu (read Same exercises, different execution) we want now to share a few ideas on how to make the practice:

  • More focused
  • More realistic
  • More interesting
  • More effective
  • Less time-consuming
  • More in a multitasking direction

A note by Master Kongling – For a novice, one of the hardest things to accept in a daily training is the idea of repeating the same exercises for days, weeks, months and years. Fortunately, 6DKF has found a way to make the practice less boring / monotonous and at the same time more effective in terms of muscle memory education and realism.

How to make the same exercises always different

Let’s see some practical examples of alteration of the same exercise:

  • Placing obstacles (on the ground, hanging, on the body, etc.)
  • Including other exercises (eg. throw safe darts during a sparring session)
  • Inserting distractions of senses or mind (hearing, smell, sight, etc.)
  • Inserting advantage or disadvantage situations (eg. during sparring opponent wielding a stick)
  • Block of one or more limbs (eg. fighting with our hands tied behind our back, with one foot tied to the opponent, etc.)
  • Block of one or more senses (eg. combat in the dark, blindfolded, etc.)
  • Addition of body weights (a stones basket, a weighted vest, etc.)
  • Control of breathing (apnea, limiting the inflow of oxygen, etc.)
  • Scenario control (eg. to fight and remember the position of the surrounding objects)
  • Multitasking (eg. listen during an exercise to technical explanations)
  • Change the speed of execution (faster, slower, variable, etc.)
  • Change the time available to achieve a goal (eg. the same repetitions in half time)
  • Exchange of training tools (harder, more flexible, more distant, more high, etc.)
  • Exchange of training weapons (heavier, lighter, longer, improvised, etc.)
  • Exchange of training environments (under the weather, in narrow spaces, etc.)

The last change we quote is one of the most interesting: that which born from the spirit of personal initiative; reached a certain preparation, the practitioner must begin to formulate personal / reasoned variations (according to his level and development needs).

Final considerations

A few tips and notes:

  • These are only general examples that fit with most training practice but each exercise has specific variations (that are described exercise per exercise)
  • It is useless to say that each decision about changing an exercise has to be taken with the idea to practice safe and especially to have a better performance
  • If the variation damage the quality of the practice (or of our conditioning) it is obvious that it must be removed or postponed to the time when we will be able to manage it
  • Even if the variations are very important it is essential to also run exercise sessions in their basic version
  • If we are beginners or we are facing an exercise for the first time, it is better to do not add too many variations (let’s start with the original version)
  • In all those cases where we need the 100% of our focus to reach our training goals (eg. acquiring a complex skill, movement, etc.) it is better to do not add too many collateral distractions

In-depth articles

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

  • What variations are you likely to experiment?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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