How To Plan Your Karate Training (According to Science)

By Jesse Enkamp

Do you have a smart Karate training plan?rika_usami_neko

Most people don’t.

In fact, the average Karate-ka doesn’t think about optimal training volume, frequency or intensity.

They just practice based on “gut feeling”...

…which means they never reach their potential.

(That’s why they remain average.)

But if you want to guarantee steady improvement, you need a solid strategy for knowing exactly how much, how often and how hard you should practice Karate!

So…

Today, I want to teach you a scientifically proven training formula.

This model was created by Russian scientist Nikolai N. Yakovlev (1911–1992) and is used by the world’s best performers and athletes.

Follow this model if you want constant improvement in Karate.

Check it out:

supeorcomp
The complete overview

Explanation:

First, you need to understand that humans adapt in response to stress.

Training is stress.

If there’s no stress, there can be no improvement.

(It’s a common misconception that stress is only “bad”. That’s not always the case. Bad stress, called “distress”, most definitely exists – but healthy stress, called “eustress”, is essential to development.)

Remember; a diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress very well.

So… what happens when you practice Karate?

Your system gets stressed!

Your energy burns out, your cells break down & your body releases crash chemicals.

This is known as the “catabolic” state.

supeorcomp3
Training breaks you down

The harder you train, the more you crash.

Until…

You stop training.

Then, your body automatically starts the recovery process!

This is known as the anabolic state. 

Your body heals itself by restoring energy levels, releasing positive chemicals and building muscle tissue.

This is why correct recovery is super important for your development.

Eating and sleeping well is essential here.

supeorcom-4p
Recovery builds you up

As you keep recovering, your body strengthens more.

Until…

Something MAGICAL happens!

In order to not experience the same levels of stress again, your body grows EXTRA.

This is called “supercompensation”.

You literally become stronger, faster, smarter and more handsome than before!

supeorcomp-5
Supercompensation makes you better than before

See that?

Now, here’s the important thing:

Your NEXT training session MUST occur during this moment of supercompensation – if you want to guarantee constant improvement!

Why?

Because…

  • If you practice again too early, your body hasn’t had time to recover and supercompensate – so your performance declines. You get overtrained!
  • If you practice again too late, your body will have reverted back to your old base level – so your performance doesn’t change. You don’t improve!

So…

Herein lies the secret to constant improvement:

Your training must stress your system to such a degree that you’re forced to supercompensate. Your next session must then happen during that supercompensation phase.

Greatness begets greatness.

Here’s an illustration:

cheat-sheet-karate-training-planning
Print and put on your fridge!

The tricky part is to find your optimal “sweet spot” of training.

My advice is this:

Practice as much as possible, but stop immediately if you notice symptoms of overtraining (joint pain, lack of focus, sore muscles, illness, altered resting heart rate, insomnia, silly injuries etc.).

As a general rule of thumb, the start of every Karate class should feel better than last time.

When you find your sweet spot, keep it up!

Now, tell me something…

Based on this info, how can YOU improve your training?

Should you recover better? Or train more frequently? Or train less?

Leave a comment below! 

j_e_sig

PS. Get my 25 Karate Hacks to learn the best scientific “hacks” to improve your Karate, strength & health.

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70 Comments

  • Fredrik
    Good graphics and an easy enough explanation. What should be pointed out is that in order to stress the body enough you need to exceed 60% of your cardiovascular capacity during the training session. Also the length of the recovery is important. If you do an interval training at 90-95% of your maximum heart rate it takes 2-3 days until full recovery during which you shouldn't do another high intensity training. If you train at 70-80% of HR max it only takes 1 day to recover. A variation of training methods and intensities is good. Karate is mainly interval training so this is good knowledge.
    Reply
    • Jesse
      Thanks for your input Fredrik-san! Rock on.
      Reply
      • Anghel
        Jeese , when we will get videos of you doing kumite and kata ? I'd really apreciate that , as a green belt in shito ryu studying by visual inputs has a big benefit.
        Reply
    • Chris Bartlett
      Jesse, ever since Master Ken visited, your advice has jumped up in quality.lol. But serious dude, this makes so much sense. I've been sitting back and getting it wrong for a while now. Some valuable thoughts to remember and ingrain into my psyche. Thanks brother. Hapki!
      Reply
    • MarwA
      How i know that my body stress exceed 60% of my cardiovascular capacity during the training session?? and how i know my maximum heart rate?
      Reply
      • Karin
        You can get your maximum heart rate from charts (on Google). I normally train with a heart rate monitor, so I know what my intensity was. I hope this helps. Thank you Jesse-san for the advice.
        Reply
  • KarateMama
    Ossu! [bow] Thank you! Unfortunately I have to exercise on a "catch as catch can" basis due to my crazy life and the wacky schedules of all my fitness classes (karate and otherwise). As if this isn't enough, I'm getting a job as a water fitness instructor, so that will be an additional workout on top of what I'm already doing. But I take heart in this thought - cavemen never knew when or where they'd get a workout (running from saber tooth tigers, chasing down aurochs, climbing trees for fruit, etc.) so maybe my body will be OK with my very irregular schedule ;-) [bow]
    Reply
    • Jesse
      KarateMama-san, thanks for chiming in! Believe it or not, "irregular training" is a proven method of periodization in sport science - so keep doing your thing! ;-)
      Reply
      • KarateMama
        Ossu! [bow] Thanks for the encouragement! [bow]
        Reply
  • Paul Clancy
    Thanks Jesse....Train 3 days a week as well as some daily runs of 2-4k. I Feel it is perfect for me...I started Karate at 44 four years ago & was pretty unfit, so I have to remind myself I'm not 20 anymore & not over do it...loving my new way of life training with my son who grades to second Que brown with black stripe in a couple of weeks. Kata seminar in the morning...cant wait. Stoked I've become a Karate nerd.
    Reply
    • Jesse
      Awesome Paul-san! Training with family is special, isn't it? Keep nerding! ;-)
      Reply
    • Rob
      Paul - I, too, started when I was 44 and I am in shape (remember, "round" is a shape) and I have a body that belongs in fitness magazines (as the "before" picture). It's great to read that you're running daily and training 3× a week - gives us overweight, balding guys inspiration. Jesse - great post. Easy to understand and, as the pounds start to drop off, this will give me a good starting point to adjust my schedule as my fitness level improves.
      Reply
    • KarateMama
      @ Paul & Rob - What is it about age 44, LOL? Same here! Losing weight, feeling great, and I even am getting a new job teaching a fitness class I picked up at the same time I started Karate.
      Reply
      • Rob
        Right? LOL. That's when a true sense of mortality kicks in but we still think of ourselves as being in our 20s. We started our son in karate and I told him that if he stuck with it then when he got his orange belt, I would start going with him. Next week he tests for his second-degree brown belt in Goju-Shorei
        Reply
        • KarateMama
          @ Rob - Congratulations to your son!!!
          Reply
  • Alison Ferguson
    I LOVE these articles and have picked up many great pointers for training myself and others! Because of my age (let's just say 50+), I have to cross-train now to avoid over-stressing my joints. I find that 1 day of slow, precise work on the minute of kata, followed by a few days of cardio and/or weights, then a high-intensity day of hard, crisp kata seems to be working for me. I can still compete at a reasonable level, but can also perform daily activities without too much discomfort :)
    Reply
    • Jesse
      Nice Alison-san! Sounds like you're on the right path. Thanks & keep it up!
      Reply
    • Byron
      Hi, I recently discovered your site via Facebook and I'm glad I came in to look around. So, first of all, Ossu, to you Sensei Jesse, and secondly I am a follower of the third theory of Ossu - Onegaishimasu, because my girlfriend's daughter used to train Aikido and at the start of every class the students would loudly greet Sensei with "Onegaishimasu," which was interpreted as "please teach us, please impart your knowledge". I have to agree with Alison; I love these articles, and I have learned a great deal reading through them. I too am 50+ (56 now) and I used to train regularly. I was at the 1st Kyu level (3rd Brown Belt) and was preparing for my Shodan, but began overtraining and experienced severe stiffness and soreness, which for the last several years I have attributed to arthritis. (I was training 5 or 6 nights a week). That said, I have had a strong desire to go back, because I know too that "black belt is only the beginning," and it is a lifelong pursuit, and I miss it sooo much. (not to mention, it is the best workout I've ever had!) So, I like your training regiment, Alison; I too do slow kata practice to loosen the joints, and gain muscle memory, followed by strength and cardio (trying to lose weight) and then kata at high intensity - full speed! full power! I have to constantly remind myself to go slow and steady - it's not a race. Rest is so important, as this article points out so clearly, and I have learned the hard way to not try and get somewhere I'm not ready to be, too fast. Also, diet cannot be overlooked. My arthritis is now being controlled strictly through diet - no pills - as certain foods do cause severe inflammation. Plus, keeping moving helps a lot too. Thank you, Sensei Jesse. I look forward to hearing more, and reading more of your articles. Domo Arigato!
      Reply
  • Danielle
    I'm printing this now! In my experience, it's also important to eat right after you train, it has helped me to recover and to not feel tired the next morning. Usually, I drink a protein shake with a fruit and it does work for me. Great article! =)
    Reply
  • Carlos
    Recover better, because I'm killing my knees.
    Reply
  • Toby Gray
    I live in the boonies with three young boys, so my journeys of an hour and half (each way) to the dojo have pretty much completely ceased. However, I train vigorously on my own 4-5 days a week. I'm not just a karate nerd, I'm a fitness nerd in general. I particularly enjoy gymnastics and hand balancing. I start every training session with about half an hour of basics, shifting drills or combinations, and one day a week I run through every kata I know. I'm probably not progressing as much as if I were able to be in the dojo working with a sensei and other students, but I like to think I'm self motivated and introspective enough to make some improvements. I started my Shotokan training 20 years ago this September, and while I don't currently have the time and resources to travel to the dojo, I will continue training regardless.
    Reply
    • Claire
      Thanks, Toby, that was exactly what I needed to hear. I also started karate 20 years ago. I stopped for about 10 and resumed 2 years ago, a little older and wiser. I'm fortunate to have access to 3 classes a week that are just 40 mins away but it isn't enough. I used to teach yoga and am comfortable with home practices so I've been trying to translate all I learned through yoga to karate, so I can practice at home. I used to be the only yoga teacher in a place I lived for 2 years and that taught me to get comfortable practicing alone. As karate isn't so popular where I live, I'm pretty much my teacher's only student, and the solitude of practice is tougher than any fight or grading I've faced. It's also the greatest gift, not only because I get his undivided attention but it's taught me to dig much deeper inside of me and train from a place of love for the practice, rather than fixation on winning or losing. It's great to hear of others like yourself who are showing up for their own practice, even when classes aren't available. That's commitment!
      Reply
      • Toby Gray
        I think there are many of us out there. I often struggle with feeling my training is not "legitimate" without the oversight of a sensei or without people to train with. But, it's my only option right now, and I love martial arts, so I'll continue until I can get back in the dojo. I think the keys are staying consistent, focusing on your movements, being self-critical and analytical, and of course, allowing your passion for the art to spill over into reading about it and watching videos, even if it's a different style.
        Reply
  • Claire
    Thanks for this informative reminder. It really helps to get Karate-tailored fitness advice! This rule has worked over the past year for increasing my lower body strength. I'm happy with the greater depth and agility in my stances. We've trained hard in the dojo and on the beach, and I've added extra fitness training between classes. But, I've totally neglected my upper body strength, mainly my shoulders and core. As a result, my punching power and movement integration is unbalanced. It really shows up in kata practice where my lower body control is much better than my upper body, and timing my entire body movement with my breath is a huge challenge in places. So, my advice to myself is: (1) Get back into reformer Pilates classes - they work like nothing else on my core and lower back and are promote integration of movement and breath; (2) Start being more consistent in working out my shoulders and upper back; (3) Keep developing my own home karate practice as we can only do so much in class. Toby, your response was very inspiring here!
    Reply
  • Shikher Gupta
    Thanks for highlighting this. I am 32 and have been training since last 2 years appx. I am not as flexible as some co-karatekas so i work harder and have been most regular and do at least 6 days a week. Mostly it feels energetic after class. However, At times i do feel tired. Still figuring out if I need more rest or a protein shake which i have never taken.
    Reply
    • Liam Nash
      Thank you for letting me know to do better. I really want to push myself so badly, but I fell lazy almost all the time and people keep telling me that its okay not practice but I disagree with them.
      Reply
  • Ron Cates
    Good morning all, mine is not so much a comment but a question. I do hard workouts from sparring 2 to 3 days a week. In between I teach more tradional things, kata, weapons, one-steps. If I'm not hitting training hard in the supercompensation phase will adversely affect gains in my sparring workouts like cadio, flexibility, speed and strength. Thank you Ron
    Reply
  • Kristof Borzsonyi
    In this december i was overtrained. I prepared for a competition as hard as i possibly can like 10 trainings in the dojo than cardio outside on the weekends. I pushed myself so hard that i eventually broke my foot and my thumb. I competed with broken foot and i won but it was too big cost for it. After the big competition I asked my sensei about the hows and whys about human body (since he is a doctor, and a teacher too). He said me exactly theese things. We corrected my mistakes and i found that "sweet spot" in january and since than i improve in a much faster rithm. And i learned a lot from your articles Jesse-san it helped me to improve in every aspect of my karate and some areas of my life too. Sincerely a Karate Nerd from Budapest,Hungary :)
    Reply
  • Szilard
    Good article, the only thing missing is a serious warning bout the complexity of the system. Every bodily function has different recovery period, they overlap and depending on what you want to learn different resting periods are needed, sometimes causing setbacks. Speed strength and technical training have different recovery periods you can not improve them all at the same time using the same recovery time. Optimal strength training will set back on speed, for the recovery period is all wrong, but you can set that right in the next six week when you work on your speed.
    Reply
  • Sean
    I think the really tricky part is learning to listen to your body's subtle signs. Some people don't push themselves enough and hence under train, while others push too hard and move backwards. The tips offered,although very general, are a good guide to "listening to your body". If this is done with a strong conscious effort early in one's career as a martial artist, or in any athletic endeavor, it will eventually become second nature.
    Reply
  • David
    Great article, this makes me think back to high school when I would have wrestling practice after school 4 times a week and then go to karate later at night 3 times a week. Super over training! Everything was constantly sore and I was always physically tired. My performance in both sports suffered greatly during the few months of wrestling season! Could have used this advice back in the day, where were you when I needed you Jesse?!
    Reply
  • Rach
    I started at 39 with my son. I have been training for a year on Sunday. I was relatively fit when I started but am fitter now. I train 3-4 times per week if I can and generally do lots of other exercise between. Currently though I am injured with a broken toe which has required me to slow down a bit. I think I may have been overdoing it before though so cutting it back 25% has actually helped my karate training. :-)
    Reply
    • Toby Gray
      I feel your pain, Rach. I had my right middle toe powderized at a hardware store when a steal pipe landed on it. It's been six months and I'm just barely getting back up to speed. I was not exactly a good patient, I started exercising the week after it happened, all upper body stuff strength-wise, and sitting in horse stance doing basics. I've found ways to work around it, there's a section of bone at the tip that has not and will not reattach, so I've been putting it through it's paces to see if it bothers me. So far, so good. Next I need to try some jumping drills and kicking a heavy bag...
      Reply
  • Talprofs
    Wonderful article, @Jesse on the principles of periodisation for training. Also, a very helpful exchange in this forum between @Claire and @TobyGray about training on your own. My present Karate instructor calls this 'practice', and bemoans the fact that most of his do not practice on their own outside of class, and yet still (unrealistically) expect to make progress! So, my personal challenges to optimise my Karate training are as follows: (1) Train at the right intensity (NB this may vary from session to session, but with practice I can usually 'feel' if I need to do more or less (I tend to over-train); (2) Ensure I eat as soon as I can after training to aid recovery; and (3) Work on my suppleness with PNF (proprioreceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretches after strength+training twice a week. @talprofs
    Reply
    • Toby Gray
      I also tend to overtrain. I usually know when my joints start screaming at me. One thing I don't spend enough time doing is soft tissue work with a foam roller or lacross ball. When I manage a short stint of consistency, I feel much better, especially now that I'm older. I've noticed I have developed a lot of tight areas and functionally shortened muscles through my chosen activities that I never had problems with because I have always been naturally fairly flexible. I highly recommend everyone devote some time every week to soft tissue work and mobility. Check out some of Kelley Starett's videos and his book if you are inclined, a lot of his drills have helped me out tremendously.
      Reply
  • Mike_Also
    At 62, I've resumed karate training after 25 years (10 years of karate, judo, kendo, iaido) of not. Goals, intentions and limitations are different. Starting with katas I find the process more enjoyable than before. Without a competition or rank-attainment mindset, concentration on technique and willingness to practice has increased. Everyday practice, slow and measured, is a pleasure.
    Reply
  • Odi
    Jesse-san, I noticed after from a rigorous training,my punches improved a lot but I noticed everytime I rotate my arms my shoulder sockets would make sound as if the end bones would grind but it isn't painful... should I rest? or should I continue my training regimen? hoping for your reply..
    Reply
  • Salima
    I started training 5 years ago at the age of 38 because my husband and son challenged me to do it. I wish I had started years before! I absolutely love my time in the dojo! Unfortunately, my husband and son have taken turns getting sick and I've missed training most of the last two years. I did however visualize the katas and let things "marinate" in my mind. Now that I'm slowly getting back, I'm finding that my technique had improved despite the lack of physical training. Stopping to think about what you're doing instead of mindless repetition hoping to achieve the desired results is a good thing. Jesse San, I totally agree that we need recovery time. It's beneficial both mentally and physically. I really enjoy your posts. You rock!
    Reply
  • Amakiri Oruamabo
    An interesting article that relates directly to my current situation. This year, I decided to up the ante a bit and intensify my personal training. Things had been going according to plan until recently when I started experiencing burnout during training sessions. Today was particularly terrible in the dojo that I've considered taking an energy drink along for future sessions....ie till I'm able to find my training sweet spot.
    Reply
  • Fernando
    Thanks Jesse for spreading these valuable contributions from the field of sports training and theories of adaptation to exercise. Karate people should appreciate it because, as you states, the average Karate-ka doesn’t have any idea about optimal training volume, frequency or intensity. The principles and concepts explained in this article come from the theories of adaptation to exercise and can be applied to improve physical fitness, also known as conditioning. However, conditioning is only one of the components in sport performance. Exercise scientists have identified and classified the components of fitness: - Physical Fitness or health-related Fitness factors: strength, speed, endurance (stamina) and flexibility. - Motor Fitness or skill-related Fitness factors: refers to the ability of an athlete to perform successfully at their sport. The components or factors of Motor Fitness are coordination, agility and balance. Therefore, a smart training plan should include both components. Karate people should exercise to improve physical fitness and performance. Physical Fitness and Motor Fitness are two sides of the same coin. They are functionally inseparable. Physical Fitness is based on physiology and theories of adaptation to exercise. Motor Fitness or skill-related fitness is based on Learning Theories and Motor Learning Theories. And I think average karate-ka and, even worse, average karate teachers doesn’t have any idea about Motor Learning and Teaching Methods. In fact, there is nothing but command-style teaching and behaviourist approach in most of karate teaching. I think there is a huge gap to fill in this field of Karate. The most important field! Because Karate is all about teaching and learning. Don’t you think?
    Reply
    • Jesse
      Very good comment Fernando-san! I agree 100%. Keep up the great commentary.
      Reply
  • tony
    I train 6 days a week to a total of 12 hours, I instruct karate to kids to a total of 4 hours a week....Is there a possibility of over training here? Oss
    Reply
  • Stephanie Haynes
    ossu with -bow-, I believe in limiting bad things from our diets and drinking the needed portions of water daily. Your body also needs a fair amount of water to recover and push out all of the created lactic acid that was created while training. Plus, it is good to have plenty of water in your system to "flush out" impurities in your body. Running and lifting weights in between training also goes a long way. Alternate workouts so your body can recover in the areas you don't use that day. Also, plenty of sleep and try to give yourself a day off. At least this is what I believe works for me.
    Reply
  • Jim
    44 here also. What I hate about the recovery time, that I'm finally admitting to myself is necessary, is how do I maintain my cardio on those 'off' days?
    Reply
    • Toby Gray
      Having a day off here and there won't diminish your strength, speed, or "cardio"/endurance. Your body works hard to create the adaptations to the stresses you put on it, it doesn't get rid of them that quickly. As has been pointed out, you need time to recover, that's when your body creates those new adaptations, not while training. If you struggle mentally with having a day off from training (as I have in the past), find something light to do as active rest/recovery. Go for a brisk walk, do some swimming, shoot some hoops. Basically anything light activity with a low impact component that keeps your body moving but isn't stressing it out. I promise, no one turns into a gasping slug after missing a single day of training (or several). It has taken me a few decades to admit that to myself and follow through with getting rest when I need it.
      Reply
  • Domnick
    Another great article Jesse-san. For me, I think I could train a little more often. I usually go to my dojo about 4-5 time a week. When I take more than 2 days off, I can feel a slight difference in some area of my karate. Maybe it's I'm a little less flexible or something small like that. I could train 5-6 days a week, and I think that will help a lot for me. Thanks!
    Reply
  • Fernando
    Piece of advice from Ozolin, recognized expert in sports training, on progress in physical conditioning: flexibility improves day by day, strength improves week by week, speed improves month by month and endurance improves year by year. You should take this into account when planning your training and you should consider this to be consistent and patient to get your achievements.
    Reply
  • Ian
    Great subject ... alas, far too often ignored in karate. Opinions differ ... should a karate class be your "workout" leaving you drenched in sweat and totally fatigued twice a week, or should it be "technical" and if you happen to sweat as well, that's a bonus? Different Senseis/dojos have different ideas, and sometimes bounce back and forth. (Should the student get in shape outside the dojo so dojo training is maximized, or does he use dojo training to get in shape? That 6th-dan Hanshi can probably turn your kata from lead to gold, but do you need him watching you in order to do your regular dose of push-ups and sit-ups?) Hmm ... So, the diligent karate-ka, wanting to time her strenuous exercise to maximise gains and avoid overtraining, sets herself a training schedule, and then *boom * ... right in the middle of her "rest" phase Sensei decides to switch it up from the normal "relaxed, technical" class where technique is refined to a grueling "let's see if you have what it takes to be a karate-ka" all-out physical workout. (The other students, who don't really exercise at home, are sorely in need of that, but our lady has her training all messed up.) Then think about it from Sensei's perspective ... let's assume he's on board with Jesse-san's training notions, and wants to get all his students to their maximum potential and not overtrain ... but he has fifty students, ranging from teenagers just getting into "serious" fitness training, to some high-performance athletes in their 20's, veteran athletes in their 30's, some "weekend warriors" in their 30's and 40's in decent shape, some pudgy white-belts in their 40's and 50's who joined after their kids joined the kids' class ... totally out of shape and bodies not "hardened" for training, but gosh darn it they try hard, and usually hurt themselves far too often ..., and a few old codgers in their 50's and 60's who are slower than everyone else, tougher than everyone else, and need to take forever to recover. Poor sensei ... how on earth is he supposed to figure out and understand all those different recovery cycles, let alone create a training regimen at his dojo that will accommodate them all and provide all his students with the opportunity to excel? Toss on top of that, the fact that his students may or may not be training at home or the gym, and on any number of various frequencies and intensities. ... but ... ... then again ... When is the last time you knew of a sensei where he sat his students down and explained stuff like this, let alone tried to get his students to implement it in their lives and training regimens. "When's Sensei gonna stop yakin' so we can get back to hittin' each other again?" the students are all thinking ...
    Reply
  • Ben Brown
    Onegaishimasu to all posts! Relieved to know there are others that have similar age and training regimens as myself. Nowadays my training is 99 percent at home . Lack of a proper Sensei I've had to teach myself not just certain katas , but spending countless hours researching the bunkai to them . Again thank you Jesse-San and the nerd nation!
    Reply
  • Brendan
    I didn't read all the comments so someone may have already mentioned this: if you want to be super anal about it, each system takes a different amount of time for compensation to occur. Generally, speed can take as little as 12 hours while endurance up to 72. Different types of strength( speed-strength, limit strength etc) plus different muscle groups take varying lengths of time also. It can get pretty complicated but, on the bright side, you can always keep your workouts fresh. For instance, you can take a rest day after a hard endurance based session but make it an active rest by playing with some agility or speed drills. Then the next day work on strength and power, then another fairly hard endurance day etc.
    Reply
  • Bucksmallsy
    Forget training periodization; Karate should be approached like any other Art. You TRAIN to be able to defend yourself IN THE REAL WORLD. If one approaches their training from the stand point of warfare / Goshin-Jutsu; periodization IS irrelevant, and an individual should be ready, any place, any time, and everywhere; or they truly aren't following the True Path of Budo ! Osu !
    Reply
  • Jason Pennell
    Hmm, train during the super compensate stage huh? That's an interesting idea. I agree with you Jesse, not all stress is bad. It's important to continually train with focus, so that you can reach this stressed state. I try to train 3 times a week, although sometimes I think I'm outside the super compensate stage, so that's something I'm going to make myself aware of. Good article! I recently wrote an article that complements that article nicely - book every Karate-ka should read. Check it out: http://www.pennellsdojo.com/dojo/aritcles-you-must-read/
    Reply
  • Adam
    So true. I train in 2 styles: American Kenpo and Shotokan, I also do weights and pnf stretches. I got greedy and trained 6 days a week, hitting the treadmill after karate lessons too. After a month I got so sick and was out for a week and a half from work. I cut out the extra treadmill after karate trying to do the smart thing, but i got sick again this time 2 months later, and i always felt like crap before training. I cut back on training to 4 times a week, things went well, and like an idiot i increased the amount again - BAM! got sick within a month. I noticed when i would return to training after recovering from sickness that I was really pumped! 3 times sick is definitely no coincidence, now i never exceed more than 4 days per week training and keep a day rest between training where possible in the week. This occurred because i wanted to excel and train more than others, but it did the opposite. Less is more
    Reply
  • Glenn
    Started Karate 15 years ago, stopped after 2 years and picking it up again last year. Although I've been working out most of the time and mainly focused on body building but always wanted to achieve black belt in Karate. Getting focus and stay on the way to have constant improvement is big deal for me, this article is really good to summarise the training cycles, looks like I have to reschedule mine tomorrow. Thanks Jesse!
    Reply
  • Bert Smith
    I have started measuring everything using heart rate, weight etc. I train everyday 4 miles 29 katas stretching and target practice. Normally about 5 am for 2 hours. This is the worse times to train as energy is the lowest after sleeping. I have done this for years. Lactic acid forms when you train without enough oxygen. If you use heart rate monitor and keep the heart rate in the aerobic zone the lactic acid build up is very little and recovery is reduced, and it reduces the loss of muscle mass as you burn fat instead of glocogen out of the muscles. I notice that the is a lot of tension in karate as they fight to move with tense muscles. It also defies the body mechanics as the move the joints in unnatural ways. I loose about 3kg each day this weight returns as I drink water. If the exercise has caused a lot of lactic acid built up I water to eat anything with sugar in to replace what has been taken out of the muscles. Compression underwear this does not increase performance but decreases recovery time so I wear it most of the time as it takes the ache especially from the legs. Bruising I use arnica and whichhazel to help recovery time as I am over 55 it is not as quick as it was. In my 20s I used to need 5000 calories to stop weight loss now I can put weight on with less than 2000. It is also easier to build muscle. If you are doing karate you should be relaxed most of the time, breathing effectively so you are not building up lactic acid for no reason.
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  • Logan Murphy
    I like your idea of needing to know and understand how often and how hard you should be training. I have a cousin taking kobudo lessons. He really loves it and does it as often as he can. I'll have to share with him your advice. I think he would appreciate it! Thanks for sharing!
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  • Veronica Marks
    I really like the graph you included about training, recovery, and supercompensation. I didn't know that the next training session needed to happen during that supercompensation time. I'll have to put my trainings a bit closer together in order to fit that time frame.
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  • Alex
    Now this is news to me...pleasant news, that is. And easy to understand, which is much more than I can say for other materials I've looked up! Now all I have to do is find my sweet spot. I guess I need to pay more attention to my body and how to interpret the signals it's sending me... Thanks, Jesse-san!
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  • Praveen Raaj
    Hi , It was very useful. Simple and clear cut explanations. Thanks a lot for this useful piece of inputs for the training. Regards, Praveen
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  • Praveen Raaj
    Hi , It was very useful. Simple and clear cut explanations. Thanks a lot for this useful piece of inputs for the training. As i'm practicing my sessions two days a week, will it be a gain or a loss?
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  • Laxman Sagar Rout
    Thank you Sir ! It is helpful for the increasing strength of our body ! You are genius ! Now I can practice well !???
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  • veeraseenuu M
    very good explain for the basic karate training and difrent between normal and good training
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  • Mike McGraw
    I am 47 and after not doing Karate since I was 15 am now back into classes for the last 10 months. I have been experiencing some extreme hip pains but have been powering through it with the help of compression sleeves, topical creams, chiropractic visits and stretching. I go to class Monday, Thursday and Saturday with some kata and kicking a heavy bag throughout the week. Question is am I overdoing it as I have almost constant pain and stiffness in my hips ( have been diagnosed with mild arthritis) I intend to stay on this journey and need to know how to reduce pain and stiffness of the hips more that what I am doing now and whether the timing between my classes is good. Osu
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  • MOHAMED GHOUSE
    Thank You Jesse. That was a very helpful pictorial representation and clears a lot of doubt about training and recovery that I previously had.
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  • Kenneth
    Do you think you can use the same formula for teenagers age 13-16? How do you look at strength training for young people of age 13-16?
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  • Pavol Bajusz
    Dear Mr. Jesse, Let me sta t with quotring your advice: Practice as much as possible, but stop immediately if you notice symptoms of overtraining (joint pain, lack of focus, sore muscles, illness, altered resting heart rate, insomnia, silly injuries etc.). I am one of the fans of your mission inthe field of Karate. For that reason, I cannot understand such an advice, which is out of place in term of real Karate. There is a contradictiok, , one connot work as much a possible, and at the same time notiece the symptoms of overtraining. To my mind, as an instructor of sport Karate of Goju-ryu over 30 years, I disagree. A tranee cannot do two things at the same time. There must be an istructor or supervisor at leatst, who si qualified enough to sa, wheteher the studeent has or has not reached or overcame the standarrds as set. My apology, but be careful. There is still a time and human factor to decide, Paul Bajusz, former, and retired instructor of Goju-ryu Karate
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  • Pavol Bajusz
    Dea Mr. Jesse Enkampf As for the tranining and compensation formula, there is much truth. It can be regarded as a short-cut to understand the training process. Let me ask you to visit Black Belt August 1992 on "Ten training principles", which will help your readers to see the big picture. I myself enjopyed it very much. Best regards and Happy new year 2020. Paul, 65,retired instructor of Goju-ryu Karate.
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  • Usama Ahmad Ibrahim
    Hi I am a karate (Kyokushin) student. White belt. Well I really found it helpful. At times I use to practice too much a day. Morning walk jogging + push ups , chin ups etc and then almost 90min of tennis. In the evening we have our karate class of about 2hrs. I was find effects on my right arm, as I grabbed tennis racket in it, and on my legs as do lots of running. I am glad that I found the guidance. ?
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