Tips:

Disclaimer- Professional supervision is required prior to engaging in these activities.

Mind-Body Coordination and Physical Efficiency

Martial artists, dancers and athletes need to maintain optimum mind and body coordination and physical efficiency under the heat of combat or competition. This is developed through specific training regiments but can also be enhanced with innovative cross-training tools and by thinking out of the box.

The following equipment will substantially improve your coordination, balance, flexibility, agility, strength and endurance. I include most if not all of these tools into my daily workouts.

1. Indo Board
2. Medicine Ball
3. Power Wheel
4. TRX System

                                              Indo Board

An Indo Board is a simple tool which yields HUGE benefits! It's a board that you balance atop an 8.5" roller. Surfers use this to maintain their balance and mobility and martial artists make use of it as well. The Indo Board conditions your body to make rapid micro-adjustments and reflexive decisions (to keep from falling) independent from mental interference. It improves your proprioception, balance and stability. You can squat on it, turn on it, spin on it, take/give strikes on it, drink your morning coffee and even eat while balancing on it. The key is to distract yourself so that your body's instinctive righting mechanism kicks in before the head does. You can also do knuckle push ups on it and use your core to stabilize the board on the roller. It retails for around $185, but many of my students have fashioned own home-made versions from a long block of wood and an unopened 2 liter soda pop bottle. The higher the roller (minimum of 8" in diameter) the more fear management you'll need.

                                Medicine Ball

This Medicine Ball (Nike 12 lbs.) is an inexpensive multi-purpose tool ($45). It is compact, gives a 360 degree float and can be used for core strengthening exercises (throwing, situps, push-ups etc). This is the "basketball" type and not the soft Dynamax style. It should be firm so that you can stand, jump and squat on it. Start by standing on it. Remember the ball's job is to move about and yours is to stay on. Do not try to hold it stationary. As your balance improves, add small distractions like drinking water, eating, talking on the phone. Graduate to full squats and hold the low position calmly prior to rising. If you fall, use the "greet with meat" method of absorbing the ground without tensing or slapping your arms which could lead to injuries. Do straight back sit-ups with straight arms holding the ball overhead and toss the ball to a partner. Add lateral twists when you rise to 90 degrees and twist side to side while touching the ball to the floor. End with alternating push-ups with one hand on the ball switching between your left and right sides.

                                    The Power Wheel

The Power Wheel is the best core and back trainer on the market today ($50 PerformBetter.com) . You can use it as a heavy-duty ab-roller or strap your feet in to unleash your core and stabilizer muscles by walking, rotating, piking, jack-knifing and planking your abdominals into shape. You can also develop your hamstrings and back with hip-ups. Lay on your back and begin rolling your heels to your buttocks and arching up onto your shoulders, slowly lower down to the flat position. When you've developed your endurance and conditioning, try doing them on your knuckles to relax your shoulders and build heaviness in your strikes. Don't overdo this as it's easy to damage your fists if you don't build the necessary tendon and ligament strengths. Walk very slowly at first then build up your distance and duration.