Fighting Fitness

Savate is a skillful art that shows its strengths in its technique. To really gain an edge in the ring, however, most fighters will point to fitness as a decisive advantage. 

My fitness tips

I have experimented extensively with weight training, endurance training, body weight exercises, muscle-resistance exercises, all sorts of flexibility programmes, training every day, taking rest days, morning workouts and every conceivable combination. Having combined these approaches, tried them out, let them fail, let them succeed, my fitness is now one of my big advantages when I step into a Savate ring. Here are some ideas:

Principle 1. Runners run, swimmers swim, fighters fight. Don't be coerced into fitness regimes that don't match your sport. Fitness is largely sport-specific and being fit for, say, a game of football won't prepare you for a game of rugby. In the case of fighting, you should increase the time spent in sparring or on kicking and punching drills if you want better ring fitness.

Principle 2. Let your workouts match the duration you are training for. In the case of fight preparation, that means 2-3 minute bursts will be ideal. A ten mile run won't help you if your fitness is needed over a much shorter time. Train to find your peak performance in the time interval you need.

Principle 3. Train to match the speed requirement. It is less use lifting large weights if what is needed is quick movements with bodyweight resistance (in fact I have ditched all weight training to concentrate solely on bodyweight exercises - it's more convenient, produces fewer injuries, far better control and superior ring fitness).

Principle 4. Train every day. If you want to be fit and want your body to work for you, use it each day. Some days will require a different approach if you are tired or have other commitments, but far too many people accept a day of rest without really worrying about whether it is necessary. Five minutes every morning is enough, just keep up the discipline.

Flexibility

Flexibility is a key part of fighting fitness that many aspire to but few have the knowledge or discipline to attain. This is a vast field with many different theories, here is what I have discovered:

Improving flexibility is not a simple case of mechanically stretching the muscle fabric to greater lengths. To become more flexible, one must train the system that regulates the muscle length, that is, the nervous system. Pushing, pulling or jerking the muscles into the required position will not work. Instead, the nervous system controlling the muscles must be guided gently into accepting greater extensions at various speeds. Ignoring this principle costs many people greater flexibility and can lead to injury. 

Your stretching should therefore work to recondition the nervous reflexes. This can be done with a series of stretches done at the right pace at precise points in your workout and your daily and weekly training cycle. For safety and best effect, these exercises are best demonstrated by an experienced trainer.

James Southwood    07950 456307
www.jamessouthwood.com   www.londonsavate.co.uk