AWCA Notebook

Outside of your Wing Chun training, many of you also have a regular fitness training program in place. And for those that prefer to train outdoors vs. inside a gym, there are some excellent routines that can directly enhance your Wing Chun.

For those that do not like training outside or at home, and “prefer” a gym, there are actually a lot of benefits in it, such as:

• Little to no equipment is needed in order to have a good workout

• No obnoxious people to contend with

• No waiting in line for equipment

• No need to drive back and forth to the gym

• Being outside, you can enjoy fresh air vs. stale gym air (depending on where you live, of course)

• You get a lot of sunshine, which an excellent source of Vitamin D

• You can workout anytime you choose vs. adhering to a gym’s schedule

There are seven (7) excellent exercises to help enhance your Wing Chun training. If trained properly and consistently, get ready for some work.

1. Lunges. Lunges should be done slowly and with perfect form in order to get the most out of them. Keep your back straight, and as you lunge forward, ensure that your knee remains over the ankle. Pause and move forward, going to the next leg.

2. Push ups. Yes, the basic push up is one of the best upper body exercises available, and unfortunately a lot of people have gotten away from it because they prefer bench presses. The basic push up includes standard, wide, and close grips, which works shoulders, chest, and triceps. If you want an easier workout, elevate your hands; if you want a harder workout, elevate your feet.

3. Squats. Slow, smooth squats with your knees never going beyond your ankle will seriously increase leg strength, and going as far down as possible without weight will also increase flexibility in the knee. If you want a killer workout? Raise one leg and do one-leg squats.

4. Step ups. If you do this properly, you are giving your legs one serious workout. You can use a bench step, a normal staircase, or anything that is stable that you can step up on and down from. Keep your head level and back straight to get the most from it (and it is also an excellent cardio workout, too).

5. Chin ups. Also called pull ups, you will need a chin up bar (or if you are outside, a tree branch or playground equipment). Very good for the arms and shoulders, as well as the back for stability training.

6. Uphill sprints. This one is an outside-only exercise, but you “can” simulate it somewhat on a treadmill. Not much, but a little. The thing here, though, is that you should only do this if you can do a 100 meter dash at full speed because it is a lot of work on the heart. So use caution with this. Once you are done, walk down and do it again.

7. Duck walks. A lot of lower body work goes on here, which is excellent for kicking and long pole training.

By incorporating any or all of these actions into your current fitness program, you get additional fitness training that positively impacts your Wing Chun training. What could be better than that, right?

All of us know that there is a direct link between proper nutrition and disease prevention, but the hard part is “what” to eat, as well as how much.

Nutritional organizations generally agree that the following ranges are what you should adhere to in order to get a sufficient intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The recommendations are:

• 45% – 65% of calories should come from carbohydrates.
• 25% – 35% of calories should come from fat.
• 10% – 35% of calories should come from protein.

Personally, I have found that a “middle of the road” approach works well. Therefore I try to keep about 50% calories from carbohydrates, 30% from fat, and 20% from protein.

But another important question is “how many calories should I take in to start with?” Good question, and one that only you can decide, to be honest. It depends on your activity level, as well as a variety of other factors that you should discuss with your personal physician.

However, you should never go below 1200 calories, nor over 2400 calories (unless you are EXTREMELY active). If you go below 1200 calories, your body will start to go into what is called “starvation mode.” In effect, your metabolism will slow down exponentially in order to conserve every little bit of food coming in.

On the flip side, too many calories will be more prone to be stored as fat unless you are very active and always burning them off.

So, let’s go for a “middle of the road” approach again and use 1800 calories as an example of what you should be consuming per day. At 45% carbs, that would be 203g. At 20% fat, that would be 40g, and for men and women, your protein intake would be 75g and 60g, respectively.

A lot of hype still exists about protein powder, “muscle fuel,” muscle foods, etc. Personally? Don’t get sucked into all that hype. If you are a professional athlete? Yes, you more than likely need additional nutritional support in order to meet the demands you place on yourself. But for the average Joe? No, you don’t. Solid, healthy foods with the proper exercise are all that the average person needs.

Are their good products out there that can contribute to our gains? Yes, there are, and they’ve been shown to be quite effective depending on how you use it. At the very least, you will see increased energy, which contributes to you being more prone to stay active and eat better.

But is there a magic pill? A product that will melt the fat away and make you look like you are on the cover of GQ? No, there isn’t. And you should not be spending your hard-earned money on all that foolishness, either. I did, and for YEARS. I can’t tell you how many thousands of dollars I’m sure I’ve spent over the decades on that stuff.

But in the end, I realized that quality food, in the right amounts, and with a sensible, consistent exercise program has seen more positive results than all of that other stuff COMBINED.

Make 2008 YOUR year by learning about nutrition and proper exercise. It is the best thing you can ever do for yourself.

Another great abdominal exercise that improves our Wing Chun (particularly where core stability is concerned) is called the reverse crunch. No, this is not a “traditional” method that was taught to me; however, it has proven to be a valuable addition to improving core abdominal strength.

Lie on your back using a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Place your arms at your sides with the palms facing upwards, and place your legs in the air so that your knees are bent at 90-degree angles. Your hips make a 90-degree angle with your torso. Keep your knees unbent and as straight as possible.

Now, contract your abs so that it feels like your belly button is being pulled toward your spine, while simultaneously gently lifting your hips off the floor. Push your hips upwards toward the ceiling a few inches, keeping your legs extended straight upward.

Hold this position for a count of five and then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps.