Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts

Every martial artist knows the importance of strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, speed, and agility. Each aspect affects the performance of the fundamental skills involved in all forms of martial arts. Improving these fitness components requires a wide range of specific exercises, which have never been compiled into one easy-to-use resource—until now.

Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts is the most comprehensive resource for preparing the body to excel in karate, taekwondo, judo, aikido, jujitsu, kempo, and other martial arts forms. Loaded with exercises designed specifically to improve the execution of martial arts techniques, this book provides the aspiring artist with a wealth of workout prescriptions. Inside you will find exercises for

- optimal flexibility,
- joint stabilization,
- strengthening the torso or “Power Zone,”
- power development, and
- aerobic and anaerobic training.

Written by certified strength and conditioning specialist and black belt holder Sean Cochran, this book combines his expertise in both disciplines into one outstanding and widely applicable resource. You will find 80 cross-specific training exercises that are designed specifically to improve technique and execution by targeting muscle groups most involved in key maneuvers.

Develop the fundamental fitness and art-specific conditioning needed to master your discipline. With Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts, you'll always be in peak form.

Sean M. Cochran, a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist, has served as a consultant for many professional baseball clubs, collegiate athletic organizations, and professional athletes from a wide variety of sports. He currently serves as the strength and conditioning coach for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team.

Cochran is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the Chiropractic Rehabilitation Association. He is the conditioning coordinator for Functional Fitness Paradigms, which develops conditioning programs for both the public and for athletes. Cochran is also a member of the USA Weightlifting Federation and he coaches on the club level. He has been involved in three fitness videos and co-authored Stronger Arms and Upper Body with Tom House (Human Kinetics, 2000). Cochran lives in San Diego, California.