Getting fit with SwordsMaster

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Well you don't stretch your knee. You stretch the hamstrings and quads. If one is more flexible than the other then you will have knee problems. I think you can tell which you need to stretch by where the pain is when you have problems, but I can't remember.

You can't go to wrong with stretching quads and hams, do hip flexors and calves as well.

[SwordsMaster]

You should stretch either way even if you are not injured.

[mercian billman]

I don't want to take away anything from Sword Master's excellent thread, but I just thought I'd throw in my workout routine, basicaly it's a variation of the Bigger, Faster, Stronger program, which I used in High School and most American High School athletes are probably familiar with. It's a basic M/W/F program which emphasises Bench Press, Deadlifts, and Squats, each of these are worked once a week allowing plenty of time for recovery;

Monday
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Weighted Dips

Wednesday
Dead lift
Straight Legged Dead lift
Good Mornings
Bent Over Rows


Friday
Squat
Leg Press
Lunges
Calve Raises

All of these excercises (with a few exceptions which will be mentioned later are done with 3-5 working sets and 3-5 repitions per set. The purpose of the routine is to build strength that can be carried over into sports such as football, wrestling, basketball etc, the total program also includes a lot of conditioning work, and plyometrics which I don't do because I don't have the workout guides for them. I still do conditioning work, which I will mention in another post.

The lifts that aren't done with 3-5 repitions per set are Dumbbell Bench Press, Straight Legged Dead Lift, Good Mornings, Lunges and Calve Raises. These workouts are done with higher repitions between 8-12 a piece with moderate weight. It's especially important to do Wednesdays workout with light weights if you've never lifted before or if you've never executed those lifts. They primarily work the lower back and it's especially important to take caution when working with your back. Also a lot of people don't do dips and may find it dificult to do them with weight, if that is the case; work yourself up to being able to do 3 sets of 10 repitions with your own bodyweight. Squats also deserve special mention, it's important to not go further than parallel and the first few times you do them your legs will cramp up; make sure to stretch between each set and understand that the feeling is normal. Your legs should be in pain after doing a hard squat workout.