Cycling/Martial Arts

It's not exactly a martial art, but I used to take yoga classes and I really should do it more these days. Its really quite good at improving flexibility and stamina - think it's just a bunch of wimpy stretching - try staying in chair pose for a few minutes.
I tried taking a free class where I used to work that was somewhat martial arts based, but I just couldn't get into the whole hitting someone thing. I just couldn't take it seriously enough to really do it right.

They also offer none contact martial arts if you're ever interested. Or there are martial arts that are more based on yoga moves than actual combat and very popular as a morning exercise schedule in China. I heard Madonna had taken it up.
Actually there's a young woman in my sports centre who takes a Karate class and she's kind of intimidating. She does a lot of shouting and high kicks and I somehow got to thinking I'd be a touch intimidated if I was her hubby. I could barely kick any higher than my waist while she's kicking over and above her head.
Still, at least I could probably leave her behind on a bike 🙂

Eden said:

It's not exactly a martial art, but I used to take yoga classes and I really should do it more these days. Its really quite good at improving flexibility and stamina - think it's just a bunch of wimpy stretching - try staying in chair pose for a few minutes.
I tried taking a free class where I used to work that was somewhat martial arts based, but I just couldn't get into the whole hitting someone thing. I just couldn't take it seriously enough to really do it right.

I ride and also practice several forms of martial arts, tae kwon do and escrima mostly. It does help with the flexability and if you do contact stuff it also helps with the whole bone density thing.

Carrera said:

I kind of grew up watching Chuck Norris, Jeane Claude Van Dam and that little guy in the Karate Kid movies.
So, anyone here combining cycling with such sports?

Carrera, your bike-fu is weak... prepare to FIGHT! 😄

When I was in high school before I started weight training I was obsessed with Bruce Lee movies and was an advid watcher of "Kung Fu Theater" on Sunday mornings. I would practice all those high fancy kicks and had the flexibility.

Later in life a guy talked me into sparring with him. He was a Muay Thai kickboxer as his primary discipline. He quickly taught me the hard way not to do high fancy kicks. He directed me to use low kicks the nerves on the side of the legs because those were much harder to block. That suited me just fine because I have very little flexibility these days.

If I were to try martial arts again I think I would like to try Brazilian Jujitsu.
I think of fighting as a chess game that just happens to hurt a little, but grappling like jujitsu really seems like a great challenge of stradegy.

Oh well I guess I better stick to the bike lest I get my shoulder dislocated. 🙂

Stretching daily will be the only thing to improve flexibilty. Cycling will help with endurance and stamina. Stength will come as you are able to ride longer distances (once you build a base). When you stretch you should have a little discomfort but hold it for 15-20 seconds and repeat the same stretch 2-3 times then move to the next. Don't bounce when stretching go to a little discomfort and hold, the second set you should be able to get a little further. After a couple weeks you will be more limber and the more you do it the more flexibility you will have.

I practice Wing Chun, Wushu, and Tai Chi (both Yang and ng/wu) Kung Fu. I can do all the fancy stuff too (high kicks, and all the flashy stuff). They're pretty useless in a real fight. But good conditioning in general. With a lot of training in that AND cycling. It has improved my overall fitness and ability to stellar heights.

With flexibility, there is primarily static and dynamic. Static being the type you sit and stretch. Dynamic being the type where you kick as high as you can. Dynamic stretches right when u get out of bed is good for maintaining flexibility. But I cannot stress the importance of static stretching AFTER physical activity. It allowed me to get from no flexibiltiy at all to splits in less than 2 months. I do static stretches here and then. But it is important to do them everyday when you are trying to attain really good flexibility. Don't forget to practice dynamic stretching everyday too.

This helps a lot in sprinting.

I saw someone on TV get knocked out by a high kick. I never realised that kicks to such a height could be so effective.
I thought the dude who starred as the bad guy in Karate Kid 3 was very impressive in the dojo. This was the dodgy character who offered free training to Daniel Larusso to supposedly defend his title.
I have film footage of Brice Lee doing straight kicks way over his head. It was said he could puch with such force the person who held the bag landed somewhere across the floor.

Felt_Rider said:

When I was in high school before I started weight training I was obsessed with Bruce Lee movies and was an advid watcher of "Kung Fu Theater" on Sunday mornings. I would practice all those high fancy kicks and had the flexibility.

Later in life a guy talked me into sparring with him. He was a Muay Thai kickboxer as his primary discipline. He quickly taught me the hard way not to do high fancy kicks. He directed me to use low kicks the nerves on the side of the legs because those were much harder to block. That suited me just fine because I have very little flexibility these days.

If I were to try martial arts again I think I would like to try Brazilian Jujitsu.
I think of fighting as a chess game that just happens to hurt a little, but grappling like jujitsu really seems like a great challenge of stradegy.

Oh well I guess I better stick to the bike lest I get my shoulder dislocated. 🙂

Carrera said:

I saw someone on TV get knocked out by a high kick. I never realised that kicks to such a height could be so effective.
I thought the dude who starred as the bad guy in Karate Kid 3 was very impressive in the dojo. This was the dodgy character who offered free training to Daniel Larusso to supposedly defend his title.
I have film footage of Brice Lee doing straight kicks way over his head. It was said he could puch with such force the person who held the bag landed somewhere across the floor.

High kicks are as effective as sticking a toe in someone's face. Its not about the power of the kick, its because its strategically dangerous. It is too easy to lose your balance when you kick high like that. But the flexibility that you gain from it helps with stancework and agility. They should be practiced but not applied.

IBOPM said:

High kicks are as effective as sticking a toe in someone's face. Its not about the power of the kick, its because its strategically dangerous. It is too easy to lose your balance when you kick high like that. But the flexibility that you gain from it helps with stancework and agility. They should be practiced but not applied.

It depends on which venue you are fighting. If you are on the street , I would not suggest a high kick, I would more kick like a Muay Thai or JKD practicioner, which would be low and to a nerve on the thigh, shin, knee, or foot stomp. Combined with a follow up of punches, elbows and/or knees, and either choke the guy out or get out of dodge depending on the situation.
In a Kickboxing match high kicks can work well when combined with low kicks.
In a mixed martial arts event I have seen only a few good high kicks to the head work only after the other guy was weakened by leg kicks and/or punches.
Against a grappler the only time a high kick or any other kick would theoretically work after the grappler is hurt with low kicks and or tired so they can't effectively "shoot' on you when you try to kick or punch.
All that said.........................cycling will improve your endurance and leg stregnth for the aforementioned disciplines. The aforemetnioned disciplines will also help with your cycling as far as adding "bursts" in power and rapidness of recovery after you exerted yourself.
Just my humble opinion.

George

VaBiker said:

It depends on which venue you are fighting. If you are on the street , I would not suggest a high kick, I would more kick like a Muay Thai or JKD practicioner, which would be low and to a nerve on the thigh, shin, knee, or foot stomp. Combined with a follow up of punches, elbows and/or knees, and either choke the guy out or get out of dodge depending on the situation.
In a Kickboxing match high kicks can work well when combined with low kicks.
In a mixed martial arts event I have seen only a few good high kicks to the head work only after the other guy was weakened by leg kicks and/or punches.
Against a grappler the only time a high kick or any other kick would theoretically work after the grappler is hurt with low kicks and or tired so they can't effectively "shoot' on you when you try to kick or punch.
All that said.........................cycling will improve your endurance and leg stregnth for the aforementioned disciplines. The aforemetnioned disciplines will also help with your cycling as far as adding "bursts" in power and rapidness of recovery after you exerted yourself.
Just my humble opinion.

George

Yeah, with that I agree, since I was more so referring to "on the street" situations. With kickboxing, their rules and setting is made for the sport right? Thats what makes it more of a sport instead. And in MMA, its pretty risky as you've probably seen (k1 pride ufc). There are a few that works. Not to mention there's the coolness factor. Which is why a lot of people use it in point sparring too.

High kicks do improve flexibility and fast twitch muscles.

I have been cycling for just over two years now and started karate (kyokushin style) 5 months ago. I also find that I am very stiff during karate classes following a hard ride the previous day even if I did a full stretching routine following the ride. Does cycling shorten/thicken the muscles? Would also like to know.

Carrera said:

I wondered if there are people on the forum who combine cycling with some form of martial art? One thing I notice is that although I've greatly improved my endurance, I'm as stiff as a proverbial board. Maybe the flexibility you get from martial arts helps keep a person supple. I think I need it.
Accomplished Karate and Kung-Fu students can kick well above head level with quite a lot of force and I would love to learn to do some of those roundhouse kicks (more typical in Karate styles).
I kind of grew up watching Chuck Norris, Jeane Claude Van Dam and that little guy in the Karate Kid movies.
So, anyone here combining cycling with such sports?

IBOPM said:

High kicks are as effective as sticking a toe in someone's face. Its not about the power of the kick, its because its strategically dangerous. It is too easy to lose your balance when you kick high like that. But the flexibility that you gain from it helps with stancework and agility. They should be practiced but not applied.

Then you are not doing it correctly. I have studied TKD, jujitsu, and escrima. They all have their advantages. I have seen jaws broken from high hook kicks, and I have also sent people to the ER with kicks to the head. They work, but they are hard to pull off and must only be done occasionally in the right situations. Grapplers dont neccesarily train to counter high kicks so you can catch them off guard, just like TKD people dont like to be taken to the ground. Dont knock it till you try it, cross train.

KayOh said:

I have been cycling for just over two years now and started karate (kyokushin style) 5 months ago. I also find that I am very stiff during karate classes following a hard ride the previous day even if I did a full stretching routine following the ride. Does cycling shorten/thicken the muscles? Would also like to know.

After a hard ride, do 1 full hour of static stretching. 1-min. for each position. Then do some light dynamic stretching for around 15 min. if there is not too much lactic acid. <- thats a bit extreme, but you get the point.

Cycling shouldn't stiffen the muscles, it hasn't for me.

spacefuzz said:

Then you are not doing it correctly. I have studied TKD, jujitsu, and escrima. They all have their advantages. I have seen jaws broken from high hook kicks, and I have also sent people to the ER with kicks to the head. They work, but they are hard to pull off and must only be done occasionally in the right situations. Grapplers dont neccesarily train to counter high kicks so you can catch them off guard, just like TKD people dont like to be taken to the ground. Dont knock it till you try it, cross train.

I did not say that you can't break jaws, KO, or even kill someone with high kicks. Because the truth is that you can. The key thing you said that I was trying to make my point is "they are hard to pull off and must only be done occasionally in the right situations". That itself is what makes it dangerous. And grapplers are not the only opponents out there. A ton of arts train against high kicks. I'm not trying to say that its not a valid technique, because it is, and has its place and time. Its just that the opportunity is more scarce than a lot of people think.

IBOPM said:

I did not say that you can't break jaws, KO, or even kill someone with high kicks. Because the truth is that you can. The key thing you said that I was trying to make my point is "they are hard to pull off and must only be done occasionally in the right situations". That itself is what makes it dangerous. And grapplers are not the only opponents out there. A ton of arts train against high kicks. I'm not trying to say that its not a valid technique, because it is, and has its place and time. Its just that the opportunity is more scarce than a lot of people think.

ok, just from the quote "High kicks are as effective as sticking a toe in someone's face" makes it seem like you are trying to say they are not valid at all. you need speed and skill to pull them off. with 8 yrs of training I can pull it off, I wouldnt tell a yellow belt to try it.

spacefuzz said:

ok, just from the quote "High kicks are as effective as sticking a toe in someone's face" makes it seem like you are trying to say they are not valid at all. you need speed and skill to pull them off. with 8 yrs of training I can pull it off, I wouldnt tell a yellow belt to try it.

Nah, sticking a toe in someone's face can do a lot of damage too :p.

IBOPM said:

Nah, sticking a toe in someone's face can do a lot of damage too :p.

I have done martial arts for 23 years (Mainly Karate) and I have found one thing in relation to cycling..... I teach many class's, I sometimes end up doing 5000 Mai Geri in a week. That has helped me with two things, I can kick a rugby ball for 80m on the full with no timing at all and I can sprint better than most.

As for flexibility I say it helps heaps (Martial arts that is) I agree in general with the high kick theory though, I just kick thighs and punch in the gut, seem to work more times than not. Flashy guys tend to not do so well in full contact styles.

spacefuzz said:

ok, just from the quote "High kicks are as effective as sticking a toe in someone's face" makes it seem like you are trying to say they are not valid at all. you need speed and skill to pull them off. with 8 yrs of training I can pull it off, I wouldnt tell a yellow belt to try it.

Granted you can pull it off, but unless your fighting a begginner it wont help you much, to easy to block imo, and also very easy to counter attack. Having said that I have lost a fight or 2 to high kicks, mainly through my own lack of focus as opposed to effective technique, but I have won more buy attacking a guy trying to kick high.