NOW, WE’RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO DEVELOP CHANGE-OF- DIRECTION SPEED IN KATA
Let’s get started, so you can know if you are developing your students’ Change-of-Direction Speed (CODS) in Kata the right way.
Kata execution involves frequent turns, twists, and explosive Change-of- Direction (COD) movements, right?
Do you know if you are using the correct training methods to reach your students and athletes’ full potential?!?
Maybe yes, maybe not…
How do you know?!? THE ANSWER IS SCIENTIFIC AND PROVEN EVIDENCE!
Let me say this again: STOP using “Lucky-Guessing” or “My Master- Said-It” or “I-Saw-It-In-A-YouTube-Video-With-Thousands-Of-Views” training methods…
Note: I think YouTube plays an important role in one of the most important factors that makes your Karate sessions more productive: TRAINING VARIATION! It’s a great source of new ideas… But YOU MUST KNOW WHEN, HOW, AND WITH WHO, you can use them.
PLYOMETRIC TRAINING IS TIME-SAVING AND ECONOMIC!!
Change-of-Direction Speed involves:
- The Ability to Brake (eccentric contraction)
- Change Direction
- And Accelerate again (Reacceleration) How can Plyometrics help you?
First of all, Plyometric training has a strong component of eccentric load stimulus. That eccentric load is essential to “teach” your Karate athletes’ body to brake properly.
Scientific studies show that forces during Change-of-Direction movements are similar to eccentric forces generated during Countermovement Jumps, for example.
Besides that, Science has found a significant correlation between Jump Height of Countermovement Jump/Drop Jump and reacceleration speed.
If your Karate athletes jump higher, they tend to reaccelerate faster after a Change-of-Direction during Kata.
ATTENTION: Regardless of the importance of Muscle Strength and Power, remember none of that will be really relevant, if you don’t integrate specific Change-of-Direction exercises. The transfer of leg Strength and Power to CODS is not directly made, without specific training!
Be aware of the following…
… when studies compare athletes with high Power production to those who have less Power skills, the second group have better Change-of- Direction Speed’s performance!!
But that happens when the first group relies too much on speed-power, linear sprint, and maximum velocity development… and less time in CODS specific skills – displacement mechanics, proper deceleration and acceleration techniques, maintenance of velocity during Karate- specific COD movements, and eccentric training.
HOW TO USE PLYOMETRICS TO IMPROVE KATA’S CHANGE OF DIRECTION SPEED?
Plyometrics is a Big World with various stimuli, different types of exercises, and specific goals.
Regarding Kata’s Change-of-Direction Speed you must know how to plan the best Plyometric exercises.
Let’s see some practical applications:
- Slow Stretch-Shortening Cycle Exercises – will improve the eccentric forces needed for braking effectively after and between two fast displacements.
- Fast Stretch-Shortening Cycle Exercises – will reduce ground contact times which helps your athletes to spend less time braking, allowing them to change their direction faster.
- BOTH TYPES OF EXERCISES – give your Karatekas’ legs adequate power so they can propel themselves into the new direction.
LEGS’ MAXIMAL STRENGTH IS CRITICAL TO CHANGE-OF- DIRECTION PERFORMANCE
Especially 1RM Squat…
The higher ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE STRENGTH your Karatekas have, the faster they’ll change direction during Kata.
Note:
- ABSOLUTE MAXIMAL STRENGTH is the maximum force you can produce, regardless of muscle or body size.
- RELATIVE MAXIMAL STRENGTH is how strong you are for your size. If you have two Karateka with similar Absolute Strength, the one who has a lighter bodyweight has greater Relative Maximal Strength. This is very important to move the body through space in a fast way. Is this vital for Kata performance, or not?!?
Why is Leg’s Maximal Strength important to Change-of-Direction Speed?
When you change direction during Kata performance you need to overcome the inertia that is placed over your body.
When you are in a static position and need to rapidly accelerate or when you change to new directions in short distances, inertia really tries to stop you!!!
THE MORE RELATIVE MAXIMAL STRENGTH YOU HAVE THE EASIER YOU OVERCOME INERTIA….
The only thing that may limit your Maximal Strength training is the access to weight-training equipment… But, nowadays, is relatively easy to do it! It’s hard to find a top-level Kata (or Kumite) athlete who doesn’t complement his or her Karate specific training with the gym.
But, if by any case, you don’t have access to a gym or time to dedicate to additional Strength & Conditioning, make sure you integrate Plyometrics in your Karate sessions.
Now, if you want to achieve your full potential as a Kata athlete, Maximal Strength Training with external weights is mandatory!!
If money is what prevents you and your athletes to have access to a gym, try to make an agreement with a Gym in your town where your athletes are allowed to train there and in exchange you advertise the gym’s support, for example.
Or you can invest some money and buy a Smith Machine, a multi- purpose weightlifting bench, a bar, and some discs and barbells. It will really be a game changer in your athletes’ evolution!
With this simple equipment you can give your Karate athletes fundamental Strength exercises they need!!
If you’re really thinking about investing some of your money, buy a Smith Machine with a sliding bar. It will also allow your well-trained athletes to make Ballistic Training and guarantee greater safety for your younger Karateka (adolescents).
STRENGTH TRAINING TO YOUR YOUNG KARATEKA… NOW!!!
Your Karate Kids are the future of your Dojo, right?!? Motivate them and give them the best and more updated Karate training methods…
THEY MUST DO GENERAL STRENGTH TRAINING, SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAY COME IN YOUR DOJO!
Long-term Periodized Strength training improves the Speed-Strength relationship during Change-of-Direction tasks.
THE ROLE OF RAPID STRENGTH IN KATA PERFORMANCE
Based on Newton’s second law: F=ma, the ability to accelerate (a) a mass (m), such as a body mass or an external object, depends on the ability of the musculature to generate force (F).
But in Karate, the most important thing is not only to produce the greatest amount of force you can…
…what you want is to produce the maximal force you can in a very, very short time!!
We’re going to give you some examples of how much time is needed in several sports to produce a fast and powerful displacement:
- A good sprinter makes foot contact with the ground for just 80 to 100 ms
- The foot contact of a long-jump athlete right before the jump is of 120 to 150 ms
- The majority of displacements in team sports are between 250 and 400 ms
How much time do you think Kiyuna, Shimizu, Quintero or Sanchez take to make a fast displacement during Suparinpei, Unsu or Chatan Yara Kushanku???
To reach Maximal Strength production, a well-trained athlete takes, at least, 800-900ms to finish a full extension of his or her lower-body (like a squat, for example).
Observing these numbers carefully, you can understand why Rapid Strength is so important for Karate… FOR KATA PERFORMANCE… and for Change-of-Direction Speed!
If Rapid Strength is so important for Karate effectiveness what really is the role of Maximal Strength?
Maximal Strength is the “mother” of all Strength types and influences Rapid Strength and Endurance Strength. Plays a role as the fundamental base of Power production!
The best Strength Training strategy to Kata and Kumite is always the one that integrates all Types of Strength, in a well-designed Periodization!
CAN SPRINT/LINEAR FAST MOVEMENTS TRAINING IMPROVE CHANGE-OF-DIRECTION SPEED IN KATA?
Going straight to the point: Straight Sprint/Linear Fast Movements and Change-of-Direction Speed are distinctive physical abilities!
THE MORE THE DIRECTION CHANGES, THE LESS THE TRANSFER FROM LINEAR FAST MOVEMENTS’ TRAINING TO CHANGE-OF- DIRECTION SPEED!
If you have Karate Kids training simple Katas like Taikyoku Shodan that is based mostly in linear and large movements (Zenkutsu-dachi) Sprint (initial acceleration) training or linear direction Plyometrics, for example, will have more influence.
If you want to improve an advanced Kata with many fast Changes-of- Direction, Sprint training or linear direction Plyometrics will be less effective!
Although this article is about Change-of-Direction Speed in Kata, I’m going to give you an extra…
…I’m going to give you a practical evidence-based tip on how to use Sprint training methods to improve linear displacements…
Sprint distances to improve Karate acceleration should be between 0 and 20 meters. Ideally 5/10 meters distance.
This distance allows your Karate students to develop the acceleration phase (the most important to Karate short distance displacements) and allows you to test their acceleration speed with a stopwatch.
BE AWARE OF ASYMMETRY IN THE LOWER-BODY!!
Leg asymmetry of 10% to 15% is typical and acceptable in non-injured people.
But do you really want to have 10% to 15% less of leg power when in you make a fast Kata whole body movement with one of the sides?!?
We bet you don’t!!!
What’s the best way of correcting it?
THE ANSWER IS UNILATERAL STRENGTH…
First of all, 95% of the whole-body displacements during Kata are made with force production of only one of your legs.
You should train each leg alone to develop Strength, Balance, and Range-of-Motion.
Secondly, because if your Karate students train always with bilateral exercises (both legs at the same time) they will tend to produce higher forces with their dominant leg.
This way, it can be harder to reduce asymmetry!
You can easily test both legs performance with Unilateral exercises, like the Single-Leg Horizontal Jump (measuring the distance) or the Single- Leg Squat and see the asymmetry level.
We’re not saying you should stop using bilateral strength exercises!! They are very important… But you really have to integrate Unilateral exercises in your Karate training – that’s going to allow you to balance the levels of speed and strength of both legs in Kata and Kumite performance!
TRAIN POWER IN ALL DIRECTIONS
Don’t rely only on vertical or horizontal directions!
Although horizontal direction exercises are more specific to Kata performance, let’s see why you should keep training multi-directional exercises…
Horizontal power exercises can be practiced in the three directions: FORWARD, BACKWARDS, and SIDEWARDS.
Drills using these directions facilitate greater motor control related with Kata displacements. To change directions Karate athletes must create the correct angle of force opposite to the direction of the desired movement.
Horizontal plane exercises facilitate the learning of these movements and positions.
Neuromuscular efficiency increases because of the plane of movement and the angle of forces of the lower limbs.
Karate athletes who apply greater relative amounts of horizontal forces in the final step, right before moving the body, into a new direction can achieve quicker change-of-direction performance.
BUT…
Human Movement Science significantly shows a decreased Change-of- Direction time with Squat Jump training, for example.
That shows the potential transfer of positive effects from training vertical movements to horizontal movements.
For example, when you want to turn your position laterally, the initial forces and impulses in the vertical direction can be dominant.
This clearly tells you that you should introduce multi-directional power training!
TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE-OFDIRECTION SPEED
Foot Placement:
- Teach your Karate kids or adult beginners to place their front foot in the right position. Capitalize even the warm-up phase to correct their foot direction.
In Zenkutsu-dachi, the front foot must be well placed looking forward, so they can displace faster; back foot should be pointing forward as much as it can, too. Have you ever seen a sprinter starting the race with his or her feet pointing to the side?!?
Besides that, your students’ knees will be forever grateful.
Adjustment of strides to accelerate and decelerate:
- You should make Zenkutsu-dachi a little bit shorter, if you have a sequence of displacements where you have quick changes of direction in a given Kata.
Body Lean and Posture:
- This is simple to understand… Every small misalignment will affect balance control during Kata performance. And out-of-control balance will harm your movement speed.
Teach your students to move focused on their body center of mass (hip girdle zone). Leg movement should follow your body center of mass and not the reverse.
FUNCTIONAL RANGE-OF-MOTION PREVENTS INJURIES
Functional Range-of-Motion is very important so your Karateka can train in a much safer way! And with greater efficiency…
JOINTS WITH SMALLER RANGE-OF-MOTION WILL BE MUCH MORE SENSITIVE TO HIGH FORCES TRAINING STIMULUS…
Don’t you ever forget to plan flexibility and mobility exercises in your classes! Every millimeter you can raise in your students’ range-of-motion will help them to prevent injuries…
Explain them that and they will see stretching in a much more positive way… Especially your stiffer athletes that abominate and suffer from flexibility and mobility training!!
CONCLUSION… PLYOMETRICS + PERIODIZED STRENGTH TRAINING
Training adaptations in Change-of-Direction Speed become from STIMULATING NEURAL ELEMENTS, ELASTIC COMPONENTS AND MUSCLE CONTRACTION SPEED.
The combination of eccentric force and Reactive Strength training with periodized weight training, while properly managing training Volume, will improve your Karateka’s Kata.
Too much training Volume (or insufficient Rest periods), for example, can cause a dramatic decrease of Change-of-Direction Speed. Remember that “Less can be More”!!
You need to develop three things in your students and athletes’ Kata:
- Shorter Ground Contact Times
- Greater Horizontal Peak Forces
- Lower Vertical Impact Forces (landing forces)
Learn everything about a simple training method that will help you to develop your Change-of-Direction Speed in Kata… You can do it with or without equipment.
