FUNCTIONAL TRAINING (Hojo Undo supplemental training)

Nidan 2nd degree black belt Jeff Miller pressing the 84lb kettlebell.  Jeff is 5'7 and 155lbs. 

Dan Rinchuse performing an adaptation of the gripping jars by doing a farmers walk with the kettlebells

Probably the best form of exercise to gain strength is "compound multi-joint progressive resistance exercises" with free weights or body weight. Therefore, at our school we integrate functional training into our martial arts programs. This includes traditional Okinawa exercises with Nigiri-game (gripping jars), Chi-ishi (power stones), Ishi-sashi (stone padlocks, which we substitute Russian kettlebells), Tetsu-geta (iron sandals, and again we substitute Russian kettlebells). In addition we have tremendous body weight protocols, and metabolic protocols using medicine balls, climbing rope, Russian kettlebells, dumbbells, "ropes gone wild," plyometric jumps, balancing disks, and so on. We have synthesized exercises that we have learned from "Art of Strength", John Saylor, Rhadi Ferguson, and "IntoCombat" to mention a few.