Karate training does not have to stop at the dojo doors! Achieving the dream of becoming a black belt takes years of determination, goal-setting, and of course, proper exercise. If you are looking to elevate your karate level, you can work on yourself both inside and outside of the dojo. Here are five easy and effective home exercises to help with your karate skills. 

1. Strength Building

The most rewarding part of strength training is that it is not something that comes quickly. Strength comes with great focus and great dedication. With karate, there are certainly target body areas that are more important to focus on than others. Some of these key target areas include:

Upper Body and Core Exercises for Karate Training

The most common way to work on this part of your body is through push-up exercises. This helps to improve upon your stance, balance, and punching power.

Ab Exercises for Karate Training

On the inverse side of things, sit-ups are most common for improving your ab strength. This helps to improve your kicks, hip rotation, and balance. 

Leg Exercises for Karate Training

There are many leg exercises that can be beneficial in the sense of martial arts training. However, calf raises are a very common one. This helps to improve your overall footwork, and of course, kicking power.

2. Cardio

Arguably one of the most important aspects of any workout is cardio. Exercising for success in the dojo is no exception. Consider trying these different, but effective cardio exercises that can easily be completed at home:

• Stair climbing. If you have a two-storey, or even three-storey home, this one will work great. Challenge yourself to do a certain number of bottom to top floor climbs every day. If you’re looking to up the ante, try doing the same while holding a light weight or medicine ball.
• Burpees and jumping jacks. Oldies, but goodies. These old-reliables are a great way to incorporate exercise into your day whenever you have a spare moment.
• Jump rope. Best done in an empty space like a basement or garage, jumping rope is a great way to work on your coordination and footwork all while getting a full-body workout.

3. Stretching

Simple…but very effective. Stretching has a great way of helping your body now and later. Stretching can be incorporated as an exercise in itself, or as a pre-cursor to things exercises strength building and cardio sessions. 

4. Meditation

Meditation is more of a mental exercise. However, regular meditation is equally as important as physical exercise is when it comes to improving your karate skills. There are a few reasons for this, and the answer is three-fold.

1. Routine meditation is key in maintaining a proper level of kata.
2. With kata, you are able to approach things, like learning a new technique or skill, in a focused, calm, and clear way.
3. By doing so, it is much easier to succeed in what it is that you are putting your mind to.

Final Notes: As usual, this article is based on our own thoughts and opinions and have not been approved by a medical professional. Douvris Martial Arts offers karate programming for all ages. You can learn more about our martial arts programs at douvris.com.