On Training

Nutrition

Russell T. Starkey

Each year, Americans pay an exorbitant amount of money to get into better shape, either through strength training, aerobics, or, in a few instances, learning a martial art. Do you think many of them have bothered to ask themselves what they are paying for? Not many to be sure. Most of them probably believe that they are paying for the finished product, a better body, or more fighting skill. They errantly assume that they can go to a gym, and pay money and come out with a better body, much in the same fashion that a grocery store or Wal-mart operates. What they are actually paying for is a person to share knowledge with them, teach them, lead them in drills and exercises, and in many cases to motivate them. The purpose of a professional trainer is multi faceted in similar ways as a proper training approach is multi faceted. In order to be productive and get the most out of your training time, you must approach training with a purpose, or a goal. In order to attain any goal, you must have direction. In order to stay on the proper path, you must stay focused. These are a few of the things that will be discussed in this ATLAS during the course of this section on Training Habits.

When people first enter the door of the JKD Training Center, they don't have a clue what to do. They come in and can see what's going on, what everyone else is doing, but where do you start? They mimic the rest of the group without fully questioning the purpose of the movements and eventually pick up the reasoning along the way. This has always been an impedance to JKD training and we have tried to circumvent it in certain ways. Largely, we ask a person to come in and watch a session before just jumping in to a class. After they have watched for a while, we ask them if there are any questions they have regarding what they are seeing. Believe it or not, here is a brand new experience for a person seeing people do things they have never done before, in an environment they are totally unfamiliar with, and they have NO questions! Then they come in to start training and wonder why it's so hard. Most train sporadically for a brief interval then flounder out without much of an explanation. In most cases, it's because they are put into an effective training program but never grasp an understanding of why they are doing what they're doing. So let's look step by step at proper training habits and their hierarchy while exploring the purpose of the training itself. When finished reading this, you should be able to train completely on your own, without a guide, sifu, instructor, teacher, or whatever you want to call it.

The first step in undertaking any training regimen, whether it's sports, work, martial arts, strength training, or anything else, is you must define a goal. Your goal can be short or long term. It can be one goal or many. It should always be attainable, which should go without saying but doesn't. Your goal may change in time, and with training. But it must be clear and must be clearly stated. As corny as it sounds, it does help to say it out loud, or better yet even start a journal and write your goal(s) down to refer back to. Now if your goal is not properly defined (more on definitions later) you may as well not have one. It cannot and must not be vague, unattainable, or physically impossible. Some times you won't know what is physically possible so your goals should be realistic, reasonable, and more towards the short-term. However, it cannot be said enough that goals are imperative.

How, you may ask yourself, should I get started now that I have a goal? Well, how would you begin to attain any goal? Research comes to my mind first. I always start a new undertaking saying, "What do I want to get out of this? What do I know about this endeavor to start with?" Would you go out to buy a new car saying, "I'll start out today and the first place I pass that sells cars, well, I'm going to buy one." Would you say "Hmmmm? What car dealerships are close to my house? I don't want to go very far." Would you say to yourself, "Which dealership can I go to that's not going to make me think too much about getting a car or what kind to get?" (This one I know people use.) You wouldn't do that when going to buy a car but people do it all the time with their lives and training. It's obvious that people care more about how they spend their money than how they spend their time. They can do that because they are able to mentally keep separated the fact that time equals life. The more time they waste, the more of their life they waste.

All of this illustrates a basic philosophical premise. Things that exist in reality are perceptual to start with. It is up to the human mind to integrate these perceptual units into concepts, and then draw abstractions from them. That is the basis of all knowledge. Plato would argue that logic is actually the "remembering" of innate knowledge that human beings know inherently. It only needs to be drawn out of a person by another person. We know that logic must be learned and that people are not automatically logical. Therefore, we try to make the Jeet Kune Do instruction, follow the path of all learning.

When a new student comes in the first thing we have them do, is watch. This is almost exclusively perceptual. Seeing techniques and strategy are crucial to early development. It helps to see things done and done right, done well, to emulate at first. Conformity is o.k. At first, but eventually we want people to "break out of the mold". After they have watched a class, we ask them if they have questions about what they have seen. Most people do not, and this is understandable, as people have seen things for the most part that they have never seen before or are unfamiliar with.

The second time they come in, they begin training in full force. Sometimes, they are given specific techniques to work on, or are taught a certain thing because they don't know how to perform the maneuvers. Then, I like to turn them loose on a punching bag or shadow boxing for a little while. This is because it's hard enough for a person to come in and do the work without having to worry about where their lead hand or foot is, or whether they drop their guard hand when jabbing. It is important for the beginner to "feel" the new maneuvers his body is performing. This allows them to feel the most important aspect of Jeet Kune Do and martial arts in general, freedom.

Eventually, a trainee starts to get used to the basics. At this point, it's important to give the person tasks that they can perform competently, so that they can have some success. There is no quicker way to lose students than to set the bar too high early on. However, it is just as detrimental to not challenge the new to intermediate enough. This is where an instructor's ingenuity and ability to multitask comes into play. Unless you have your classes separated by skill level, you will eventually have people of all abilities in the same class together. How do you keep the best of them properly motivated, while not leaving the newest of them behind? The truth is, it depends on the character of whom you are training sometimes. If your most talented learner gets bored and is not disciplined to "go back to basics", which is to train the fundamentals any time possible, then you will inevitably find them tapping on the walls or talking to other students or things of that nature. A trainee must always want to learn new things, but as their training progresses, there will be times in class when they have done the particular drill or sequence or combination before. That is when their discipline and desire to learn will be made explicit. When a previously zealous student begins to show signs of disinterest or uncharacteristic laziness, this can be a sign of different things, but usually it's a sign that they are not challenged or are not challenging themselves. Sometimes, they have already quit in their mind, they just haven't told the instructor yet. Therefore it is imperative to watch these cases closely, and always be prepared to address these potential problem issues.

When a person has been sufficiently challenged and knows the basics well enough to integrate them, they begin into the arduous process of conceptualizing. They have perceived most of the techniques if not all of them and have even performed some of them in combination. Now they must begin discovering what makes these techniques work. They begin to look at attribute development, or should. They realize that certain "things" (attributes) make techniques work better. This is when they must examine and evaluate the individual attributes to determine what they need to improve. When a student begins serious attribute training, they soon see a marked improvement in their techniques and their ability to implement them. When success begins to show more abundantly in drills and sparring, people start to focus more on their opponent than on themselves. That is when the core of martial art training begins.

Enter the phase of strategy study and formulation. This is the most frustrating period for some people. They have all the tools at their disposal, but nothing comes easily now. Before, some natural talents may have made certain improvements simple, but from this point on, a JKD trainee's development is directly proportional to his adherence to logic. The JKD students I have seen and trained have been more successful directly because they have had a better grasp on logic. When JKD, really any thing, gets to the highest, most advanced levels, it becomes a study of very technical aspects. Reason makes possible the ability to abstract knowledge that you have not or cannot directly experience. This becomes incredibly important when you try to theorize, or strategize, and have not been involved in a situation that gives you the experience directly. For example, if you were trying to construct a strategy against a taller, craftier opponent, with more reach, but you have no training partners like that, without logic, you would be forced to forego that training until you could find an opponent with these characteristics. You could not learn about this opponent until you directly experienced his fighting style. This is an anti-mind, anti-conceptual mentality, which causes many in the common JKD circles to believe that in order to learn, they must "experience" as many different martial arts as possible. They may not realize that they can save themselves an educational fortune by learning to think in principle. Good JKD practitioners know how to deal with a certain type of opponent before they run into them. You can’t learn how to fight a strong grappler as soon as you step in front of him, nor can you learn to beat him by absorbing knowledge through the air, merely by standing in the same ring with him. Your mind must do the work. You must identify and integrate the information gleaned from watching him and observing his tactics. This is a very difficult process to learn, especially if you intend to try it by yourself. It is wise to seek out a well-informed, rational instructor to get you started. However, you must not become dependant on your instructor to be your brain. Blind obedience and intellectual transference does not take the place of rational, independent thought.

Martial art training does not end here. True development begins here. You have the tools at your disposal. Hopefully, you have a competent instructor. But many things are still important to develop and nurture. Character, integrity, health, knowledge, patience, consistency, all of these things must continue to be developed to grow not only as a martial artist, but also as a person: A person who cares about themselves and those around them, a person who is willing and able to be a beacon for those who seek betterment but don’t know or can’t find the way. A.M.A.P. is dedicated to being that beacon. We are champions of reason and responsibility. That is why this publication is called the Atlas. It is the champions of reason that “hold up” the world. All that we have now, today, is based on the work and effort of those who have gone before us. Future articles will deal with specific aspects of training and self-improvement, but this Atlas, the first of the New Year, is dedicated to laying the foundation. The truth, that without dedication, determination, direction, and reason, the pursuit of excellence is not only futile but also impossible. Nothing worth attaining comes without effort, and sweat.

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By Christine Korol

Fitness level and health are key components in any rational self-defense application. Without adequate endurance and strength, you will have great difficulty in any confrontation – regardless of skill. Improving or maintaining your health and fitness is dependent on three areas; nutrition, resistance training, and aerobics. Of these areas, the one that has the most impact on weight control is nutrition. This is the area we will focus on in this issue (see future issues for training tips for building strength and endurance).

Nutrition is the most neglected aspect of martial arts training. Improper nutrition can sap your energy reserves and even 10 extra pounds of body weight can have a large impact on endurance and speed. Have you ever had to carry bags of groceries up three flights of stairs or hold your five-year-old on your shoulders for the entire afternoon at Disney World? Now try sparring with that child on your shoulders. It puts quite a strain on your body doesn’t it? This is only a fraction of the stress your body has to deal with if you are overweight. In fact, it is estimated that the health care costs in 1999 that were directly attributed to obesity topped $52 billion!

Maintaining a reasonable weight has many implications for long-term health and quality of life. For every 10% increase in body weight there is approximately a 20% increase in the incidence of coronary artery disease. A loss of 5-10% of your bodyweight (if overweight to begin with) can lower your risk of developing Type II diabetes, lower your cholesterol, and reduce your blood pressure. Many times people who are overweight tend to shy away from activities they once enjoyed. You must ask yourself if it is worth it to forgo certain activities and potentially shorten your life rather than control your eating habits. If you want to take control, you must plan ahead.

Dieting

There are several thousand diet books on the shelves (if not more) – a symbol of the number of people continuously struggling to maintain their weight. You can choose anything from the grapefruit juice diet, to the blood type diet, to the George Forman Grill (George being the epitome of lean). Whatever your favorite food, there has been a diet built around it. All of this adds a good bit of confusion where there needs to be very little.

It all comes down to a very simple premise: You must not consume more calories than you use (burn). You burn a certain number of calories just existing each day, to which you can add any calories burned through activity. If you take in more calories than the total number you have used, the extra will be saved as fat.

Most people have no idea how many calories they consume in a day. The only accurate way to know is to keep a food diary for three or four days. Make sure you include everything you consume – the tablespoon of mayonnaise on your sandwich, the glass of sweet tea, the croutons on your salad. Write down the calories off the packages (make sure to check the serving size - you will often use more than one serving) and check with a nutrition book or web site for items with no label or foods eaten in restaurants.

By using the following calculations, 

you will be able to find the approximate number of calories you burn per day at rest (your basal metabolic rate or BMR). This calculation is limited in that it will often overestimate the calories for someone who is quite overweight and underestimate for someone with a greater than average amount of lean mass, but it is helpful in establishing a minimum number of calories to be consumed. Extra calories must be added for high activity level. In comparing this figure to the numbers recorded in your food diary, you will have a good idea where to begin your adjustments. The precise number of calories will need to be fine-tuned as you observe and track your progress. If weight loss is desired, a loss of 1-2 pounds per week is ideal in order to maximize fat loss without losing body fluids or muscle.

Maintaining a healthy balance

You also will want to look at the types of food that you are consuming. Make sure that you are getting a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as several servings of lean meat, poultry, and fish. Look toward the nutrient rich carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits and vegetables) and away from the breads, pasta, potatoes, and rice. Although the latter need not be cut entirely from the diet, the serving size is much smaller, therefore leaving you less full, and the nutrient base is also less comprehensive; all around a poor tradeoff.

Another important component of a balanced diet is protein. A serving of protein with each meal will help keep your insulin level as well as help keep you feeling full for a longer period of time. Besides the lean meats and fish, other ideal sources of protein are eggs (eggbeaters or egg whites), low fat cheeses, soy products (such as tofu), and protein drinks, powders, and bars.

Remember that low fat does not always mean low calories. Many low fat snacks can easily add 300 calories to your day. Fat is a very important part of your diet and should make up at least 20% of your total calories, but no more than 30%. These fat calories should come primarily from mono-unsaturated fats, such as seeds, nuts, and olive or canola oil.

Keep your eyes open for hidden calories. People often add many additional calories by consuming regular soda, juices, or alcoholic beverages. These items can add 100 –200 calories per glass! Developing a love of water is probably the easiest way to avoid these empty calories and is also a necessary part of any diet. Even slight dehydration can decrease mental functioning and cause an unnecessary feeling of fatigue. Always consume at least the minimum of 8 glasses of water per day – more if you are extremely active or exposed to high temperatures.

These eating habits should last a lifetime. Dieting, per se, is not usually a ticket to long-term success; you need to make healthy eating a part of your normal lifestyle and routine. The first few weeks, these changes will not be easy. Planning ahead is imperative – you must be prepared by having the correct foods available, knowing the serving size that will allow you to remain in the correct calorie range, and staying focused on your goals. Success is the best motivation!

In the long run, control over your eating habits and your weight will benefit your quality of life as well as your martial arts training. While the main emphasis of any training program is on skill development, speed and endurance, nutrition is an important and necessary foundation in order to maximize your progress.

*Health statistics provided by the International Food Information Council

For more information on this topic, see “Suggested Reading” at the end of the Atlas.

Suggested Reading:

The Zone by Barry Sears

Nutrition Protocol by Wendy Chokan and Brian Johnston

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