Get On The Stick And Improve Your Judo With Travis Stevens
The longer you train in a particular discipline or sport, the more likely you are to face potential aches and pains from performing the activity. Repeated movements can put lots of miles on our joints, muscles and connective tissues. Add to this fact that nature of judo in particular which requires explosive movements from positions that can put undue strain on our backs, hips and core.
Exercises and training tools that help increase mobility and build strength in those 'hard to reach areas' that judo training seems to exploit are becoming more and more popular for good reason.
In the video below, Travis Stevens brings his Olympic medal winning experience to the world of mobility and shares some exercises that he himself practices and encourages his students to practice at the Academy.
Check out the video below and stick around so we can break down some key points for you afterwards. Don't forget to subscribe to Travis Stevens' YouTube Channel (and Judo Fanatics' while you're at it.)
Judo Improvement Exercise 1
In the first exercise, Travis Stevens is working his grip and lat muscles isometrically by placing the stick at arms length in front of him, keeping it planted on the ground. He takes a grip on the mobility stick a little higher than shoulder level to allow him to flex his lat and core while remaining in an upright position.
The inherent flexibility of the stick allows it to bend slightly with the force of Travis' muscle contractions keeping constant tension on the lats and grip. This exercise will help improve the ability to pull an opponent towards you when gripping their lapels.
The goal is to mentally envision breaking the stick in half and holding the isometric contraction in the muscles. This helps build strength in a way that normal strength and conditioning methods may not be able to.
Judo Improvement Exercise 2
In the second exercise, Travis Stevens places the mobility stick across his shoulders and wraps his arms around the stick keeping his hands at arms length. For the completion of the exercise, Travis pulls the ends of the bar downward and slightly in. By pulling down and in, he is activating his biceps, shoulders and his pectoral muscles in his chest.
The repetition and contraction at the end of the repetition will help build strength in crucial muscles required to pull down your opponent and bring them close to you.
Judo Improvement Exercise 3
In the third and final exercise, Travis uses a pseudo Osoto Gari set up. Much like exercise one, Travis will plant the stick ahead of him at arms length and use a pulling down method to force the stick to bend slightly, mimicking the pull on an opponent's uniform.
He then steps forward kicking his leg forward and back against the stick to mimick the leg driving into the thigh of the opponent securing the throw. By keeping the force coming downward it ensures that the stick stays planted and gives a realistic feel during the kick through with the legs.
If you need refreshed on proper Osoto Gari technique, check out this video from Travis Stevens' YouTube channel.
By adding these three exercises and more with a mobility stick you will be able to fortify your body against injuries, build strength in supporting body structures that will help you generate more power in your judo techniques. The longer you train Judo, the more you realize that time on the mats is not the only thing important. It's important to maintain the infrastructure that allows you train long and hard into your later years.
Get more instruction from Travis Stevens with his new series Mastering Osoto Gari available from JudoFanatics.com. Learn more techniques that these mobility exercises will help you improve. You can get your copy here or at the Buy Now Link below.
