Random Craziest Training Methods in Martial Arts (8 items)

• 

  (#2) Muay Thai Tree Kicking

  One of the main tenets of Muay Thai involves the use of a fighter’s shins to attack their opponent, rather than their feet like other variations of martial arts. In order for the shin attack to land without injuring oneself, a fighter needs to train that part of their body to feel no pain. So what’s the training regimen for something like that? Many Muay Thai fighters smash their shins into the hardest thing they can find, specifically trees. By smashing your shin into the tough bark of the tree you build up a tolerance to smashing bone against bone, and probably add some gnarly scar tissue to your life. 
• 

  (#8) Tameshiwari

  You're probably asking yourself, "What the heck is Tameshiwari?" It's a form of karate simply focused on breaking stuff with your body. Practitioners of Tameshiwari smash bricks, ice, wood, you name it, in order to get stronger. A lot of people practice a sort of halfway Tameshiwari that's mostly for show, but the actual version of this practice gets nuts. Practitioners believe by focusing their mental energy and combining it with their strength, they can smash anything in their way, and they usually break every bone in their body while trying to accomplish their goal of smashing the world to pieces. 
• 

  (#1) Shaolin Monk Training

  When one thinks of a monk, they likely imagine men clad in robes, sitting cross-legged in a temple in a state of prayer. But to achieve a life of constant meditation, monks must to put themselves through both physical and mental training in order to prove nothing keeps them from their goal of searching for enlightenment. Some of the most harrowing forms of monk training include smashing their heads against a log and learning to break a bowl with one finger. If you don't want to fly to middle of nowhere in Asia to become a monk you can always read the 72 Arts of Shaolin and give it a shot on your lonesome. 
• 

  (#6) Tactical Breathing

  Tactical breathing, or more simply put, slowing your breathe and heartbeat to a deadly level, is practiced by multiple variations of martial artists. But these kinds of modern "centering techniques" stem from Aikido, a Japanese martial art based around breath pacing and creating an internal body rhythm to maintain composure and control fatigue. Modern practitioners of tactical breathing believe this method allows someone to stay in control of their body in the middle of a harrowing situation. 
• 

  (#5) Samurai Training

  The history of Feudal Japan largely involved guys roaming the countryside wielding swords and fighting each other to the death almost constantly. Life as a samurai was intense, and to prepare yourself for a day of constant warfare, you subjected your body to brutal treatment while also becoming familiar with poetry and Zen Buddhism. Things like sleep deprivation or braving the elements in the nude were not unheard of training techniques for the samurai. On top of that, children were prepped from a young age to become samurai, which included the tenet that if you ended your own life with ritual suicide rather than suffering defeat, you met a valiant death. Can you imagine the effect that has on a child? Naturally, there was a lot of drinking involved too. 
• 

  (#3) Slow Training

  Slow training is exactly what it sounds like: a fighter goes through their normal training routine but slows it down to an almost excruciating pace. This not only makes the fighter focus on their technique, they also become more in-tune with their body with extra time to think. Conversely, in a full-speed training session or actual fight, fighters simply react without much thought for technique. So it definitely makes sense, but sense never made anything, especially training, any more fun.

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking