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June 19th, 2010 admin Leave a comment Go to comments

Altered Art

The 7 Keys to Martial Arts Speed

Regardless of your martial arts style or method...you cannot
apply it unless you can react quickly and respond instantly.
Speed is critical for success in competition and self-defense.
Razor-sharp reflexes are often the sole difference between
winning and losing a physical confrontation.

By accessing the seven keys to martial arts speed, you can
maximize the benefits of your training and improve your skills
for competition and self-defense. The absolute best vehicle for
accessing the seven keys to martial arts speed is the Speed
Loop™ training system.

The Speed Loop is comprised of the seven components of speed and
their relationship to each other when applied in competition or
self-defense. The Speed Loop training system is designed to
isolate, transform, maximize, and integrate the seven attributes
of martial arts speed, including:

1. Visual Reflexes: This component focuses on the training
methods that will increase your ability to spot openings and
track movements. Exceptional visual reflexes allow you to
recognize, track, distinguish, adapt to, and counter movements
with precision and confidence. In the martial arts, visual
reflexes are primarily utilized during long range fighting. In
addition, visual reflexes are critical to the success of
world-class athletes in all competitive sports.

2. Tactile Reflexes: This component focuses on the training
methods that will develop your tactile (touch) reflexes. With
practice, you can learn to instantly feel what the opponent is
attempting to do by quickly interpreting the direction of his
body force. You must anticipate the opponent's every move when
you are in the grappling or trapping range. Ninety-five percent
of all fights end up in close range. Be prepared!

3. Auditory Reflexes: You can improve your auditory reflexes by
enhancing your listening skills. It is important to react
quickly to what you hear. In a situation where you must defend
yourself against multiple attackers, you will more than likely
hear the attack before you see it. If you have ever experienced
blind sparring, or fighting in the dark, you know the importance
of this attribute.

4. Adaptation Speed: This component deals with your mind's
ability to instantaneously select the perfect action in response
to an attack or opening. You should develop the ability to
instantly select the most effective movements to use at any
point during a physical confrontation. Highly developed
adaptation speed will allow your reflexes to carry out the
movement selection process automatically. With training, you
will learn to respond quickly, accurately, and seemingly without
thought.

5. Initiation Speed: You must focus on the development of your
explosiveness, once you have chosen the correct action to
initiate. It's not how fast you move, but how soon you get there
that really counts. Your attack may be very fast in flight, but
a slow takeoff will severely reduce your chances of effectively
landing that attack on target. Train yourself to make your
movements felt before they are seen by developing a flawless
poker face and the ability to relax at will.

6. Movement Speed: Movement speed is the ability to quickly
transfer part or all of your body from one place to another. It
is the speed that is most recognized by the public at large. In
addition to genetics and body weight, your ability to contract
and relax your muscles efficiently will determine your movement
speed. Don't be concerned with "demonstration" speed. Your
training should focus on developing the "applied" speed that
will help you overwhelm and subdue an opponent in seconds.

7. Alteration Speed: During your training, be sure to engage in
drills that will develop the safeguard known as alteration
speed. Alteration speed involves the ability to quickly change
directions in the midst of movement. Essentially, it involves
control of balance and inertia. Through mastery of body
mechanics, you can develop the ability to stop your movement
instantly...just in case you initiate a wrong move.

In addition to the seven keys, you should incorporate speed
hampering drills into your training for complete speed
development. Speed Hampering is the ability to effectively slow
down the opponent's reaction time to your attacks. Having good
speed hampering skills will enhance your ability to confuse,
immobilize, and defeat an opponent.

By focusing on the maximum development of each individual speed
component, your training will be more efficient and effective.
This will help you develop superior speed and reflexes in the
shortest possible time.

Use the innovative Speed Loop training system to improve the
seven keys to martial arts speed and you will see a significant
improvement in your total speed and reflexes

About the Author

J. Barnes has more than 20 years of experience in Mixed Martial
Arts. He is the author of "Speed Training for Martial Arts: How
to Maximize Speed for Competition and Self-Defense," which is
published by Fitness Lifestyle and is available through
Amazon.com, all major book retailers, and all major martial arts
suppliers.