Building a Home Gym for Martial Arts
Ideas For Making Training Equipment When You Can't Afford To Buy
Apr 27, 2009
It's possible to teach yourself the basics of martial arts at home, utilizing a few instructional tools such as DVDs and books and homemade training equipment.
Many gyms offer basic classes in martial arts, and specialty training centers teach in depth techniques. But not everyone can afford a gym membership or martial arts instructor. Fortunately, you don't need them to begin learning. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Recycle an egg-crate-style foam pad, such as a mattress pad, into exercise mats for stretching and tumbling. Stretching is the most important part of martial arts. Since you will be using most major muscle groups, you will be stretching frequently. It's important that you have exercise mats for this purpose.
- Hang a mirror in your practice space. You can either relocate your bathroom or dresser mirror, or purchase dressing mirrors from garage sales. The mirror is an important training device that you can use to monitor yourself and make corrections while shadow boxing and practicing forms.
- Wrap a roll of carpet around a tree trunk or post and duct tape it in place to create a quick punching bag. Use this pillar to practice kicks, punches and striking techniques.
- Purchase a set of Ace bandages at your pharmacy to make protective wrist and ankle wraps.
- Remove the straw and any metal or plastic fasteners from a household broom and use the handle as a bo or jo staff. Most broom handles come in lengths of five feet, are usually varnished and made of sturdy wood. This makes them an ideal choice for practicing Bo or Jo staff forms.
- Dig through the attic or search garage sales to find a wooden cane with a hook-shaped handle.
- Take a 10-12 feet of clothesline and attach a metal spike to the end to make a rope dart. The easiest way to do this is to drill a hole through the flat end of the spike and tie the clothesline to it.
- Practice weapons such as a bokken, shinai or a set of escrima sticks may be made by cutting a piece of rattan to the proper length and shape. Rattan is a type of palm wood typically used in making furniture. It is a good choice for a practice sword because the weight approximates that of a metal sword, the wood flexes with impact and will pulp under stress rather than breaking. It is easy to find and may be purchased inexpensively. Sand the rough edges and then wrap your practice weapon in duct tape.
Tips & Warnings:When training with soft weapons such as the rope dart, extra safety measures must be taken. Soft weapons are the least forgiving of mistakes. Please research soft weapons carefully before attempting to use them.
The copyright of the article Building a Home Gym for Martial Arts in Martial Arts is owned by Tracy Morris. Permission to republish Building a Home Gym for Martial Arts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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