Back in my martial arts days, I asked my instructor for some new workout ideas.  I was getting bored and needed to freshen things up a bit.  He created a very fun six week training plan focused on cardio strengthening.  I’m not going to share the whole workout but instead an innovative idea from it.

The warm-up stands out in my mind to this day.  On certain days (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) I was to run for distance at an easy pace.  Nothing groundbreaking there.  Then came the other days.  These days I focused movements using every single muscle in my body.  They were the Poomse days.

Poomse is a Korean word, meaning form or pattern.  These forms are imaginary fights that often tell a story about a particular fight.  Anyway, Poomse days required me to do all of my forms at an easy pace and then again at a fast pace, ignoring technique.  Since I knew and practiced sixteen forms with anywhere from 20-100 moves each, it became an intense warm-up.

Don’t know any forms?  No problem, just go to YouTube and search “Poomse” or “martial arts forms.”  There are many videos that you will discover to walk you through some.  You only need to know one or two to get the worthwhile benefits.  Find one that looks like something you can do and spend a workout session trying to learn it.  Technique isn’t imperative unless you are actually training in the art.  Worry more about getting a feel for the movements.

Once you learn one, get into motion.  The first time, do the form as if you are very lazy.  Just go through the moves to warm-up your joints and your mind.  Then do it again with a little more purpose, focusing on what you are doing.  This time pay attention to your legs.  Really, stress the stances and try to keep your weight on them.  Finally, breeze through the last time.  Do the form very quickly and with force.  This time focus on getting your heart rate up and a earning a light sweat.

You’re now warmed up the Poomse way.

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