General
Contact Information
https://www.martialdevotee.com/contact-us
Who is this Journal for?
Although this Journal is primarily for Martial Artists of all skill levels, it can also be used by those who would like to improve their health, fitness and quality of life.
The Martial Devotee Digital Training Journal is designed to:
- help you think about areas in which you can improve
- self-assess and track your progress
- look back on how far you have come to help you stay motivated
How do I use this Journal?
Fullscreen Mode
For best use, please use this journal in fullscreen mode with a landscape orientation.
Navigation
Navigate to different section by using the sheet tab navigator to the bottom left of the sheet
Keeping your Training Records
Record your training sessions including the date that you trained, what you trained and for how long. This will help you reflect on your progress and note down what works and does not work for you.
We have broken down this Journal into the following sections:
Milestones, Goals and Achievements
Technical Training
Develop and Improve the efficiency of your techniques or the technical aspects of your Martial Art
This is where you focus on developing and becoming proficient on a specific technique or skill such as a kata in Karate, low kick in Muay Thai or a specific BJJ guard. There is always more to optimise and improve upon when it comes to skill. This section gives you an opportunity to prioritise and work on skills that can give you the biggest boost in results.
Once you have achieved a desired proficiency for your current skill level, it is time to work on the next area. The idea is to constantly improve holistically by tackling one skillset at a time.
To log a good journal entry, capture the following information:
- Date - the date that you trained. This is essential to track when you last worked on the skill
- Technical Training Scope - what did you train, including your approach to training the skill or how you trained
- Duration - the duration of the training session, for how long did you train?
- Proficiency - this is a self-assessment, so be honest about your proficiency. This will help you to gauge how well you are doing in improving your technique
- Areas of Improvement - this gives you an opportunity to think about where and how you can improve specific techniques or aspects of your Martial Art
Physical Conditioning
Work on your general fitness and conditioning, such as strength, stamina and body hardening.
Strength, speed, agility and endurance will do wonders for your Martial Art. If you are inclined to condition your body for strikes such as low kicks to the legs or punches to the midsection, it is best to begin with light conditioning with an incremental increase in power as the body adapts to the conditioning routines.
To log a good journal entry, capture the following information:
- Date - the date that you trained
- Conditioning workout - with parameters such as rest time and the number of reps and sets. Training type such as weightlifting, cardio or HIIT
- Duration - the duration of the training session, for how long did you train?
- Areas of Improvement - this gives you an opportunity to think about whether you need to incorporate more strength, cardio or other training methods
Mobility and Flexibility
Incorporating a mobility and flexibility routine is important to reduce injuries and help you move through larger ranges of motion.
Flexibility and mobility requires frequent maintenance and should be incorporated into your daily routine so that your body remains supple and injury free.
To log a good journal entry, capture the following information:
- Date - the date that you trained
- Mobility or Flexibility routine - including the type of stretching as well as number of sets and for how long you held each stretch
- Duration - the duration of the training session
- Areas of Improvement - this gives you an opportunity to think about where you lack mobility and range of motion and formulate a plan to improve these
Meditation and Mindset
Prioritise your mindset, grit and mental wellness. Your mind is one of your most powerful assets. A strong mind will allow you to persevere through difficult physical training and remain consistent to reach your goals. Meditation can have deeply profound effects on mental strength and wellness.
Create a tranquil and distraction free environment. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position and breathe deeply using your diaphragm. Focus on your breath. It is recommended to inhale for a count of 5 seconds and exhale for a count of 5 seconds. Relax your mind and allow thoughts to flow in and out without paying any attention to them. Train your mind to enter a flow state.
To log a good journal entry, capture the following information:
- Date - the date that you meditated or practiced mindfulness
- Meditation or Mindfulness - this can take the form of simulating a stressful situation in your mind and allowing yourself to come to terms with it
- Duration - the duration of the meditation or mindfulness session
- Introspective Observations - this gives you an opportunity to think about how you responded to the simulated situation or how you felt after meditation
Training Notes
General notes to help you record anything about your training sessions that don't quite fit into any of the sections above. Allows you to consolidate your training observations across all the training dimensions of technique, physical conditioning, flexibility and mindset.
Milestones, Goals and Achievements
This is a section for bragging rights. A place for you to see all that you have achieved so that you can stay motivated and hungry for your next conquest.
When you reach a training milestone, knock-off a goal or achieve success in whatever shape or form, record it in this section with the date that you achieved it. It will be highlights that you can look back on and note how far you have come. The comments can be used to record how you felt or anything significant about the achievement.
Progress Tracker
The progress tracker is designed for you to track and monitor your body parameters on a weekly basis. This is ideally recorded on the same day and time per measurement. E.g.: Record your body weight at 10AM on a Saturday each week. Try not to deviate from this schedule to keep your progress as accurate and scientific as possible.
You are required to record your body weight, resting heart rate and maximal heart rate each week.
The progress tracker will calculate your BMI and V02 Max based on the information you provide in the progress tracker. Note that height is captured once in the index page of this journal
How do we calculate BMI?
BMI = Body Weight[kg]/(Height[cm])2
How do you get your Resting Heart Rate?
When you are at rest, ideally first thing in the morning, feel for your pulse at your wrist. Place your index and middle fingers between the bone and tendon of your radial artery which is located on the thumb side of your wrist. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply this number by 4 to calculate your beats per minute. Record this into the appropriate cell of the progress tracker.
How do you get your Maximal Heart Rate?
Calculate your Maximal Heart Rate with a field test
https://www.polar.com/blog/calculate-maximum-heart-rate-running/
- Warm up for 15 mins on a flat surface
- Run for at least 2 minutes, building to as hard a pace as you estimate you could hold for 20 minutes
- Rest for 1 minute.
- Run at a faster pace. Get your heart going as hard as you can, building up to a pace you estimate you would be able to hold for 3 KM
- Measure your highest heart rate.
- Rest, allowing your heart rate to drop 30–40 beats per minute from where it was at its peak
- Run once again at a pace that you can only hold for 1 minute.
- Immediately measure your heart rate once again. This will be your Maximal Heart Rate
- Remember to cool down for a minimum of 10 minutes.
How do we calculate VO2 Max?
Your VO2 Max will be calculated based on your resting heart rate (RHR) and your maximal heart rate (MHR)
VO2 Max = 15.3 * (MHR/RHR)
** BMI and VO2 Max values to be used as general indicators of health and fitness respectively.
** Please contact your medical professional if you have specific concerns