There are a vast range of stretches and exercies that one can perform off-the-field regularly and on-the-field prior to combat to help specifically develop your capabilities in regards to combat and to best prepare you to fight. Any and all cardiovascular ("cardio") exercise will help develop your stamina (by which a surprising number of fights are won) and improve your ability to breathe on the field. Stretches and exercises that enhance the wrist flexors, elbow tendons and ligaments, triceps and biceps, shoulders, and chest will help improve your swordwork capabilities by improving the range and power of your Virtuous Wrist and Virtuous Extension. Stretches and exercises that enhance the hip flexors, Illiotibial bands, quadruceps, adductors, piriformis (hip rotator), gluteus and hamstrings help improve the range and power of blows by enhancing Virtuous Rotation. Stretches and Exercises that help enhance the calves (Gastrocnemius) and the Achilles Tendon also help significantly improve the range and power of blows by enhancing Virtuous Turn. Finally, core and balance exercises help with Virtuous Stance and maneuver and with blow development and recovery throughout. Good resources to have with you include The Stretch Deck (Olivia H. Miller, Chronicle Books) and The Strength and Toning Deck (Shirley Archer, Chronicle Books) which provides some of the material provided below and whose cards can be kept with you in your gear.
Exercise Equipment
Wrist and Hand Exercises
There a number of tools for improving grip strength and wrist flexor strength which will improve the power of Virtuous Wrist and Virtuous Extension. These include the Gripmaster series of Hand Exercisers which allow one to train each finger with Extra Light 3-Pound, Light 5-Pound, Medium 7-Pound, Heavy 9-Pound versions. Dyna-Flex offers their Powerball gyro exercisers that are offered in 25lb, 30lb, 35lb, and 40lb versions and for which you can buy a Docking Station to get the balls started. They are used in hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow strength conditioning.
Core and Balance Exercises
There are a number of tools for improving core strength and balance. There are balance ball chairs (alternative version) in which one can sit at one's desk improving core strength as one works. There are balance trainers including the Bosu Balance Trainer or a wide-range of different type of wobble boards (remember the wider, the easier) -- many of which come with instructional DVDs to help guide you through the exercises. For further guidance (and perhaps more fun), the Nintendo Wii Fit has a range of balance game/exercises that can help develop your balance and core strength.
Stretches
Wrist Stretches
Elbow Stretches
Shoulder/Arm/Chest Stretches
Hip Stretches
Leg Stretches
Exercises
Wrist Exercises
Elbow Exercises
Shoulder/Arm/Chest Exercises
Hip Exercises
Leg Exercises
Core/Balance Exercises
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