Savate learning teaching

After each Passage de Grade I spend some time doing self-evaluation as to what I could have done different and how I might have prepared better. As we all know each year becomes more challenging.

At the beginning of each Savate season I like to work on my conditioning. In my mind I have only a few months till the next Passage. Additionally, we need to consider how our conditioning might effect how we will perform if we get in an altercation which should be resolved in a matter of moments. For that reason I feel it is important to train for increased aerobic capacity (so high adrenalin doesn’t overcharge the nervous system) and explosive power which works well with the type of techniques we use in Danse de Rue Savate.

One of the best workouts I’ve added to my training has be working out with a sandbag. It provides efficient training at little cost. It comes from the old physical culture training used but the early bare knuckle boxers, catch wrestlers, and true strong men – they were bad ass. All it takes is some sandbox or builder’s sand, a plastic garbage bag, a commercial sandbag or the leg cut off a pair of jeans, and some duct tape. I started with a bag that weighed about 35 pounds and have worked up to currently using a 50 pound bag. When you want to increase the weight just add a cup or two of sand – it’s that easy.

For best results do 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise moving from one exercise to the next without stopping. Between exercises do not let the bag touch the mat (it makes a difference). That makes one round. Do 2 to 5 rounds per workout with no more than 2 minutes rest between rounds. I promise you will feel and see the difference within a couple of weeks. I know it doesn’t sound like much of a workout but you will be surprised.

Bench Press: Lay face up with the bag on your chest and press it up toward the sky.

Pullovers: Lay face up with the bag on the mat above your head, pull it over to your chest.

Hack Squats: Hold the bag between you legs with one had behind you and the other in front. Pick up the bag and stand as tall as you can.

Triceps Extension: Hold the bag across you shoulder behind your neck. Keeping the upper part of your arm close to your ears with your elbows pointing toward the sky, lift the bag up and fully extend your arms.

Squats: Hold the bag to your chest, squat down till your legs are bent 90 degrees or more – then stand up.

Upright Rows: Standing upright while holding the bag in front of your waist, pull the bag up as high as you can toward your chin.

Back Squats: Holding the bag across your lower back while standing upright, squat down till your legs are bent 90 degrees or more – then stand back up.

Bent Rows: Bend 90 degrees at the waist with the bag held with fully extended arms – pull the bag up to your chest.

Calf Raises: Hold the bag to your chest while standing straight, stand up on the front balls of your feet.

Military Press: Hold the bag to your chest – press the bag to the sky and fully extend your arms.

Lunges: Hold the bag on top of one shoulder, step forward with the leg on the same side and drop the knee of the other leg to a couple inches above the mat. Stand back up, move the bag to the other shoulder and repeat on the other leg. All the above (lunging on both sides) is on repetition.

Behind The Neck Press: Hold the bag across the shoulders behind the neck, press it toward the sky in the same fashion as the military press.

Biceps Curls: Hold the bag at the waist with the palms facing up. Holding the arms close to the body and the elbows in place, curl the bag up to the chest.

Special care should be given to keeping your knees slightly bend and support your low back by keeping your low belly tight will doing these exercises.

Next month I will share some more of the old timers conditioning methods.

Coach Michael “Fedora” Long

Chicago savate club Illinois savate association and federation of savate USA SAVATE