Increase Your Power and Balance By 50%...
In Less Time Than It Takes You To Warm-Up
Before Working Out

By Tim Larkin

It's funny, but the biggest leaps in your performance in just about any endeavor often are a result of finally working on the basics. In my profession it is my goal to get my clients to strike with maximum force to specific targets on the human body to destroy the other guy. One parameter I keep harping on is hitting with dynamic rather than static force. One of the easiest ways to expedite this skill is to do a very simple set of the 7 Target-Focus Training Leg Dynamic positions... each held for a 30 second time period.

Some of you will recognize the positions from martial arts training. They are often called "horse stances" in the martial arts world. Yet very few people understand the power behind the proper use of these dynamic positions. I will outline a simple program that will take a total of seven minutes to perform. You may use this as a replacement for your warm-up before weight training or as a great way to start the day. After one session you'll truly understand what a superior method this is to warm the body and the additional power and balance increases will greatly improve your performance in just about any athletic endeavor.

The TFT Leg Dynamics Warm-Up

These 7 positions represent all of the ways of moving (stepping) in a fight. Practicing will build strength and endurance, as well as muscle memory for the specific stances - enabling the fighter to rapidly change position in a fight while maintaining balance and structure for powerful techniques. The stances incorporate important kinetic Energy (kE) chains of the legs and spine to this end. Mastery will maximize the use of bodyweight as a weapon.

Though this method was designed for fighting, the benefits in power and balance go beyond the narrow window of hand-to-hand combat. Many clients report better performance in a variety of athletics just by incorporating this simple warm-up into their work out schedules.

So let's look at the 7 positions (as viewed from the right side):

Hold each position for 30 seconds; go directly and smoothly into the next position, with no rest in between, until all seven are finished.

Position One: Step forward with your right leg into a 'forward' stance with your left back leg locked, the right knee should be at a 135 angle. Both feet should be pointing to your left at a 45 angle and the heels should be in a straight line. 60% of your weight is in your right leg, 40% of your weight is in your left leg. As with all the stances, your head is always directly over your hips to insure you maintain a straight spine. The number in the illustration is positioned at your starting point.
Position Two: Shift 180 on the balls of your feet and do the exact same position this time with the left leg forward.

Position Three: Step forward with your right foot and place just your toes on the ground. Your left foot is at a 45 angle and your left knee is slightly bent. 90% of your weight is on the left foot, 10% of your weight is on your right.

Position Four: This position is often called a 'cross-step' and it is performed as follows: Take your right foot (still in position Three) and cross it in front of the left leg 180. The toes on the right foot need to point to the right at a 45 angle and the knee is bent at a 90 angle. The left knee drops towards the floor, with the knee about 2 inches off the ground and directly under the pelvis. Make sure your left is heel up, on the balls of your left foot. You'll definitely feel all 30 seconds on this position!

Position Five: Look to the left and spin on the balls of your feet into a full stance. Both legs are bent at least 45, both feet point straight ahead and both knees are pushing out rather than collapsing inward. This stance is often referred to as a 'full horse' stance.

Position Six: Rotate to the left and drop your right knee. Your left knee should be close to 90 and your right knee should be about 2 inches off the ground. This is similar to the cross-step (position Four, above) except rather than having the front foot turned out, it is now turned in at a 45 angle.

Position Seven: Look to your right, push off your left leg and lunge forward into a forward stance (position One, above) for your final position.

Shake out your legs then repeat the sequence this time stepping out with your left leg first. That will give you a total of 7 minutes of TFT Leg Dynamics and one heck of a great warm-up.

To maximize your results:

• Allow gravity to work-it'll take about 3 weeks doing this 3 times per week for your body to start lowering your center of gravity and for the benefits to start kicking in.
• Keep your spine straight-head over hips, don't lean forward or back during any of the positions.
• Only go as deep into the stances as your range of motion allows-believe me; gravity will get your deeper in your stances but it takes time.
• Step out with your perfect triangle-measure your inseam and use that distance to position your feet on each stepping position. This will insure you are maintaining a solid triangle as you train your positions.

Well that's it. Give it a try for 3 weeks and report back your progress. I think you'll be pleased and actually look forward to your "warm-up" more than your work out.

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Tim Larkin's Target-Focus Training system shows you how to defeat any sociopathic criminal intent on causing bodily harm -- regardless of your size, speed, strength, age, sex, athletic ability or previous experience. Learn more about TFT by visiting his website at http:www.targetfocustraining.com or by emailing him at tft@targetfocustraining.com.