Martial Arts Calories?

CityKiwi
CityKiwi Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just came back from my Krav Maga training and entered it into MFP under the Martial Arts exercise in the Cardio section. But what I'm wondering is how much of the session do I actually input? My training sessions last for 90 minutes, but first we do a warmup (25 pushups, situps, squats and star jumps for 3-4 sets), then we discuss what we'll be training and start slow, ramping up the intensity of the practice through the session. This makes it hard to be certain of how long I've actually trained for (I'm sparring at least 75% of the time) and if the exercise listed as "Martial Arts" is covering intense, full on training for the amount of time entered, or a more moderate pace, so I just put "20 Minutes", which I feel is the least I could put in and still be correct.

Does anyone who participates in martial arts (Doesn't have to be Krav Maga) enter their time differently?

Replies

  • TJP_
    TJP_ Posts: 49 Member
    20 minutes will be WAY under-calling your calories IMO, what does that come out at in terms of calories?

  • CityKiwi
    CityKiwi Posts: 6 Member
    189 Calories overall. It just doesn't feel like more compared to when I'm running or jogging.
  • TJP_
    TJP_ Posts: 49 Member
    I can't imagine it's that low, unless it's a VERY relaxed session. When I did Muay Thai I'd effectively spend the full hour session sweating like mad and breathing hard but we were seriously pushed. It was basically quick warm-up, shuttle runs then non-stop pad work
  • Stefgoju
    Stefgoju Posts: 43 Member
    It's pretty hard to be accurate because in most styles I pressume you have different sorts of training. Technique training in comparison to all-out sparring/combat training. I did read that the best way to be sure if you really want to know is to get a monitor which estimates calories burned using a band or something around your body. Wear that for a number of lessons and divide by the number of lessons to get an estimate of what you burn during a typical class. 189 kcal for 90 mins is way too low btw, I burn more playing wii on the couch :-p
  • CityKiwi
    CityKiwi Posts: 6 Member
    We stop occasionally for the instructor to move us onto the next part of the technique as well as move up the intensity (Start slow to get the movement down and by the end of the session we're going full speed, full tilt), and I'm always sweating by the end of it and usually out of breath during, Especially if its a particularly intense session with a lot of full body movement (Takedowns, ground fighting, etc)

    what would you recommend I put in? Putting in 60 Minutes gives me 568 caloires and 90 minutes gives me a full 850 (Both of which seem really, really high)
  • CityKiwi
    CityKiwi Posts: 6 Member
    I wish I could afford a calorie monitor (Got my eyes set on a fitbit for christmas I hope!) but the training is also really rough so I'd be scared of breaking it. We're sometimes slamming eachother into the floor/walls and we block with our forearms so occasionally someone catches their wrist, which might not go over well if I block a full force strike with a fitbit or workout watch.

    Our training by the end of the session is going full speed and full force, and it's mostly technique training because we have an attacker who comes at you who you then have to block/dodge and then disable/disarm, sometimes multiple people one after the other. So it's different from Muay Thai or Karate in that, which usually have two people sparring against eachother as far as I know, defending and attacking.
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    CityKiwi wrote: »

    Does anyone who participates in martial arts (Doesn't have to be Krav Maga) enter their time differently?
    Nothing in the MFP data base worked for me.
    I had to tweak and guess, correct and then correct again.
    I found the right zone and just enter my own calorie burn for various types of combat sports training. I am right on the money now!

  • TJP_
    TJP_ Posts: 49 Member
    Yeah you won't be allowed to wear a monitor. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were burning those sorts of numbers, but you can always reduce it down a bit.

    Could always throw out a google search and see if anything comes up, I'm sure you're not the first person to onder their calorie burn from MMA style training!

    What is your end goal from logging cals - lose fat, maintain, bulk up?
  • CityKiwi
    CityKiwi Posts: 6 Member
    TJP_ wrote: »
    What is your end goal from logging cals - lose fat, maintain, bulk up?

    Currently my end goal is to lose fat, I was bulking a few weeks ago and now I've moved back into cutting to lose all the fat from the bulk.
  • TJP_
    TJP_ Posts: 49 Member
    If you want to lose fat then go for the more conservative end of the scale in terms of calories. One thing's for sure it'll be a LOT more than 189!
  • CityKiwi
    CityKiwi Posts: 6 Member
    I'll bump it up a little but still stick to a conservative figure. I'm trying to go for 1.5lb lost per week, so it'll pay to be safe about it.
  • susanmc31
    susanmc31 Posts: 287 Member
    If it is an option, I would say get a polar FT heartrate monitor. They are great for giving accurate calorie burns. :smile:

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