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Frequently Asked Questions

What does martial arts training have to do with football?

	Practicing 'Strength drills'

Football, particularly on the line of scrimmage, entails significant hand to hand combat. Martial artists have been developing, practicing and refining hand to hand combat techniques for thousands of years. It therefore makes sense to draw upon the vast expertise and practical knowledge in areas such as evading and blocking strikes, striking and manipulating your opponent, wrestling and grappling, drive blocking, tackling, breakfalling (or falling to the ground safely) and conditioning and apply them to the game of football.

Are some martial arts more applicable to football than others?

The simple answer is yes. Martial arts differ in their history, country of origin and the extent to which they can be applied to various aspects of the game of football. For example, the Korean art of Taekwondo is very kick orientated and is therefore limited in its application to the game of football. However, Wing Chun Kung Fu, (the style made famous by the late Bruce Lee) is renowned for being extremely effective at close range and therefore is ideally suited to many aspects of the game of football.

Nick Bourne and the Martial Arts for Football team have thoroughly researched various martial arts and aspects of martial arts training to formulate a comprehensive training program that applies to all aspects of the game of football.

Isn't martial arts training dangerous?

All forms of exercise are potentially dangerous if taught incorrectly or applied without safety in mind. To minimize injury, martial arts training should be conducted in a controlled environment, emphasizing gradual progression, correct application of technique (applied within the rules of football), mutual respect between partners and utilizing a coach or martial arts instructor to assist wherever necessary.

How can martial arts training be incorporated into football?

Martial arts can be incorporated into football training in a multitude of ways. Key skills that directly translate to the playing field such as blocking and evading strikes, striking and manipulating your opponent, wrestling and grappling, drive blocking and breakfalling can all be incorporated into your basic training both in the weight room and out on the playing field. Martial arts training can also be used to condition for the game of football, helping to significantly enhance your speed, functional strength, skill levels, suppleness (flexibility) and stamina.