Before starting any exercise program, Anaerobic or Aerobic,
you should consult your health care professional and discuss
your exercise program before starting.
Eccentric Isotonic exercise, such as knife throwing entails,
is also called 'active range of motion exercise.' The muscle
shortens during Isotonic exercise and muscle contraction causes
a rise in the heart rate and a marked increase in stroke volume
that results in an increase in cardiac output and a net decrease
in peripheral resistance (due to vasodilatation of contracted
muscles). Isotonic exercise such as knife throwing will produce
a moderate rise in systolic blood pressure, but the diastolic
pressure usually remains unchanged.
Anerobic
exercise is typically used by athletes in non-endurance sports
to build power. Muscles that are trained under anaerobic conditions
develop biologically differently giving them greater performance
in short duration activities. The contraction and release
of muscles from start to finish of a single knife throw is
a good example of this. Knife throwing utilizes the entire
muscular structure in the act of throwing a knife.
Swimming is a very similar exercise in that it utilizes all
the muscles of the body. The successful knife thrower develops
muscle memory in the consistency of the contraction and release
of muscles used in the delivery of the knife.
The Anaerobic threshold is the exercise intensity at which
lactate starts to accumulate in the blood stream. This happens
when it is produced faster than it can be removed (metabolized).
This point is sometimes referred to as the lactate threshold
or the onset of blood lactate accumulation.
Knife throwing unless done in excess of a thrower's fitness
level is an exercise that is normally below the anaerobic
threshold and any lactate produced by the muscles is removed
by the body without it building up. It is advisable to include
an Aerobic regime with your daily knife throwing activities
such as walking, cycling or swimming to increase proper breathing
techniques and an increase in general fitness.
The Anaerobic threshold is a useful measure for deciding exercise
intensity. Not overdoing either the anaerobic value of knife
throwing or the aerobic value of walking, swimming, or other
activities that will use a large amount of oxygen and gross
muscle movement, is important. Soreness or blood lactate accumulation
will soon disappear with a consistently increasing workout
regimen.
In other words, start out slow and increase your thowing and
your choice of aerobic exercise in a systematic manner. Throwing
one hundred knives from half or one spin and walking a half
a mile a few days is recommended to get you started to stay
below your lactate threshold.
An increase every three to four days in both the Anaerobic
and Aerobic exercise should suffice to build your endurance
to the desired level when starting knife throwing if you have
had a sedentary lifestyle.
Article contributed by: Dr. Michael J. Bainton, Executive
Director
International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame
