# Weight Training and Hapkido



## YellaDragon (Sep 24, 2010)

Greetings brothers and sisters of Hapkido,

I hope all of you are well. I would like to know what types of weight training some of you incorporate into your Hapkido training? For example, do you find, or have you found, lifting lighter weights with many repetitions and sets has been more beneficial than lifting heavier weights with fewer repetitions? I would like any thoughts/opinions on the matter and I have an ectomorph body type. I am not looking to try to become muscular because for me, that would defeat the purpose of my Hapkido training. 

I have various Hapkido technique training that I perform slowly to increase strength and flexibility but would like additional insight if I may.  Take care and continue the pursuit of martial fulfillment.


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## zDom (Sep 25, 2010)

The only weight training I do on a regular basis is dumbbell curls. If I don't, I end up with an imbalance in my arms from all the pushups I do and my elbows begin to hurt.

For weight training to benefit hapkido, I would recommend low weight with very, very high repetitions.


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## Disco (Sep 25, 2010)

I focus on wrist curls (strengthen the forearms and wrists) Arm curls and finger spread push ups. All lead to producing a strong grip. not very heavy weight but lots of reps.


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## Drac (Sep 26, 2010)

Lotsa wrist curls, forward and reverse.I do mine sitting on the floor with my arms across a bench.Low weight and high reps..Don't forget to stretch between sets..


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## Daniel Sullivan (Sep 27, 2010)

Low reps + heavy weight = strength.
High reps + low weight = endurance and generally greater size.

I do bench and military press, lat pulldowns, rowing, tricep extentions, curls, leg press and calf extentions.

I stay in the middle with regards to weight and reps: I want to develop general strength, endurance, and overall fitness.  I do two to three sets of 8-12 reps of each exercise, with a weight of approximately eighty percent of my maximum on that particular exercise.  Note: one should never exercise with a weight too heavy for them to properly do the exercise.  If you are arching your back and such to do the exercise, then lower the weight.  Not only will this not benefit you, you will risk injury as well.  

This is in addition to calisthenics and cardio, which I also do regularly.  Included in calisthenics are finger spread pushups and knuckle pushups, crunces, plank, side plank, twist crunches, Roman chair, and a number of back exercises that I do not know the names of.

Additionally, I never take the elevator or escalator unless I am going more than five floors up.

I also stretch on a regular basis as well.

Best wishes to you!

Daniel


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## YellaDragon (Sep 27, 2010)

I want to thank you zDom, Disco, Drac and Daniel Sullivan for your posts, I do truly appreciate the insight and information. I see the commonality of wrist, forearm, bicep/tricep exercises and strengthening amongst all of your responses. Daniel, you perform exercises and weight variations like I'm used to for basketball training, when I played basketball in college, so that is very familiar to me as well. I always incorporate stretching between sets so I shall remain consistent with that. 

Daniel, you raise a great point about lower back exercises. I find my lower back to be weak at times and I know various situps will assist in strengthening it but I will research other exercises to focus upon that area more intently. Again, thank you all for your insights and I hope each of you achieves the level of martial arts you wish to gain.

Best regards,

YellaDragon


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## American HKD (Oct 1, 2010)

Good question. As a personal trainer I can give a few insights.

Weight are not nearly as important as body weight and f*unctional movement for HKD.*

Squats, one leg squats, push ups, inverted rows, lunges, pull-ups, medicince ball twists and core training, plyometrics and jumping are also important just to name a few.

There's so much to do I can't list it all. 

See TRX training, almost anything Mike Boyle says he the best in business.

http://www.bodybyboyle.com/


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## Kwan Jang (Oct 1, 2010)

"A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link". Keeping balanced strength throughout the body along the natural strength curves is very important. Any one who has any working knowledge of kinesiology will understand that any technique is going to be mostly a full body motion (or at least should be if it is proper technique). By working on your technique, you are going to be making the most of what you have to work with. By increasing your body's physical capacities (i.e.- muscular strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance and lean mass-body fat ratio) you are going to have more potential for your technique to work with.

The common myth of heavy weights and more muscle mass will make you slow and stiff is just that: a myth. As long as you train smart and work all the aspects of your training, the heavy weights will only enhance your performance. There is something to be said for high rep work as well, though. Having endurance at a high level is important, too. For example, I have done low rep full squats w/ 865 lbs. and have done 500 lbs. for 20(+) reps. I can also perform full splits (pics in gallery) and vertical kicks. Not to say, "yea for me", but to illustrate that the training methods I'm advocating do work, since too many people who have never tried it say that these are contradictory qualities.


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## American HKD (Oct 1, 2010)

....Having endurance at a high level is important, too. For example, I have done low rep full squats w/ 865 lbs.....

That's some serious weight, the heaviest unequipped, drug tested squat is 430 kg (948 lbs), held by Joe Uttoe. www.powerliftingwatch.com


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## Kwan Jang (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks. "The better to boot people to the head with, my dear."


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## YellaDragon (Oct 8, 2010)

Thank you American HKD and Kwan Jang for your insights as well.  Kwan Jang, I have this question for you since you obviously lift what I consider to be heavy weight yet have the flexibility and capability of performing athletic maneuvers. Do you train with heavy weight all of the time, or do you mix heavy lifting with lighter lifting with numerous repetitions as a balance?  Also, do you find that stretching prevents you from being "weight lifting tight" over the course of heavy weight training?  I have tried lifting heavy weights and there were times when I gained a decent amount of strength. However, my flexibility seemed to be shot big time as compared to when I was lifting light - medium weight and doing the same amount of stretching. 

Thank you again everyone.


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## Kwan Jang (Oct 8, 2010)

There are three components of a muscle cell that respond to adaptive stress: the myofbrils, the mitochodria and the sarcoplasm. All three have a specific adaptive stress level. The myofibrils have an adaptive response in the low rep ranges (best around roughly 6 reps). The mitochondria at roughly the 12-15 rep range and the sarcoplasm in the high rep ranges(20+). To have maximum effectiveness, you want to fully train each. 

When I lift, I typically work in a 1/2 pyramid after warm ups. I will start with sets of 20(+) reps at a fairly heavy weight and pyramid up to sets of roughly 6 reps on my heavy days. Very rarely will I do less than 6 reps since this is more of testing strength rather than building it. Keeping in mind recuperation and the wear and tear on my joints, I will rotate out different exercises and weight loads. For example, I work quads once a week in a four workout rotation. Week one is heavy squats (or hack squats if no spotter) in the above pyramid working up to at least 600 lbs. And week 2, I will usually do high rep isolation work and let my body recoup (though other body parts are heavy). Third week, I will do high intensity leg presses or pre-exhaust extensions w/ presses as a super set. Week 4 is high rep non-lock out squats; I'll do ts of 20 reps going all the way down, but only 3/4 of the way up, only locking out on reps #12 and #20. This is usually at least 315 and sometimes higher.

I make sure that I keep the proper strength balance between the agonist and the antagonist and go full range of motion on my exercises so I have never had any problem with my flexibility. Though I will often stretch between sets, however even when I've slacked on this, it hasn't been a problem.


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