# Anybody here feel like just doing Muay Thai increases your general strength??



## Muay Thai Hackney (Apr 4, 2015)

So i've been doing Muay Thai a year and a half now, full on for the last several months by packing in 5 sessions per week.

I've not touched  a weight in what feels like years yet I feel really strong. I've got people asking me how much I weigh all because they said that i feel strong when I throw a strike. I told them I probably weigh less than they do these days and have not touched a weight.  (76kgs at 6,2) and while I don't have the sheer out brute strength from when I was doing deadl lifts, squats and bench press, I do feel strong in a very different way. Not sure how, though. 

I wonder if any of you guys feel like Muay Thai has increased your strength levels? Have I mistaken efficiency for strength??


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## Transk53 (Apr 4, 2015)

Muay Thai Hackney said:


> I wonder if any of you guys feel like Muay Thai has increased your strength levels? Have I mistaken efficiency for strength??



Maybe a little of both. But guess that would be on the person. I have always been quite strong, so efficiency would fit me. I know what you mean though and I would vastly inferior to you in fitness, but when I personally get that moment, just think it is my body being efficient with what reserves I have at the time. Anyway very interesting thread


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## Kung Fu Wang (Apr 4, 2015)

Muay Thai Hackney said:


> I've not touched  a weight in what feels like years yet I feel really strong.



IMO, you want to be strong and you don't want to "feel" strong. If you can lift a 250 lb guy over your head, you know that you are strong and you don't need to "feel" it. The "feeling" is relative and not absolute. You think (or feel) what you can do is not your true ability. When you don't think (or feel) and just do it, that will be your true ability.


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## Tez3 (Apr 5, 2015)

We've had 'strong' men who lift weights come into the gym and have not been strong when it comes to actually practising martial arts. They have specialised in lifting weights and they are very good at it but when it actually comes to lifting someone, who is resisting and hurting them it's a whole different story. 
There's no doubt that MT and other martial arts will give you a functional strength that may be lacking when you lift weights alone. Lifting weights gives you skill at lifting weights, while being 'strong' is going to be an advantage in martial arts, it will not a much smaller one that you imagine.
I say good on you for training Muay Thai and keep at it, it obviously suits you!


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 5, 2015)

Powerful strikes are more about technique than raw strength.
I'm a worn out tired old fat man, but I just broke 6 8x16x2" concrete pavers during a demo last week. I couldn't do that by relying on strength.


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## Transk53 (Apr 5, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> Powerful strikes are more about technique than raw strength.
> I'm a worn out tired old fat man, but I just broke 6 8x16x2" concrete pavers during a demo last week. I couldn't do that by relying on strength.



So that is across the board then. No real difference technically between the action of a strike, and that of breaking paving slabs?


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## drop bear (Apr 5, 2015)

When ever I think of board breaking I think of this guy. But he was a big dude.


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 6, 2015)

Transk53 said:


> So that is across the board then. No real difference technically between the action of a strike, and that of breaking paving slabs?



Of course there can be a difference. For example, the concrete was broken with a downward strike. The same strike done horizontally will be different. I also did 2 16x4x2" pavers as a speed break with a palm up knifehand. This is not the same as doing a palm down knifehand or a vertical knifehand. But power still comes more from good technique than raw strength. If I relied on just strength, rather than using the body to generate power, the breaks would fail. I'm not that strong.


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## Transk53 (Apr 6, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> Of course there can be a difference. For example, the concrete was broken with a downward strike. The same strike done horizontally will be different. I also did 2 16x4x2" pavers as a speed break with a palm up knifehand. This is not the same as doing a palm down knifehand or a vertical knifehand. But power still comes more from good technique than raw strength. If I relied on just strength, rather than using the body to generate power, the breaks would fail. I'm not that strong.



Got you. I have not seen paving being broken before, so have been under the impression that a downward strike would be what it is, but in the case of a paving slab a little theatrical. IE not a person target.


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## Buka (Apr 6, 2015)

Muay Thai Hackney said:


> So i've been doing Muay Thai a year and a half now, full on for the last several months by packing in 5 sessions per week.
> 
> I've not touched  a weight in what feels like years yet I feel really strong. I've got people asking me how much I weigh all because they said that i feel strong when I throw a strike. I told them I probably weigh less than they do these days and have not touched a weight.  (76kgs at 6,2) and while I don't have the sheer out brute strength from when I was doing deadl lifts, squats and bench press, I do feel strong in a very different way. Not sure how, though.
> 
> I wonder if any of you guys feel like Muay Thai has increased your strength levels? Have I mistaken efficiency for strength??



You're probably not mistaking anything. Ain't it grand to feel strong?
Keep it up, brother, keep it up!


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 6, 2015)

Transk53 said:


> Got you. I have not seen paving being broken before, so have been under the impression that a downward strike would be what it is, but in the case of a paving slab a little theatrical. IE not a person target.



It certainly can be theatrical. A downward strike is a valid technique, but the reason it is the most commonly used strike for power breaks is simply that it's sort of difficult to find a way to support 12" of concrete slabs vertically.
I can stand 2-3 on the top of a wavemaster for speed breaks, but that just isn't going to work for a power break, where the target really needs to be braced from behind.
You can find plenty of pavement breaks on YouTube, and I think I've got at least one of me doing a speed break. I'm at work, and YouTube is blocked, but I'll find something when I'm at home.


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## Transk53 (Apr 6, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> It certainly can be theatrical. A downward strike is a valid technique, but the reason it is the most commonly used strike for power breaks is simply that it's sort of difficult to find a way to support 12" of concrete slabs vertically.
> I can stand 2-3 on the top of a wavemaster for speed breaks, but that just isn't going to work for a power break, where the target really needs to be braced from behind.
> You can find plenty of pavement breaks on YouTube, and I think I've got at least one of me doing a speed break. I'm at work, and YouTube is blocked, but I'll find something when I'm at home.



Cool.


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## tshadowchaser (Apr 6, 2015)

to answer the OP just the fact that you have been working out for that period of time your technique in striking has improved and perhaps your over all physical  body has gotten stronger also.   Working out all of the time will increase your over all strength if you are doing push ups ,etc.  When striking all of the time you over all body positioning and technique improves thus improving the effect of what you are doing.


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 7, 2015)

Transk53 said:


> Got you. I have not seen paving being broken before, so have been under the impression that a downward strike would be what it is, but in the case of a paving slab a little theatrical. IE not a person target.



Here's a paver break that isn't a downward strike. There's no real difference between this strike and one done to the neck.






As I said, I'm simply not that strong. Were I to rely on strength rather than technique, it wouldn't be the pavers breaking...


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## Transk53 (Apr 7, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> Here's a paver break that isn't a downward strike. There's no real difference between this strike and one done to the neck.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Yeah, I could imagine and wince at the breaking bones. Is an open palm strike, or what would be. Sorry OP for going off topic.My bad.


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## Muay Thai Hackney (Apr 9, 2015)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> IMO, you want to be strong and you don't want to "feel" strong. If you can lift a 250 lb guy over your head, you know that you are strong and you don't need to "feel" it. The "feeling" is relative and not absolute. You think (or feel) what you can do is not your true ability. When you don't think (or feel) and just do it, that will be your true ability.



Yeah, I get what you mean. When I used to lift heavy compound weights like deadlifts and squats, I used to 'feel' strong, but then i'd get outmuscled whenever i'd play fight with anyone all because i'd be overall conscious of using raw strength the like. What you said about not thinking about what you're doing strength wise is definitely something I felt in the clinch the other day.


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## Buka (Apr 9, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> Here's a paver break that isn't a downward strike. There's no real difference between this strike and one done to the neck.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice break.


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## Old Judoka (Apr 5, 2016)

Dirty Dog said:


> Powerful strikes are more about technique than raw strength.
> I'm a worn out tired old fat man, but I just broke 6 8x16x2" concrete pavers during a demo last week. I couldn't do that by relying on strength.



So I'm not the only worn out tired old fat man here! Actually, I've been losing a little weight since getting back into the dojo   after decades away. Now I'm a worn out old fat man who spends a lot time on his back on the mat. LOL


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