# Weight training for powerful strikes



## Decker (Mar 6, 2009)

Hi all.

I've recently acquired a barbell set and am putting a bit of focus on deadlifts to increase the strength of my hips and legs to make my front kick more powerful. I also do weighted and unweighted pistol squats. (Books I read: _Power to the People_ and _The Naked Warrior_, Pavel Tsatsouline)

Thing I'm wondering about is, does strength gained from such weight training carry over effectively to kicking power?

Thanks all.


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## jarrod (Mar 6, 2009)

deadlifts do more for your hamstrings & back than your quads & hips.  but it is still a great, overall power builder.  pistols are good, i can't do them without hurting my knees though.

i'm sure there are a ton of theories but i'll tell you what worked for me.  work on building mass in your legs while keeping/increasing flexability.  i don't remember the scientific formula thingy, but heavy legs + speed=powerful kick.  

weight/strength training is important, but but to focus on kicking power, kick a static target powerfully.  a lot.  

good luck!

jf


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## bluekey88 (Mar 7, 2009)

Your weight training shoudl focus not just on th elegs but the core as well.  However, improvements in power there will tranlate into more pwerful kicks.  That being said, Jarro dcis correct, you need to kick too....not just lift heavy wieghts.


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## searcher (Mar 7, 2009)

I like what has been said so far, good stuff.

If you want to build power, you need to build explosion.    Explosion comes from things like the Olympic lifts and plyometrics.    Raw strength training helps, but it is only one small piece.      You also need to make sure you have no wasted motion in your technique.


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## seasoned (Mar 7, 2009)

Muscles for lifting weights will give you straight for lifting weights. I have seen many a strong person come into the dojo that was very strong, but needed coordination. Building strength with weights while training your techniques will go a long way in tying together everything. If there was a secret, it would be not to go for muscle size, size will hamper movement. If you are in a kata based art, this is where low stances come into play. The whole idea of kata was to build all the above, with a little extra help from weights, but not at the expense of training time.


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## mook jong man (Mar 7, 2009)

Power comes from relaxation and time spent practicing the particular striking skill .


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## Marginal (Mar 10, 2009)

mook jong man said:


> Power comes from relaxation and time spent practicing the particular striking skill .


Strength helps too. (That's in part what practicing a kick does. Develops strength.)


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## mook jong man (Mar 10, 2009)

Marginal said:


> Strength helps too. (That's in part what practicing a kick does. Develops strength.)


 
Depends what type of kicks you are doing , I've met people with quite skinny legs who could generate tremendous power and didn't do any special exercises for their legs at all . 
It all came from their stance and being able to relax particular muscle groups and accelerate the leg at great speed.


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## Marginal (Mar 15, 2009)

mook jong man said:


> Depends what type of kicks you are doing , I've met people with quite skinny legs who could generate tremendous power and didn't do any special exercises for their legs at all .
> It all came from their stance and being able to relax particular muscle groups and accelerate the leg at great speed.


Leg exercises are pretty broad. Walk a lot? Run? Those will contribute. 

You can generate decent power without doing specific conditioning outside of kicking a lot, but just from personal experience, squats, lunges, sprints etc contribute a lot towards increasing power and speed too. My kicks developed a lot faster once I started focusing on training my legs and core.


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## bluekey88 (Mar 15, 2009)

Truth.  

Here's the thoing, you need to be both strong AND relaxed to have power.

In the end, the amount of power you ultimately can deliver is decided by your physical strength.  That kind of sets the upper ceiling of potential.

However, being relaxed, having good technique, is what allows you to reach that ceiling.  If you are tense, not relaxed, your muscles work against each other and slow you down and sap you power.  That's why good technical practice can unlock potential (the person learns to relax and use whzat they have more efficiently).

Well thought out, good strength training will give ou more potential in the long run though.  So in reality, you need both strenght training and technical training built on learning to stay relaxed and move with efficiency and accuracy.

Peace,
Erik


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## Thems Fighting Words (Mar 15, 2009)

Decker said:


> Hi all.
> 
> I've recently acquired a barbell set and am putting a bit of focus on deadlifts to increase the strength of my hips and legs to make my front kick more powerful. I also do weighted and unweighted pistol squats. (Books I read: _Power to the People_ and _The Naked Warrior_, Pavel Tsatsouline)
> 
> ...



Yes it does as long as you also maintain flexibility and good form. Most modern professional MAirtsists will lift. Just make sure you're being spotted for heavier weights because power and strength training always need a spotter.


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## rabbit (Mar 24, 2009)

Decker said:


> Hi all.
> 
> I've recently acquired a barbell set and am putting a bit of focus on deadlifts to increase the strength of my hips and legs to make my front kick more powerful. I also do weighted and unweighted pistol squats. (Books I read: _Power to the People_ and _The Naked Warrior_, Pavel Tsatsouline)
> 
> ...


 
Don't forget to actually practice your strikes. Weightlifting does not do all the work. You still have to practice punching and kicking.


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