How important are weights?

[Shirt Ripper]

Brother John makes an excellent point. Just for my .02, "lifting" could do wonders for a MA, but it certainly isn't absolutely needed. I would say that someone who did not improve while included weight training in their regiment went about it wrong, as is common.

 

[stone_dragone]

You know dude, it has been my experience in freestyle and greco wrestling, I even wrestled for the Marine Corps. As well as Judo Randori that weight training is not necessary. I am not a big guy. If you do body weight only and do your MA workouts you will be fine.

Actually, I found that weight training hindered my performance a bit. I got more out of towel pull and chin ups than I ever did from lat pull downs. I have gotten way more out of swings throughs and judo pushups than dead lifts and back extensions.

If you want to make body weight exercises harder then go slower on your reps. Take a 5 sec down, pause for a second and 5 sec up approach. instead of down up down up. You will see this is very hard indeed.

Also if you concentrate holding horse stance in the down position for a long time you will find it a much better exercise than dead lifts.

Peace out brother!

I'm with Matt on this one...body wight exercises are all you need. External resistance exercises are helpful, but not necesary, especially for martial arts. Pushup and pull up variations range in the hundreds to thousands, so you can use increased resistance training without ever adding external weight, and in the long run, it'll be better for your body.

my two cents...