Weight Lifting and The Martial Arts

[Adept]

-How many times a week do you lift weights?

I do my chest and arms on day one.

I do my back and shoulders on day two.

I do my legs and abs on day three.

I rest on day four.

So, five or six days a week.

-How long do you do your weight routine for?

A little under an hour at a time.

-What types of exercises do you do?

Chest: Flys, bench press, narrow grip bench press, incline dumbell press.

Arms: Hammer curls, preacher curls, wrist curls, other wrist exercises, reverse bicep curls, overhead tricep extensions.

Shoulders: shoulder press, standing flys, shrugs.

Back: Wide grip pull-ups, dumbell rows, deadlifts.

-In your opinion, how important do you feel lifting weights is?

Very!

 

[Jonathan Randall]

I haven't lifted weights in years. My body is the better for it. I'm just as strong, if not stronger, I have better range of motion and better flexibility and my shoulders and back don't scream at me near as much as they used to (yes, I do use proper lifting techniques).

While I understand the point you're making, there's weightlifting and then there's weightlifting. I use 3-50 pound dumbells and do a very well rounded, but not powerlifting, type routine. By not going for bodybuilding or real heavy weightlifting, I've managed to gain the benefits (most) of resistance training, and avoid the problems (or difficulties) that can come with heavy lifting. The results in terms of my overall well-being AND strength, have been incredible. No flexibility lost. In fact I've gained because I've increased the amount and number of stretches that I do. As a small person, resistance training, IMO, is crucial.

 

[KenpoGunz]

As a spinoff to my cardio thread, I had a request for one on weight lifting, so here it is. This thread will be dedicated to the importance of weight lifting in the arts. Similar questions apply.


-How many times a week do you lift weights?

-How long do you do your weight routine for?

-What types of exercises do you do?

-In your opinion, how important do you feel lifting weights is?

1. I lift twice a week.
2. It takes me a little more than an hour.
3. I use some powerlifting lifts (dead lift, bench press) but also do leg presses and curls. Mostly compound strength oriented lifts.
4. I think it can be important and how important can depend on the individual, and what they want from their training For example. I have always been friends with strong people and have many in my family. Bodybuilders, powerlifters etc... My brother can bench press 315lbs, and can dead lift almost 600lbs. when fighting people at that level even leverage can fail. For example lets say your trying to bring a person down using your body weight at about 175 lbs.
If they can dead lift 300lbs, you may just not have the juice. Another example is an arm bar from the side when on the ground. if you put the weight of your upper body into the arm bar but they curl 110 lbs or 55 lbs per arm than you might not have the juice. Many times I find that I have to use both technique and raw power when dealing with these kinds of people. And forget about punching power. Ouch!! it really really hurts getting hit by strong people.
I'm coming of a break and my stats are.
Bench press 240 lbs
Dead lift 365 lbs
curl 120 lbs + (not sure as i dont max this lift)
Strength isnt everything but it sure helps.

 

[K' Evans]

Just briefly, I weight-lift 3 times a week, for abt 45mins to an hour, and I stay away from machines for the most part, instead using free weights and doing compound exercises. Now in terms of the importance of weight-lifting, it is a very beneficial exercise for the body, to improve strength and also for general fitness. But its relation to martial arts is a different story. Let me elaborate.

There's no doubt that weight-lifting can increase your strength but for some reason, it may not directly translate to significants gains of strength in punching and kicking. My Sifu (who I credit) then educated me about the meaning of functional strength. The strength to bench press 400lbs is just different from the strength in punching and kicking. In the former example, you are sitting on a bench, grinding your chest and arms and lifting a heavy weight but in the latter, you are upward, moving and using more speed to extend a punch. I recalled reading an article in a body-building mag before that some pro footballers who can bench press 450lbs and beyond sometimes unexpectedly can't perform that well in their sport despite the impressive bench press record.

Nevertheless, I don't doubt that weight-lifting can help, just that it has to be approached in a more scientific manner, much like the way Bruce Lee did. So far, my thoughts are that mixing explosive movements (plyometrics) with weights is probably the best method to yield gains in strength and endurance for martial arts. Now I don't think this is easy, and it won't be sensible to use heavy weights from the get-go, but I think it should be able to help.

 

[kidswarrior]

While I understand the point you're making, there's weightlifting and then there's weightlifting. I use 3-50 pound dumbells and do a very well rounded, but not powerlifting, type routine. By not going for bodybuilding or real heavy weightlifting, I've managed to gain the benefits (most) of resistance training, and avoid the problems (or difficulties) that can come with heavy lifting. The results in terms of my overall well-being AND strength, have been incredible. No flexibility lost. In fact I've gained because I've increased the amount and number of stretches that I do. As a small person, resistance training, IMO, is crucial.

Good point, Jonathan. This is something I'd forgotten. I made the mistake of jumping to the conclusion that MJS was asking if we did 'power' training, which I don't. But forgot that I do do dumbell training to targeted areas I've injured in the past: wrist rolls for tendenitis in my elbows; shoulder shrugs for nerve damage in my neck. My wife takes this a step further (and I probably should too), and does a dumbell-only workout (no, I'm not the dumbell this time) mosly seated in a chair to strengthen shoulders, back, arms, and so fight off osteoporosis.

So, have to amend my original statement to: Never do power type lifting as when a kid, but do targeted lifting to strengthen areas prone to flare up from past injuries. Also, wrist rolls make my work with the combat cane much easier.

 

[knifeboy]

A) Usually between 3 and 4 times a week

B) 30 min. to an hour depending on the types of exercises i'm doing

C) - Back, Biceps, and Shoulders together
- Chest and Triceps
Using mostly free wieghts but when i can also machines
For legs i mainly do cardio like running and biking

D) Very: aside from the fact that it improves looks it helps maintain enrgy and alertness and strength. Besides its fun

 

[Darth F.Takeda]

I am a Personal trainer and Kettlebell Instructor by trade for the last 3 1/2 years.

My own training varies depending on what kind of training cycle I am on.
Right now I do 2 dedicated Strength and Conditioning mix sessionof 45-70 Minutes, using Deadlifts, KB Presses, Snatches, Swings and Combo drill, along with Pull ups and different med ball drills.

On Friday after a few of us do a mix of Throws, grappling and Counter Assult drills for 1-1/2 hours, we do aconditioning circuit with KBs, Med balls and body weight drills for 20 minutes.

I also get in a good deal of reps while training clients.

There are times when I lift everyday but 2, but these are short, to the point workouts.

If there is a demo or special MA event, then I suspend weights for 1-2 weeks.

Alot of you here seem into the Body building body part splits, and while much better than nothing,a martial artist needs to spend most of their lifting time on full body drils and use isolation drills as a finishing drill. Trust me on this, no dont trust me, give full body dominate workouts a try for a few weeks and get back to me,no one who has taken this advice has ever came back and said it diod not help them perform better on the mats.

 

[Darth F.Takeda]

Nowof coarse the above does not mean I dont do or have my trainee's do pre hab and rehab work,we do, but full body is the main dish.

And if your lifting, but not doing your legs, your setting your self up to become upper body dominate like many a GymMullet. Our Dojo is in a Gym and I pray upon mullets often, easy to throw, sweep and take down, almost with out exception.

Hit your legs, Squats and deads and their variations are more usefull for a fightr than the Bench press or curl by far.

FDoingPush ups, Pull ups and Bodyweight squats is way more usefull than a big bench ( and your shoulders will thank you when you hit your 30s)

Shugyo!

 

[rutherford]

I'm an RMAX enthusiast. My physical training is 100% circular strength training ( CST ). Unlike conventional weight training, I swing clubbells and do other CST exercises.

-In your opinion, how important do you feel lifting weights is?

I believe it depends entirely on your priorities and goals.

For health, I believe a proper diet and regular joint mobility to be of greater importance.

For myself, I want to be STRONG. I'm still a bit under 30, so I haven't totally written off the possibility I will enter a combat sport competition in my lifetime. My goal for the first half of this year is to complete a Trail By Fire.

• 130 one handed Mill repetitions (one Clubbell: 130 right handed and 130 left handed = 130 repetitions)
• 130 double handed Swipe repetitions (two Clubbells)
• 130 two handed Hammer Swing repetitions (one Clubbell two handed 65 repetitions in one grip, then the opposite grip 65 reps in the other direction.)

Men's division: 25lbs Clubbells
Target Time: < 1 hour

-How many times a week do you lift weights?

I like to follow a 4 day cycle of intensity. Moderate, High, No, Low. The moderate and high days are usually Clubbell days, the No intensity day is a mobility and active recovery day, and the Low intensity day is spent with Prasara yoga.

-What types of exercises do you do?

Those that will help me reach my goals. I just started a training cycle to work on my Mill component exercises. Before my last vacation, I worked a 28 day program to work the Hammer Swing and Swipe exercises.

-How long do you do your weight routine for?

28 days, or 7 cycles of 4 days, is the baseline.

However, some cycles may be longer or shorter depending on the goal. I'm taking a brief time at the beginning to work on my technique. I will then spend some time working on total volume with a 15 lbs clubbell, and finally work to get proper volume with the 25 lbs clubbell.

I will continue until I reach my goals, a prolonged plateau, or start craving a different set of exercises.

 

[Xue Sheng]

-How many times a week do you lift weights?

O

-How long do you do your weight routine for?

O

-What types of exercises do you do?

Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, drills applicable to the CMA styles that I do, forms training

-In your opinion, how important do you feel lifting weights is?

It depends on what style of MA you do. If you do styles like the ones I do, Taiji and Xingyi I feel that weight lifting is detrimental (I learned this the hard way by the way) And for that matter if you do the Sanda I do I see no benefit in it either. Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups handle things very well.

Nothing against weight lifting, I use to do a lot of it and I rather enjoyed it. But I no longer feel it is any benefit to the CMA I do.

 

[SideWinderGX]

wow. hardcore weight lifters here lol =P (no offense meant by this) but maybe cause im 18, i dont go to the gym as much as i will when im older? i dont find my weight or my toneness a problem at all. between school, job, martial arts classes and fixing my car i dont have much time to do anything anyways...but i just never got into weightlifting.

i weigh 130 lbs and can bench my own weight (i found out in gym class a week or two ago lol). i like shrugs, although they gave me a headache from the soreness of my muscles located so close to my neck, it was awkward the next two days. simple punching drills holding 15 or 20 lb weights im fond of.

 

[bookworm_cn317]

As a spinoff to my cardio thread, I had a request for one on weight lifting, so here it is. This thread will be dedicated to the importance of weight lifting in the arts. Similar questions apply.


-How many times a week do you lift weights?

3 times a week: MWF

-How long do you do your weight routine for?

About an hour.

-What types of exercises do you do?

Squats, triceps press, military press, bicep curls, bent over dumbell row, shrugs.

-In your opinion, how important do you feel lifting weights is?

It's pretty important.

 

[meth18au]

-How many times a week do you lift weights?

At moment twice a week is planned. Sometimes though it drops to either once a week or raises to 3 times a week.

-How long do you do your weight routine for?

My weight sessions are 45 minutes of lifting. And I keep it very intense with short breaks and a high workrate. I then do around 10 minutes of abs (if they are not already done from MA training that day), and 20 minutes of stretching.

-What types of exercises do you do?

I use free weights (mostly) and try to use as many compound exercises as possible. My split is like this:

DAY 1
Back (at moment Chins, B/O Rows, T-Bar Rows and Deadlifts)
Bi's (just 2 sets of Bi Curls)

DAY 2
Chest (at moment Incline Bench, Flat Presses, Dips)
Shoulders (Side Raises and Front Raises)
Tris (just 2 sets of Pressdowns)


If I have time to do a DAY 3 then it looks like this.....

Powerlifting (Power Cleans, Squats, Snatch, Overhead Presses)
Plus I'll take Bi's and Tri's out of day 1 and 2, put them in this workout, and give them a little bit more of a comprehensive workout!!!

-In your opinion, how important do you feel lifting weights is?

My opinion......very important for many reasons. Both MA related and non-MA related. And I have seen the advantages I have had because of it throughout my MA career, in both styles that I have studied.


P.S.- For any haters- I am actually very flexible through the great amount of stretching I do. And I am definitely not slow when moving around, you should see my workrate


Great thread MJS!!!