weight training for martial arts?

[MountainSage]

Ivwhitebir,
It seem we are have a discussion on wether to train the whole to improve the parts or train the parts to improve the whole. I guess I'm a train the whole type person, takes less training time per session for me.
To those on this thread: I'm not against body building type weight training, IMO, there are more effective ways to weight train for MA. A person must be comfortable in the way they train, so the individual will continue without great mental effort.

Mountainsage

 

[lvwhitebir]

Originally posted by MountainSage
It seem we are have a discussion on wether to train the whole to improve the parts or train the parts to improve the whole.
...
A person must be comfortable in the way they train, so the individual will continue without great mental effort.

Agreed on both counts. There are a lot of people in both camps. I guess everyone should choose the route that's best for them. It always comes down to some sort of "strength" training is beneficial, whether you use external weights or your own bodyweight. No one method will benefit everyone equally, as well as no single exercise will benefit everyone equally. You have to find what best works for your body and your training goals.

WhiteBirch

 

[HumbleStudent]

I'm new here guys and would appreciate your opinions.

I'm also new to MA and here is one thing I've been doing. As part of my workout I take a 2lb. (each) set of dumbells and do my basic MA techniques. Mainly reverse punches and blocks. I will only do a set untill my form starts suffering, then take a short rest and do the techniques without weights. This seems to help my speed and strength.

I stopped most of my weightlifting because I foung that being sore really slowed me down in class. When my shoulders were sore I could hardly throw a block!

 

[MountainSage]

Using weights during basics is a subject that there are pro folk and con folks. I do both with and without. How I was taught was that the power comes from the hips, not the arms. That generally makes the need for arms training secondary to hip and leg training. If you like and feel that it help you overall, don't stop lifting, yet reduce lift time and weight. It might be that you are overtraining particular muscles with lifting and MA in a given time period.

MountainSage

 

[HumbleStudent]

Originally posted by MountainSage
Using weights during basics is a subject that there are pro folk and con folks. I do both with and without. How I was taught was that the power comes from the hips, not the arms. That generally makes the need for arms training secondary to hip and leg training. If you like and feel that it help you overall, don't stop lifting, yet reduce lift time and weight. It might be that you are overtraining particular muscles with lifting and MA in a given time period.

MountainSage

Thanks for the reply!
My school (Kenpo) strongly stresses the hips as the power behind your strikes. For that reason I always (when practising with 2LB. weights) do my punching in a horse AND fighting stance . The fighting stance helps me concentrate more on hip movement.

As far as my workout, I now do almost entirely body weight exersizes. The only equipment I use is a jump rope and a curl/dip/pull up/leg raise/push up station, a cheap one made by Body By Jake.

I actually wrapped the dip station with padding and strapped a pad on the backboard and use this for striking! It's pretty neat , when I'm doing my punches the station will actually recoil or walk toward me, this helps me to practise moving in my stances....

 

[pknox]

HumbleStudent:

One word of caution -- if you are punching with weights, take care to stop the punch short of fully extending your arms, or you risk possibly damaging your ligaments and tendons due to the added weight. It is also possible to hyperextend the elbow joint. So as not to develop the habit of short-arming your punches, I would also continue to train your punches at least as much without the weights, fully extending your arms.

 

[HumbleStudent]

Thank You! I'll keep that in mind.

 

[HumbleStudent]

Originally posted by HumbleStudent
Thanks for the reply!
My school (Kenpo) strongly stresses the hips as the power behind your strikes. For that reason I always (when practising with 2LB. weights) do my punching in a horse AND fighting stance . The fighting stance helps me concentrate more on hip movement.

As far as my workout, I now do almost entirely body weight exersizes. The only equipment I use is a jump rope and a curl/dip/pull up/leg raise/push up station, a cheap one made by Body By Jake.

I actually wrapped the dip station with padding and strapped a pad on the backboard and use this for striking! It's pretty neat , when I'm doing my punches the station will actually recoil or walk toward me, this helps me to practise moving in my stances....

I also should have mentioned that I always go slow when punching with weights. I want to watch my form.

 

[RCastillo]

Originally posted by TallAdam85
Hello I have seen in some martial arts books some say people should work out to improve the martial arts and other books say the time you spend in the gym is a waste cause it is time you could be training. So what do you guys think about this? And do if you do work out how? Life for power or for speed?

Lets hear what you got to say people :asian:

I lift heavy. It's kinda hard for me to get outta that habit. Can't do w/o it!:asian:

 

[pknox]

Originally posted by HumbleStudent
I also should have mentioned that I always go slow when punching with weights. I want to watch my form.

Actually, that is the best way, as it again reduces the stress on your ligaments and tendons.