weight lifting for combatives

[jm1978]

I have found that it is best to focus on basic movements: deadlifts, squats, power cleans, standing presses, bench presses, curls, etc.
Also forearm work like reverse curls, wrist rollers, one hand rack holds, iron mind grippers, and pich gripping plates. I think it is important to avoid overtraining, as you don't want your muscles to cramp on you in the split second that you have to react and overcome in the street.

[DickHardman]

i love pumping iron to get bigger and stronger.

the effects of weightlifting on the body are profound.


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQwVXuEKnNU[/YOUTUBE]

[chillaplata]

What's your routine DH?

My routine currently consists of (i) bench presses, (ii) lat pull-downs (or assisted pull-ups), (iii) dumbbell rows or machine rows, (iv) dumbbell shoulder presses, (v) concentration curls, and (vi) machine triceps pushdowns. For legs, I do (i) presses, (ii) calf raises, (iii) curls, and (iv) extensions. I'm thinking of changing up my routine to include more bodyweight exercises and compound movements, perhaps also plyometrics, as I'm not sure what I'm doing is most effective for building strength and endurance to practice martial arts.

[DickHardman]

my routine is similar, i focus on compound lifts mostly.

seated rows
upright rows
bench press
military press
leg press
weighted lunges
barbell curls
pullups/chinups
lower back extensions
abb exercises
calf raises
pushups
leg extensions

[glendanfig]

i just started this, its for size supposedly:
first week 6/6(reps/sets) secondweed 8/8 then 10/10 then 12/12
bench
preacher
lat raise
sqaut
calf raise
bent-over row
tri pushdown
hanging leg raise
incline fly
barbell curl
overhead dumbbell press
leg press
pull down
calbe crunch

my buddy just handed me this list so ima see how it goes...he seems to know what hes doing...what u guys think?
im thinking maby condencing it down a bit when i get back to training(im out now for finals_)

[bodhisattva]

1-legged leg presss
stiff legged dead lift
benchpress
one arm bent rows
shrugs
sidebends


On alternate days I switch the benchpress with vertical press, and I switch the bent rows with chins and switch the sidebends with a heavy-resistance abdominal exercise

[KirkhamsEbooks.]

Since the emphasis for striking is on explosive power I prefer a routine in which the number of reps is increased in a given time

Rick

[DickHardman]

Since the emphasis for striking is on explosive power I prefer a routine in which the number of reps is increased in a given time

Rick

i just lift to gain overall strength and to gain muscle just for a bit of protection. i focus a lot on building mass over my back and neck to try to reduce the chances of being injured from falling or during training etc....

for increasing striking power, i myself just do bagwork and shadowboxing and hand/wrist conditioning.

[GQchris]

There's a book titled "The Savage Science of Streetfighting" by Ned Beaumont; in it he has a great section on weight training for fighting purposes, and the section alone on weight training/fitness is reason enough to get this book.

[figgis]

Since the emphasis for striking is on explosive power I prefer a routine in which the number of reps is increased in a given time

Rick

If you really want explosive power, try plyometrics - but only once you've got the base strength for doing so to be safe. It's an area where a good professional coach can help a lot and where "man of the Internet" knowledge can wreck your body. If you're going to work at plyo from a book, get something by a real sports scientist rather than a "Rex Kwan Do" type of guy: it's easy for plyo to work "too well" and produce great short term gains at the cost of long term body damage.

[KirkhamsEbooks.]

The only objection I ever had to plyometrics was people treat it likes it's something brand new. Just a new name that's all. People have been training using their own bodiy mass and gravity for centuries. Improving overall gross coordination and muscular strength is what plyometrics does quite well. Remember though this gross coordination can be specific in nature so if you're going to "explode" in a plyometric manner I'd execute the exercise as closely to the martial arts movements you wish to improve.

And yes face to face always beats the wriiten word though research is always a good idea

Rick

[adeano]

I do only compound exercises. I find movements like curls for both the arms and legs are a complete waste of time unless you want to use that movement to get size gains.

For fight specific training it really depends on what type of fighting method you use whether that be striking or grappling.

A striker should primarily use 'pushing' movements like push-press, plyometric push-ups and burpees.

A grappler is better off using 'pulling' type movements like various pull up/heaves with different grips and things like sumo deadlift high pulls and cleans and also grip training like towel heaves and hanging from the bar.

It really depends what you want to achieve in your training. That will dictate what movements you do as well as what weight, sets, reps and rest you use.

If you want to get bigger, isolate and smash those individual muscles one at a time. If you want to get functionally stronger, you need to use your whole body together and train it to operate as a whole. This will bring in the muscles and the central nervous system to generate the most force. Like has been said, plyos can be a great addition to strength training but remember, ligaments and tendons grow a lot slower than muscles. This is what contributes to a lot of imjuries.

[Tant01]

I....
A grappler is better off using 'pulling' type movements like various pull up/heaves with different grips and things like sumo deadlift high pulls and cleans and also grip training like towel heaves and hanging from the bar.

It really depends what you want to achieve in your training. That will dictate what movements you do as well as what weight, sets, reps and rest you use.

If you want to get bigger, isolate and smash those individual muscles one at a time. If you want to get functionally stronger, you need to use your whole body together and train it to operate as a whole. This will bring in the muscles and the central nervous system to generate the most force. Like has been said, plyos can be a great addition to strength training but remember, ligaments and tendons grow a lot slower than muscles. This is what contributes to a lot of imjuries.

Ideally I think we should find a balance between "bulk" and endurance...

I had a great weight training program that I mixed with hard manual labor (logging) and recreational rock climbing.

I still have a good fit body in my mid 40's...

Eat less, live longer...

[adeano]

Hey Tant01, how did you find doing a manual labour job with training? Did you eventually burn out?

Ive had mates that were keen on the idea, thinking they would turn into machines but they burnt out after a few months. Would be interested to see how you managed it?

Instead of spending a couple hours at the most in the gym and going to classes, they were in effect going to the gym for 8 hours or so... plus training sessions... thats a big work load.

[figgis]

The only objection I ever had to plyometrics was people treat it likes it's something brand new. Just a new name that's all.

That's a very good point! The main tool for upper body plyo, a weighted ball, was probably around in classical times. The main benefit that modern research has given us is probably a more definite understanding of which old-school techniques really work and which don't, as well as an understanding of safety limits.

Anyway, lifting as heavy as you can is almost certainly NOT the way to develop maximum punching power - the OP'd build up slow rather than fast twitch muscle fibres. There's lots of bs from Internet gurus on lifting and boxing and why you should send them $50 for a training schedule, but this is the real thing - Evander Hollyfield's pre-fight training regime (minus the biting practice): TRAINING STRATEGY FOR EVANDER HOLYFIELD - lots of plyo, and what weight training there is designed specifically for explosive strength.

Otoh, I have no idea whether training to max explosive strength or conventional strength is better for grappling.