Training for power

[Darkoato]

So I'm starting martial arts, and I was wondering: what do you do to attain power? I mean bench-pressing doesn't seem to cut it, especially when you see these huge jocks get taken down by a 5'5 martial art guy, who seemingly can't do more than 100. (for instance)

I guess I was wondering how to develop overall power, if the case may be weightlifting, push-ups, etc.

I have a weight bench at home, with standard weights. It's not a whole gym-like thing, just a bench with a bar. I'm simply giving ideas for what i could do with this.

Just let me know what I can do i also have a 100 lb punching bag downstairs.

[Broadsword2004]

Build up the muscles used for striking, like the back, lower back, abdominals, benchpressing just builds up the pectorals, triceps, and anterior deltoids. Also build up the legs as best as you can. Strength and power are needed for mixed martial arts fighting and stand-up fighting, the only time strength isn't needed and technique is mostly used is in grappling, and that is if you are very good. Even then, strength is a big plus.

Power is force times velocity (I think) so you want to be able to generate a huge force and move it from point A to point B really quickly. Get strong, but then work on speed drills for kicking, punching, etc.....

[Darkoato]

do you recommend anything for an at home workout? I know I need to increase overall, but is there anythign specific you recommend me do?

[Tom Yum]

do you recommend anything for an at home workout? I know I need to increase overall, but is there anythign specific you recommend me do?

Get into a gym and train.

[Broadsword2004]

Check out the bodyweight strength conditioning article i just made a post about, that gives about as much knowledge and links on bodyweight strength training as there is.

If you have some decent weight for your barbell, do presses like the military press, bench press if you have the weight, even the deadlift if you have enough weight.

[muaythaiguy15]

Weights baby. Honestly, body weight excercises usually take a long time to get fatigued and the "drive" to workout seems to lessen before youre really worked to fatigue.

http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

A good routine for bodyweight is 5 rounds of max rep push ups or dips then crunches then squats then crunchs.

[Broadsword2004]

Well it depends on what type of bodyweight. Full range handstand pushups are the equivalent of bodyweight military presses. If you can get some gymnastic rings, you can do thing like pullups, muscle-ups, work towards the infamous iron-cross, you can do weight pullups when they get easy, you can do levers, lever pullups, handstand pushups on the rings which will work more muscle fibers then regular full-range handstand pushups or barbell military presses or dumbell military presses. You can work towards a planche on the rings too.

These are bodyweight exercises, but they utilize such great degrees of leverage that one can develop extreme upper body strength. For abdominal and upper-body strength, rings are actually all you need.

For the lower back and legs, you need weights. It is just impossible to get your legs and lower back fully worked without weights. There are some bodyweight lower back exercises and a hamstring strengthening move, but these require either equipment or a partner, and if you can afford the equipment, you should be able to get a barbell and weights for deadlifts.

[muaythaiguy15]

You seem to really hate weights, which is weird because most western fighters love weight training. Id say do research! Read about Mas Oyama and Masahiko Kimura. Oyama would use fallen trees as weights and lift rocks. He created kyokushin karate. In the judo and jiu jitsu, Kimura is a legend. Its been said that he would do 800-1000 chinese push ups every day. Check out links below

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lkDBflFtPIw&search=Masahiko%20Kimura

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lytPz_E0aYY&search=WANDERLEI%20SILVA%20

[seany85]

What is a Chinese press up? Are they the same as a Hindu press up?

[Broadsword2004]

You seem to really hate weights, which is weird because most western fighters love weight training. Id say do research! Read about Mas Oyama and Masahiko Kimura. Oyama would use fallen trees as weights and lift rocks. He created kyokushin karate. In the judo and jiu jitsu, Kimura is a legend. Its been said that he would do 800-1000 chinese push ups every day. Check out links below

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lkDBflFtPIw&search=Masahiko%20Kimura

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lytPz_E0a...LEI%20SILVA%20

No, no, I love weights, but I am always harping about bodyweight stuff so I can see why you'd get that impression. Just a lot of people think that "bodyweight" exercises means doing exercises with your own body such as pushups, situps, etc....to develop very high levels of endurance in the muscles.

A lot of people don't realize that by putting the body into the proper positions, a great deal of resistance is put onto the muscles despite using only the weight of the body, because of the leverage. When used in combination with weights, you can develop extreme levels of strength, and although someone should definitely use weights, one shouldn't not do certain bodyweight exercises. It's best to combine them I think.

Remember, resistance is resistance and by doing proper bodyweight exercises, you can put a huge deal of resistance onto your muscles in positions that you in general cannot do with weights.

Like iron cross, planche, maltese, handstand pushups on rings which are the same as bodyweight military presses except more muscle is needed to steady the rings, upside-down iron cross, etc....look at the musculature of Olympic male gymnasts when on the rings. The majority of that strength comes from their gymnastic exercises on the rings.

But just as there are bodyweight exercises that place extreme demands on the muscles of the body in positions that are very difficult or impossible to simulate with weights, there are many exercises that one can do with weights that are impossible to do with bodyweight.

Especially with the legs and lower back. Nothing bodyweight matches barbell squats, hamstring curls, lunges, calves raises, deadlifts, etc....and of course once you get able to do full-range handstand pushups, you might want to increase the strength resistance with a heavier barbell. Or if planche pushups only bring you to a certain level of bench press strength, you can increase your benchpress with the benchpress exercise.

I think the best combo is to do barbell squats, benchpress, deadlifts, hamstring curls, and combine them with weighted pullups, weighted dips, muscle-ups, lever pullups, hanging leg raises, dragon flags, janda sit-ups, pistols to aid with leg balance, planche work, etc...

[muaythaiguy15]

Ah I see what you mean now. Good points and I do agree with you, when I did wrestling training was like that. Its good to see people who actually care about training and arent one-sided trolls. Broad whats your current strength training look like? Im really curious, you seem to really know youre stuff.

[Broadsword2004]

Thanx, I just read a lot is all. Hmmm, well I don't have access to a gym right now, so basically I do poor-man's strength training for the moment (pullups, dips, handstand stuff, pistols, etc...) I an't wait to get to a gym though so I get do deadlifts and barbell squats.

[spence.smith]

Hey men, right i have been doing full body workouts at home now for 2 years. But i am thinking of taking the plunge into a gym environment. Basically, gym vs home weights, tell me why you like the gym, has your body improved since using the machines, etc.

[Filero]

If you want to develop power for fighting sports, your #1 priority is training and sparring in fighting sports. Nothing I ever did in the gym made my shot and sprawl as explosive as a single competitive wrestling season; ditto for time in the ring for striking.

The next most important thing is max strength. If you are not past a beginner level of strength -- 2x bodyweight deadlift or squat, for example -- nothing will build your explosive power like getting you max strength up.

Once you've reached an intermediate level of strength, adding in dynamic power exercises will be a huge help. That means olympic lifts, like snatches, cleans, push presses, push jerks. I advocate getting a little training, and doing the safer hang/power versions of these movements. Or, you can do power-based versions or the standard lifts -- drop the weight to 50%-60% of your 1RM, and do explosive benchpress, squat jumps, etc. Add in explosive bodyweight movements -- clapping pullups, behind-the-back clapping pushups, etc. Get a little coaching on plyometrics and add those in.

So, in short:
1. Train hard
2. Get you max strength to an acceptable minimum -- 2x bw deadlift and back squat, 1.5x bw benchpress, and then...
3. Add in explosive power work: o-lifts, dynamic versions of standard lifts, and plyos. Suggest you get training on this aspect.

[Filero]

Hey men, right i have been doing full body workouts at home now for 2 years. But i am thinking of taking the plunge into a gym environment. Basically, gym vs home weights, tell me why you like the gym, has your body improved since using the machines, etc.

The last thing you should be doing, if you're looking to develop combat-sport-specific strength/power, is looking at the machines. These exercises are for too isolated to translate as well as freeweights or bodyweight exercises for combat sports. The best reason to go to the gym is if it has more equipment (in terms of weights, dumbells, barbells, dip bars, etc) than you do at home. Do you have a power rack? Hundreds of pounds of weights for deadlifts? Not that you necessarily need to squat or deadlift, there are many different ways to get strong, but if you want to add in those great exercises, you might not have the equipment at home. You might not have all the dumbell weights so you can progress more quickly, etc. Plus when you're done you can check out the hot chicks on the cardo machines