|
|
||
|
|
ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY
"POWER UP"
WEIGHT TRAINING This article and the recommendations I am going to make, is devoted to developing a stronger, more agile, and explosive martial artist. They are specifically for the supplementation of your present training program. The lifts and drills I recommend are also for additional flexibility and the prevention of injury. When building muscle tissue, you are also building connective tissue (tendons, cartilage, ligaments), and bone density at the same time. When using weights or explosives moves (striking, sprinting, lifting, throwing), you build and use mostly fast twitch muscles. Slow twitch, which assist muscles for endurance such as running, or any long duration activity of thirty minutes or more, are best improved by aerobic/cardio activity of 30 continuous minutes or more, at a slow to moderate pace. As you know, martial arts training and conditioning is a total body concept. With this in mind, many of the lifts and drills will duplicate the exact movements you make in executing any technique from a punch to a throw. I usually use dumbbells as they are easy to use in your dojo or home and are inexpensive. They also promote unilateral conditioning (the training of both sides equally for balanced execution) which is critical for martial arts proficiency and improvement. I break my training in to three segments; power/strength, stamina, and endurance. Basically, the three are cyclical meaning, strength is the basis for building stamina, and stamina for endurance. One is necessary for improvement of the other two. I select the segment by what phase of training we are in at the dojo. Generally they would be; tournament kumite and kata presentation, jujitsu/grappling, and dojo sparring/pankration. During the tournament training phase, (I pretend that I am competing to get the atmosphere right, so I train like the troops train). I don't have to worry about a lot of endurance, with two minute rounds and long rest between, so I go heavy (3 sets, each exercise, 6 to eight reps, two seconds up, three down). I want explosiveness in my moves and pop in all my strikes. My stamina is achieved by some extra cardio work, kumite, and kata drills. During jujitsu /grappling, I go light, (3 sets, each exercise, 20 to 25 reps, 1 second up 1 down) as my joints and connective tissue won't stand the combination of heavy lifting and grappling. My real stamina and endurance builders are training with a partner in a continuous manner on the mat with some plyometrics. That leaves the mid range(stamina) lifts, (3 sets, 10 to 15 reps, 3 seconds up, 3 down), and drills for my dojo sparring and pankration. This is also heavy bag work sessions for me. I do some extra cardio and kata intervals, with the emphasis on building recovery time and not losing too much lifting strength. It is hard not to, as the "over load" principal, is the only way to build significant additional strength. Over load meaning; to simply work with a weight amount that keeps you in the low rep range. Also remember that, the lift up is positive, and the return is the negative. Generally the strength is built on the negative, but so are injuries. Be very careful. Always work the weights, and never let them work you. With all that said, below are my personal favorites, that have kept this 63, (soon to be 64) year old body operational, and still loving it. It will extend your career, when mother nature stops helping you, and give you a way to always help yourself. I warm up with kata, push ups, and deep squats (no weight). I then lightly stretch upper and lower body. Time: 15 minutes max.
CLEAN AND PRESS: This works on the core strength and puts the stabilizers (supporting muscles) to the test. Nothing is more important to strong stances and quick movement, than these two functions. Everything else builds on and around that.
FLAT BENCH PRESS: Notice the weights turned in. This is to protect your shoulders, and also lift in the same motion as your punch. When in your mid to high rep phase, alternate the lifts like punching. Alternating favorably enhances coordination and cross trains your central nervous system. All lifts should be done in this alternating fashion when possible.
ONE ARM ROWS: Be sure and keep your back straight and make your back do the work. The scapular and rhomboid area is hard to work efficiently, due to it's multiple make up and compound movements. Concentrate, and do a squeeze and two count, at the top of each rep.
LAT PULLOVERS: Keep your arms extended about 95%. Don't arch your back and don't let your arms get involved. Make your lat's do the work.
SHOULDER SHRUGS: Do not lift with your arms. Lift with your deltoids. Shrug, then roll your shoulders forward and back. The first week you do these, if you don't have a headache, you have done them wrong. They will also work your neck big time.
ABDOMINAL'S: I recommend three AB exercises, one set each to failure (until you can't do another one). Your abs are the center of your power and your center of gravity. The first one, is the seated declines using the dumbbells to hold you. You do this one in alternate circles. The second is vee-ups. The third crunches.
TRICEPS: This will take some practice to miss hitting your head. Always practice with a light weight to get the hang of it. The only motion should be the flexation of your elbows
BICEPS: Feet shoulder width apart with the knees bent. This is called a hammer curl. Lift with only your biceps in a blocking pattern.
LEGS: There is an old saying that states, "an athlete is only as old as his legs". How true!!! So keep them young and strong. All leg work will be done at 15 reps. Karate people work their legs a lot, and this will be a compatible number. Never over train your legs.
UNBALANCED SQUATS: This looks odd, but will work your stabilizer muscles (quads, glutes, hip flexors, lumbar region, ect.) to the max.
DEAD LIFTS: This is more for the hamstrings than the back. Use a weight that is comfortable to do 15 reps with. Do not load up on this one.
LEG EXTENSIONS: Tie the dumbbells to your feet. It is usually easier to tie to the top of the foot. You are working the only muscle group that supports your knee cap. You can stabilize your knee cap and minimize the cartilage damage done by a poorly trained knee. This one is a must.
CALF RAISES: The main thing here is full range of motion. Flex high and stretch low. Your calves are critical to quick, stop and go movements, and pushing off for kicks.
This is not for body building. You will however after six weeks, notice additional muscularity. It will also jump start your metabolism and keep it revved up for hours after your work out. This burns body fat... You experience some definite changes, both physical and psychological. There are lots of other exercises that can be done but are unnecessary for core martial arts training and the results you are looking for. These should be done at least twice a week with time in between to recover. Strength is gained, not on the day your lift, but on the next days rest. Example: Monday and Thursday. I will show some supplemental lifts in the next article, in case some of you are members of a gym. I will also demonstrate the plyometrics and the ballistic techniques for you to work in if your time permits. There are other very knowledgeable people who regularly weight train and would have good advice for you. I'm sure that Master Butch Hill, (http://www.nashvilledojo.com) Master Chris Spruiell (RCSPR@COMCAST.NET), Master Willie Wilson (http://www.karatefive.com), Master Joe Laney (http://www.steelhanddojo.com) and Master James Ogle (Jamesangieambermegan@msn.com) would be happy to share their vast fitness knowledge with you. And of coarse, you can always write or call me, at any time. Talking to martial arts people about training, is one of my favorite things to do.
|
