What are your favorite exercise/s that you consider combat-specific or compliment your combat style?

Class thread my new martial friend....I have soooo many but one that comes to mind is what I do to practice precision in my kicks.......lie on the floor on your side while watching TV or whatever and practice my kicks, placing each one in the precise movement for the different kicks, I also use my feet to do things like use the remote or turn the TV over. I will get back to you tomorrow when I have had some sleep......nite nite R J respects and yawns my martial friend

 

50 push ups in the morning, 50 sit ups at night.

 

And so you should my monkey warrior....maybe you could squeeze out another two of each, when that gets too comfortable add one more each.......C'MON!!!!!! MAKE ME PROUDGrrrrrr! Respects and love my great friend xxXXxx

 

lol.. I`m the type of instructor that does the exercises and routines WITH the students to keep them motivated and also help them watch me do proper form.

I recall for two days, I had the kids so pumped up, I would `sneak`in 10 reps of push ups every few minutes for the entire class - in between regular training. We were averaging 100-150 push ups per class. Within a 24 hr period I had did like 750 push ups, and still trained my chest with weights.

Since I focus on basic weights, I don`t do many isolated exercises ... BUT, when I do sneak in some abductor & adductor machine sets - I notice almost an immediate difference in my ability to do kicks easier.

 

To be honest with you, I really don't buy into the "combat specificity" of strength training.

Here are the list of exercises that just about every land-based athlete in a non-endurance sport or activity should incorporate into their training at some point in their training. Emphasis should be on the big-6. The other exercises should be cycled in and out of training more frequently and used based on specific need.

The Big 6
1. Barbell Back Squat
2. Standard Bent-Kneed Deadlift (not sumo style)
3. Bench Press
4. Pullups
5. Standing Overhead Press
6. Cleans

The Next 6
1. Barbell Front Squats
2. Some form of a "Hinge" movement (Romanian Deadlift, Russian Goodmorning, Kettlebell Swings, Weighted back raise, etc.)
3. Weighted Dips
4. Rows
5. Push-Press
6. Snatch

The Last 6
1. Overhead squats
2. Explosive shrugs
3. Glute-ham raises
4. Jerks
5. Some form of abdominal training
6. Some sort of loaded carry

If you get strong squatting things held behind you, in front of you, and over your head, get strong at pushing things away from you at a variety of angles, get strong at pulling things towards you at a variety of angles, get strong picking things up off the ground, build core strength, and learn to use your body as one to explosively lift heavy weights... well, then you will be strong regardless of the demands placed on you. Yes, you can add a few variations and twists and an exercise or two to bring up lagging qualities... but just stick to the fundamentals.

Frankly, all you really need is to get really really strong at the Big 6.

I'll say this... if you aren't squatting regularly... and I mean real squatting... as in a barbell across your back (and not in a smith machine), then chances are your program sucks. If there were only one exercise I could do for the rest of my life it would be barbell back squatting.

 

LOL I'm still in agony just doing those but once i get used to it, i'll be adding them on by tens Love ya Deb

 

100s and HDL's.
100s is 600 punches. 100 straight jabs either hand, then no break - 100 punches directly to your side for each hands. Then when in horse stance, 100 upper-backfists either hand. Do this as fast as you can.

HDL's. Horse-Dragon-Long.
Horse Stance for however long (my guys just do between 10-30 seconds), then Dragon stance, then long stance. Shift, do the other side. Do 2 sets, and just do this throughout the lesson if they aren't suffering already! hahaha

It's not as intensive as what I've read from you all so far, but it was always martial prowess/technique. You want to work out, you go ahead and do that.

 

I'm not going to debate that. Deadlifts runs a close second to squats for me in terms of best exercise if you could only do one the rest of your life. We could debate the merits of one versus the other, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter since we can and should do both. Luckily, we aren't restricted.

Again, I could debate with you about the pros and cons cleans versus pullups for a grappler. But you don't have to choose between the two -- nor should you. The point I am trying to make is that neither are more specific. Just as neither squats nor deadlifts are more specific. All of the above-referenced exercises, along with various pushing exercises (bench press and standing overhead press) are things that ALL athletes should do to build well-rounded strength and power.

Basically, every strength training program should include squatting something heavy, pushing something heavy at a variety of angles, pulling something heavy at a variety of angles, and explosively lifting something with your whole body. Certain variables can change (i.e., sets, reps, speed of the reps, % of 1RM, rest periods, exercise order, etc.) but the movements together build 3-dimensional strength that is non-specific to any one martial art or sport. The specificity can be built in to the manner in which you arrange your other training variables. I know "sports specificity" training is all the rage these days, but, by-and-large, I think it is way overhyped.

Stick to getting strong and powerful at the basics movements. Those basics don't change whether you are a striker, grappler, sprinter, football player, basketball player, are into decathlete, etc. All weight training really is at its core is normal human movement with added resistance. I train movements, not muscles. I train energy systems. I train athletes, not "fighters" or "martial artists" or "football players."

That is just my training philosophy.

 

First: The side punches ARE in line with your shoulders. Directly out from the side. The punch is used in a technique itself, these punches I try to get the guys to aim to a throat (or where they'd see a throat to be). So as a reflex in a fight they'd be able to shoot out.
Second: The upper-backfist goes out to the side, though since you're in a horse stance you're aiming to the face. The backfist works from an elbow strike. So look-elbow-backfist. So if someone comes in from the side, you go for the elbow, if they're too far, backfist. May sound more complicated then it really is.

 

Only so many ways a man can move right?

 

My preference is movements that are multi-joint/ compound movements. The way I see it, you can train each muscle group individually -or- you can train the way you move naturally. You don't throw a ball using just your arm, so why should you train just your arm? When we do something, majority of the time, we are using our whole body. So why should that change, when we train? If you are doing something naturally, it is fluid and effective. This is because the body works as one.

No muscle group is bigger than it's opposite. When most people train each group individually, you see people squatting until the day is out- but guess what? They nearly always neglect their hamstrings. Or they focus on bench press- what about your lats?

 

Good post. Although I do disagree with your statement about squats. First, you don't see people doing them. Second, if you squat correctly, you will be strengthening your hamstrings. Hamstrings cross two joints -- the hip and the knee. Hip extension is one of the primary functions of the hamstring. Hip extension is necessary to be able to come out of a squat. If you squat well below parallel, hamstring activation is even greater.

That said, your points regarding compound movements is a very good one as is your comment about balancing training between the agonist and antagonist. I just don't think your squat example was a good one.

 

Very true, At my gym all you see is people doing the front of the body. Which means they like the mirrors- very, very vain people lol. The point is they have to do it properly. I don't know anyone that does it properly, because we all do what we see. Most people believe the biggest strongest guy in the gym must do it correctly. However this is never the case, they nearly always have the worst form imaginable. However, a better example probably would have been either pecs/lats or the best one I can think of abs/erector spinae (lower back)- Almost no one trains their erctor spinae.

Yes, that pretty much sums it up. Thanks RJ