Strength vs. Speed

[Kungfu boy]

Hey Ya'll,

As you guys probably know by now, I am a student of thai and my main weapon is my kicks. So of course I wanna make them as best they can be.

Here's the question I have, if I do a real good leg workout(leg curls, leg press and hindu squats) am I going to slow myself down in the kicking department? So basically, does the size of the muscle effect speed?

Thanks guys & gals

[Merryprankster]

You want to be strong and fast?

Train like olympic weighlifters, top-notch throwers and jumpers.

You want to be strong and don't care about speed?

Train like a classic (not westside) powerlifter.

And....

Plyos, plyos, plyos.

[Repulsive Monkey]

If you are increasing leg muscle mass beyond the requisite needs of your whole body mass, then yes your kicks will become slower. Muscle mass does = greater speed. Usually the opposite.

[Kungfu boy]

I wanna be strong AND fast, not giving one up for the other.

Also, does the size of your calves have anything to do with kicking or any real function? Is there a point to having big calves?

[popsider]

Originally posted by Merryprankster
You want to be strong and fast?

Train like olympic weighlifters, top-notch throwers and jumpers.

You want to be strong and don't care about speed?

Train like a classic (not westside) powerlifter.

And....

Plyos, plyos, plyos.

And if you want to be a weightlifter, thrower or jumper should you train like a top kickboxer?

I'm only joking, I think there is a lot of value in looking at how other sports train, but first and foremost have a look at how the top kick boxers train - chances are they are doing something right. Do they use weights, if so how?

[IronFist]

But whatever you do, don't use the "leg extension" machines for your quads :) (I mean the ones where you sit in the chair and extend your legs at the knees). Yeah.

IronFist

[respectred]

what's wrong with those leg extension machines, ironfist? i don't use them, but i've never heard anything bad about em :\.

[Kungfu boy]

I am outting myself on a pretty good leg routine right now. Just making sure I wasn't hurting myself one way and gaining another.

I do hindu squats mostly but might start doing them with weights. Calves are just for looks? I wish I hadn't done all those calves raises now.

Ironfist, I know about the leg extension, and trust me I stay away from it. But have you seen/used the machine they have that does the reverse motion? Instead of extending your legs out, you pull your legs in.

Respectred, the leg extension is known to cause damage to the knee area, and some say it grinds the cartiliage in that area too. While your quads will get bigger/stronger your doing your knees no favors.

[PLCrane]

The way to be faster is to relax. Try to place your kicks using the least amount of muscular effort. If you're trying to put strength into your movement, then you're creating a lot of tension in muscles that will oppose your action and slow you down. Practice relaxed, and you'll learn to use just what you need to do that movement. It'll be smoother, faster and more powerful.

[Kumkuat]

Well, more about the leg extensions. As someone mentioned before, it damages the knees in the long run. There is a great shear force on the knees on the bottom part of the leg extension. (the position where your legs are bent). If you have to do leg extensions, just do a 1/4-1/3 range of motion. Narrow stance front squats are a better quad builder, not to mention doing taijiquan.

Also to kick faster and stronger, kick.

[IronFist]

Also, with those leg extension machines, there is never a time in real life when you need to move like that (sitting down with only your quads moving) so it doesn't really build functional strength. Any time your quad is moving something else is moving with it. Compare that motion with like kicking a soccer ball or something. See what I mean?

IronFist

[Kumkuat]

Originally posted by IronFist
Also, with those leg extension machines, there is never a time in real life when you need to move like that (sitting down with only your quads moving) so it doesn't really build functional strength. Any time your quad is moving something else is moving with it. Compare that motion with like kicking a soccer ball or something. See what I mean?

IronFist

I guess you can say that about almost every machine. Except for the hip abductor machine, especially when a chick does it.