Weight training

[Kymus]

On another board a person asked about improving their speed. I mentioned wieght training - putting on 1 or 2 lb weights on your wrists and/or ankle and practicing and doing forms like that. Well, I got 3 different responses telling me that that's a bad idea and it'll mess up your joints. Either these people don't understand weight training, or I'm just lucky - because I've boxed with 10lb weights to improve endurance. Also, don't boxers commonly weight train? Isn't weight training found in TCMA (steel rings)? If my boot weighs 1 lb and I commonly practice in them - isn't that just the same as using ankle weights? I've done weight training off and on for years and I've never injured myself. Further, I've trained 2 friends in Muay Thai with using this method on and off and none of them have had any injuries. So what's the deal?

[Ford Prefect]

Just like anything else, if it's done wrong, then you'll get injured. Striking with weights on can cause injury because their momentum with either be pulling your joint apart or it will cause your muscles to contract harder in order to prevent this which could lead to a pull, tear, and bad habits with unweighted striking. (ie you'd be putting a set of breaks on yourself) If anything, I'd say 1-5 lbs is more than sufficient to strike with for nearly all people no matter skill level. If you are a really big person, perhaps going heavier than that is okay.

If you go too heavy, then it's almost a completely different movement from a neurological (neuro-motor pathway) point of view. Think about the muscles used in a regular strike. Adding too much weight will cause antagonists to contract harder to prevent injury and stabalizers to contract harder to support the weight. It follows the same movement pattern as a regular strike though and uses the same neuro-motor pathways to perform the movement. These two movements will end up competing with each other and interfering with each other. You'll think you are trying to hit a guy in the face, but your body is trying to punch with the heavy weight and this can adversly effect performance.

Look at baseball players in the on deck circle. They swing a bat with a 1-2 lbs "doughnuts" on the bat. They don't pick up a weighted bat that weighst 15 lbs for a reason...

[Kymus]

I understand what you're saying. That makes perfect (medical) sense, thanks. That's basically what I figured - more or less.