will my training have much benefit at all?

[monkeyfoot]

Hey people. Ive been looking over all of your posts/threads and I have notices that a lot of you guys are really into the whole 'intense training' so to speak eg. having extremely strict diets, heavy lifting, progress charts etc.

I was thinking over what I do and I was wondering if this will have much benefit compared to the above. My average workout involves nothing like benchpressing etc and is more of the 'natural approach' so to speak.

A session would include:
-Jogging/ skipping until warmed up
- Maybe bag work
-Stretches or chi kung
-50 knuckle pressups
-30 finger tip pressups
-30 palm pressups
-10 back of the wrist or tiger pressups (also just learnt 2 fingered pressups).
- 75 Sit ups
- 50 Leg raises
- Dunbell work
- Twisting a 6kg weight held out infront of me whilst in a wide horse stance.
- 10 chinups - nice and slow
- Forms

Does this sound like it would have moderate benefit or should one really be trying to benchpress a mass of kilograms etc and all that sorta stuff.
craig

[HearWa]

I'm not quite into the hardcore heavy weight lifting yet, but I've been working out for a while.

I cannot stress the benefits of the jump rope/running combination enough for a warm up. I do this as well. Once you're moderately into the warm up you can always throw some interval training in to increase the intensity. When skipping, work on skipping faster for awhile, then at a moderate pace, then jump higher, skip with a leg up each time, skip on one foot, skip back and forth, skip side to side, etc. When you get good enough try spinning the jump rope twice for every one jump. I can do this once, but after that I mess up.

The bodyweight exercises are great for a time. I'm at a point where weights will benefit me more, but I can remember when I was really improving with bodyweight exercises last year. If you like them and you're still increasing in strength at a moderate pace, keep it up if you so wish. There will come a time when you'll need weights, so do a bit of reading beforehand. The boys who are doing the 5x5 weight lifting program are doing this for power: body weight exercises, such as the ones you're doing, will help for a period of time (check out drillsandskills.com for advanced bodyweight exercises if you like them) but soon you'll be doing too many repetitions to help improve your strength.

I think it has been generally agreed upon that squats are much more effective than a horse stance for a strong leg foundation. Low[er] stances are good for defending yourself ala Hung Gar style if you're overpowered. Then again, so is getting the hell outta there. ;)

If you really want some kicking power trade your "bag routine" in for a Muay Thai-esque kicking routine and sprints. Do these on seperate days so you can work out the next day! You'll find that Muay Thai has a few subtle but powerful changes over the kicks we are usto throwing.

As far as watching your nutrition goes, I'm about as new to that as weight lifting so I'm not qualified to make a comment in that area.

I hope that helped... I'm no expert yet, but I'm trying. ;)

[fa_jing]

I'm sure you're benefitting from your routine. I got alot out of bodyweight exercises, stance training etc. when I was building up my body for martial arts. But, you probably should be looking for creative way to up the intensity from time to time. The bag work can be warmup or it can be an intensive workout in itself. Sifu had us doing 6 3 minute punching rounds on the heavy bag with 20 incline situps in the one-minute rest period between each round. Something that you'll feel the next day.

Weights do give alot of bang for the buck, so I recommend them for an efficient way to increase your general muscle power if they are available.

[monkeyfoot]

hey thanks for the feedback guys, its good to come home from work and read what you people think etc with a nice cup of tea.

I think that in the future i will progress to weights etc as most people seem to go that route. At the moment to make it harder I use my imagination eg. hanging weights on my arms etc or body aswell as increasing the reps.

I think that it should be okay for now how Im undertaking my workouts.

peace with you
craig

[SevenStar]

first things first - what benefit are you looking for?

[monkeyfoot]

good point^^ you have answered my question some how.
craig