So I just bought some dumbells and was wondering...

[monkeyfoot]

I just bought 2 x 20kg dumbells off ebay. I want to start using them, but in a way that wont negatively effect my mantis.

At the moment I do chest (flies and press), shoulders (lat raises, shoulder press), biceps (hammer curls, concentration curls) and triceps (kickbacks). I also do horse stance straight punches with a low weight.

I currently only work 12kg each arm and do about 15 to 20 reps. All this is thrown in with the usual exercise, speed pressups, chain punches etc etc


I have heard that certain exercises are bad for martial arts, so my question to you is will any of these be counter-productive?


If so, what is a good set of exercises with them. I would like to build a bit of muscle/power as im slim but dont want to loose my speed/agility.

any feedback is much appreciated

Craig

[g-bells]

chest presses you could do one arm at a time
shoulders- upright rows,shrugs, bent over lat raises
bi's- seated alternating DB curls
tri's- over head extentions

just a few options

[Mr Punch]

I just bought 2 x 20kg dumbells off ebay.Welcome to the Dark Side!



At the moment I do chest (flies and press), shoulders (lat raises, shoulder press), biceps (hammer curls, concentration curls) and triceps (kickbacks). I also do horse stance straight punches with a low weight.Add shrugs. Add tricep kickouts. Ditch the biceps stuff in favour of more complexes (do a search for a thread I made about biceps where Chris Jurak gives a definitive answer about the bicep question that was so cool I don't wholly understand it!).

And squats and deads. Even with these low weights you can get enough variation in squats and deads to tax you (overhead squats, split squats, Romanian deads etc), and these are THE two single best weighted exercises (and unweighted will kick your arse into shape if you have a good programme).

Add more complexes: renegade bears, iron crosses, dead calf shrugs etc.

If you need help designing your programmes:

http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html

http://www.alwyncosgrove.com/

check these two out.


I currently only work 12kg each arm and do about 15 to 20 reps. All this is thrown in with the usual exercise, speed pressups, chain punches etc etc...
I would like to build a bit of muscle/power as im slim but dont want to loose my speed/agility.Everything you're doing is geared towards endurance, not muscle/power. Heavier weights, lower reps are better for strength.



I want to start using them, but in a way that wont negatively effect my mantis... I have heard that certain exercises are bad for martial arts, so my question to you is will any of these be counter-productive?Weighted punches in horse stance are probably not that great. Nothing else will cause any problems providing you balance out the muscles you're working and stretch out properly.

[monkeyfoot]

Thanks for the feedback G, and Mr Punch....Kudos for taking the time to share some thoughts....really helpful post/links.

I will add squats/deads into my programme starting this week. I dont have much experience with lifting, what sorta weight should I be looking at with these two exercises?


Everything you're doing is geared towards endurance, not muscle/power. Heavier weights, lower reps are better for strength.

IYO what would be more practical for M/A. I know a lot of the guys here lift heavy weights/little reps and are more power focused....Is this more advantageous?


Ill scap the horse stance punches then. I just saw them in one of Lee Kam Wings books and thought I'd throw them in. Mind you I have a moderately hyper-extended elbow so probs best to scrap them.

Cheers again for the help/links

cRaIg