weight training "sport specific"

I have went into weight training to fulfill requirements for college. I discovered that I really loved it, and took classes designed around a physical fitness curriculum before deciding later to persue the social sciences.

After following the time tested patterns of strength training (not bodybuilding) for power and speed during my (then) Karate classes. Later when I moved to another city and began my Kung Fu training, I found that all the strength training I had done in the past years was for naught, as the simple exercises my sifu had the class do whipped me before I was halfway across the gym.

My arms tho able to press a modest amount in comparison to my bodyweight, were so drained and tired I could not pick up my daughter when I got home without shaking (my daughter is 26lbs)

I realized endurance was needed as well as strength and so I formulated this weight training and have found a lot of success thus far. However I have hit a plateau, and am in the process of reworking the idea. Let me know what you think:

Day 1. Overhead press 40lbs to goal=50 reps
tricep press (skullcrusher) 20lbs to
goal of 50 reps
Shoulder shrug 40lbs to goal=50 reps
Bent over rows 40lbsto goal=50 reps
wrist curls(each wrist) 20lbs to goal
=50 reps
Fly 40lbs to goal=50 reps
Bench press 70lbs to gaol=50 reps
curl(each side) 20lb to gaol=50 reps
Shoulder raise(each side) 20lb to
goal=50 reps

I simply work each exercise to muscle exhaustion, then I push for another 3-5 reps the next time, the goal being 50 reps with each exercise, at which point I will add more weight and start over. I will need to incorporate some more exercises to work past the plateau, dips, inclines etc.

Also I perform each exercise like a technique when applicable, for example a bench press is like punching from the shoulder. I go for the explosivwe power by executing the upward push as quickly as I can without injuring myself, then on the way down, I put up as much resistance as I can stand as if I was pushing an attack away.

So far I have been able to determine where my weak spots are (shoulders, biceps) and I do similar routines for the lower body and my abdominals are a totally different program.

I am not as fatigued in class [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Any thoughts?


Namaste.

I was wondering about whether or not you did legs. You mentioned lower body at the end of your post, good! So many lifters neglect their legs, its pittiful.

Good enuff routine. The slow downward resistance is called 'negative resistance'. I like to do negative resistance training for my bi's and legs. I don't usually do it for any other body part, as I lift a little slower to begin with and always adhere to strict form. I am not overly concerned with the amount of weight. The trick, in my experience, is to totally fatique the muscle. And in doing so, the amount of weight doe snot become as important. Of course, if you are going for sheer size, then weight is vital (in a progressive manner).

What is weak about your shoulders? When you say shoulder raise, do you mean with a barbell or dumbbell? Do you use a machine? For shoulders, performing lateral raises are one of the best exercises in the development of a nicely rounded shoulder. If you want more density in the shoulder and more 'up-top' muscle, then the shoulder press is the way to go. And go heavy. Shoulder dips are great for an all around shoulder blitz. This is done on a bar. Hold for a few seconds at the bottom.

Do not forget to work the back shoulder with bent over lateral raises. It is a shame to neglect this part of the body just cause we can't 'see' it.

Regarding your biceps, this is a trouble area for a lot of folks. You simply have 'curl' listed as your exercise. I personally like to use dumbbells for my pipes but for mass, the barbell curl is the best way to go. This exercise allows the use of a lot of weight. Preacher curls provide you with a great exercise for full range of muscle motion, thus working a greater area of the muscle. Alternating curl using dumbbells is my fav. You can concentrate individually and still use good poundages. Another good exercise for developing the length of the bicep muscle is hammer curls.

Regarding the sore muscles in class even when you did weight lift..even though in the gym you are putting your body/muscles through the ringer, often MAs exercises and drills place different stresses on the body.

First, let me start off by saying that the best activity specific training to do is to do the activity.

Now, I've found that in boxing and grappling the best exercises are actually bodyweight exercises. Push-up variations, dips, pull-ups, squat variations, etc. There are some excellent weighless workout routines at:
http://www.webfects.com/hea/routine.htm

Instead of doing the pull-up schemes that he does, I took one from the olympic gymnastics team instead. It is:

wide-grip pull-ups to failure, medium grip pull-ups to failure, medium grip chin-ups to failure, close grip chin ups to failure. you only rest 10 seconds max in between exercises and do them all 3 times w/2 min rest in between. This is enough conditioning for both your upper back and biceps.

I do the bodyweigh stuff 3 times a week on MWF. In addition, I do a basic bench, squat, side press (overhead press) on Mondays and reverse grip bench, deadlift(it's more of a clean pull actually), side press on Fridays.(I won't get into set-rep schemes) This is because bodyweight and endurance work will work just that: muscular endurance. If you want to increase your maximum strength, weights is pretty much the only way to go. Like always, the best method always lies with a balance of the two.

Nospam, I only listed day 1's upper body

On my day 1's I do these upper body exercises (lateral raises are weak) I only count full extentions and I can barely manage 5 with a 20lb dumbell. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img] Its all good tho, cause I set goals. A little at a time.
Day 1 is also abdominal day and punching drills. I do a lot of bungee exercises for punching then bag work. I follow with:

150 crunch
50 cross body crunch
50 raised leg crunch
100 oblique crunches
and 50 double leg raises.

I do all kinds of seated leg lifts at work [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

day 2 consists ofmy lower body
basic squats, leg raises, knee bends, toe raises, lunges, lateral leg raises overhead squats, hamstring curls, kicking drills and the wooden dummy training.

Generally these are my class days so I cycle to school and back, its not far, but all up hill on the way home. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

I am familliar with the negative resistance concept, I thought it was a good idea, but I have no one to spot me (my wife is usually asleep when I train and my kids are 1 & 3) so I do only slight variations on what I learned about in school.

Any ideas on building the delts and increasing punching power?

My uppercuts and midsection uppers are my weak spot there, tho I am recovering from a hyperextended left elbow...

Thanx!

Any ideas on pain in the elbows while punching while Im on the subject?

Hi Taijimantis,
Elbow pain while punching?
I have just recently come over elbow pain!
I study Wing Chun, and frankly im a skinny guy so im guessing thats why I got elbow pain so early in training!
It could be because you are punching incorrectly, or you have hiperextended elbows.
Whenever I punched I would get a terrible pain in my elbows. I was told to not punch at all for a while, but that was hard too.
Evan know I dont think this actually is correct in thoery, but I use to pull my punches a little bit before extension. Just before you get that pain, the jolt in your neck and the odd headache or two.
Then after about 2 weeks, I relised that I was punching to full extension, there was no pain in my elbows and they felt a fair amount stronger. But I suppose this approach could become bad to your technique as you could aquire bad habbits!

If any other Martial artists or Wing Chunners are out there that have experinced elbow pain while punching, I would too like to know how you solved it or if it has or whatever!
Cya!

Yes it is hyperextended.
It came close to being permanently damaged yesterday... (any of you married guys ever want to punch your father-in-law?)

Sorry that was innapropriate...

ALso does anyone have any good exercises for developing the wrists aside from curls?

I swing heavy nunchux in one of my other system's forms and I find that helps, tho I am starting to develop pain there also from time to time.

I hear a "real" combat steel kwandao is one helluv an upper body workout, both cardio and muscle wise...

Even tho its not a very poular post judging by the responding messages [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] but for those interested, I have changed the routine to overcome my plateau...

Which by the way has incresed my endurance as I held both my daughters, one in each arm, for nearly an hour without a problem at my sister-in-law's wedding this weekend.

My new split is as follows

Day One: Chest and Triceps
Dumbbell press
Incline Press
Dumbbell Flye
Overhead Tricep Extentions
Kickbacks
Dips
Upper Abs

Day Two: Legs
Horse Stance
Tai Chi Stance-Forward Stance Drill
Leg Curls
Leg Extentions
Toe Raises
Basic Squat
Static Kicking Drills
Lower Abs

Day Three off

Day Four:Shoulders and Biceps
Bench Press
Lateral Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Bent-over Lateral Raise
Barbell Curl
Alternate Dumbell Curl
Concentration Curl
Wrist Curls
Upper Abs

Day Five: Neck and Back
Shoulder Shrug
One-arm Dumbbell rows
Overhead Press
Wide Grip Pull-Up
Lower Abdominals

If anyone else trains for strength and endurance and has more "Classical Kung Fu" methods I would like to hear them, my Sifu has stories of Chiu Kai kicking 100lb weights into the air off of his toes and catching it as it fell with his elbows...

I cant do that... but my kicking is getting more powerfull....

Namaste

Hi Taijimantis,

Since I have no fanny equipment, for the lower body workout, in fact, for the full body. I use mainly body weight. I also use a circuit.

Lower limbs (more TCPM oriented) for example:

Warm ups:
4 way jumps with cross over and siccors.
4 way punches

Strectches:
Horse stance, Bow & Arrow stance, huddlers etc.

Strength:
Toe taps, toe raises for the shane and calfs
Strider Squat (prymided 10 - 20 - 30 - 40 -50 and dowm to 1)
Monkey walk hand at waist and with hand swings.

Co-ordination:
Low Shin and side Kicks
Frontal Pike kick
Grab, elbow block and side pike Kick.
other Kicks

The above is a short lower limbs workout from the HK curriculum

You may want to try to pick up one end of a "loaded" Barbell with the foot to build that kind of power you mentioned.

You are welcome to email me for detail discussion.

Hope this help

Mantis108



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