Bench press, flys, or neither?

[GoldenBrain]

Work them both, plus a whole lot more. Throughout the week I try to work every muscle group if possible. Also, remember that the body will adapt very quickly so if your workout is the same day after day then you'll plateau really quickly. Try to take yourself out of your comfort zone as often as possible and very the workout by introducing new exercises and different rep ranges.

I wouldn't try to bulk up to much since your after a program that fits well with martial arts but that doesn't mean you should forgo power lifting. Just make the power lifting a smaller part of your program and concentrate more on lighter weight and high reps which build more endurance. Weightlifting shouldn't be the only thing you do for strength training either. Body weight exercises like pushups and pull-ups are great.

Here's a few pushup tips. I like to very the leg height in both directions in order to work incline and decline pushups. One of my pushup workouts is to lay a heavy bag on the ground and place my feet on it and hands/knuckles on the ground, do a bunch of reps and then switch so my feet are on the ground and hands are on the bag. Also I will do pushups at the end of the heavy bag by placing one hand on the bag and one on the ground and launch from one side to the other and each time going down as far as possible. It's a lot like 18elders described but instead of going straight up I am going from each side of the bag to the other.

[SevenStar]

The bench press works the arms also though where as a fly doesn't or not as much.

The triceps are a minor muscle worked, yes. Still not applicable to a punch.

[SevenStar]

Work them both, plus a whole lot more. Throughout the week I try to work every muscle group if possible. Also, remember that the body will adapt very quickly so if your workout is the same day after day then you'll plateau really quickly. Try to take yourself out of your comfort zone as often as possible and very the workout by introducing new exercises and different rep ranges.

Depending on his goals, he may opt to keep the same exercises, but periodize his training. If I want a higher bench weight, flies are a great supplementary movement, but it would be counterproductive to forego the bench for flies, simply for the sake of varying the workout.

I wouldn't try to bulk up to much since your after a program that fits well with martial arts[/quote]

Why do people assume bulking doesn't fit with ma? A bodybuilding, isolation style workout doesn't fit, but that's not the only way to get big. And as a big guy, I can say first hand that big doesn't necessarily equal slow.

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[viper]

Consider a unilateral dumbbell press. Using only one arm at a time stimulates anti rotation core activity and mimics the arm punching action.

[SevenStar]

Still more akin to a one arm push up. You'd get more benefit actually punching.

[GoldenBrain]

Depending on his goals, he may opt to keep the same exercises, but periodize his training. If I want a higher bench weight, flies are a great supplementary movement, but it would be counterproductive to forego the bench for flies, simply for the sake of varying the workout.

I wouldn't try to bulk up to much since your after a program that fits well with martial arts

Why do people assume bulking doesn't fit with ma? A bodybuilding, isolation style workout doesn't fit, but that's not the only way to get big. And as a big guy, I can say first hand that big doesn't necessarily equal slow.

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I agree with you 100 percent. When I said don't bulk up to much I was thinking about bodybuilding, isolation style as you put it. I prolly should have explained it better. I know some big scary individuals who can move surprisingly fast. Overall bulk is okay, grotesquely puffed up muscles to where you can't even scratch your own head is bad.

[IronFist]

If you do flies, stay away from fly machines, sometimes also called "pec deck."

And probably don't even do flies at all. Just do bench press or flat DB press (which is basically bench press with dumbbells).

[IronFist]

The triceps are a minor muscle worked, yes. Still not applicable to a punch.

Um the triceps are very applicable to a punch.

Assuming you have the proper mechanics of a punch, of course.

[Raipizo]

Yeah I figure a dumbbell press would be even better than a barbell press, more stabilizer muscles used.

[bawang]

Yeah I figure a dumbbell press would be even better than a barbell press, more stabilizer muscles used.

you cant do dumbell press safely with maximum speed.


get on a bench, use just the bar or with 25s, press it as fast as you can with maximum speed for 3 reps 6 sets. your punching power will improve after one workout.

[IronFist]

Yeah I figure a dumbbell press would be even better than a barbell press, more stabilizer muscles used.

Yeah. The weights don't quite transfer over exactly, either. For example, if you can bench press 200 pounds, don't expect to be able to do DB presses with 100 pound dumbbells even though the total weight would be the same.

It will be a lot less with DBs than bench. Probably around 30% less. So a 135lb bench press would translate to about 95 pounds (total) on dumbbells so that's like 45s or 50s. I just made up that 30% figure, btw, but it's always less than you think it will be with dumbbells.

And if you get used to DB press and then decide to try benching one day it will feel weird because the motion is different.

[Frost]

Yeah I figure a dumbbell press would be even better than a barbell press, more stabilizer muscles used.

stabilisers muscles are also load dependent so the more weight that comes into play the more stabilizing muscles are used
people tend to forget that grappling arts are strength, strength/speed arts, and striking arts much more speed/strength, there is no need to lift heavy or to even really lift if you are doing a striking only art, and if it’s a grappling art or MMA you are doing I would focus much more on the pulling muscles so deadlifts, rows, chin ups etc bench whilst a good movement shouldn’t really do your number one choice

[SevenStar]

Um the triceps are very applicable to a punch.

Assuming you have the proper mechanics of a punch, of course.

No, i'm saying his exercise is still not applicable to a punch. If my goal is to improve punching power, that's a bad way to do it.

[IronFist]

No, i'm saying his exercise is still not applicable to a punch. If my goal is to improve punching power, that's a bad way to do it.

If my goal was to improve punching power I'd get really strong at squat, deadlift, and bench press so that my muscles are able to generate a lot of power, and also make sure my punching form and technique are good.

But I see what you're saying.

[Raipizo]

Well thanks for all the replies . I'll probably stick with bench and dumbbell press as it's the general idea that that's more beneficial than flies, along with doing the basics, dips, pull-ups push-ups etc. Also bawang, for the power you were saying to press fast, how fast would you say? And with how much? About 40% max?