Using heavy weapons for strength training

[pazman]

General strength training improves all aspects of gongfu training.

Heavy weapon training improves only one.

How's that for efficient use of your time?

[sanjuro_ronin]

General strength training improves all aspects of gongfu training.

Heavy weapon training improves only one.

How's that for efficient use of your time?

It is important to understand HOW specific ST is done in TCMA:
EX: Heavy sword -
The swinging and cutting and stabbing and footwork done works ALL of the body, especially the core and the stabalizers.
It is a whole body workout and while it does NOT work the whole body as well as doing a whole body compound workout does, it does improve all aspects of ones chosen TCMA.

[YouKnowWho]

General strength training improves all aspects of gongfu training.

It is important to understand HOW specific ST is done in TCMA:

Agree with sanjuro_ronin on this. I think this is the most mis-understanding part. Here is one example.

In order to appy the leg twisting technique,

http://imageshack.us/a/img846/4981/legtwisting.jpg

http://www.vxv.com/video/VeWBIhACx6i...-twisting.html

You can use your "single head" to "enhance" your leg twisting power.

http://imageshack.us/a/img508/7338/s...adlegtwist.jpg

General strength can help you to use your leg to lift your opponent's leg up.

http://imageshack.us/a/img560/7456/qdfn.jpg

But it won't be able to help you to "twist" on your opponent's leg and crash your opponent's body structure "before you lift his leg up".

The only way to develop your "leg twisting" power is to use your leg to "twist" on some solid object, not lift, not push, and not pull.

[David Jamieson]

The only way to develop your "leg twisting" power is to use your leg to "twist" on some solid object.

This is device training and you are right, specific devices are used.

But, I wouldn't discount general strength training in any way shape or form. It can only add to functional strength being developed with specific methods and / or devices.

[Golden Arms]

No need to disregard any of it. How about this question:

What is going to give me the most bang for my buck for the time invested?

If you train 3 hours a day the answer to this question may be very different than if you have 1 hour every other day to train.

For instance, a person that spends 1.5 hours per workout wrestling with people may need much less strength training than the person that does not wrestle at all. A person that does manual labor for a job will have very different attributes from one that works on a computer. How you train your art dictates what you need to supplement your training with.

[YouKnowWho]

No need to disregard any of it. How about this question:

What is going to give me the most bang for my buck for the time invested?

If you train 3 hours a day the answer to this question may be very different than if you have 1 hour every other day to train.

For instance, a person that spends 1.5 hours per workout wrestling with people may need much less strength training than the person that does not wrestle at all. A person that does manual labor for a job will have very different attributes from one that works on a computer. How you train your art dictates what you need to supplement your training with.

That's exactly how I look at this as well. You make it very clear - What is going to give me the most bang for my buck for the time invested?

The guy used a long and heavy sword in the following clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHBgVtrUFlk

It's not hard to see the benefit out of it comparing to use a light weight sword.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox6UQiS4_08

[bawang]

this is how u train with a heavy weapon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkundWVLKI4
you don't "play" with heavy weapon.

[YouKnowWho]

this is how u train with a heavy weapon.

http://imageshack.us/a/img808/8553/stick1h.jpg

[YouKnowWho]

But, I wouldn't discount general strength training in any way shape or form. It can only add to functional strength being developed with specific methods and / or devices.

Of course "general" strength training is important too. There is no argument on that. You can use "double_heads" to develop "寸劲(Cun Jin) - inch force" and "爆发力(Bao Fa Li) - explosive power" which is more than just the muscle strength.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glSoM...ature=youtu.be

[Kellen Bassette]

there is no "easy" kung fu exercise

People seem to want to forget this.

[xinyidizi]

People seem to want to forget this.

Do you really think training with a heavy guandao is easy?

[xinyidizi]

It is important to understand HOW specific ST is done in TCMA:
EX: Heavy sword -
The swinging and cutting and stabbing and footwork done works ALL of the body, especially the core and the stabalizers.
It is a whole body workout and while it does NOT work the whole body as well as doing a whole body compound workout does, it does improve all aspects of ones chosen TCMA.

I think the most important part of power generation for TCMA is a complex coordination of muscles in movement and not just the strength of the individual muscles. A combination of heavy sword, guandao, spear, ... can train every possible body movement needed in TCMA.

[SPJ]

Since it's unrelated to YKW's Taiji thread I want to continue this discussion here. I like using weapons heavier than normal for my training because by using them I can train many things at the same time. Besides they are much more interesting. So my question is for kungfu's strength training what can normal weight training give me that heavy weapons can't.

We do both.

Weight lifting or strength training, we develop individual muscle tone at a time.

Weapon training:

1 we use light weight ones to learn correct and accurate moves first.

2 we use normal weight weapon to practice.

3 depending on the weapon, sword or staff, using heavy weapon may hurt our wrist and joint when wielding them. not recommended.

4 however, we do use extra long staff to practice a few limited moves to develop certain physical attributes. But never use it to fight.

There.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I think the most important part of power generation for TCMA is a complex coordination of muscles in movement and not just the strength of the individual muscles. A combination of heavy sword, guandao, spear, ... can train every possible body movement needed in TCMA.

It is a common misunderstanding that some people have that they think "strength training" and think "individual muscles".
That is only ONE type of ST protocol.
That is a "classical bodybuilding" protocol.
A CLassical STRENGTH one tends to focus on heavy COMPOUND moves that work the whole of the body AND the CNS.

[David Jamieson]

People seem to want to forget this.

Yep. Everybody wants to be a guru and most of them don't want to do the work.

When I was 17 there was no such thing as an obese sifu or sensei.

Now they are everywhere, labouring in their breathing while they teach little kids to stand funny.

I just consider it one more layer of onion skin to get through before you find a decent place, teacher, art etc.

But in truth, it is one thing that really sticks in my craw about typical tma.