Weight training, for self defence/martial art

[Looney]

Originally posted by: littlegohan

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: littlegohan

Do squats that are deep, do cleans.

What are cleans? please tell me

Also quick question
Are there any books/websites that have excersies to improve a person's flexibility? I really want to do a full split and side split but i cant🙁
the best i can do is touch the floor with my plam while standing up

How old are you? If you're pass puberty, the chances of you being able to learn to squat is VERY low. Just keep stretching, and eventually you'll get better at it... but i've done it for years, and i still cant' do a full split.

It doesn't matter though... even without a full split, i'm one of the highest kickers in any class i go to.

good to hear
i am 19 and i know is abit later to try to learn to do a split
but if i do it daily, hopefully i can do it one day

what do you have to do to kick high? stretching or leg excesies i.e squat

To kick high? Just practice. Heck, i'm not a big believer in stretches... i just do the absolute minimum my class requires, and often skip them, and i still have one of the highest kicks (relative to my size).

 

[littlegohan]

just keep particing on kicking high?

 

[PrinceofWands]

I disagree with the body fat % he needs. At any given body fat % as long as he has good technique and is fast he is just as good. He does not need a low body fat %.

Actually, any professional trainer will focus on bady fat before strength. With body fat (especially over 18%) you're looking at losing a vast percentage of your training energy as well as poorly balanced chemical releases. With body fat under 12% the metabolism is infinitely more efficient and all training will happen faster and the effects last longer. In addition, the increased metabolism and lowered fat content will allow better focus of the body during healing in case of any injuries. It will allow quicker and more complete digestion of foods, vitamins and minerals, and better absorption rates thereof. You'll create a much higher efficiency oxygen exchange rate in the body, resulting in better results with the same training. In short, body fat is ESSENTIAL for the serious athlete. Not to mention you reduce your risk of heart disease by 40% just by staying under 20%, which should be a very easy goal to someone in martial arts type training.

I'm not saying fat people can't fight, but for training purposes, which is what we're dealing with here, we should be focusing on health and efficiency.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: littlegohan
just keep particing on kicking high?

Yep

 

[PrinceofWands]

Heck, i'm not a big believer in stretches... i just do the absolute minimum my class requires, and often skip them, and i still have one of the highest kicks (relative to my size).

Actually all current research indicates that any form of resistance training is up to 40% more effective with a balanced and complete stretching class AFTER the resistance training, something which we've had backwards for years. Again, this information is easily verifiable from any accredited training organization with medical associations.

Everyones flexibilities are different, and people benefit differently from different types of stretches dependent on body type and other factors. Some are naturally flexible, others need to work at it. Most important is to receive proper instruction to avoid injury.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

I disagree with the body fat % he needs. At any given body fat % as long as he has good technique and is fast he is just as good. He does not need a low body fat %.

Actually, any professional trainer will focus on bady fat before strength. With body fat (especially over 18%) you're looking at losing a vast percentage of your training energy as well as poorly balanced chemical releases. With body fat under 12% the metabolism is infinitely more efficient and all training will happen faster and the effects last longer. In addition, the increased metabolism and lowered fat content will allow better focus of the body during healing in case of any injuries. It will allow quicker and more complete digestion of foods, vitamins and minerals, and better absorption rates thereof. You'll create a much higher efficiency oxygen exchange rate in the body, resulting in better results with the same training. In short, body fat is ESSENTIAL for the serious athlete. Not to mention you reduce your risk of heart disease by 40% just by staying under 20%, which should be a very easy goal to someone in martial arts type training.

I'm not saying fat people can't fight, but for training purposes, which is what we're dealing with here, we should be focusing on health and efficiency.

I think he's saying that 7-12% isn't necessary. At the schools i've gone to, i'll say less than 20% (and probably closer to 10%!) of the people there had bf below 12%... and that includes the instructors.

 

[Koing]

improve flexibility is to stretch.

warm up. Go running for a bit to warm your body up and get the blood working around your body.

Swing your arms around straight. Each time build faster in to a faster pace.

Hold on to a bar or a wall and stand on one leg. Swing the other leg forwards, high, hard as you can. On the way back do the same but backwards. DO START SLOW and BUILD TO THE FAST AND HIGH PACE. This is good. REMEMBER TO BUILD UP THE SPEED, HIGHT AND HARDEST of how you pull your leg through.

Now do some twists for your body. Left and right.

Now more specific stretching for your legs and hips.

NOTE: Take a look in to PNF stretching. My coach does that to me at the end of my work out. Hurts like hell but its really good. Definately look in to a gymnastics club for a few sessions it will make everything clear to you. Hard to explain to someone without showing you and such.

I got to get some pics done to show some people.........

Stand up straight. Have your feet about 5inches outside of shoulder width.

Now make windmills to reach your left foot with your right arm and same with your right foot with your left arm. Do this for 20 times.

Now stand shoulder width. Reach a few inches in front of your feet come up a bit then reach between your feet, then come back up then reach beind your feet.

Now sit your ass on the floor. Have your legs split apart. Reach to one leg with TOES POINTED. Reach to the foot. You should be able to reach so that your palm can grab your foot and arch across so your head touches your knee. I know I can 😀. Do this on both sides. Remember each time try to reach further. After you do left and right do this.

Now reach to one leg. Now from that make a big half circle to your other leg. Do this a few times.

Now when you get to the left, middle and right stop for a bit and hold for 10 seconds. Do this a few times.

Now reach over across and get your head to touch your knee and reach for your foot.

Now sit upright. Have your feet meet in the middle where your crouch is. Have your knees out like wings. Now press the knees down. You should be able to get them to touch the floor. Remember to keep your feet touching.

Now its time to do your back.

Kneel down and reach forwards. Reach as far as you can. Now you can do your shoulders but I can't be bothered to type it.

Now back to the back 😛. Lay backwards and get a friend to stand by your head. Now hold on to their leg. Pull up and go in to a bridge. Arch your back and try and get your feet as close to your legs as possible. At this time your friend will get your shoulders and pull them up slowly. Your arms should be locked and straight.

Now you are almost done.

Now go to do the front splits. Do it on each side.

Now go to box splits.

After this I shake my legs out a bit. Just wiggle them out a bit.

Now I lay on my back and split my legs and pull them as close to the ground.

This is what I do when I go to gymnastics. One of the most flexible there but EASILY not the best. Only been doing it a while mainly for fun but DAM the guys and girls do CRAZY AMAZING things that I will never do🙁.

Stretch and work at it. My friend went with me to the gymnastics club he got much more flexible with the training. But hasn't been in a while and lost most of his flexibility. Me I haven't done any gymnastics since starting Uni but I'm more flexible now though. I do stretch every now and then but everyone in my family is flexible.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Heck, i'm not a big believer in stretches... i just do the absolute minimum my class requires, and often skip them, and i still have one of the highest kicks (relative to my size).

Actually all current research indicates that any form of resistance training is up to 40% more effective with a balanced and complete stretching class AFTER the resistance training, something which we've had backwards for years. Again, this information is easily verifiable from any accredited training organization with medical associations.

Everyones flexibilities are different, and people benefit differently from different types of stretches dependent on body type and other factors. Some are naturally flexible, others need to work at it. Most important is to receive proper instruction to avoid injury.

Yeah, i hear that all the time too... and your body recovers faster if you stretch after class, etc. But like i said, i'm not a big follower of stretching... i just don't have the patience for it after a hard workout or class. I've been lucky so far i guess... i haven't had any muscular injury.

 

[QueHuong]

Ankle weights are absolutely the worst idea... you're going to injure yourself from hyperextension.

Not if you use it correctly. I should have specified that you don't do full blown hard/fast kicks with weights on, but rather, slowly chamber your kicks and extend then rechamber, and thus building up the muscles in your legs leading to faster and harder kicks.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: MindStorm

Ankle weights are absolutely the worst idea... you're going to injure yourself from hyperextension.

Not if you use it correctly. I should have specified that you don't do full blown hard/fast kicks with weights on, but rather, slowly chamber your kicks and extend then rechamber, and thus building up the muscles in your legs leading to faster and harder kicks.

You're not going to build much muscles, if any, with that kind of weight. It would be much better to kick at a heavy bag regularly.

 

[littlegohan]

Originally posted by: Koing
improve flexibility is to stretch.

warm up. Go running for a bit to warm your body up and get the blood working around your body.

Swing your arms around straight. Each time build faster in to a faster pace.

Hold on to a bar or a wall and stand on one leg. Swing the other leg forwards, high, hard as you can. On the way back do the same but backwards. DO START SLOW and BUILD TO THE FAST AND HIGH PACE. This is good. REMEMBER TO BUILD UP THE SPEED, HIGHT AND HARDEST of how you pull your leg through.

Now do some twists for your body. Left and right.

Now more specific stretching for your legs and hips.

NOTE: Take a look in to PNF stretching. My coach does that to me at the end of my work out. Hurts like hell but its really good. Definately look in to a gymnastics club for a few sessions it will make everything clear to you. Hard to explain to someone without showing you and such.

I got to get some pics done to show some people.........

Stand up straight. Have your feet about 5inches outside of shoulder width.

Now make windmills to reach your left foot with your right arm and same with your right foot with your left arm. Do this for 20 times.

Now stand shoulder width. Reach a few inches in front of your feet come up a bit then reach between your feet, then come back up then reach beind your feet.

Now sit your ass on the floor. Have your legs split apart. Reach to one leg with TOES POINTED. Reach to the foot. You should be able to reach so that your palm can grab your foot and arch across so your head touches your knee. I know I can 😀. Do this on both sides. Remember each time try to reach further. After you do left and right do this.

Now reach to one leg. Now from that make a big half circle to your other leg. Do this a few times.

Now when you get to the left, middle and right stop for a bit and hold for 10 seconds. Do this a few times.

Now reach over across and get your head to touch your knee and reach for your foot.

Now sit upright. Have your feet meet in the middle where your crouch is. Have your knees out like wings. Now press the knees down. You should be able to get them to touch the floor. Remember to keep your feet touching.

Now its time to do your back.

Kneel down and reach forwards. Reach as far as you can. Now you can do your shoulders but I can't be bothered to type it.

Now back to the back 😛. Lay backwards and get a friend to stand by your head. Now hold on to their leg. Pull up and go in to a bridge. Arch your back and try and get your feet as close to your legs as possible. At this time your friend will get your shoulders and pull them up slowly. Your arms should be locked and straight.

Now you are almost done.

Now go to do the front splits. Do it on each side.

Now go to box splits.

After this I shake my legs out a bit. Just wiggle them out a bit.

Now I lay on my back and split my legs and pull them as close to the ground.

This is what I do when I go to gymnastics. One of the most flexible there but EASILY not the best. Only been doing it a while mainly for fun but DAM the guys and girls do CRAZY AMAZING things that I will never do🙁.

Stretch and work at it. My friend went with me to the gymnastics club he got much more flexible with the training. But hasn't been in a while and lost most of his flexibility. Me I haven't done any gymnastics since starting Uni but I'm more flexible now though. I do stretch every now and then but everyone in my family is flexible.

nice post
thanks for taking the time to write it
🙂

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

I disagree with the body fat % he needs. At any given body fat % as long as he has good technique and is fast he is just as good. He does not need a low body fat %.

Actually, any professional trainer will focus on bady fat before strength. With body fat (especially over 18%) you're looking at losing a vast percentage of your training energy as well as poorly balanced chemical releases. With body fat under 12% the metabolism is infinitely more efficient and all training will happen faster and the effects last longer. In addition, the increased metabolism and lowered fat content will allow better focus of the body during healing in case of any injuries. It will allow quicker and more complete digestion of foods, vitamins and minerals, and better absorption rates thereof. You'll create a much higher efficiency oxygen exchange rate in the body, resulting in better results with the same training. In short, body fat is ESSENTIAL for the serious athlete. Not to mention you reduce your risk of heart disease by 40% just by staying under 20%, which should be a very easy goal to someone in martial arts type training.

I'm not saying fat people can't fight, but for training purposes, which is what we're dealing with here, we should be focusing on health and efficiency.

I think he's saying that 7-12% isn't necessary. At the schools i've gone to, i'll say less than 20% (and probably closer to 10%!) of the people there had bf below 12%... and that includes the instructors.

Ditto.

When you are training with less bf% I'd say 7% is a bad idea. You have very little fat to help protect your tendons and ligaments and you become less efficient at training.

Gohan I became flexible as I am just flexible. I can do some crazy things but just train and you can go far but some people will never be as flexible as others. Also I'll never be good at maths!🙁 dam I have a maths Unit in 2nd year hope I pass that.

I stretch before I do Olympic lifting and gymnastics. Never stretch at the end of Olympic LIfting as I can't be bothered. I stretch at the end of Gymnastics as I do PNF stetching and the main aim of that is to be able to dot he splits. I am lower but 2 inches off! The two inches will not go away 🙁

 

[PrinceofWands]

I think he's saying that 7-12% isn't necessary. At the schools i've gone to, i'll say less than 20% (and probably closer to 10%!) of the people there had bf below 12%... and that includes the instructors.

Agreed, but that's a good eventual goal. For a woman of course that's far too low as well, I assumed we were talking about a male. I also assumed that we were talking about someone under 25 (not sure why), which makes it much easier to hit that goal. Also, we use electronic bf measurement, since calipers and bmi are complete crap. For someone starting at 20% bf they should easily hit 12% in under a year on a good program. Heck, I'm screaming downward and I do my PACE circuit 3 times a week for 30 minutes each, and jog 6 times a week. That's it. I also eat terribly, fast food two or three times a week, desert every other night, etc.

March 1st I weighed 264lbs and had 33.4% body fat.
May 1st I weighed 238lbs and had 29.1%bf.
May 20 I weighed 230lbs and had 24.8%bf.

At my current rate I'll crack 20% before the end of June and expect to level off around 16% by September (but I'm 31 and am not training hard for anything so I'm happy with 16%). Compared to standard weight training this is a big improvement. I used to lose not more than 1/2 of 1% a week, and that was training 2-3 hours a day 3 times a week, and then doing cardio training 3-6 days a week. The difference is now I train smarter, not harder. *shrug* again, personal choice, but it isn't that hard if someone is serious.

 

[littlegohan]

another question


What are ways to improve the force from a punch or kick? some posters have mentioned about improving flexibity and speed
but besides streching and doing the same kicks
what else can you do?


as for punching, how do you improve that? also is it possible to improve the hardness of the fist so that I dont break my hand when I fight?

 

[Looney]

Ah, in your original post you said the goal should be 12-7%, then build on strength.

 

[PrinceofWands]

When you are training with less bf% I'd say 7% is a bad idea. You have very little fat to help protect your tendons and ligaments and you become less efficient at training

I stand corrected. I pulled that range from memory, and just looked it up again. It's actually listed as 12-15% target range to begin strength training. 7-12% is the listed minimum healthy body fat for a male under 25. So you guys were totally right on that, my bad... 8-(

I guess that's why I'm still learning and don't have my certification yet. 😎


grrrrrrrrrr, edited for tired typing

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: littlegohan
another question


What are ways to improve the force from a punch or kick? some posters have mentioned about improving flexibity and speed
but besides streching and doing the same kicks
what else can you do?


as for punching, how do you improve that? also is it possible to improve the hardness of the fist so that I dont break my hand when I fight?

Didn't you learn all this in hapkido? I thought hapkido was a mixed of standup fighting and ground fighting?

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: littlegohan
another question


What are ways to improve the force from a punch or kick? some posters have mentioned about improving flexibity and speed
but besides streching and doing the same kicks
what else can you do?


as for punching, how do you improve that? also is it possible to improve the hardness of the fist so that I dont break my hand when I fight?

Punch is technique from the transfer from the ground up.

Legs, hips, body twist, arm extension. You have to have a good base. Your base has to be firm. The twisting action is very important. I'm no pro but its body mechanics. Jump in the air and try to punch. Its very weak. Now do it planted to the ground with good balance you can hit hard. Not so much about how much you can *bi cep curl* but more about how you transfer the power from the legs up.

Kicking is the same. Have a good plant when you kick and really follow through. Other people can advise you better. When I kick I know what I'm doing and do it.

And as for not breaking your hand you are going to hurt it unless you practice hitting hard things with your hands with no gloves. You get a boxer to punch without his glove and he'll break his hand. They hit hard but without a glove no protection. I wouldn't bother to focus on a strong hand. Focus on punching. A string wrist is important also.

As I said for speed you can do *Cleans*. Take a look hard to explain. Helps you build fast explosive speed. Tuck jumps are good. Practice them.

Flexibility just do what I told you to do.

The key is practice and time.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

When you are training with less bf% I'd say 7% is a bad idea. You have very little fat to help protect your tendons and ligaments and you become less efficient at training

I stand corrected. I pulled that range from memory, and just looked it up again. It's actually listed as 12-15% target range to begin strength training. 7-12% is the listed minimum healthy body fat for a male under 25. So you guys were totally right on that, my bad... 8-(

I guess that's why I'm still learning and don't have my certification yet. 😎


grrrrrrrrrr, edited for tired typing

Yeah that range is definately better. 12-15% is about right.

After you hit 10% going any low is very hard. You have to eat so cleanly.

I'm about 12.7% myself.

Moralpanic the reason he doesn't know is because he hasn't been done his dojo in a while. But seriously go speak to him about it. He should DEFINATELY know and will be able to show you and teach you. Its hard to explain on here with text.

 

[littlegohan]

great posts

from what i heard, the only way you can "see" the 6pakc is to have a body fat that is lower than 10%

this means that I must bulk up to my desired level, then get cut

also, can strong tight abs protect blows to the stomach?