Strength Training for Martial Arts

What the key focusses when strength training for martial arts?

There are a few points here that I think are important. Stick with me here, because all of these principles really are similar for all other intense contact sports like football, hockey, ect...

The very first point in martial arts strength training is to be sure to work out ALL the major muscle groups to full fatigue.

I've been training in martial arts for 20 years. I was pretty skinny and even though I was training a lot I just didn't have much muscle mass. 

I started with utilizing a high intensity strength training program (HIT), at a super slow repetition speed for maximum impact on the muscles.

Then I had the muscle mass to be able to have power in the techniques. 

Arriving at the place of full muscle fatigue is important and powerful, giving the fastest amount of muscle growth to the fibers, like I'll discuss in the below video.

Strength Training for Martial Arts

Another key piece of advice about strength training and martial arts - safety is important!

Most forms of martial arts, like kenpo (my main form of martial arts training), are full contact.

What this means practically is that we are easily prone to injury while practicing contact sports, and while doing any kind of ballistic sports also, even if there is no contact involved. 

Weight training safety and injury prevention is very important to athletes who need to stay injury free.

We are already more prone to getting injured with sparring, so don't let an injury happen while lifting weights.

Imagine getting injured while doing really fast paced squats and you couldn't train for months on end. THAT situation is what I'm hoping to help you prevent.

Strength Training for Martial Arts

So how do we get the most out of our strength training for martial arts WHILE staying as safe as possible?

#1 Slow down your repetition speed. By a lot.

What I mean here is to stop using fast and ballistic motions while engaged with weights or resistance on your muscles.

This makes the strength training workout even more intense and safe in the process.

Test it out, truly. You will immediately feel the deeper impact this one small technique of slower pace has on your muscle groups.

You don't need to re-vamp your whole routine and try a completely new strength training process, all you need to do is change this factor. 

Every time I hear back how much this helps clients and friends avoid strength training injuries. 

And every time this also helps the client feel the muscles more and assist on getting to a deeper muscle fatigue, which always leads to more muscle growth.

Strength Training for Martial Arts

Another important factor in safety during strength training for martial arts:

#2 Keep good form and seat settings. If there is any pinching in joints or muscles while strength training, change your technique for that muscle group.

What am I saying here? 

If it hurts like a pinching sensation, change the angle of approach.

Never push through anything that feels different than simple muscle fatigue.

Deadlift / Squats example:

For example, it's really common for us to feel a sharp pain in the lower back while doing deadlifts. If that's the case, then open up your posture some, keep your back straighter up until you feel that pinching go away and all you're now feeling is deep muscle engagement.

If you are still feeling the pinching in the lower back, simply try moving to a different exercise that uses the same muscle groups, like the leg press.

If you're continuing to feel a pinch in the lower back for the leg press then lower the back of the machine to allow a bigger angle in the back. 

Basically straighten out the back of the seat more until the pinching goes away.

That's just one example of many different exercises that could present a problem during strength training. 

The main takeaway is that I want you to be able to get more out of your strength training sessions while also keeping free of injury.

With any high impact sport like martial arts, injury is so common. 

Don't let your injuries happen during strength training, so you can keep enjoying your martial arts training every day!