Muay Thai Weightlifting Routine. Comments appreciated.

[Maxx]

Haven't checked out this thread in a while. I work with athletes a lot, especially combative athletes. Here are a few suggestions and training methods that I've found successful.

Recent research points to a rep range of 8-12 reps per set as being optimal to stimulate muscle growth or hypertrophy. Use a weight which will just barely allow you to reach a number of reps somewhere in that area. Also as an athlete, use large, multi-joint movements such as bench presses, rowing motions, shoulder presses, lat pulldowns, vertical rows and any squating motions that you chose. Multi joint exercises have also shown to promote greater mass gains as they have a greater tendency to stimulate the release of hormones in the body that promote growth.

Minimize the use of single joint exercises such as curls, tricep motions, lateral and front raises, etc. A few sets is okay, but don't make these the primary focus of your workouts. These are isolation movements and don't really play a significant role in the development of functional strength. Also they generally don't mimic functional motions of the body like your multi joint movements do.

I'd be careful about shadowboxing with weights as well. You could easily hyperextend your elbow or your knee of you aren't paying attention. Also, if you think about it, it would be hard to use this training method to maximize your speed since you wouldn't fully explode to prevent joint damage like that mentioned above. you're much better off doing upper and lower body plyometrics such as explosively throwing a medicine ball in a way that mimics a thrown punch or doing jump squats to maximize explosive force and aceleration. Those types of exercises are probably your best bet for developing speed and they are relatively safe as well.

[gabbah]

Thanks a lot for the input Maxx.
About the number of reps... I'm more used to 6-8 reps for building maximum mass. I think I got it from the MAX-OT method from AST sports science.
That method is for body builders who want to gain maximum muscle weight as fast as possible but not putting on fat.
Currently that's the number of reps I go for (at which point the muscle fails a positive rep).
Do you have more info on that 10-12 reps theory?

[Maxx]

I'll look for some of the research that I've been reading through and see if I can find you some specific articles. Most of the stuff that I've read recently and most of the guidelines that I follow as a personal trainer and specialist in sports conditioning recommend the 10-12 rep range for hypertropy though. Don't get me wrong... you'll still gain mass training with the rep range that you are using, but you aren't optimizing your mass gains at that range. It's more for developing limit strength.

[gabbah]

Hmm ok... well we all want to be optimal don't we?
My goal is actually to put on more muscle mass. So I guess that I should be doing 10-12 reps then.
What do you mean by "limit strength"?

[Tom Yum]

Hmm ok... well we all want to be optimal don't we?
My goal is actually to put on more muscle mass. So I guess that I should be doing 10-12 reps then."?

So you can look more like me? Just kidding gabbah

PS - the Danish DO sound like they're tongues are in their throats, but you can't argue how hot their women are.

What do you mean by "limit strength"?

He means the ability to lift maximum weight.

[gabbah]

So you can look more like me?

If I wanted that, I'd just let someone kick my face in, innit?

PS - the Danish DO sound like they're tongues are in their throats, but you can't argue how hot their women are.

So how do swedes sound? Or did you confuse the Danish with Swedes? What, we all look the same to you???

He means the ability to lift maximum weight.

Ah ok, spank you very much for the heads up.

[Tom Yum]

If I wanted that, I'd just let someone kick my face in, innit? .

Blasphemer! That would improve my appearance, making you relatively less attractive

So how do swedes sound? Or did you confuse the Danish with Swedes? What, we all look the same to you??? .

No, the joke was about the Danish accent, not the Swede. C'mon now everyone knows Denmark looks like it fell off of Sweden. Sheesh.

Ah ok, spank you very much for the heads up.

Anytime, bro. Anytime.

[gabbah]

No, the joke was about the Danish accent, not the Swede. C'mon now everyone knows Denmark looks like it fell off of Sweden. Sheesh.

lol.. yeah maybe it does... But have you ever heard Norweigans? They sounds so happy all the time it's almost annoying! Like, they could tell you someone just died and you would think they just told you they won the lottery!

[Tom Yum]

lol.. yeah maybe it does... But have you ever heard Norweigans? They sounds so happy all the time it's almost annoying! Like, they could tell you someone just died and you would think they just told you they won the lottery!

Hmmm, well that's a bit different than the Finns whom are more sullen and somber until they get Vodka or get old enough to dance the tango

[gabbah]

Hmmm, well that's a bit different than the Finns whom are more sullen and somber until they get Vodka or get old enough to dance the tango

hehe spot on.
But did you know finnish old people are just AWESOME at disco dance?? Yeah, they're so good they have an instructional for you noobs out there!
Watch and LEARN!
[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=XfT2aOqwMlY[/YOUTUBE]

[Tom Yum]

hehe spot on.

Me?

Never...

But did you know finnish old people are just AWESOME at disco dance?? Yeah, they're so good they have an instructional for you noobs out there!
Watch and LEARN!

Not only am I a noob, I got bad rhythm. I guess it makes me a b00b on the dance floor.

[gabbah]

I don't believe you. If you are any good at fighting you can dance a little at least. Please tell me you don't dance like the finnish people in that video up there??

[g-bells]

Haven't checked out this thread in a while. I work with athletes a lot, especially combative athletes. Here are a few suggestions and training methods that I've found successful.

Recent research points to a rep range of 8-12 reps per set as being optimal to stimulate muscle growth or hypertrophy. Use a weight which will just barely allow you to reach a number of reps somewhere in that area. Also as an athlete, use large, multi-joint movements such as bench presses, rowing motions, shoulder presses, lat pulldowns, vertical rows and any squating motions that you chose. Multi joint exercises have also shown to promote greater mass gains as they have a greater tendency to stimulate the release of hormones in the body that promote growth.

Minimize the use of single joint exercises such as curls, tricep motions, lateral and front raises, etc. A few sets is okay, but don't make these the primary focus of your workouts. These are isolation movements and don't really play a significant role in the development of functional strength. Also they generally don't mimic functional motions of the body like your multi joint movements do.

I'd be careful about shadowboxing with weights as well. You could easily hyperextend your elbow or your knee of you aren't paying attention. Also, if you think about it, it would be hard to use this training method to maximize your speed since you wouldn't fully explode to prevent joint damage like that mentioned above. you're much better off doing upper and lower body plyometrics such as explosively throwing a medicine ball in a way that mimics a thrown punch or doing jump squats to maximize explosive force and aceleration. Those types of exercises are probably your best bet for developing speed and they are relatively safe as well.

supplemental work such as curls, tricep work, lateral raises,and shoulder shrugs will help in strenghning your bench,presses, and neck. i see an reaccurring lack of neck training in MA,mma. a strong neck is important for ground work and even boxers strenghten their necks to be able to with stand blows.

[gabbah]

supplemental work such as curls, tricep work, lateral raises,and shoulder shrugs will help in strenghning your bench,presses, and neck. i see an reaccurring lack of neck training in MA,mma. a strong neck is important for ground work and even boxers strenghten their necks to be able to with stand blows.

What are some good methods for strengthening you neck, that you can do on your own, and where it's easy to gradually increase the weight load?

[g-bells]

to increase the strenght in your neck you could lie on the end of a bench with your neck hanging over the end and raise your head up. make sure to do all four directions, do 15-20 reps. you can add weight such as a 5, 10 lbs plate to increase the intensity.