Train hard for power

[fighter11111]

I've heard bodyweight training is the best way to go. Weights restrict movement, etc. Doing handstand pushups and things like that will greatly strengthen your body.

Is this the way to go? I'm new to martial arts and want to get stronger as I'm training, so what should I be doing?

[fighter11111]

I'm not looking to bulk up either. I'd prefer to keep the muscle lean.

[Tom Yum]

It depends what fitness level you are coming from.

If you're a beginner, bodyweight excercises will build a base of muscular strength, based on the assumption that the number of reps you perform will be low. Low reps = strength building.

If you're in pretty good shape, they will build an insane level of muscular endurance. That is the ability to work against light resistance over a longer period of time.

If you use different hand positions, you can emphasize different muscles - for example, taking a narrow hand position on pushups can emphasize triceps and shoulders, whereas taking a wide hand position emphasizes the chest and upperback.

Changing the speed of reps also shifts your athletic goal. Slower reps build strength; explosive reps build power.

Lastly, the structure of your routine can be adjusted to meet your fitness goal. Pitting a group of different excercises together without rest in between will stress cardio more, whreas same excercise sets with 45 seconds rest in between focus on muscular endurance.

[fighter11111]

So if I want endurance I'd want to bodyweight train? Will I ever build strength that way? Like right now I can do 50 pushups fast and non-stop, to give you an idea from where I'm coming from.

Not great but not bad.

How do you build knockout power then? Is weights the only way to go? I've heard things like the bench press is useless because you don't use those muscles appropriately in a fight.


I guess I'm not sure what muscular endurance means. Do I want to be able to fight for a long time... yes, but do I also want big strength and power, absolutely.

So how do I train?

[>:)]

You get knockout power from working the bag, and sparring

[Tom Yum]

You get knockout power from working the bag, and sparring

What he said...

Check out Rossboxing.com

Bodyweight excercises, bag work and sparring will keep you lean and build a base of power. Plyometrics will add to that base.