Martial arts require skill to perform, but strength and stamina to execute effectively. By improving both your endurance and power, your risk of injury decreases. Proper resistance training improves bone mineral density, lessening the chance of injury. By following a few basic principles, you can improve your performance in the gym or class. These improvements should lead to better results in your next contest. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.
Martial Arts
Your training program needs to be specific, but not ridiculously so. Do not attempt to mimic every strike and block you perform in class with weights. This will not only throw off your technique, but also will expose you to injury. Tailor your training program to your specific needs. Do not squat so heavy, it wipes you out and leaves you with legs that will not move during your next sparring session. Do not run yourself to exhaustion; make your conditioning specific to your needs. Always remember that nothing takes the place of skill, and if your conditioning work is interfering with that, you are doing something wrong.
Strength Training
Train your entire body every workout using compound exercises, which involve more than one joint, such as the squat and deadlift. Heavy leg and back work is critical for developing power in your kicks, but also in closing the distance to your opponent. Much of your punching power comes from your legs. Chinups and rows develop a strong back, and this contributes to both punching and grappling power. Strong shoulders contribute to everything your upper body does, so work the military press heavy. A combination of five exercises for three to five sets of five to eight repetitions per set is plenty.
Conditioning
Make your conditioning specific, but make it longer than you normally train for. If you spar for three three-minute rounds, hit the heavy bag for four four-minute rounds. If your goal is to fight for five rounds that are each five minutes long, with one minute in between each round, jump rope for six sets of six minutes, with a minute of rest in between. Long, slow cardiovascular work is fine for fat loss, but it does not adequately address your needs. Some martial arts do not have much long-term aerobic capacity, so train appropriately.
Special Exercises
Special areas of focus for martial artists are the abdominals and neck. Strong abdominals promote good balance and allow you to get the most out of your legs, even when using upper-body techniques. Well-conditioned abdominals also help protect your internal organs. Heavy, weighted situps and crunches, and weighted side bends will work your core and protect your kidneys. Neck work will strengthen your neck, protect you from cervical injury and reduce your chances of getting knocked out. You can wrap a towel around your head and pull in any direction while resisting with your neck to strengthen it from every direction.
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; "Effects of a Back Squat Training Program on Leg Power, Jump and Sprint Performances in Junior Soccer Players"; M.S. Chelly et al; November 2009
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; "Methods to Increase the Effectiveness of Maximal Power Training for the Upper Body"; D. Baker et al; December 2005
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; "Aerobic and Anaerobic Power Responses to the Practice of Taekwon-do; A.F. Melhim; December 2001
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