Back To Main Articles Page


STRENGTH TRAINING FOR THE MARTIAL ARTS: DISPELLING THE MYTHS

Dispelling the Myths

Successful performance in the martial arts, especially those involving a fighting component, requires that the athlete possess considerable strength, power and speed. While strength, power and speed are important physiological qualities for successful performance in the martial arts, the use of strength training to develop these qualities is far from common place. Moreover, strength training has inaccurately earned the reputation of causing fighters to become slow and muscle bound. While certain exercise prescriptions can lead to increased muscle mass and decreased movement speed, the negative opinion towards strength training held by many in the martial arts community is unfounded. A prime example of the positive effects of strength training on speed comes from the world of weightlifting where it has been documented that world class heavyweight weightlifters are competitive with world class sprinters in sprinting events up to 30 meters. If strength training can enable a 120+ kg weightlifter to have the speed necessary to compete with a world class sprinter then why is it that so many martial artists avoid or discourage this type of training because out of fear of becoming slow or muscle bound?

Believe it or not, many of these attitudes and opinions can be traced back to the Post World War II era. It was at this time that the world split into two political doctrines, namely communism and democracy. Along with this split came differences in the approach the so called Eastern Block countries and Western Block countries took to prepare their athletes. Western Block countries took a more cardiovascular centered approach to athlete development while Eastern Block countries acquired considerable knowledge and research in the area of strength training. Of course, it was not long before the Eastern Block countries began to dominate in large sporting competitions such as the Olympic Games, and their dominance was most marked in the strength and power sports.

With the fall of the Iron Curtain, much of the research on the importance of strength training in the physical preparation of athletes began to surface in North America. Today, almost all sports, including sports requiring high levels of speed and endurance, use special strength training methods to improve performance. In fact, strength training is a major part of the training regime for track and field athletes, speed skaters, cyclists, wrestlers, and is even growing in huge popularity with boxers.

At this point, it is critical to differentiate between the special strength training methods used by athletes and those methods used by bodybuilders. Bodybuilders train solely for muscle size and symmetry, and this is contrasted with the special strength training methods used by athletes that are applied to affect very specific physiological and biomechanical characteristics related to the expression of muscle force. The application of these methods requires a knowledgeable strength and conditioning coach who has both the academic and practical skill to prescribe the appropriate training regime. A detailed explanation of these methods is beyond the scope of this article. However, I will highlight a very important benefit that strength training can provide the martial artist of fighter. This benefit is increased maximal power. While certain effects of strength training are obvious such as increased muscle mass and maximal strength, the positive effects of strength training on maximal power draws much less attention, yet this quality is critical for successful performance in almost all sports.


What is Maximal Power?

Maximal power is a determining factor in many sports and is probably best exemplified in the world of combative sports by an athlete such as Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson was known for his exceptional explosive ability and power. The speed and power with which Mike Tyson devastated so many opponents was obvious to even the most inexperienced fighters. Watching a fighter like Tyson close the gap in a split second between himself and his opponent to deliver a crushing knockout body shot should provide enough evidence to convince every martial artist of the importance of power for successful performance in combative sports. Some might argue that factors such as genetics will prevent your average fighter from turning into a powerhouse like Tyson; however, it is possible to vastly improve this particular quality through the careful application of special strength methods.

Scientifically speaking, maximal power, or speed strength, is the ability of the neuromuscular apparatus to produce a large amount of force in a short period of time. To clarify this concept, consider Figure 1 depicted below. While some readers may be reliving the horrors of high school physics, let me assure you that the concept is relatively easy to grasp. On the vertical axis is force and on the horizontal axis is the amount of time it takes for the force to be developed. Depicted on the graph is the maximum force generated by two individuals, and the rate at which this force is developed. Also depicted on this graph is the amount of time it takes to deliver a hook punch. It should be obvious that Athlete A can produce the greatest maximal force and is the strongest, while Athlete B, who is clearly not as strong as Athlete A, has a much higher rate of force development. Furthermore, given the time frame required to throw a hook, Athlete B produces considerably more force than Athlete A, and therefore he would possess greater punching power. All things being equal, such as technical ability and specific endurance, Athlete B's greater maximal power output would most likely translate into superior performance in most fighting related skills.

Figure 1: Hypothetical rate of force development for two athletes. Note the superior rate of force development possessed by Athlete B (Green Curve).

In practical terms, ask any experienced fighter whether or not the biggest guys always hit the hardest. The truth is they do not. Moreover, fighters who look a lot smaller and weaker can often pack a bigger punch due to superior maximal power or explosive ability. The distinction between maximal strength and maximal power is a critical. While maximal strength does have relevance for combative sports it is often the most powerful athlete who will reign in a fighting contest given the equality of other factors such as skill and specific endurance.


How to Develop Maximal Power?

The development of maximal power is of considerable interest to the competitive fighter. The question that remains is how to develop this physiological quality. The development of maximal power is best accomplished through the use of special strength training methods. In fact, for many sports such as American football, speed skating, and the track and field events, strength training is the primary method used to develop explosive ability. Maximal power can be developed using a variety of special strength training methods. These methods include but are not limited to: Olympic style weightlifting (e.g. power cleans), jumping exercise or plyometrics, contrast loading (e.g. heavy squats followed by jumps), heavy weight training with maximal and near maximal loads in the range of 1-3 repetition maximum (RM), and medicine ball exercises such as forward and backwards heaves. It is important to mention that most of these methods are reserved for athletes with an intermediate and advanced level strength training ability. Table 1 provides an overview of these different methods along with the associated level of difficulty.


Table 1: A summary of different methods used to develop maximal power.

Of all the methods described above scientific evidence suggests that strength exercises performed with light to moderate loads lifted with maximum speed, and using a combination of heavy lifting and jumping exercise are the best methods of developing maximal power. However, in order for these methods to be used appropriately there are certain training principles that must be adhered to when developing maximal power. First of all, and possibly most importantly, choose a method that is within your skill set. Choosing a method that is beyond your capability will only result in injury. Along with this statement, every athlete is encouraged to learn to lift with proper technique in order to reduce the risk of weight training related injury. Second, the development of maximal power is highly dependent on maximal activation of the neuromuscular system. This is accomplished by high levels of input from the brain and spinal cord or the central nervous system (CNS) to the muscles. Translated into layman's terms, the high level of CNS involvement means the athlete MUST execute each and every repetition with maximal effort and focus even though the load that is being moved may be light, or, in the case of bodyweight jumps, non-existent. Focus, concentration and maximum effort in the execution of the movement are critical components to developing maximal power. Third, between two and four sets of one to three exercises should be performed per workout, and each set should last between 5 and 15 seconds. Finally, large rest intervals may be required between sets and training sessions to allow for proper recovery of the CNS. These inter-set rest interval should be three to five minutes and the inter-session rest interval should be 48 to 72 hours. Bear in mind that proper rest is an essential component to the body's biological adaptive process to maximal power training.

In addition to the special strength training methods described above it is also recommended that fighters devote one or two training sessions per week solely to the development of maximal power in the specific fighting skill requirements. Examples of a specific fighting skill requirement are heavy bag tosses or partner throwing exercises for a mixed martial artist. In these sessions the fighter would perform specific fighting movement skills with maximum speed and power for periods of about 5 to 15 seconds. Following this interval, the fighter would be given a large rest interval to allow for complete restoration of the CNS and metabolic systems. Once again, appropriate rest should be three to five minutes per set. It is important that fatiguing exercise NOT precede this type of maximal power training as fatigue will limit the athlete's ability to overload the CNS. Furthermore, the coach must reinforce the importance of executing these movements with maximal effort and power, and when the speed of movement or the quality of the movement drops below a critical threshold, he or she is advised to terminate maximal power training for the particular session. The critical threshold is typically a 4-8 % decline in performance. Finally, this type of training is most suitably integrated into special preparation periods, and should be carefully planned by the coach or trainer.


Summary

In summary, strength training can produce many physiological effects which include increases in muscle mass and maximal strength. Strength training can also enhance the development of maximal power which is critical for successful performance in fighting sports. Maximal power training involves mostly advanced special strength training methods, and athletes should have a good level of strength training experience before engaging in this type of training. When using these methods, do not overlook the importance of focus and concentration during the exercise, and proper recovery must be used between sets and training sessions. Finally, prior to starting any strength and conditioning program, seek the advice of a qualified medical professional, and have a qualified strength and conditioning professional assess your strengths, weaknesses, and training requirements.

(Note: Part II will focus on the development of muscle mass and maximal strength)