bushido_man96

Olympic TKD had been using those kinds of vests in international competition; I'm not sure if they still are or not. However, there are still some issues with them. For example, if you strike someone in the arm hard enough, and their arm is braced against their chest protector, it could still register enough force to set off the sensors, scoring a point when it was actually blocked. Also, if you have a scoring that is adjusted for the level of technique, such as the use of spinning or jumping techniques, the sensors can't determine this; only that enough force has been delivered to trigger the sensor. So judges are still needed.

This is spot-on. There is no such thing as "hands being registered" in the U.S. However, if training has made one more capable of hurting others, then level of prosecution can change because of that. It really boils down to what kind of damage gets done vs the level of force necessary to stop an attack. Then there are the particulars of why the attack happened, and how you explain your actions and the reason behind them.So much goes into it; much more than I think most Martial Artists take the time to evaluate.

Happy Birthday, Bob!

10/18/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 300x1, 360x5, 325x5, 325x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x1, 137.5x5, 137.5x5, 137.5x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 300x3. Stretch: stretching machine only today. Now, I don't quite recall, but I may have blacked out in the hole of rep 5 of the first set of squats. I remember sitting back and going down, and I remember finishing and racking, but the bottom is...I'm not sure. It was frickin' heavy, and it's the heaviest I've ever lifted. For some reason, on these heavy sets, I keep getting a bit forward with the weight on the second rep, and I really have to grind it to keep from falling forward. Focusing on sitting back farther on the way down helped in the later reps. This weekend, I'm going to be looking into some programming options for the squat, as I think I've pretty well run out the novice progression with it.

The problem with the idea behind "functional training" is that there is a very set limit on the amount of progress one can make with it. Therefore, the amount of true strength that can be gained from it is limited. The big barbell movements allow us to train useful movement patters over a long range of motion, recruiting the most muscle mass possible. But does it mess with the technique of the punches? At what point does too much weight or resistance get added and ends up messing with the actual technical delivery of the punches? That's where the line between training and practice comes in. Better to build overall strength through barbell training, and develop skill in punching with practice. Barbell training is also one of the best ways to train very functional movements for everyday living. The deadlift is a very useful movement pattern, as in picking heavy things up off the ground. The squat is very useful, being able to stand up out of a chair (or get off the toilet) unassisted, especially in older ages. The press is extremely useful as a movement pattern, as picking up heavy objects and putting them on a shelf overhead is a common thing. The squat and the deadlift also build a strong back, which is something that most of the population could benefit from.

10/16/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 300x1, 355x5, 320x5, 320x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 115x5, 135x5, 165x1, 202.5x5, 202.5x5, 202.5x5. Barbell Rows: 95x5, 115x5, 152.5x8, 152.5x8, 152.5x8. Lat Pull-downs: 135x8, 135x8, 135x8. Stretch: kick stretches, back/hams, quads, and shoulders. First set of squats was a crusher again.

Here's the simplest way I can put the point of it: if you want to get strong, strength training is the way to do it, no matter what physical activity you do. The best way to get better at your sport or activity is to practice it. The problem comes from the advent of what has been called "functional training." For example, if I thought that I should get "TKD strong" by doing "TKD movements" using bands or by holding weights in my hands while doing them. Instead, if I aim to get strong, I need to do so by getting generally strong, by using a weight program. To get good at TKD, I need to practice TKD. The strength that I gain through the process of weight training will translate into my TKD practice.

Being a healthy person does make living life easier, that's for sure. Being aware of what helps to stay healthy and what to avoid are very important aspects of living a long and healthy, active life.

Congrats to you, pers! And it's been great to see you back!

I really don't see it as that technical at all. The focus is on how strength is a general physical adaptation acquired through training properly, and that skill required for various sports and athletic performances is acquired through the practice of those sports.

10/14/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 300x1, 350x5, 315x5, 315x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x1, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x5, 225x3, 275x5, 275x5. Stretch: kick stretches, quads, back/hams, shoulders, and sat in the stretching machine. The first set of squats was a crusher. I'm moving to one heavy set followed by two back-off sets. Also upping the volume on the deadlifts, and focusing on keeping my lower back locked in place.

10/11/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 345x5, 345x5, 345x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 115x5, 135x3, 165x1, 200x5, 200x5, 200x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x5, 225x3, 275x3, 275x3. Stretch: kicks stretches, quads, shoulder dislocations, and the stretching machine. So, today was a mixed bag. The squat session was a grind. Finished all the sets, but man, they were tough. Bench press felt heavy, but felt good, and my bar speed was decent. I miss-grooved the last rep of set 3, which felt weird, and I'm not sure what I did to upset the rep, but I was able to drive it up, so no misses. With deadlift, I backed it off and put the belt on, a notch looser, to try to get more used to how it feels pulling heavy with the belt on. I was able to keep my back locked in, but to be honest, my back was fried from the squats, and has been feeling fatigued all week. It may be time to adjust the programming on the squats. I'm so thrilled I've been able to drive the weight up on this exercise; these are PR weights each week; I've never squatted that much until now. Bench seems to be coming along so slowly, but it is coming along. I think starting next week I'm going to be cutting the jumps to 1.5 lbs per, and see how long I can keep driving with the novice linear progression.

I've talked a little bit about the idea behind the two factor model approach to sports, and have toyed around with the idea of writing an article about it. Instead, I'd rather share the article from the source, who has done an extremely good job of laying out the particulars. Enjoy, and let the discussion begin: The Two Factor Model of Sports Performance

I used to think that punching while holding weights would help my punching. What it does, though, is just fatigue the arms to the point that technique becomes and issue and speed is dissipated. I'm of the opinion that there are many different ways to practice punching and to get better at punching. But I would rather get my whole body stronger overall, and as I get stronger, my punches will get better through practice.

If I walked into a gym with just resistance bands everywhere, I'd leave and find a different gym. I think there are some things that resistance bands are useful for, but I don't believe they are useful for building a training program around.

10/9/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 340x5, 340x5, 340x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x5, 115x1, 132.5x5, 132.5x5, 132.5x5. Barbell Rows: 95x5, 115x5, 150x8, 150x8, 150x8. Lat Pull-downs: 132.5x8, 132.5x8, 132.5x8. Stretch: kick stretches, quads, shoulders, and sat in the stretching machine. The squat is getting tough, but feels very rewarding.

10/4/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 330x5, 330x5, 330x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x1, 130x5, 130x5, 130x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 275x1, 315x5, 265x5, 265x5. Stretch: kick stretches and sat in the stretching machine. I had trouble with the deadlift grip today. I don't know if I didn't use enough chalk, or what, but on the last rep, I completed the rep, but on the way down, it slipped out of my hands. On the last backoff set I did, I had to go to the hook grip to do it. 10/7/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 335x5, 335x5, 335x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 115x5, 135x3, 165x1, 195x5, 195x5, 195x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x5, 225x3, 275x1, 320x5. Stretch: kick stretches, quads, back/hams, and sat in the stretching machine. More issues with the deadlift. I completed the set, but it felt like I wasn't able to hold my lower back in extension. I don't know what the deal is, but when I put the belt on for my work set, it seems to cause me issues in moving the bar forward, and in setting my back (or it could just be the weight). So I've got to figure something out there. Might need to back off an rework it a little, focusing on back extension.

Yeah, I'm not in competition mode either. I'm just on the wrong side of 40 and I don't want to be using a walker in 20 years, or have a weak back, or not be able to play with my grandkids. Or to not be sparring with the young kids in the TKD class. I'm going to be old and strong and not fall over easily and risk breaking a hip. When I get old, I want to be able to get in and out of bed without help, and get on and off the toilet with out help. I want to be able to move things on and off shelves that are overhead. I plan to be able to pick up the lawnmower without throwing my back out. I'm going to be the one mowing my yard when I'm 70. And I plan to still be doing barbell lifts when I'm 70.

I'm not sure why bench pressing would cause a burning feeling. I don't get any such sensation when I bench press. As a matter of fact, I haven't been sore after lifting for quite some time. The problem with bands and such is that they lack the ability to be progressively loaded, hence why barbell training is so beneficial. I can control the load on the bar and log the progress made with each workout. When I go to the gym, I have a plan, and know how much weight I'm going to lift, and how many sets and reps. The big barbell movements; the squat, the deadlift, the bench press, and the press, and power clean/snatch, or the Olympic variations of the clean and jerk and snatch, are all beneficial in that they allow the lifter to move the weight through long ranges of motion.

Welcome to KF, Mary! Glad to have you!

10/2/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 275x1, 325x5, 325x5, 325x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 115x5, 135x3, 165x1, 190x5, 190x5, 190x5. Barbell Rows: 95x5, 115x5, 147.5x8, 147.5x8, 147.5x8. Lat Pull-downs: 130x8, 130x8, 130x8.

Those who use steroids to get stronger probably end up doing it because they lack the knowledge of how to properly program their training in order to see steady progression, and therefore think they have to use steroids or something like it to get stronger. The thing about steroids is that they work. It's unfortunate that so many people put their health at risk because they don't take the time to really learn how to progressively strength train. Or, they feel they need to get the results right away in order to make a team, earn a contract, etc. This is the great misconception about strength training. This, and the idea that "functional training" is the way to get strong. It's part of the issue with so much of what goes into churning out these physical training certificates. Being strong is functional. That is why barbell training has been the most effective way to gain strength for generations and generations. Cool machines and the like come and go, and someone makes money off of them for a time, until the next cool thing comes along. The squat and the deadlift, programmed correctly, are very safe exercises to do, and anyone with two legs can usually benefit from doing them. They build a strong back, strong legs, and a strong core in the process, and the squat has the added bonus of training the ability to balance the load while moving it. The core gains strength because "the core" is used to lock the body into rigidity to support the weight on the back or lock the back into extension to pull the weight off the floor. This is performed by the proper use of the Valsalva maneuver. The bench press and the press help build upper body strength in the shoulders, chest, and arms. The standing overhead press (what I just refer to as "the press") is very beneficial because it requires the athlete to lock their body into position to drive the weight up overhead while maintaining balance. It is probably one of the single best lifts to do for shoulder health. The bench press isn't as good, but it is great because it allows significantly more weight to be moved, which can help drive progress on the press itself. But, alas, the world has fallen into a trap of the idea behind "functional training." The better model of training is a two-factor model of training. The idea behind it is that strength is increased through barbell training, which has been proven over generations to be the best method of increasing strength (the first factor), and sport/athletic skill is increased through practice of the sport (the second factor). So for us, as Martial Artists, the ideal would be to lift at least three days a week to increase strength, and practice our Martial Art of choice to increase our skill at our chosen style. A baseball player would similarly strength train three (or four, depending on where a person is in their progression) days per week, and then practice baseball skills at baseball practice. The point behind all of this is that "baseball strength" and "football strength" and "Martial Art strength" is all acquired the same way; getting strong through barbell training. I make the legs strong with squats, and then get better at kicking by practicing TKD kicking at TKD class, or during my own solo training sessions, or whenever. But the main point is that the two compliment each other. That's a rather long response, and probably a bit off the beaten path from my original article that opened the thread, but that's ok. I could probably write another article on the two factor model for discussion there, and I might do so when I get the chance.

I think the jab finds itself most useful in sport MAs, like Boxing and MMA, where you have the time to feel out your opponent and use it for setups later in the fight. I don't think it tends to be as applicable in self-defense, where you want to use the jab to set things up. In self-defense, a jab can be used, but I'd recommend that it is NEVER used alone; the only reason you throw a jab in self-defense is because you have something else coming behind it.

I'd say that timing is one of many things that is important in self-defense and combat training. We have to look at the ability to initiate technique, action vs. reaction, and things like this. Rhythm comes into play, as well. I think when we mention timing, the idea of countering or counter attacking comes to mind. Of great importance is being able to recognize an attack, and then being able to react. The problem with reaction is that, by it's very nature, is dependent on action. Hence the saying, "the best defense is a good offense." Anywho, at times in our sparring drills, I like to work on some countering drills, footwork drills, and the like. One-steps help to learn timing in the old block-and-counter method, which can have it's benefits if the training progresses the right way.

9/27/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 265x1, 315x5, 315x5, 315x5. Bench Press: 45x5x2, 115x5, 135x3, 165x1, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 265x1, 305x5. Had to duck out without doing extra deadlift sets or stretching, due to having to be to work earlier. But, I got the main workout done. 9/30/2019 Strength Training Warm-ups: 5 box jumps, 5 med ball throws, 5 med ball slams. Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 225x3, 265x1, 320x5, 320x5, 320x5. Press: 45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 127.5x5, 127.5x5, 127.5x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 275x1, 310x5, 245x6, 245x5. Stretch: kick stretches; left leg cramped up, so stretching was hard.