Strength & Specificity for Martial Arts Training

[Cross_Trainer]

I have a somewhat involved question for you guys on setting up an MA conditioning program. I have a solid knowledge of sports training and conditioning, but there's something that I've been wanting to clear up for a while, and hoped you could help me with. It will take a little while to get through, so I appreciate your patience. It's based on two premises that I've found, which are:

1. Sports endurance is primarily sports-specific. Therefore, in order to train sports-specific endurance, it is best to perform movements closely resembling the activity. Presumably, the best way to train "skill-endurance" (ability to perform MA skills when tired) would be repetition of the technique over and over again even after you get tired. To balance this out it would be necessary to practice frequently when NOT tired in order to keep technique where it should be.

2. Technical skills are best acquired through a mixture of drills and sparring.

3. Speed-Strength (power) in sports comes from fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are developed using powerlifting protocols (very heavy weights, 1-5 reps). Therefore, a powerlifter has greater POTENTIAL for explosive strength even if his actual weightlifting speed is slow. The best way for muscles to fire quickly, on the other hand, is to use explosive lifts (generally olympic, but would also include many kettlebell lifts if you use heavier weights)

4. Another excellent method of gaining functional strength is training to lift irregular, unwieldy objects (as in "strongman" training), with some endurance component attached.

THEREFORE...

Is it correct to assume that one of the optimal ways of getting the correct training for martial arts would consist of (obviously not all at the same time):

1) High Weight/Low Reps powerlifting methods for pure strength development (including the three powerlifts--deadlift, squat, bench---plus a few more to round it out, i.e. bent over rows, possibly bent press, and a few others)

2) Ballistic/explosive speed-strength development through olympic lifts plus the kettlebell lifts (only using weights that you can only do a few times, for power rather than endurance)

3) Lifting of irregular objects with some endurance component for functional strength("strongman" training)

4) sparring, drills, and repetition of techniques over and over again for a combination of endurance and technical skills.

Note: would have to be periodized one way or another, possibly running along westside principles

The most important part of this question hinges upon whether simply repeating the skill(s) over and over is the most efficient way (or a fairly efficient way) to train specific endurance. (for instance, sparring a lot of rounds really frequently) compared to other training methods (like sprinting, running, etc.)

Thank you for your time.

[fangshi]

in my experience it is best to have a well rounded and complete program .

One that incorporates running both anaerobic and aerobic . Strength training , plyometrics , conditioning and skill training .

Lifting heavy is great for strength building but I shy away from trying to keep up with bodybuiders as they have far different goals . I like to really focus on skill training (everything from basic techniques to drills and sparring ) and use the other components as a compliment to building and bettering those skills .

Edited June 25, 2005 by fangshi

[Bleeding Lion]

^^^^^^^

what he said.