Powerlifting for the martial arts?
I’ve been training people. I used to turn down requests for personal training and conditioning for sports, but I finally accepted one, and then another… So, for a few months, I have been playing with strategies.
My first “client” is a girl and her objective is esthetic: she wants to look fit, low bodyfat, cut, etc. I kept to the basics, but from the beginning I already introduced the three lifts: squat, bench press and deadlift. She has adjusted perfectly well to them and her strength sky rocketed.
Her boyfriend, to whom I have prescribing routines for a few months, is my lab rat. He is an experienced strength training practitioner and adjusts to almost anything. We have already gone through German Volume Training adapted routines and now I introduced functional training for the lifts – the lifts have been there since the beginning.
For about one month now I have also been training my daughter, Mel, who is a Kung-Fu practitioner. She has struggled with a chronic adductor injury and needs to recover, gain strength and prevent recurrence. With her, a “conventional” approach lasted only two weeks: she hated the machines, loved the free weights and WTF, it’s my daughter, I can experiment with her. So for a few weeks now she has only been doing functional training for the lifts – power and Olympic. I am still looking into functional training for the martial arts proper, but she enjoyed so much doing the lifts that I decided we will get better results this way.
Matt Gary has advocated the use of powerlifting lifts in general conditioning in “Powerlifting Towards Wellness” (http://www.marylandpowerlifting.com/page.asp?contentID=75) a very interesting article where he explores the advantages of multi-joint movements as opposed to prime-mover-isolated movements. After I read his article, I felt much more confident in prescribing the lifts for sports training and conditioning in general.
“Machines make good coat racks.”, Gary claims. I couldn’t agree more.
October 5, 2007 at 7:58 am
yeah there are very few machines I enjoy myself. I figure free weights train the stabalizing muscles much better and are closer to real world uses.
I do like the butterfly machine though, as it allows for good even load all the way through, as opposed to DB butterfly where all the load on the pecs is lost halfway through, and I like the assisted dips/chins because I can’t do them without, when I can I wont use it again ever. seated row also seems to be safer while losing little of the row movement, so thats ok too
August 12, 2008 at 9:11 am
excelelnt perspective!
ok, enjoy!
broward college kenpo karate club
www.bcckenpo.com