Confusion often surrounds the topic of strength training for the martial arts.

It is an area that has been plagued by archaic training myths for many years –often to the detriment of many aspiring fighters.

Although many fighters today understand the importance of strength training, martial arts (often having training methods based on tradition and not reason) often teaches antiquated methods of strength development.

Sports Science – especially in the area of strength training has evolved at an incredible rate but despite the advances seen across the board in mainstream sports, martial arts has been slow to accept change and until recently placed little emphasis on this element of sports preparation.

This article is an East meets West approach to conditioning the martial arts fighter – the marrying of tradition with science to produce a modern day gladiator ready to survive in the competitive arena of sports fighting equipped with the ultimate weapons of destruction – STRENGTH and POWER!

Strength Training
Building Strength and Power

"…A wise builder…dug down deep…laid a foundation on solid rock."
Mathew 7:24-27

There is an irony when it comes to strength training for athletes: the objective is NOT increased strength per se, but improved athletic performance – training the fighter to BE the part not just look the part.
According to Tudor Bompa, former Romanian strength and conditioning coach, to condition a fighter to BE the part, your training approach must address the Biomotor abilities for that sport.

Sports’ fighting is a Biomotor Co-dependence of:

• Power
• Strength
• Speed
• Endurance
• Agility
• Balance
• Co-ordination
• Flexibility

‘The development of any athlete is metaphorically like the construction of a wheel, with each spoke representing a set of skills. To maximize results, each of these skills needs to be carefully developed’. Coach John Davies.

Paul Chek, a leading authority in strength and conditioning, talks about the importance of rating a fighters Biomotor profile as a valuable tool to not only qualify the fighter for training; but also as a strategic weapon that can be used as a comparative tool against an opponent.

To develop the Biomotor abilities of strength and power to match a fighter’s profile – methods used must subscribe to the training mantra of ‘form and function’.

To achieve this I have put together a series of exercises that is a culmination of approaches integrating both scientific and ‘in the trenches’ knowledge with traditional concepts and mediums.

Warning!

The battle hardening exercises demonstrated in these articles are not intended for the weak! This is the real deal, no holds barred approach to strength and power development for the modern day warrior.  The training is INTENSE and designed for one purpose – to prepare you for war.

"When I fight, it’s 100% of my spirit, energy, and life. I’ll just as soon die out there." –Frank Shamrock

Next Issue – Training with CRITICAL MASS™

To train a fighter to survive in the competitive arena, we need an approach that reflects the relentless, violent nature of the sport and that will develop a mental toughness and ‘warrior mindset’.

Dinosaur training – lifting non-conforming objects as a medium for developing strength and power is a punishing way to achieve this.

Enter the new secret weapon of Dinosaur Training –CRITICAL MASS™.

CRITICAL MASS™ –endorsed by Paul Chek and Geoff  Todd of ‘Fight Times,’ is a new innovation in Dinosaur training that taps into the ‘warrior mindset’ and develops strength and power to a level of unstoppable force.

The exercises in the next issue are brutal and will challenge both your physical and mental fortitude – but stick with it and remember:

"Winners never quit and Quitters never win’ –Ali

References:

• Bompa T, Periodisation: Theory and Methodology of Training 4th Edition, Human Kinetics, 1999.
• Chek P, Advanced Program Design Correspondence Course, 1997-1999, Chek Institute.   www.hqh.com