Martial artists train with the philosophy that the martial arts are not about physical size and strength, but about speed, technique and body physics. There is no argument as to veracity of this philosophy. One should, however, consider this statement: All else being equal, the stronger person will win the fight. Many feel that strength and conditioning routines will make the martial artist slow and awkward. This was the belief of athletic coaches years ago. History has proven them wrong. In sports ranging from football to triathlons to competitive martial arts, the difference between victory and defeat is measured in the weight room. New Jersey state troopers have a sign hanging in there weight rooms: ‘The more you train in the gym, the less you bleed on the street.’ The kind of training is as important as the decision to train in the first place. The major mistake athletes make in the gym is the Frankenstein workout.

Frankenstein workouts refer to the training routines where the body is trained one muscle group at a time. A person may go into the gym saying they will train back or arms. Different days of the week may be designated as chest or leg days. If the muscles are expected to work together in the dojo or on the street, then they should train that way. Single joint movements should be eschewed in favor of multi-joint movements. Single joint movements are exercises where only one joint moves at a time. Examples of these are leg extensions and pectoral flyes. Those who train with single joint movement can have problems developing coordination. Multi-joint movements are those where more than one joint is moving. One example of this is the squat. Here, the hip, knee and ankle joints are moving at the same time. This more closely approximates the muscles working together in real life situations. The added benefit of multi-joint movements is an economy of time. One exercise can work several muscles at once, saving time in the gym. For example, someone can choose single joint exercises for quadriceps, hamstrings, gastrocnemous, adductor, abductor and erector spinea muscles. A barbell squat can replace all of those exercises and be completed in a fraction of the time. Exercise machines are to be considered in the same vein. Few can argue that exercise machines have their place. They are good for beginners, general fitness populations and those working around injuries. Machines, because of their guided movements, work fewer muscle groups. An example of this is the chest press. A machine chest press works the pectoral and triceps muscles. Using a free weight bench press also involves the shoulders to stabilize the bar. The lower body becomes involved because leg and abdominal muscles are worked in an isometric manner, stabilizing the upper body. Changing to dumbbell chest presses involves the serratus and intercostal muscles, and more closely mimics a punching movement. Kettlebell chest presses offer a greater challenge due to increased effort needed to stabilize the weight. Also remember that no strength and conditioning routine will replace good hard work in the dojo.

Many martial artists will find three to four days a week sufficient in the weight room. Choose multi joint exercises such as squat, benched, deadlifts, cleans, squats and standing presses using barbells, dumbbells or kettlebells. Limit workouts to 20-25 sets, not including lighter warm-up sets. Train hard, but not to failure. Follow these basic rules and you can make the difference between victory and defeat.

-Sensei Pat

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