Muscle Types, Training, and Technique.

[Charles]

First lets take a look at the two types of muscles in the human body. Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch muscles. The prime difference between these two muscle sets is the nature of their use. Fast twitch muscles are used in high speed actions where slow twitch muscles are used to exert more resistance/pressure over a given area and time frame.

The question is which muscle type should you be building.

For a hard striker a combination of fast and slow twitch muscles are good but the focus should definitely be on fast twitch muscles. The reason for this is "Explosive power" used from the toes, feet, legs, all the way through the core and out the arms. Fast twitch muscles will provide greater impact, better damage, and shorter travel time for a punch when worked out well. An example of a fast twitch muscle exercise is quick, repetitive, bench presses using a low weight (1/4th your max single rep to 1/2 depending on your ability and between 10 and 20 reps per set), leg presses done at 1/4th to 1/2 max single rep, jumping jacks, jump rope, or other such exercises. In fact any exercise could be turned into a fast twitch exercise by lowering the intensity and increasing the speed. The trick is to make sure the muscles being worked out are muscles that WILL BE USED in the delivering of power.

For a grappler fast twitch muscles while important should take a back seat to strong slow twitch muscles. True a grappler will require fast twitch muscles along the arms for deliverance of power during ground striking, however during holds, submissions, repositioning, and jockying for position raw strength can make a greater difference in the fight. For this reason the grappler needs raw out and out lift, push, and pulling power along the arms, legs, and core equally developed. Fast twitch muscles will be used to close the distance, but slow twitch muscles will be the deciding factor. A grappler MUST CLOSE DISTANCE to be effective so they will need well rounded, yet powerful, fast twitch muscles along the legs also especially any part of the leg used in launching forward. However without that high slow twitch muscle strength a grappler could, and will eventually, be overpowered while on the ground.

The all around fighter will seek a balance between slow and fast twitch muscles focusing on a routine that enhances muscle endurance, strength, striking power, and physical ability. More over any WISE fighter will seek a certain level of flexibility in motion to provide them better movement along an area.

In the end while "Technique is everything" without the proper power to make use of that technique it quickly becomes a secondary issue. The perfect punch thrown with full body weight becomes ineffective if the striker is 110lbs and has no muscle capability. Likewise the perfect arm lock can be over powered before it is achieved if the grappler finds they can not even hold onto their opponent for lack of strength. The muscles trained should reflect the strengths and attitude of the fighter in question as well as the tactics they will employee in confrontation. A boxer building overly large muscles will find they have enhanced slow twitch fibers instead of the fast twitch muscle fibers needed. Likewise a grappler focusing solely on speed will find they lack the strength needed to overpower a stronger opponent.

Balance is a touchy subject in all of this because with balance brings options, yet with options brings inefficiency. A single punch and muscle set trained to perfection will always deliver more damage, impact faster, and retract more perfectly (assuming sound techniques using good body mechanics) than a plethora of angled punches relying on varied muscle and power issuance. It's the ever important trade off of "versatility for power" that we must be aware of in our training. For the more versatility we gain in some ways the more power we loose in others. The secrete then is to seek a versatility within a subset we feel comfortable with, and then enhance the other areas gradually as we focus on our primary area, only then can we achieve true capability.

All opinions and thoughts are welcome on this issue, these views are the views of, well, me and should not be construed as medical advice, or as professional advice. In other words, it's just my opinion. I won't even take offense if you disagree haha :sHa_hehe:

[RyuJin]

it's good to see that you addressed flexability in there...so many lifters ignore that...but it does no good to have strength and speed if you can't move properly to use it...i use multiple workouts along with a hybrid lifting routine that works pretty good for me...i use moderate to high weight and try to do as many reps as possible till exhaustion, i also use low weight and push till exhaustion...i modified some lifts to replicate striking movements and do "explosive" training...i also use a trick i learned from anime...wear 20lb weights on my wrists with 2lb weight gloves and hit the heavy bag....the added weight slows me down and since i try to maintain my natural speed it helps me improve speed once i remove the weight...not to mention the increase in power and body control...without body control i would of probably wrecked my elbows and shoulders long ago with that method.

[Charles]

The leg weights can be good, as for the hand weights it depends I'd think on how your issuing your power. If your issuing toes, knees, torso, shoulders, and then arms then most of your power should be coming from the toes, knees, and torso so the added weight could give a false positive increase in strength with the gloves on (like SAP gloves when used as a striking augment) at the same time extra weight on the hands will make it harder to keep guard up and make return time harder to maintain so I can see a benefit there.

[RyuJin]

the way i figure it...if i get use to functioning with that weight on a regular basis then without it i'll be faster(quicker), which is my main goal for it...i started that routine when i noticed from sparring that after prolonged sparring my guard and shoulders would gradually get lower and slower, i was watching dragonball z after hitting the heavy bag and the main character was using weighted clothing to increase speed, after some thought i figured that the theory was relatively sound so tried it out and after only a week saw great results...never stopped using it when i shadow spar or hit the heavy bag....

[Mindas Arran]

I've always been against using weights while punching, since the weight only adds resistance in a vertical plane instead of a horizontal plane. It will build your shoulders up some I'm sure, but doesn't engage the muscles used in the punching motion.

[Charles]

I'd ask how you issue power when your throwing your punches. Remember if your issuing power through something other than the arms your now effectively swinging a wrecking ball using the weights. I'm a big proponent of the weights for helping build stronger guards and quick return times on a punch but the out-put power and speed wouldn't be affected too much IMHO. On the other side of that it will build up endurance in the muscles overall just as a result of the stresses on the arms.

So the question isn't "weights or no weights" the question is "what am I gaining and what am I hoping to gain?".

[Mindas Arran]

Perhaps this will make more sense...

http://www.jediresourcecenter.org/vb/picture.php?albumid=4&pictureid=90

[Kitsu Tails]

... Looks painful on wrist/shoulders...and not a good pain either >_<

[RyuJin]

true there is downward resistance however this forces use of stabilizer muscles which will increase overall strength. there is a "wrecking ball" effect if you try to do circular punches and miss or linear punches without control and miss...the real results arent achieved while wearing the weights it's once you've become accustomed to the weight and remove them that you see results...as to pain...yes lots of pain if you start with too much weight, use improper technique, or miss...i started originally with 5lb weights and took things slow to assess my abilities and tolerances, gradually i built up speed then increased weight, now i use 20lb weights and i can function as if they weren't there, but it takes conscious effort to ensure that i don't injure myself or break things around me....technique wise i use a variety of strikes all of which originate from my "core" and which ever side is striking i pivot that whole side of my body with it...

[jdmcowan]

Charles, I don't agree with your analysis of slow twitch versus fast twitch fibres. Both fibres are capable of developing the same amount of force, but in a fight, fast twitch fibres have the advantage. Fast twitch fibres have two main features. One is that they contract very quickly and the other is that they tire very quickly (at least compared to slow twitch). The rapid contraction turns into rapid acceleration which when it hits you transfers it's energy very efficiently. Being hit by a slower hand with the same force may still push you back, but it won't hurt as much or do as much damage. Even a wrestler should prefer fast twitch fibres since he needs large, short bursts of strength. Slow twitch fibres would only help a wrestler if he has to hold his pins for minutes at a time. But since most fights of any kind are pretty short anyway, slow twich fibres only serve a supporting role for any fighter.

And I agree with Mindas about punching with weights. They are great for working out your shoulders and heart, but do almost nothing for punching power. Clap push-ups are probably your best workout for punching power. Punching with weights while lying on your back might do a good job of increasing your strength, though doesn't focus enough on the fast twitch fibres.

Jeremy