Balancing MA and Workouts

Training Powerlifting, Strength Sports
1

I am going to start MA training again this week after about a year or so lay off.

I have just got back from vactation, during which I did not workout; so I am a healed up, and well rested.

I plan to train Wing Chun (classes) on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun. And do heavy bag, and personal MA workouts on Tues, and Thurs nights.

The last workout I completed was CW’s strength Focused Meso, and I was toying with the idea of doing a version of CW’s TTT.

Basically my idea was to perform day one (6x3) of TTT to the letter, and then replace some of the day two (2x24) exercises with KB work (high rep snatches, and Cleans). I was thinking of not performing day 3 due to the fact that I do a lot of balistic work in my personal trainning (jumping, and trowing etc.)

Any comments, opinions?

thanks,
K

2

I think you have the right idea. 2 workouts a week is probably good enough since you are doing all the other stuff. I would consider doing both workouts as maximal strength workouts though, since you are getting lots of edurance and power work from the other workouts. One thing I noticed in years of martial arts is that people in general aren’t strong enough. Strength can’t replace technique but it sure makes a difference. I would concentrate on getting as strong as possible( especially relative strength) and let the rest take care of itself. Just my 2 cents.

3

Thanks Brads, never really looked at it that way, but know that I put some thought to it, what you said makes a lot of sense.

4

I was going to start a thread along these lines myself.

I’ve been training in Muay Thai, and I’m kind of wondering how to balance the dojo with the gym.

I find it’s extremely difficult to do martial arts when you’re sore from lifting. The day after I do a few sets of dips, the last thing I want to do is be throwing crosses and jabs.

What should I do? I can suck up the pain and just do it anyway, but I don’t know how optimal that would be for learning/sparring.

5

I train Muay Thai at least 5x per week, and lift 3x per week. As long as I maintain a proper diet and get enough sleep my body feels fine.

6

[quote]hotjosh74 wrote:
I train Muay Thai at least 5x per week, and lift 3x per week. As long as I maintain a proper diet and get enough sleep my body feels fine. [/quote]

Hotjosh74 what type of training method (in the gym) do you follow? Upper/lower split , full body?

7

[quote]Kitsune wrote:

Hotjosh74 what type of training method (in the gym) do you follow? Upper/lower split , full body?
[/quote]

Mon-Chest, Tris, Neck
Wed-Legs & Shoulders (light leg workout)
Fri-Back, Biceps, Abs

I tryed full body workouts, but they were just so taxing on my body.
My practices are usually Mon-Sat for Muay Thai and I atttend at least 5x per week.

8

[quote]hotjosh74 wrote:
Kitsune wrote:

Hotjosh74 what type of training method (in the gym) do you follow? Upper/lower split , full body?

Mon-Chest, Tris, Neck
Wed-Legs & Shoulders (light leg workout)
Fri-Back, Biceps, Abs

I tryed full body workouts, but they were just so taxing on my body.
My practices are usually Mon-Sat for Muay Thai and I atttend at least 5x per week.

[/quote]

Thats a lot of M.T. training. How do your training sessions usually unfold, and do you cycle the heavy bag work / sparring? Also, what supplements, if any do u use?

Cheers

Greyhawk

9

[quote]hotjosh74 wrote:
Kitsune wrote:

Hotjosh74 what type of training method (in the gym) do you follow? Upper/lower split , full body?

Mon-Chest, Tris, Neck
Wed-Legs & Shoulders (light leg workout)
Fri-Back, Biceps, Abs

I tryed full body workouts, but they were just so taxing on my body.
My practices are usually Mon-Sat for Muay Thai and I atttend at least 5x per week.

[/quote]

Thats a lot of M.T. training. How do your training sessions usually unfold, and do you cycle the heavy bag work / sparring? Also, what supplements, if any do u use?

Cheers

Greyhawk

10

Thats a lot of M.T. training. How do your training sessions usually unfold, and do you cycle the heavy bag work / sparring? Also, what supplements, if any do u use?

Cheers

Greyhawk
[/quote]

Mon and Tue practices are only an hour long. Not including stretching and warming up (jump rope) usually. We start off w/a round or two of shadow boxing. Then heavy bags for about two rounds. And From here Thai pads then hand mitts for about three rounds each.
Different techniques are tossed in w/the pad work.

Wed-Sat
Same as above for an hour and then we spar for as long as we can. Usually I go about 5-6 rounds of sparring take a breather and come back for as many rounds as I can depending on the intensity.

11

Personally, I have always found that when training a lot in martial arts its best to go really heavy with low volume. For me, there is very little soreness from this. Volume and high reps seems to make me sore, not the amount of weight I lift. The truth is though, if you are training constantly in your sport, lifting will have to take a backseat unless you are really young. Also, if your art involves grappling at all, that is resistance training as well. Nobody I have met in the arts is as strong pound for pound as wrestlers(including Judoka, Sambo, whatever). So that might help to decide how much lifting to do. And I wouldn’t waste my time with isolation exercises(except for gripwork) if you don’t have much time. Hope this helps.

12

Brad,

I’ve noticed the same thing with training in the MA. VERY heavy and low volume. Pavel’s Power to the People program with 2 x 5 deads and two sets of a type of pressing movement are great. The result: stronger in my striking ability and actually faster!

Nick

13

noticed the same thing as well.
i followed the training protocol of this danish strong man george something or other.7 sets of threes for each exercise.did not get sore but i do think it slowed me down a bit.
i’ve started training again.i’m doing mt and boxing 4-5 days a week.once i get somewhat back in shape,i’m going to lift this way again only this time i’m going to alternate strength wo and speed/ex. wo.

josh,do you frequent the ax kickboxing website?

14

[quote]havoc501 wrote:
josh,do you frequent the ax kickboxing website?[/quote]

Never checked it out Havoc. But i’ll definetly look it up. I agree w/Brad and Nick on the heavier lifts w/lower
reps. Depending on the workout i’m doing usually 3x5 or 3x8.

15

josh,
there is a fighter from i believe cali. named josh on ax,thought you might be him.

who do you train with?lots of good gyms in cali.

16

[quote]Kitsune wrote:
I am going to start MA training again this week after about a year or so lay off.

I have just got back from vactation, during which I did not workout; so I am a healed up, and well rested.

I plan to train Wing Chun (classes) on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun. And do heavy bag, and personal MA workouts on Tues, and Thurs nights.

The last workout I completed was CW’s strength Focused Meso, and I was toying with the idea of doing a version of CW’s TTT.

Basically my idea was to perform day one (6x3) of TTT to the letter, and then replace some of the day two (2x24) exercises with KB work (high rep snatches, and Cleans). I was thinking of not performing day 3 due to the fact that I do a lot of balistic work in my personal trainning (jumping, and trowing etc.)

Any comments, opinions?

thanks,
K [/quote]

IS this your first time doing wing chun? That’s the only question. As far as your workouts, your ideas look good. I do not know what your personal workouts are going to be, but it looks like you mention jumping and other ballistic movements. I’d do those twice a week. Mainly because you might not be doing anything as “hardcore” as that in WC training. After your resistance training you may want to either have WC class that day/evening or do some walk-paced technique training. Not just to get reps in but to keep your speed up as far as your techniques like the chain punches, stepping, and pivoting. No doubt that your personal workouts and your weight work will help your explosive starts when you learn or do bridging techniques. Just try not to emphasize strength during training. Learn to “empty your cup”, even the weights work. It may be hard to “hide” the fact that you train with weights, and classmates or your sifu or sihings will tell you that you are using too much muscle and strength. They may also tell you that the best way to train with weights would be to do light weights with plenty of reps, somewhere around 100. Sometimes the best weight workout for wing chun is usually a weight training program used for boxing. Same muscles needed in boxing apply to wing chun, hands down (no pun intended).

I’ve been learning wing chun for almost 10 yrs now, and while I’ve done the many good workouts on t-nation, I’ve had to technique work after workouts to maintain the ROM for the techniques and the quick, relaxed nature of the techniques. Also the techniques after a workout are a good rehab/prehab for the shoulders.

17

chubs108,

Thanks for the advice. This is my first time training in WC (although I have trained in other styles in the past) I really like this idea of a post wieght session practice as not just a form of skills reenfocement, but as a form of re/prehab. I will be incorperating something along these lines into my program for sure.

K

18

[quote]havoc501 wrote:
josh,
there is a fighter from i believe cali. named josh on ax,thought you might be him.

who do you train with?lots of good gyms in cali.[/quote]

I train at UMA in Concord, CA.
George Tsutsui is my instructor. He’s
one of the best in the area. And a cool
ass instructor.

19

ok.got some of georges fights on tape.

tough guy.

20

Thanks for the website Havoc.
Didn’t know they had anything like that on the net.