Training For Martial Arts 101

Keep reading and I’ll share with you the most important things you need to know about training for martial arts …

Specifically, I’ll talk about what it takes to be a better fighter, what you can do in your own training (outside of the dojo/dojang/training hall) that will enhance your effectiveness as a martial artist.

Why Train For Martial Arts?

Technique training — becoming proficient at your actual martial art is the first thing you should focus on and your primary objective in training. Do this by training as perfectly as possible, as often as possible while staying as fresh as possible.

But what happens when you put two fighters of similar skill levels together? The one with the superior strength & conditioning will win — hands down.

(Actually, a mentally stronger fighter can usually win as well in this situation, even if he’s out-classed when it comes to strength & conditioning — but often the two go hand in hand!)

So it’s of the utmost importance to get additional training in if you wanna win.

What’s Qualities Should You Train

I’d categorize Martial Arts training into three basic categories, the broad stroaks that make up an effective Martial Arts training program:

• Building Strength — because it’s the basis of all other physical skills …
• Building Speed & Explosiveness — because you need to be able to display that strength explosively and turn it into what’s called “power” and …
• Building Endurance -- you need to be able to continually display that strength and explosiveness without suffering any lapse in technique over a long period of time!

Strength Training For Martial Arts …

Should focus on strengthening your whole body. And because you’re hopefully focusing primarily on your technique based training — you need to get the best “Bang for your buck” when it comes to building strength.

Don’t waste your time doing wrist curls when Heavy Deadlifts will build your grip. Don’t waste another breath doing bicep curls when you can do pullups, etc.

Focus on the big movements where you’ll hit many multiple joints & Strengthen them all. Something like my DoubleYourGains 3-5 program on the “strength only” version — low sets and reps with heavier weights (like 3 sets x 3 reps  or 2 sets x 5 reps– above 80% 1RM (1 Rep max) max in general.

You want to focus on making your muscles stronger by getting them to “Fire” harder — you’re training the nervous system so you can gain strength without gaining bodyweight (so you can stay in your current weight class). Gaining weight should be done intelligently, not just eating a crap ton more and looking like a fat BJ Penn VS GSP

Speed & Explosiveness Training for Martial Arts

Are both on the same side of the coin. To be explosive you must first train to be strong, then you can translate that strength into explosive strength.

You can focus again on full body, explosive exercises like the Power Clean with a barbell. Or depth jumps (plyometrics applied smartly and after you can squat 2x bodyweight).

Also, Kettlebell training is great for training explosiveness because the snatch and clean and jerk with the kettlebell is a much easier movement to learn than the snatch/C&J with the barbell … which is good for fighter because … you have enough technique/skill based training to learn/do — you don’t need to learn another thing.

All explosive training comes down to overloading the muscles and trying to move your body or the resistance in an explosive manner.

Endurance Training For Martial Arts

Is much different than what most people would think of as “endurance” training. There are two main types of endurance training – aerobic & anaerobic — you as a fighter are all anaerobic.

Let me repeat: you are not a marathon runner, so don’t train like one. When was the last time you “paced” yourself through a fight? Never! You explode all out on your opponent for a couple seconds and then the pace slows down then it picks back up again when you two go at it once more.

So stop running 3 miles, etc. Instead focus on the intelligent use of  Interval Training. Tabata training works well — as well as hill sprints and other forms of sprint work. High rep Kettlebell work can give you a double “bang for your buck” because you can build explosiveness and the ability to endure at the same time.

As you get closer to a competition date — you can switch from more general endurance training (running sprints, intervals, kettlebells) to more specific endurance training (kicking paddles for intervals, heavy bag training for intervals, etc).

Hope this little article helps you because those are the three basic “Broad Strokes” of what’s important for you to focus on as a martial artist in your training.