I didn't know whether to put this here or in health and fitness, but the application is being used in mma so here it is. Recently I started back with doing weights, doing either 2 or 3 days a week along with my mma training. First couple of weeks they just made me feel drained but recently I have really started noticing a difference. As a quite weak (but quite fit) girly I have often found it just a complete struggle with stronger guys, even when I use good technique etc. However, the last week or so I have really noticed my strength starting to improve. I can finally actually use "some" strength to get out of a situation and to blast out and escape, or use my strength to push a little more. I must say it's starting to make a difference, in confidence too as I know I can fight more and fight harder . It's also making the weight sessions more worthwhile and I don't just go to the gym for the sake of it. That's it really. I'm planning on getting in the mma gym this weekend to start doing more conditioning stuff as I recently bought my bf Martin Rooneys Training for Warriors book. Just wanted others to share there "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah so that makes more sense now" or "cool, I actually feel I am improving at something" moments. I also just wanted to thank people like Frodocious and Cosmic and the health and fitness guys for their advice.
Really glad you're noticing a difference. When I was seriously weight training early last year, I had a couple of guys comment that I was strong for my size. Like you, I noticed a difference with the weights, having only recently got back to training after a fairly long break, I've seen a drop in my performance, most noticeble with things like my ability to bridge to escape. I know that I should be working on getting techniques perfect rather than relying on strength, but when you're under 5ft and fairly light every little thing that can give you an extra boost helps!
I need to start grunting more too like the men in there And on the mats too, I don't grunt enough!!! Frodo- I agree. I'm not as small as you, I'm the same size as a few guys I train with but even those guys seem to be a lot stronger than me. Maybe also it's me being more confident in general and getting more strength. I have alsways had strong legs but generally my upper body is crap. Been working on my core too and my bridging is definitely coming along too.
Been working on squats/deads/lunges one day then things like dips, lats and arms on the other day. Sometimes have to adjust depending on what ma session I have coming up later that day. Ie on Tuesdays (cept today as I injured my ribs last night) I do boxing at night so tend not to do my dips/lats etc at lunchtime as I have my hands up for 2 hours.
cheers, i'm interested as a PT more than anything how the function of something like BJJ/MMA cross with gym work ie muscles used, obviously the core is a must, legs for MMA, maybe back for BJJ? pulling & pushing?
Yeah definitely the core. I put some core work in when in the gym and we usually do some at training too in circuits etc. I do try and focus on pushing and pulling when working my arms as that's obviously really important when grappling and that's where I am noticing the difference most really.
I'm not too good at the grunting thing either! I'm the opposite to you, I've always had reasonable upper body strength but lousy leg strength. Even now my squats are crap (my deadlifts are coming back nicely though - I'm usually let down on these by my feebly, girly grip).
Try looking at some of the gymnastic training exercises as well. A lot of them require exceptional core strength (things like back and front levers) and the use of stabiliser muscles (a lot of static ring training work). I'm working on incorporating gymnastic stuff into my current strength routine. The downside is that it takes a lot longer to progress with some of the exercises than it would with traditional weight training.
I would put the statistics in the following order: Technique Cardio Experience Strength Strength is good to have especially when trying to improve your postion of "just bench" press someone off you but the trouble is when you expend strength you deplete cardio quicker, moves put on favoring technique expend less cardio. Then experience stops you using strength when you don't need to and it shows you when to apply it when it IS needed. Strenght is good but for grappling I would say its one of the weaker commodities. Positioning and leverage being part of technique in my view. It has its place (and I am a strong guy even for my size) but I still find that if I am technically correct in offence I am far more effective than man handling someone. Against beginers either option is good but experienced people strength just has is less pivitol role than the rest (still valid) but less pivitol. Naturally no fighter would want to be weaker that they are and all would want to be stronger, one thing I notice with weights is my punches get less powerful and fluid. (I use the punch ball machines and when doing a fair amount of high rep low weight work as its all I do). My shoulders are tighter and less fluid = less power.