Additional Gym Work

To be honest, I think you'll get better answers to this on the fitness forum. I wouldn't get too caught up in the specifics of it being for martial arts. The main thing you'll have to figure out is how you're going to balance your strength training with your martial arts sessions, but this applies to anyone who is strength training in combination with their sports training.

The other thing you'll need to figure out is if you are training with the goal of improved performance or if you just want to get stronger. (Both are equally valid reasons as far as I'm concerned.) If you just want to get stronger, you might as well throw yourself into a strength training program. If you're looking at improved performance, then you need to look at what you really need to work on. You could be plenty strong at the moment, and would benefit much more from training on technique, endurance or whatever.

The strength programs I like are Starting Strength and WSFSB. Starting strength is a great starting program (well more like non-advanced) but it has you doing a lot of squats which is going to leave you feeling knackered for your other training. WSFSB is a bit harder to understand as it gives you loads of options, but it gives you scope to tailor it more to your needs.

Doug Cartel wrote: »

To be honest, I think you'll get better answers to this on the fitness forum. I wouldn't get too caught up in the specifics of it being for martial arts. The main thing you'll have to figure out is how you're going to balance your strength training with your martial arts sessions, but this applies to anyone who is strength training in combination with their sports training.

The other thing you'll need to figure out is if you are training with the goal of improved performance or if you just want to get stronger. (Both are equally valid reasons as far as I'm concerned.) If you just want to get stronger, you might as well throw yourself into a strength training program. If you're looking at improved performance, then you need to look at what you really need to work on. You could be plenty strong at the moment, and would benefit much more from training on technique, endurance or whatever.

The strength programs I like are Starting Strength and WSFSB. Starting strength is a great starting program (well more like non-advanced) but it has you doing a lot of squats which is going to leave you feeling knackered for your other training. WSFSB is a bit harder to understand as it gives you loads of options, but it gives you scope to tailor it more to your needs.

+ 1 to everything here. Saved me some typing Doug

I recommend 5x5 stronglifts or the Pit workout if you've got no weights at home. And practicing your 'sparring' face in the mirror is always good.

identify your weaknesses, immobilities, imbalances, and work from there.

not sure what martial art it is youre talking about, but a specific personalised routine is what youre looking for, not one of the mass marketed ones.

I know its not applicable but i do a lot of judo bjj and grappling and i can not speak highly enough of kettlebell workouts. Full body cardio and strength exercises and have really helped me in my ma training. For those interested i recommend Keith webbers extreme cardio kettlebell. Fantastic sets and my grappling strength has improved immensely as a result of kettle bells. More applicable for grapplers but even strikers could get a vicious workout with a light kettlebell

bjj - yoga. DO IT

You dont need to do a class, plenty of beginners stuff on youtube. not ideal bit better than nothing.