weight training and martial arts

[TallAdam85]

Hello
I just want to know how people feel about weight training in martial arts. I have seen in some books that they say it is good to go and weight train and in other books it says not to cause the time at the gym could be time spent training. How do you feel about that.

If you do train do you train for power or speed?

lets hear it people :asian:

[TallAdam85]

I have been going to the gym lately i have been mostly swiming and doing kicks in the pool. But when I do use weights I use low weights and do alot of like drills like 25 reps of 25 pounds.
I also am taking it light cause I am still growing.

[DAC..florida]

Weight training is good to the martial artist if done right.
Train with low weight and high reps this will give you strength without the mass. I t is important for a martial artist to be strong fast and flexible, if you use weights to bulk up you will lose flexabilty and speed if you get to big.
Personally i do not use weights i get all the strength and work out i need just doing handstand push ups, regular nuckle push ups, running, swimming, squats and some ab toners like crunches or sit ups. :asian:

[redfang]

Weight training is an integral part of my overall training, as is aerobic conditioning. Power and speed are very closely related. (Power = speed x mass). Though wanting to increase power is not the same as wanting to increase bulk. Most of the time, weight training will not decrease flexibility, especially if you have a good, regular stretching routine.

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by DAC..florida
Weight training is good to the martial artist if done right.
Train with low weight and high reps this will give you strength without the mass. I t is important for a martial artist to be strong fast and flexible, if you use weights to bulk up you will lose flexabilty and speed if you get to big.
Personally i do not use weights i get all the strength and work out i need just doing handstand push ups, regular nuckle push ups, running, swimming, squats and some ab toners like crunches or sit ups. :asian:
That's wrong. That will give you endurance, not strength.

Middle Amount of Reps (8-12) with moderate weight is for mass

Low reps (1-4) with high weight is for strength

And no, you can't be "too" big. Too big is if you surpass your genetic limit through steroids. Everyone has a genetic limit, and that limit usually won't affect speed or flexibility. People usually lose flexibility because they stop stretching most of the time all together. Have you ever even met a IFBB bodybuilder? They're the steroid heads, yet many can do the splits. Flexibility helps the gear heads to get bigger.

But anyway, most of you can't possibly be bulky enough to lose speed. Done right, you can improve speed a lot of the times.