Alternating body building and martial arts

Gitonga

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Quick question, i want to do bodybuilding but i also want to do martial arts, theres a martial arts gym that offers classes every day that alternate between boxing and grappling, normally i work out monday to friday targeting different muscle groups each day so i was wondering should i do one week of gym and one week of martial arts or two weeks of gym and then two weeks of martial arts in terms of alternating because i know the martial arts sessions will be mainly cardio intensive, please answer thank you
 

_Simon_

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G'day and welcome!

When I was pretty obsessively into bodybuilding and also trained martial arts, I would usually try to separate the days as best as I could. Eg if your martial arts stuff is on Mondays and Fridays something like:

M martial arts
T weights
W rest
T weights
F martial arts
S weights
S rest

Or if your weight training is more days alter accordingly. The most I did in a week was 4 days weights, then found 3 days was enough, nowadays I weight train 2 days a week, but priorities have shifted more to martial arts and mobility work.

I honestly would not alternate weeks of either MA or bodybuilding, it's not optimal at all for either. Incorporate them into the one week, or do away with the traidiotnal 7 day week, even think in terms of 10 day cycles.

Otherwise what drop bear suggested is also good, and I did it that way for a period of time, although it was very taxing for me personally, so make sure recovery is prioritised. Active rest/mobility days and some good recovery will be really important, don't forget that ;).

And EAT alot haha.
 

SahBumNimRush

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I strength train (powerlifting/strongman/olympic hybrid-periodized program) MWF, Taekwondo MTTH. I need naps, but I feel they both compliment one another as far as fitness goes.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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This is body building training - muscle group isolation.

weight_pulley5.jpg


This is MA training - body unification.

weight_pulley4.jpg


I have never seen any body builder does this kind of training. It doesn't build big muscle, but it enhance the core strength.

 

dvcochran

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I just had this conversation with my old S&C trainer. I used to train (including S&C, and MA's/sparring) 4-5 hour/day, 6 days/week. Plus I worked a 40 hour/week job (3rd shift). On top of this some of the circuit tournaments were a two day trips. Plus we were full time farming (as a family), I was teaching TKD, and was recently married.
Not sure it was fully healthy but I truly loved it. Far and away the best shape of my life; and include when I was in college football and wrestling.

Man, how I would love to be able to keep up with that pace now-a-days.
My hours are cumulative hours now are not all that different but not nearly as physical.
 

Steve

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Bodybuilding with competition in mind or for functional strength? Because competitive body builders have some wacky muscular imbalances that result from overdeveloping some muscle groups and underdeveloping others. Competitive bodybuilding is an aesthetic sport, which means you're pursuing an ideal physique based on looks, not on performance. And also why the world's strongest man competitions rarely include people with a wafer thin waist and chiseled, six pack abs.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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Bodybuilding with competition in mind or for functional strength? Because competitive body builders have some wacky muscular imbalances that result from overdeveloping some muscle groups and underdeveloping others. Competitive bodybuilding is an aesthetic sport, which means you're pursuing an ideal physique based on looks, not on performance. And also why the world's strongest man competitions rarely include people with a wafer thin waist and chiseled, six pack abs.
Agree! The function strength development may not develop the best looking muscle.

When you push a car (such as a MA application), you want to use your whole body to push. You will not freeze your body and only push with your arms.

When I worked out in my 24 hours gym and used my whole body to pull the weight pulley, the gym instructors said I was wrong. I didn't want to argue with them. They didn't pay me to teach them the MA knowledge. I also didn't care about their body building method.

I find out that for a person who trains MA and a person who trains body building, it's like a chicken talks to a duck.
 
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O'Malley

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Agree! The function strength development may not develop the best looking muscle.

When you push a car (such as a MA application), you want to use your whole body to push. You will not freeze your body and only push with your arms.

When I worked out in my 24 hours gym and used my whole body to pull the weight pulley, the gym instructors said I was wrong. I didn't want to argue with them. They didn't pay me to teach them the MA knowledge. I also didn't care about their body building method.

I find out that for a person who trains MA and a person who trains body building, it's like a chicken talks to a duck.
I'm stealing this expression.
 

O'Malley

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Quick question, i want to do bodybuilding but i also want to do martial arts, theres a martial arts gym that offers classes every day that alternate between boxing and grappling, normally i work out monday to friday targeting different muscle groups each day so i was wondering should i do one week of gym and one week of martial arts or two weeks of gym and then two weeks of martial arts in terms of alternating because i know the martial arts sessions will be mainly cardio intensive, please answer thank you
If your goal is to look in shape, then showing up at boxing and grappling classes will be enough. You'll get the body of a grappler/boxer.

If you want to become very big, you might want to supplement with weight training but that might mess with your body usage (typically you'll have a hard time keeping relaxed shoulders when punching/grappling). If you choose to go that way I recommend doing specific exercises to relax your shoulders every morning + after weight training sessions.
 

Gerry Seymour

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This is body building training - muscle group isolation.

View attachment 27446

This is MA training - body unification.

View attachment 27447

I have never seen any body builder does this kind of training. It doesn't build big muscle, but it enhance the core strength.

Those aren't necessarily in conflict. Even with actual bodybuilding (as opposed to strength training), the MA work will supplement it nicely, reducing some of the worst weaknesses (bodybuilders sometimes ignore muscles that don't "show" well). If the OP is referring to strength training, there's no real conflict, at all. Even if isolation is used in some cases, it's usually to focus on a particular weakness.

Less-isolated strength exercises of any sort should benefit MA training.
 

Steve

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Those aren't necessarily in conflict. Even with actual bodybuilding (as opposed to strength training), the MA work will supplement it nicely, reducing some of the worst weaknesses (bodybuilders sometimes ignore muscles that don't "show" well). If the OP is referring to strength training, there's no real conflict, at all. Even if isolation is used in some cases, it's usually to focus on a particular weakness.

Less-isolated strength exercises of any sort should benefit MA training.
Could be in conflict if you really want to excel in competitive bodybuilding, and actively don’t want to develop some muscle groups. Active neglect vs passive neglect. It’s like when guys skip leg day on purpose because they are pursuing the triangular look of a jacked upper body and scrawny legs. Not saying it’s healthy. But it is a thing. :)
 

Yokozuna514

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Welcome to the forum. Like in most instances, it depends on what you are trying to accomplish doing both. They don't necessarily have to be in conflict but if you are trying to excel at either (e.g.: to become a champion) then the demands of both will require you to decide which path to take.

As an older athlete in my 50's I do both on alternate days. I do fitness classes on alternate days to my karate schedule and I find that the training of both help compliment each other. The fitness classes consist of a fair bit of weight training but I am not interested in competing in weight or fitness competitions. The classes are meant to improve my overall fitness level so that I can be a better martial artist.

Figure out what you are trying to accomplish by doing both and I'm sure you will get a lot of good feedback from this site. There are a lot of knowledgeable people with many years of training that can give you good advice.

Good luck
 

Gerry Seymour

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Could be in conflict if you really want to excel in competitive bodybuilding, and actively don’t want to develop some muscle groups. Active neglect vs passive neglect. It’s like when guys skip leg day on purpose because they are pursuing the triangular look of a jacked upper body and scrawny legs. Not saying it’s healthy. But it is a thing. :)
Agreed. That's why I said they weren't necessarily in conflict.
 

O'Malley

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Those aren't necessarily in conflict. Even with actual bodybuilding (as opposed to strength training), the MA work will supplement it nicely, reducing some of the worst weaknesses (bodybuilders sometimes ignore muscles that don't "show" well). If the OP is referring to strength training, there's no real conflict, at all. Even if isolation is used in some cases, it's usually to focus on a particular weakness.

Less-isolated strength exercises of any sort should benefit MA training.

Also depends on what type of MA you train. It's beneficial for most people (and is almost mandatory for styles like judo, wrestling, etc.) but, personally, my very minimal bodyweight training still messes up with my Daito ryu aikijujutsu.
 

Gerry Seymour

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Also depends on what type of MA you train. It's beneficial for most people (and is almost mandatory for styles like judo, wrestling, etc.) but, personally, my very minimal bodyweight training still messes up with my Daito ryu aikijujutsu.
Interesting. I saw some issues with folks not learning to control properly (not the right connection to body movement, etc.) when they started with enough strength to easily muscle a technique. But I never saw a negative impact when someone added strength training. I do think the NGA development of aiki is probably not on par with what happens in Daito-ryu, so that may be part of the difference.

The one bodybuilder I trained with mostly had flexibility and ROM issues.
 

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