Martial arts existing with other athletic hobbies

[Clinton Shaffer]

Does anyone here do more than martial arts? If not, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but, for those of you who do, how do you do it? I, for example, am a bodybuilder but I’m beginning to get back into MA and I’m wondering the best way to make the two coexist. I don’t want to sacrifice one for the other. I know this may seem to have an obvious solution but both MA and bodybuilding can run deep in practice and there’s much more beneath the surface when attempting to mix them. Do any of you folks out there have any thoughts on this?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

If you look at this thread, you'll see a bunch of us have been arguing about something very similar to this for probably about 100 posts.
Curious about the differences in judo\jjj and bjj.

Link is to the page where that part of the convo really started.

By sacrificing though, do you mean how can you split your time between them, or are you worried that bodybuilding will have a negative impact on MA and vice versa?

 

[Flying Crane]

Sure, why not? You just need to realistically asses how much time you have available, including recovery time, and how much you can realistically endure in the long-term. Then divide that time as you see fit. Just recognize that your growth in all of your activities will not be as great as it would be if you were focused exclusively on one. But if you are satisfied with that, if you are not striving to be at an elite level, then there is no problem. The vast majority of people never come anywhere close to elite level in any athletic endeavor and yet can be quite skilled anyways. So I see no problem, for myself I am very comfortable with it. My athletics are for myself, not to impress others or be a competitor. I do them because I enjoy them, and they do enhance each other.

 

[jobo]

Does anyone here do more than martial arts? If not, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but, for those of you who do, how do you do it? I, for example, am a bodybuilder but I’m beginning to get back into MA and I’m wondering the best way to make the two coexist. I don’t want to sacrifice one for the other. I know this may seem to have an obvious solution but both MA and bodybuilding can run deep in practice and there’s much more beneath the surface when attempting to mix them. Do any of you folks out there have any thoughts on this?

they co exist perfectly well, just look as it as physical conditioning between classes, or do ma on your rest days,, it amounts to the same thing the extra strengh and conditioning will only help your ma

 

[Buka]

I have found that training in Martial Arts improves any other sport or physical activity that a person does.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You can do 3 miles running and 2000 punches at the same time. Who said that running can only give you a good lung and skinny legs. You can develop your punching skill at the same time.

 

[Flying Crane]

Sure, why not? You just need to realistically asses how much time you have available, including recovery time, and how much you can realistically endure in the long-term. Then divide that time as you see fit. Just recognize that your growth in all of your activities will not be as great as it would be if you were focused exclusively on one. But if you are satisfied with that, if you are not striving to be at an elite level, then there is no problem. The vast majority of people never come anywhere close to elite level in any athletic endeavor and yet can be quite skilled anyways. So I see no problem, for myself I am very comfortable with it. My athletics are for myself, not to impress others or be a competitor. I do them because I enjoy them, and they do enhance each other.

I just realized I wrote “asses” where I meant to write “assess”.

Ah well..

 

[Steve]

Had a friend who was a competitive bodybuilder and based on what he said, winning is less about functional strength than sculpting an ideal shape. Low body fat, the smallest stomach, overdeveloping some muscles and underdeveloping others. There's a reason that the world's strongest men look more like giant Pugs than Greyhounds.

 

[Clinton Shaffer]

If you look at this thread, you'll see a bunch of us have been arguing about something very similar to this for probably about 100 posts.
Curious about the differences in judo\jjj and bjj.

Link is to the page where that part of the convo really started.

By sacrificing though, do you mean how can you split your time between them, or are you worried that bodybuilding will have a negative impact on MA and vice versa?

That is correct, yes.

 

[Clinton Shaffer]

Had a friend who was a competitive bodybuilder and based on what he said, winning is less about functional strength than sculpting an ideal shape. Low body fat, the smallest stomach, overdeveloping some muscles and underdeveloping others. There's a reason that the world's strongest men look more like giant Pugs than Greyhounds.

Your friend was right. In fact, it isn’t about strength at all. When athletes have muscular development, that development is secondary to training conducted in the pursuit of their sport. In the case of bodybuilding, all the physical training they do is to build bigger muscles. Utility of muscle is of no value to a bodybuilder. Take that for whatever you each deem it worth.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

That is correct, yes.

I asked an either or. Are you trying to figure out how to split time, or are you worried about a negative impact? My response will be different depending on each, and why you think that issue will/does exist.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Joe Lewis was a champion amateur body builder before he got stationed in Okinawa as a Marine and studied Shorinryu. It didn't seem to hold back his MA development at all. Whatever strength his weightlifting gave him was put to good use in his sparring.

 

[_Simon_]

Hey we meet again

I have/had a similar background. Was heavy into bodybuilding before properly starting martial arts. Nope no conflict whatsoever. But it depends how serious your BBing is, if you're competing you'll have to factor in all your rest and recovery, dietary requirements, and balancing all your training.

I never competed in BBing, but at max was weightlifting 3-4 days a week with 2 days martial arts (preparing for gradings and tournaments I ramped up frequency of MA training, and decreased weights). Nowadays I still weight lift, but no way near as serious about it and gaining muscle mass, so I weight train 2-3 times a week and MA about 3-4 days a week.

To me there isn't a clashing but you really do have to factor in recovery. And VERY important, something I did NOT do haha... make sure that if you're weightlifting a great deal, prioritise flexibility and mobility as well. I was never educated as to this and have quite a few tight spots and inflexibilities.

And contrary to the myth, weightlifting is NOT bad for your martial arts, but ensuring you keep balanced in your mobility and flexibility is important, something I'm addressing as task #1 nowadays haha.

Oh and I rollerblade too but sort of infrequently now, really helped the legs and gives em great stamina

So nowadays my exact schedule pretty much is:

M weights + mobility work/'bulletproofing'
T karate
W REST + knee rehab
T weights + mobility work/'bulletproofing'
F karate
S REST + knee rehab
S karate

(Also do pelvic/abdominal 'rehab' everyday, and usually do some sort of whole body mobility/massage work daily too if I can fit it in!)

 

[_Simon_]

I am also trying to transition into having some sort of MA practice every day, but the logistics still need figuring out XD.

It wouldn't be intense training every day, but alternating between different aspects (few more intense, some really relaxed and flowy, agility/footwork, hojo undo, kata etc)

 

[CB Jones]

I have found that training in Martial Arts improves any other sport or physical activity that a person does.

I think training karate was a big part of Jacob's success at other sports (baseball and basketball).

From 4 years old to 10 years old all he did was karate. At 8 years olds he was training karate 5 nights a week and 3 hours a night.

When he started playing other sports he was able to pick them up quick because he understood the importance of technique and mechanics. Also training karate he already had good balance, body control, and explosiveness.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Does anyone here do more than martial arts? If not, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but, for those of you who do, how do you do it? I, for example, am a bodybuilder but I’m beginning to get back into MA and I’m wondering the best way to make the two coexist. I don’t want to sacrifice one for the other. I know this may seem to have an obvious solution but both MA and bodybuilding can run deep in practice and there’s much more beneath the surface when attempting to mix them. Do any of you folks out there have any thoughts on this?

wait!? there are hobbies OTHER than martial arts!!!!!

Why not, one can only enhance the other if done correctly.

 

[KenpoMaster805]

Its good to train both Ma and body building your like 2 in 1 you can be a body builder and be in MA.

 

[geezer]

I just realized I wrote “asses” where I meant to write “assess”...

Interesting. Wonder why that word gets blocked in the three-letter singular form but not the plural?

 

[jobo]

Interesting. Wonder why that word gets blocked in the three-letter singular form but not the plural?

coz the plural of *** is also ***

 

[yak sao]

I just realized I wrote “asses” where I meant to write “assess”.

Ah well..

I just thought you had a chip on your shoulder