Why does training one specific limb makes it much harder to exercise another unrelated limb later?

[7BallZ]

Inspired from a thread I found.

Exercises

Even though its about weightlifting and we're discussing martial arts in this website, I recognize what the OP states and can relate to some parallel experiences I had in training martial arts. For example how even though I simply practised kicks on a bag, I suddenly have a hard time practising punches in the air and could do less reps than my maximum. Or how despite simply doing a stretches I come out having a harder time jump roping (which utilizes different body parts even though they wear out the same limbs).

Why is this? I mean if you're doing pushups it shouldn't affect your legs to do a certain amount of kicks on a bag or it shouldn't affect how well you could practise clinching afterwards!

 

[kuniggety]

Two things: blood sugar and stability muscles. i think blood sugar is self explanatory. Most movements in martial arts are typically compound exercises and require activation of core muscle groups, stabilizer muscles, and the actual muscles being worked. If you're kicking properly, you're tightening your core and using the power in your hips and waist. When you're punching properly you're... Also tightening your core and using the power in your hips and waist.

 

[Tez3]

Intriguing...'unrelated limb', just how many limbs do you have and where are they if they aren't related?

 

[Dirty Dog]

Inspired from a thread I found.

Exercises

Even though its about weightlifting and we're discussing martial arts in this website, I recognize what the OP states and can relate to some parallel experiences I had in training martial arts. For example how even though I simply practised kicks on a bag, I suddenly have a hard time practising punches in the air and could do less reps than my maximum. Or how despite simply doing a stretches I come out having a harder time jump roping (which utilizes different body parts even though they wear out the same limbs).

Why is this? I mean if you're doing pushups it shouldn't affect your legs to do a certain amount of kicks on a bag or it shouldn't affect how well you could practise clinching afterwards!

You can do pushups without using your legs?
The short answer is that there ARE unrelated limbs. People go to extremes to try and isolate specific muscles, but it's just not possible to really do so.

 

[Koshiki]

You can do pushups without using your legs?
The short answer is that there ARE unrelated limbs. People go to extremes to try and isolate specific muscles, but it's just not possible to really do so.

Not to mention, push ups require a fair amount of core control. Just look at people new to exercise. The hardest thing is not to make them bend and straighten their arms, but get them to do it without poking their butt up in the air or letting their back droop.

In addition to the impracticality of truly trying to isolate a limb from another, the torso is pretty much always active.

What does a punch rely on in nearly every style from Taichi to Western Boxing to Taekwondo to Baguazhang? The hips and the core.

What does a kick rely on? The hips and core.

It then is unsurprising to find that kicking utilizing the core might influence utilizing the core in punching...

 

[Buka]

You're probably not in good enough shape, yet.

 

[Touch Of Death]

On the martial arts side of this, take it or leave it, you are better off teaching to the weak side, and having the student teach themselves the strong side. The thought being there are just too many bad habits ingrained in the mind of the beginner, and instructors just can't compete. LOL