LOWER BODY STRENGTH TRAINING

brown belt · Post by **brown belt** » Jun 23, 2004 21:26

Maybe some of you guys can help me, I have only Ton's book and I'm kind of confused problaby because I can't read English very well [I'm from Brazil].I'd love if some of you could share with me some of yours own experience, I'm talking about weigth training especially,sequency and sets of exercise. I apreciety any help. Sorry about my poor

writting.

Kit · Post by **Kit** » Jun 24, 2004 21:59

read the articles by Tom Kurz on this page:

http://www.stadion.com/column.html

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Jun 26, 2004 02:03

Thank you for the advise.It seems that I'm farway to be able to start doing the isometrics stretchs,I know for factor that it migth take long time for me be able to lift that much weight on squats and deadlifts.Did you guys really have lift all this much before start the isometrics?What about all those people that apears on the pictures saying that they reached the full splits in months or even weeks?

Post by **Thomas Kurz** » Jun 26, 2004 18:00

Those were (are) active athletes in overall good shape so they could use this method of stretching right away.

mmeloon · Post by **mmeloon** » Jun 28, 2004 18:28

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the advise.It seems that I'm farway to be able to start doing the isometrics stretchs,I know for factor that it migth take long time for me be able to lift that much weight on squats and deadlifts.Did you guys really have lift all this much before start the isometrics?

This is simply my own personal opinion but I think that improving one's leg strength through heavy squats and deadlifts do much more for one's fighting ability than extraordinary flexibility. Sure it looks impressive to be able to throw a high side kick or roundhouse, but if you don't have the strength to make it a knockdown technique then it's all for show. Worse, a high, weak kick can make you extremely vulnerable whether it's a tournament fight or a street fight. If your opponent blocks your kick -- or catches it! -- effortlessly because it's so weak, you're going to be in a very bad position.

That's not to say that someone who squats less than, say, 225 pounds is incapable of throwing effective kicks. But I think weight training gives you an awful lot of bang for your buck. If your kicks get powerful enough that you can break someone's floating ribs, then you probably won't need the flexibility to throw head-high kicks with no warmup.

Again, this is just my opinion. The best thing to do is work on improving your strength, flexibility, technique and endurance (not in that order, of course).

-Mark

brown belt · Post by **brown belt** » Jun 28, 2004 18:50

Thanks for reply my message.But I'm not concerned in make my kicks stronger I'm jiu-jitsu figther, my goal is achive as fast as i can the sides splits,because I've tried so many times before and failed because I had no idea how to do,now I know all the rigth tecnics to use, I guess the best thing to do is start strength my body using the beginers exercice that Tom recommends,like crunches and good mornings.

UKfightfreak · Post by **UKfightfreak** » Jul 01, 2004 14:47

brown belt wrote:Thanks for reply my message.But I'm not concerned in make my kicks stronger I'm jiu-jitsu figther, my goal is achive as fast as i can the sides splits,because I've tried so many times before and failed because I had no idea how to do,now I know all the rigth tecnics to use, I guess the best thing to do is start strength my body using the beginers exercice that Tom recommends,like crunches and good mornings.

If you need to be convinced about strenth for speed - look at a 100 meter sprinter, they are strong and powerful. This is the same with Kicking.

Also (from experience not just reading) weak legs, back and stomach could also lead to injury. As since starting a rational weights routine to strenthen my legs and trunk I have not been injured once, whereas before I was pulling muscles and getting aches and pains regularly.

mmeloon · Post by **mmeloon** » Jul 02, 2004 01:42

brown belt wrote:Thanks for reply my message.But I'm not concerned in make my kicks stronger I'm jiu-jitsu figther, my goal is achive as fast as i can the sides splits,because I've tried so many times before and failed because I had no idea how to do,now I know all the rigth tecnics to use, I guess the best thing to do is start strength my body using the beginers exercice that Tom recommends,like crunches and good mornings.

I admit that I don't know anything about jiu-jitsu but I would think that, if anything, lower body strength would be even more important to a grappler than a striker.

I think the best thing to do is to progress in the sequence that Mr. Kurz has outlined in his writings. I think that trying to skip a few steps might end up backfiring (in the form of injuries).

Good luck,
-Mark