Would it be helpful to go through forms and techniques, slowly, using arm and leg weights?!?!?!
The arm and leg weights I’m referring too are like weighted bands that you wrap around your wrists and ankles. Not sure what the proper name for them is.
Also what benefits would this have if it was safe and recommended?
Thanks in advance for any advice or help!
Ankle weights work allright for building basic size. I’ve used them before but they just didn’t do it for me. Calf raises are effective for definition but I dont know what ma you do, and building mass on the legs is going to effect your movement.
Thanks for the reply sapphire tygre!
I do Hung Gar Kung Fu. I was looking to build up strength in the arms and legs and speed for movement also. My idea was that the arm and leg weights would help with resistance whilst practicing forms. Do you think that would work?!?!?!
Originally posted by sapphire tygre
Ankle weights work allright for building basic size.
Uh… no, I don’t think so.
Calf raises are effective for definition
Definition is not a function of specific exercises performed. In other words, you don’t get “Definition” from performing particular exercises.
ATAC said:
Would it be helpful to go through forms and techniques, slowly, using arm and leg weights?!?!?!
It depends on your goals. The thing is that if you are adding weight and then performing techniques, the weight is kind of like increasing gravity; in other words, you have all this extra weight pulling down on you. So, say you throw a punch with more weight on your arm. This will stress the front deltoids more than an unweighted punch because the front deltoids are the muscle responsible for holding your arm out in front of you. If you think this will benefit your fighting then go ahead and do it. It’s not equivalent to punching against more resistance, however.
The arm and leg weights I’m referring too are like weighted bands that you wrap around your wrists and ankles. Not sure what the proper name for them is.
There’s a problem with doing punches and kicks with weight on your ankles and wrists, if you do them fast. If the weight is too great, it can damage your knees (kicks) and elbows (punches). The force of the weight will be increased by executing the punch with speed. Think of like a morning star with a heavy ball on the end of a chain… it generates so much more force at the end of the chain when you swing it… the weight is doing the same thing to your arms and legs. Make sense?
Also what benefits would this have if it was safe and recommended?
I wouldn’t do it. There’s other ways to develop explosiveness or whatever you are going for.
IronFist
Thanks Ironfist.
What are other exercises that would help increase explosiveness or speed for form work? I practice forms daily but was just wondering if there is more that I can do to improve!
Thanks again. 
What are other exercises that would help increase explosiveness or speed for form work? I practice forms daily but was just wondering if there is more that I can do to improve!
Here are two. Due to the load placed on the body, don’t try these until you can bench at least 150% of your bodyweight and squat at least 150% of your bodyweight.
Explosive pushups. Same as normal pushups, except when you’re coming up, push up as hard as you can so that your hands come off the floor. These are like the “clapping pushups” that some people do, except don’t clap. If you’re clapping and you mistime it, you might land on the edge or your hand or something and that could cause injury. Just explode up and then land normally and go into another pushups. Do these in sets of 5 at the beginning of your workout. Only do a couple sets and give yourself a few minutes of rest after each one. Explosive training is only beneficial if you do it when you’re completely fresh.
Explosive squats. Like regular Hindu squats, except after you go down, you come up and jump as high as you can. Make sure you’re being even (same amount of weight on each leg). Same set and rep protocol as the pushups above. Do these when you’re fresh.
That’s pretty much it for explosive stuff. If your school has any other speed punching drills or anything incorporate those, too.
Good luck,
IronFist
Oh yeah, I don’t think you’re supposed to do explosive (plyometric) stuff very often. Like maybe twice a week or something. It doesn’t always feel like it, but it’s pretty demanding on the body.
IronFist
Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it.
i remember there was a big thread about kicking with ankle weights strapped on a while back. It was mostly just sevenstar and myself discussing it. I dont remember what it was called though.
Anyways I’ve found that training with weights builds speed … it doesnt really build muscle mass (from my experience). Also too much will cause irrepairable damage to your knees over time so I tend to cycle on and off of that type of training. I only do weighted kicks three times a week, for no more than 2 months. After all, once your body gets used to the weight, you will stop benefitting from the training. So the only choice u have is to either increase the weight strapped on your legs or to do more kicking reps (increasing the risk of injury in both cases).
But it is a nice boost in your training especially if you have a big tournament coming up or something. I train like that maybe once a year. It is preferrable to do the kicks on a heavy bag, as snapping the kicks out in the air (with no target) will cause a lot more stress on the knee and the retracting muscles/ tendons and all that good stuff when u go to stop your kick and pull the leg back. Also weighted kicking with no heavy bag to stop the momentum greatly increases the risk of hyper-extending the knee (or elbow, sometimes), which can happen even when there are no weights involved.
To get similar resistance training with your techniques, with less risk of injury, I would recommend a rip cord. Century is one company that makes them. You can make one yourself fairly easily. It’s basically a long, elastic type (bungie) cord that you strap on the ankle or wrist (or whatever), and strap the other side to a stationary post (door knob, wooden beam, have partner hold it, etc.). Do your kicks and punches and it provides resistance through the whole motion but will not (as in weighted kicks) have a momentum that you have to stop with your retracting muscles and cause stress on the tendons/ligaments in the joint. Personally I get bored with that type of training as you have to stand in one spot the whole time, but it is effective. Maybe look up some info on it.
Ngor Sup Cents and 1 ho leng Penny
ATAC
"Would it be helpful to go through forms and techniques, slowly, using arm and leg weights?!?!?! "
Yes it would be helpful, but may i ask what is your goal in practicing wrist and ankle weights? Depending your goals, these tools may help but it may not. I do not know your goals so me just telling you things will not help.
“The arm and leg weights I’m referring too are like weighted bands that you wrap around your wrists and ankles. Not sure what the proper name for them is.”
I got your picture and reading them clearly.
“Also what benefits would this have if it was safe and recommended?”
The benefits of this tool is generally geared toward those who have specific issues of strength and injuries. It is often used in physical therapy and sport rehab. It is rarely used as a strength and conditioing program of elite advance martial artists program unless they are going to an injury prevention or rehab program. Depending on your level of ability, strength, and/or injuries may increase localize joint strength and mobility and flexibility.
Is it safe? Well if you understand your purpose and goal using this tool and training correctly, it may be safe. The only possible dangers are joint instability, pulled muscles, and development of gross movement or poor biomotor skills. I wouldn’t advise doing ballistic movements because you might increase liagment flexibility which is not wise because too much liagment flexibility means lack of joint stability. You liagments are fairly more flexible than your muscles, so increasing their flexibility might not be wise and the risk of them of being over stretch out weigh the benefits. Plus you might pull or over stretch some muscles like your psoas muscles or worst.
I hope this helps.
Any kind of weight on your body will increase mass. If you’re not totally sure about what your goal is then proceed with caution. Are you trying to get bigger? Lose weight? You need to know these things before using ankle weights. The only arm use with these is when I combined them with dumbells. The ankle weights increased stability a little, but… be careful.
Originally posted by sapphire tygre
Any kind of weight on your body will increase mass.
I’ll start, and somebody else can finish:
If that were true, then…
… carrying that backpack back in high school should have made me as hyoooge as sevenstar?
We’re talking about different things here. And the backpack thing, that all depends on your diet, how much the backpack weighed… Anybody who hikes with aheavy pack knows it’s going to increase their muscle size.
apparently unknowingly, you just backed up what abobo was trying to get at.
You’re right. If He’s wearing 1/2 pound ankle weights they may not increase size.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
IronFist
Lifting weights makes you huge :rolleyes:
That’s why we have 130lb Olympic lifters that can DL 500+lbs, right? They must not lift weights then cuz they’re not huge.
:rolleyes:
IronFist
Are you pretty big, ironfist?
nah, Iron’s a little guy. Puny ectomorph. 