Twice in the last month I’ve met MAs who don’t do any power training within their styles. This shocked me!
One was a ninjutsu student who came along one week and found our methods ‘interesting’. Another is shotokan who thinks our power training rocks and I’m pretty sure he’s going to switch. Also, the ninja didn’t do conditioning!
When the first guy told me, I laughed and when the second told me I started thinking wtf?!!?
This post is for you to re-assure me that you’re all training kungfu and developing approriate power and power-chains in class. I’d like to know whether it’s normal in other arts to ignore power training. How can it be?
By power training I mean training specifically to enhance the techniques’ power. Resistance training is a prime example from my mantis. Partners resist each others attempts to execute a technique.
Endurance training also. Standing in horse is power training.
The guys I spoke to learned how to hit but didn’t do any training to make the strikes stronger in execution etc etc. They didn’t do horse stance or anything. Both their teachers are around the 30yrs MA mark.
we have 2 heavy bags, but only 1 T bracket. So with the extra 70lb bag, Ive been putting it on my shoulders and standing in horse stance for as long as I can every day. 1 week and Im already seeing quite a bit of improvement in my horse stance…
There are certain number of martial arts which introduce power/resistance training very late in the phase of training. One is taiiquan and other is aikido.
Firstly, let me say that this does not mean they don’t train hard especially in hard style of these arts. In harder style of these soft/internal arts, push up and holding posture exercises are common.
On the other hand, resistance trainings are introduced at very late stage.
You probably have to be dan grade to have fully resisting partner in kokyu undo. In taijiquan, often, you start to do pushhand competitively only after you learned entire form and push hands form which takes about 1 year.
Martial Arts classes are typically only one hour long. Instructors need to teach the skills. It is then left to the student to add power behind the techniques/skills. This often leads to going to the gym and practicing on one’s own. Class can only go so far given the time constraints.
Training isn’t quite the same as it used to be back in the old days. Most of us simply can’t become full-time disciples and train 24/7, because we are either engaged to work or to school.
The following is my rough conception of contemporary training.
In the modern times, people tend join a school and train there around 2-3 times a week and 1-2 hours per session. These classes serve as a foundational training program where you either learn something new or receive criticism and improve/refine your skills under qualified instruction.
Most of your training will be done during your own time. You basically practice what you have learned. People who only train at their school aren’t practicing very efficiently. Of course, some people might have difficulties with their busy schedule and not be able to train on their own. Weightlifting is very important to gain power and you need to do this during your own time.
With the exception of vapours account of taiji and aikido, most of you have almost the opposite training method to me!
With the exception of pushups and some arcane methods, most our power development comes through partner training. For most students, that means in-class (it’s amazingly difficult to find mutually convenient times to train with anyone outside of class!).
In class, we work on power and sensitivity and learn a new method or two.
Outside of class, apart from mantis pushups etc, we concentrate on getting the techniques right through analysis and repetition.
Originally posted by Robinf Martial Arts classes are typically only one hour long. Instructors need to teach the skills. It is then left to the student to add power behind the techniques/skills. This often leads to going to the gym and practicing on one’s own. Class can only go so far given the time constraints.
she hit the nail on theh ead. When I was in longfist, class was 1.5 hours. we spend it sparring, drilling, learning new thing/receiving corrections, and forms work. Things like pushups, stance training and other caletchenics were done during the 15 - 20 min warmup. We were shown three star drills, iron palm, etc. but it was our own responsibility to do those on our own after class, or between classes (many of the intermediates and advanced would attend both the beginner and intermediate classes, which were on the same day, back to back. Adv. class was a different day)
with grappling, power just seems to come naturally. in muay thai, it’s also natural. bag and pad work is a necessary part of training. it’s that training that conditions the limbs, and develops striking power.
Do most people associate Power Training with weights? I’ve always been taught that power sets are there own thing. They have to do with generating power in the body. Here’s a link to an article on the Tan Ging Hay (sp?) from Southern Mantis. I don’t practice SPM, but I do like these exercises. I’ve seen power sets in Xing Yi, SPM, Baji, Taiji, and Bagua. I know that they MUST exist in other systems as well. They appear to be too wide spread no to. Thoughts?
I was pleasantly surprised to see a thread about power training here, hoping to see how other folks do it in their styles. The thread took off in an odd direction, though.
Also, Vapour said something about Taijiquan not introducing power training early on. I’ll have to respectfully disagree. Power training has been present in the Taijiquan (Chen style) I’ve practised almost from day one. Stance training is power training and in a way so is the form practise. You’re learning the power generation method of the system in them.
Personally, I think training in a style’s power generation method is the MOST important thing you can do with your practise. Without it, your martial art has no claws and teeth.
I’m not anti-weights, and not saying lifting weights doesn’t make you stronger. It sure as hell does. But not all systems of generating power are the same and there are other methods of training power.
I’m a big fan of weights Daredevil. I listed two exercises I do for grip strength on the forearm thread. When I think of “power training” though, I think of compress-release exercises; generating power in the spine, etc.
