martial arts and gymnastics

B

Benny

0
i was wondering if any of you has been doing gymnastics or have any previous experience

i have been wondering if gymnastics compliments each other
gymnastics emphasises power, strength, flexibility and since its consists of full body coordination( working as one unit)
can this be good for a martial artist

what could be the pros and cons

also I've heard a lot about incline press which replicates a punching motion better than a bench press

so considering that there is perfect punching technique can doing an incline press increase your punching power to some degree
 
i guess incline can increese your punch, but remember.. a punch is generated from the hips;) maybe go to a cable station, put a cable in you hand and just punch, with the hip movement and all?
 
Gymnastics is good stuff. And a punch is the only thing that replicates a punch...if you want to get better at striking, then strike more.
 
@Karky
so you are saying to train the whole body rather than concentrate on one part

also what are the specific exercises usefull to develop a good punch with explosive power.(excluding plyometrics)
is there anything i can do with bodyweight exercises since i dont have access to weights right now

also Evo lot of punching is good but wouldnt it be better to also train the muscles for overall development
but youre still right punches develop with more punches
i ve noticed my punches get better and faster with more practice
 
well like i said, its just what i think, im no expert and i have never tried it myself.. i just think it sounds logical if you want to improve the power that you add some resistance and punch and by using the full punching technique you get to work the muscles used, both in your arms and when moving the hips;) and dont make it heavy and slow, add some resistance and punch as fast as you can so you develoup power.

but again, i dont know about this, its just my little theory:p
 
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Hey Benny,

I had to do some research to increase my own punching power and speed over a year ago. The reason incline bench presses work better for punching is because it involves using your shoulder muscles more than a regular bench press. Its suprising how little the chest is involve when throwing a punch.

A good thing to do is to work on you core muscles, especially you obliques. If you have access to a swimming pool you can throw punches under water.(The Best in my opinion)
If not, you can get some resistance bands. They are very affordable. Secure one end and grab the other end with your hand and begin throwing punches.

Karky and evo are both right. If you want to get better at something then keep practicing it, and make sure your punches are fast and explosive. (Just warm yourself up first before going full blast)
 
yeah, the resistance bands would be pretty simular to the cable thing i was suggesting, and punching underwater.. never thought of that..
 
I was a gymnast for 13 years and perhaps am a little biased but I believe it is one of the best sports for both strength, coordination and body awareness.

I don't know your age nor what type of training facilities they have for gymnastics in your area. But gymnastics is like martial arts. You must dedicate time to gain the benefits of the sport. I used to train 4 hours every night Monday to Friday.

So I guess, I would benefit martial arts....you won't be doing any "double backs" or anything but increased coordination and balance...yes.
 
Executing gymnastics routines and whatnot will help develop your mindeset similar to the mindset needed for effective combat (having no mind). Gymnastics will, as said, improve balance, coordination, and strength. I would just do it because gymnastics makes men into pimps.
 
"A good thing to do is to work on you core muscles, especially you obliques. If you have access to a swimming pool you can throw punches under water.(The Best in my opinion)
If not, you can get some resistance bands. They are very affordable. Secure one end and grab the other end with your hand and begin throwing punches."

by rikstevens424

that should be called proprioceptive training for speed of punches
but i have heard these could be detrimental to punching power or speed since the force is applied against the direction of the band which is backwards

the same goes for punching with dumbbells where you're hitting against gravity

the best drills i have so read about is the medicinal ball workout where you throw the ball in diff ways
since this does not involve any deceleration and is in the direction of the punch it seem ideal for developing power and speed.

@ Physiquedocteur

what can you expect from a typical gymnastics class for a beginner
also i am right now 20 years; do you think i can still train for gymnastics

i have some friends who are into hip hop and dance stuff; cross training into gymnastics

so i was really wondering what it would be like!! :) :)

also what should i look for in a good class
thanks a lot
 
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i've always wanted to do the handstands and all those chalenging bodyweight exercises seem really exciting

one more question
the overhead press or military press
i wondering if this exercise is also similar to the punch
since it involves a similar mechanism
many seem to apply it too punching power

also i had read this articles about the training the posterior chains(muscles of the back, glutes, hams etc) being usefull for speed in sprinting and track athletes. does this apply to speed in martial arts too

I want to train my rear delts(i feel they are weak and affecting my punches)
are there any effective bodyweight exercises to train the delts
how about push ups between bars
any other good exercises
:) :) :)
 
with military press you work the shoulders and triceps, which are used alot in a punch. so if you keep your body totally still and punch then mil press is probobly great:p but if you do propper punching technique, i think you should practice with the move of the hips aswell.
 
Benny....a beginner gymnastic class will start you off with forward rolls, cartwheels, handstands, backward rolls....it usually will only involve the floor so if you have dreams of doing vault or the bars you might not get to do it.

At 20 you can absolutely train for gymnastics however like I said before you won't be an olympic athlete ;) Many dancers take it so they can learn a back handspring for auditions etc. Depending on your strength you may pick up on it quickly.

Remember that it is not only strength but flexibility. Total body flexibility. For example a cartwheel. You must be flexible in your adductors or you will pull your groin which hurts like hell! Back handsprings require flexibility of your abdominals and back.

So I say go for it. After your first class you will have a new found respect for gymnasts and all we go through. :)
 
how do i know whether a gymnastic class is good enough

what do i look for in good class

also regarding the back hand springs i heard its dangerous to do it on a hard floor or concrete
i not sure whether the back flips or the hand springs

what i dont understand is whats the point in learning it if you cant use it around
:)
 
well you probobly learn something else from it, like co ordination and stuff like that ;) you know.. you "practice" bench press but how often do you come in a situation you can do exactly that? you dont:p but u can come in a situation when u have to use the same muscles you work ;)
 
Benny. Obviously its dangerous to do back handsprings on concrete or hardwood floors. But people do this anyways. If you are certain what you are doing and have been doing gymnastics for years, do a back handspring on concrete is not as "crazy".

I live in NYC and see these Harlem kids doing back flips all over the streets. They have no fear and its absolutely insane if you ask me!

A good class is based on the coaches and facility. You want a real gymnastics center that will have the spring floor. This is opposed to mats ust "thrown" on the floor. Also you want coaches with a serious gymnastics background. They need to be able to spot you properly to ensure your safety. Also the class needs to be designed on proper progressions. Meaning if you can't do a bridge, there is no way you can get the proper layout for a back handspring so you wouldn't train on those till you get a bridge. Gymnastics is based on progression.

Does that makes sense? You'll probably learn to do handstands for a long time because if you do not have the strength to hold yourself in a handstand how will you be strong enough to hold your self in a back hanspring, cartwheel etc.

Any other questions???

Thanks for your respect LeiYunFat :)
 
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