The goal of martial artists should be to lift weights for athletic gains in the same way that a professional athlete weight trains. By lifting weights, a martial artist is building a strong muscular and physical base, in order to perform technique more efficiently and in the most optimal way.
Why is strength training important for karate?
Resistance training helps your body build and strengthen muscles. Your muscles give you the ability to do work and be active, so building and strengthening muscles is essential for any activity, especially self-defence training.
Seven Essential Strength And Conditioning Exercises For Martial Arts
- Pull-ups. Pull-ups help build upper body strength by developing the muscles in your upper back.
- Push-ups.
- Thrusters.
- Overhead Presses.
- Deadlifts.
- Squats With A Barbell.
- Burpees.
Do you need strength for karate?
Physical training is essential for karate. A weak body cannot sustain high-level karate practice for long. The old masters knew the importance of strength training. For example, you should NOT follow a standard bodybuilding program.
Muscle?
Karate will not build muscle. It will make you stronger via training your central nervous system to better and more efficiently move around – but this is not the same thing as building muscle. Students of martial arts can increase muscle mass and help them become more toned overall.
Does Kata build muscle?
No — this isn’t the purpose of kata. They are mainly for practising form and technique. When performed properly, kata will stretch you very nicely throughout your body. Because they are often performed under relaxed tension — and sometimes under great tension — they can maintain muscle tone.
If anyone needs assistance in their weight training, please feel free to approach me and we can write out a program. John Ross Shihan