Combat Sports/Training Discussion

Bigger Stronger Leaner
21

I prefer to land kicks with my shins as opposed to my foot. It’s hurts less with the foot, but shin kicks appear to be far more devastating. Obviously a teep or a front kick isn’t going to use shin… However with say… A roundhouse kick to the body I’d prefer for the lower part of my shin to come into contact with your ribs as opposed to the instep of my foot

Am I wrong for doing this? I used to make contact with the instep of my foot in karate, now with Muay Thai I’ve found kicking with my shin being the point that comes into contact with your body appears to allow for a more powerful/devastating kick.

Getting kicked in the body, or to the side of the thigh with shin (even if opponent is wearing shin guards) seems to hurt considerably more relative to a kick where the top of the foot comes into contact with my body.

If I’m kicking with my shins as the point of contact… Doesn’t that make shoes a moot point? You can’t train inside a dojo with shoes on, not sanitary; you’ll be asked to take the shoes off and/or you’ll be kicked out if you’re already aware of this yet walk onto the mats or into the ring (or cage) with shoes on anyway.

22

This is the correct way. Shins are deadly weapon and when you put them on a soft place it fucking hearts. I was kicked only once full power by my coach with a low kick on the quad (short story, he was bouncer in a club I got in a fight at and he saved my ass). I wasn’t able to walk that day and had hard time walking for a couple of weeks.

23

I used to watch it for seemingly hours per week. Never do now. Style matchup was my highpoint.

The wrestling component wears me down, even though l love to watch freestyle and Greco in their own competition. In fact, l enjoy most of the components in their own competition. Probably like Sanda the best as a combination sport.

Sorry my post is a bit off topic

24

You mean Sambo?

Combat Sambo is sick

Dambe is absolutely brutal, I don’t think wrestling is permitted in dambe anymore though.

25

@Andrewgen_Receptors

How much do you deadlift?

Different thread?

OHP?

Bench?

BiCeP cUrL?

Most important of all… How much can you forearm curl? (Jokes)

26

I dont do most lifts for weight, and i skip out on some powerlifts intentionally because they either interfere with hypertrophy training, or they fuck with my shoulders, but here’s what i got…

Deadlift (traditional): 495x3, I did 425 at 5x5 yesterday and can go up in weight a good amount - likely at least 455x5 (i’ll work closer to my PR as i recently had a breakthrough with squats and deads)
Squat: 405x3, also suspect to increase
Bench: 315 (presumed). I did 295x1 about a year ago and could have done more, but I didnt want to risk it. I almost tore my pec about 2.5 years ago (i heard popping mid-rep and was able to re-rack before too much damage was done). That being said, i incline press 225 for 5x5.

I dont really train OHP because it messes with my shoulders, but the most i remember doing was 205 i think? I do DB Press with 75’s or 80’s for 4x8 depending if i’m fresh when i hit it.

Curl is shit (i know you’re joking)
Forearm curl: at least 7lbs

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27

I’ve always had a disproportionately high DL relative to my squat. I can squat like what… 315 for one and I’ll struggle, but I can deadlift 405x8

My bench press is also shit, it’s like 270 for one. And that’s been the same for ages as I don’t like benching… It’s harsh on my shoulders… I tolerate ohp so long as I don’t go down all the way with each rep. If I do, it needs to be low volume… Like triples or sets of 5 at most.

OHP is also absolutely atrocious, like 15 lbs off my BW for a 1rm

Think I said it before, but I weigh 170; squatting nearly 500lbs is totally out of the question. As is benching 315… It’s just not going to happen unless I want to put on weight… Which I don’t, as it’ll make me less agile at this point.

I’m about as heavy as I can comfortably be whilst retaining a good degree of explosiveness and dexterity.

@BrickHead, it’s an @unreal24278 training thread. Would you like to join the conversation? You do quite a bit of cardio correct?

Favourite method of aerobic conditioning? Do you run? If so, do you time it or go for distance? What about anaerobic conditioning?

Do you employ sprints, jump rope, isometric holds on rings/pull-up bars?

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28

I should clarify that my OHP was probably 3x10 at 205… I really dont do much for powerlifts, but I focus on squats and deadlifts. Bench is only good to brag about, then hurt yourself on - I’ve transitioned away from flat bench entirely so now it’s either a low incline DB or regular BB incline. Everything else is too taxing on the shoulders and i’d rather factor in some direct shoulder work than burn them out on an overrated exercise.

I checked my FFMI up to 25% BF and its at 25.26 (adjusted) and 24.97 unadjusted… I’ve been doing this for about 10 years, but mostly i attribute these numbers to my genetic freak legs. I’ve got calves bigger than a lot of people’s thighs so :man_shrugging: and i don’t do much for calves.

A lot of people have disproportionate squats/deadlifts. nothing wrong with that. I just always prioritized these two lifts to trigger CNS response while working hypertrophy for everything else.

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29

Good god…

30

The one other exercise I’m somewhat proficient at is dips. I can crank out fifty or more of them in one set on parallel bars. Also fairly proficient with weighted dips.

I can also drop and do more than 100 pushups in one go, but that’s endurance; not strength.

Likely due to my stint with ring dips. Doubt I’d be very good at them now, but there was a point in time where I could crank out sets of 20 on the rings, after which I progressed to Bulgarian dips.

After that, dips on parallel bars become a cakewalk. However I’m nothing special from a gym strength perspective. The only lift that stands out is my deadlift, I attribute that to lifting from a young age and manual labour.

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31

Strongly recommend getting a plate belt then. Dips are phenominal tricep strength builders, if your shoulders are up to the task.

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32

I’ve purchased a plate belt

My shoulders can handle dips ironically. I have bad shoulders, but they’re extremely hypermobile. Benching with volume tends to aggravate things, dips are fine. There was a time when dips were the only chest exercise I could do.

For most, going deep on dips is a recipe for injury. Going deep on dips for me doesn’t hurt anything. Though I’ve got a bit of elbow tendonitis going on.

I like the dip machine at my gym. You can attach plates at the back, lean in and try blast the hell out of your chest. I’ll typically attach 120kg or so and do sets of 15-20 IF I have the time/energy to do so.

My weightlifting workouts are now used to supplement combat sports so I keep the volume low

Workout A
Deadlift (heavy) 1x10, 2x5
Squat (light) 5x10-12
Hip thrust machine 2x10
Some abs/maybe some hyperextensions

Workout B
Bench (heavy) 3x5
One chest assistance exercise (so perhaps dips or DB press) 3x8-12
Flies 2x25
OHP (light) 5x10
Rear delt raises 5x20
Lat exercises (8 sets total)

Workout C
Squat (heavy) 3x5
Speed deadlift (light) 5x10-12
Hyperextensions
Abz

Workout D
OHP (heavy) 3x5
Incline bench (light) 3x10
Db press 2x15 (light)
Rear delts 3x12
Lats 8 sets

I typically go through three letters per week… Sometimes all four. Occasionally only two. Also train combat sports at least 5x/wk and preferably 6-7x/wk. This routine is not conducive for gains at all… At best I can pray to maintain as my work also entails being on my feet all day.

33

was going to say… it sounds like you’re chasing weights without volume to support it. you can do both weight training and combat sports as long as you’re eating enough, but thats asking a lot of someone regardless.

I’d at least make getting all 4 a priority, albeit with increased volume. but my priorities are not the same as yours

34

The low volume allows me to (slowly) keep gaining strength and focus on fighting without burning myself out.

When I stop working (this Friday as I need to get everything ready before I leave the country) I’ll make sure I’m getting in all four on a weekly basis.

Combat sports is my primary interest, Muay Thai 3x/wk, western boxing (sometimes) 1x/wk (helps with defence/footwork), BJJ 1-2x/wk (typically twice, though sometimes it’s nogi) and freestyle wrestling 2x/wk

Grappling isn’t my priority, however it’s good to have a base “how can I avoid getting taken down” and “how can I take others down”. “If I hit the ground, how do I defend myself from there”.

For the untrained grappler, the fight is probably going to be over the second they hit the ground. It’s a vulnerable position, and if someone is wailing on you there isn’t much you can do… Unless you know BJJ, how to say
… Execute a triangle choke, keep someone off you by using your legs as levers, how to quickly transition from being on the ground to getting to mount. These techniques will be much easier to pull off if your opponent isn’t versed in grappling at all.

It’s not particularly advanced shit you’d need a high degree expertise to be able to pull off, 5 months of training grappling and I think I know juuuussssst enough to be able to do something against a totally untrained opponent if I went to the ground.

Knowing how to sprawl is fairly important if someone tries to take you down. Most without grappling experience struggle to execute takedowns and are very easily set off balance. It’ll be a shitty football style tackle to which one can shut down very quickly. So many opportunities, if you can execute a decent throw onto concrete I’ve been TOLD that’s a very quick showstopper.

I have a base in karate from when I was young, totalling 4-5 years of training (enough to get a brown belt). Grappling is very new to me, and thus I don’t need to practice striking that much as I’m already quite proficient with striking.

35

What, no Rex Kwon Do?
image
I did martial arts for a long time, unfortunately a lot of it was wasted because i was really young (still helped me STOP getting into fights though). but yea, if you hip throw someone - or even just start kicking, whoever you’re fighting quickly decides to do something else.

Grappling is for when you’ve failed to hit your opponent in the face hard enough, but it still helps if you really get into a scrap. That being said, those fights rarely happen when you dont go looking for them.

36

I am not an expert, but if you are training to fight this is really not going to supplement your fighting.

You can definitely have some heavy squatting, DL and Bench presses here and there but.
You will be better focused on more explosive and dynamic lifting.

for example jump squats instead of squats, box climb to squat (should transfer well to front kicks), even half squats would be more effective than some deep heavy squats
DLs should be turned to single leg rdls
more lunges - walking, side, back
lots of plyos like jump rope, pogo jumps and etc, heck even spending half an our on footwork technique
lots of isos for knee and ankle - you need strong ankles if you are to fight - that is your main stability and movement and defense/offence tool
lots of rotational core work - wood chops, russian twists
balancing core work - farmer walks, dead bugs, get ups
more olympic lifting and more rowing - you need a strong fucking back muscles to clinch well

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37

Grappling helps if you’re taken to the ground, also helps break grips if someone grabs you

But I tend to agree. Striking first, but grappling is always going to be an effective lifeline. If you’re good at striking, can’t grapple, your opponent is much bigger and tackles you… That’s game over.

I personally happen to believe Street fighting is juvenile unless we refer to standing up to a bully. However in the advent of self defence, martial arts is like kryptonite to a self professed hot head/street fighter

I’ve seen it unfold before. Jackasses/delinquents who are SO sure they’re just all that. Perhaps they’ve come out victorious in a few scraps against other untrained opponents by suprise punching while their opponent is talking or by wildly throwing haymakers

But an experienced martial artist is not only powerful, but agile. An untrained fighter for the most part isn’t going to be prepared to counter a strike, nor are they going to know how to deflect a devastating, quick kick to the ribs… Or a low kick to the thigh, or an upwards elbow strike to the head.

The funniest altercation I’ve seen was between a very large rugby player and an old wrestler buddy of mine in the states.

They were arguing, my friend was trying to back off re the situation when suddenly without warning rugby guy tries to tackle my friend… It took about ten seconds for my friend to have this guy pinned on the floor despite there being a 50-60lb weight gap between the two.

I don’t like legitimately fighting, but in the few unfortunate circumstances I’ve had to do so, similar scenarios have eventuated. One scenario I can outline was when I was a brown belt and still attending karate and I’d done a bit of boxing. Someone tried to throw a few wild haymakers at me, I quickly etched back, bobbed/weaved and threw ONE cross as hard as I could and the force behind it was somehow strong enough to knock the guy flat on his ass, game over… It was done.

I’m not saying you don’t have natural born killer, psychopathic subtypes who are just amazing, however I’ve found the vast, vast majority of people who are irrationally angry and try to throw down with people in effort to prove how tough they are… They can’t actually fight

They might be very aggressive, but they don’t have footwork, they don’t know how to block or counter attacks, they’ve probably never been kicked properly before. As you’ve specified, a well executed kick hurts… A lot … Like getting hit with a bat. Most are also easily tripped or set off balance

Getting started up again with combat sports, esp grappling has been incredibly humbling. I’d forgotten just how wide the gap was between an untrained individual and someone who knows how to grapple… Or strike for that matter

Last week at nogi ju jitsu I was sparring with someone who had just started. I’m not experienced enough to teach techniques (not even close). For the most part I let him practice, but when it came to sparring I tried a few things and it was like taking candy from a baby… I suck at BJJ, it takes 3-5 years just to become proficient… But against an untrained individual even from my absolute beginner level of expertise it’s no contest, it took me about twenty seconds to go from standing to executing a submission or a chokehold.

38

I can’t do oly lifts aside from power cleans and clean and press (not clean and jerk).

I do a lot of jump rope outside of gym. I’m not bad at it, but I’m not great either… I can do some cool tricks.

As to rowing, that constitutes around 6 out of the 8 sets I do for lats. The other two typically being the pullover machine… Also isometric holds on pull-up bar. I can also do muscle ups for explosive power, but I’m not a fan of them due to bad shoulders.

As to core work, as specified I sometimes do abs after squats/DL. That typically entails movements like Russian twists, cable wood chops etc.

39

I’m not devaluing the benefits of combat training, I just dont see it being needed in most situations. I haven’t been in a fight since I was in high school, and coincidentally I have also avoided bars and most clubs. I think most fights can be avoided with proper situational awareness and conduct, but in the few occasions they would be needed - it sure is nice to have a bag of tricks at your disposal.

My wife has told me about a few times in town where someone is being weird around her, or having some strange interaction that she feels uncomfortable in. I can say definitively that this has not happened while i’m by her side, and has never happened to me.

Studies also show that most criminals (9 out of 10) pick their victims based on their posture and demeanor - both of which can be changed. Again, I have nothing against combat training, i just dont have the interest in spending that much time training for something that is so unlikely to happen.

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40

I run for time, 30 to 40 minutes, three times per week. I jump rope to warm up for weights for 5 to 10 min. I never thought I could do them but I can now knock out some double-unders.

I was working on front-lever variations and planche and handstand progressions for months. Right now I’m not doing them as my time is constrained for working out. So I need to work out as efficiently as possible. Holds don’t build muscle.

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