weight lifting for fighters?

**Sledge** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 1:19am

Is weight lifting good for fighters? I am training to fight in full contact kickboxing and have heard that lifting can hinder your fighting making you slower, and tighter. Is it a good idea or not? I currently spar 3 days a week, work the pads and bags, run, jump rope, and do push ups, ab stuff etc. I want to get ready to fight in about 4 months. Any insight to training/conditioning would be appreciated.

**Prince Vlad** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 5:32am

Weight lifting is indeed advised to help with strength, conditioning and explosive core development. Check out http://www.fightauthority.com/ for loads specific info and workouts tailored to various sports.

**yli** · Posted On: 5/14/2011 9:29am

Lifting does not make you slower or tighter, especially if you work on speed and flexibility as well in between (which you do as a fighter). Read this: http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-myths-debunked/

**LI GUY 1** · Posted On: 5/15/2011 12:01am

Lifting makes you faster. Lift heavy weights. Get stronger. Win.
The stronger you are the harder you can hit and the more abuse and punishment you can take. Thats a good thing.

**LI GUY 1** · Posted On: 5/15/2011 12:04am

God damnit, you see two guys, you have to fight one of them.

If you were at a club and hit on a jacked up monster's gf and pissed him off, you'd crap your pants.
If you were at a club and hit on a yoga marathon runner type, you'd laugh and take his girl.

Stronger bigger is better.

**battusai** · Posted On: 5/15/2011 12:16am

Will calisthenics do the same (make me stronger, without slowing me down)? Sorry for the noobity.

**Uglybugly** · Posted On: 5/15/2011 7:37am

It is very important that you figure out what you want to achieve. A fighter needs more than just big biceps. You need the right mixture of strength, speed and endurance.
This might be a good time to google Randy Couture.

One advice I will give: Do compound exercises. Compound exercises is when you lift with 2 or more joints. This will give you better results and take less time. Examples of compound exercises is: squat, deadlift, chin ups, military press, benchpress, dips. Google it and check this thread out http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...=106130&page=2

That's my program. It is a pure strength program.. 5 reps. I am gonna get a problem with endurance later because of the low rep range. 5 reps is to give me starting strength which I can build on.

It is better to train very little but correct than to train alot but incorrect. Make sure you have a goal. Make sure you lift correct. This is very important if you want to avoid injuries. Make sure that you rest between each training because your body builds while your resting not while your lifting.

You should definitely talk to people around you that can help you achieve your goals. Your coach, your local weight trainer, other martial art authorities in your area maybe? Maybe you even have somebody in your area that knows alot about sports.. what kind of muscles your sports needs etc. You can find alot with a google search too but be careful because there is so much bullshit online.. it is much easier to get god advice from a person you can see because it is easier to evaluate his advice in real life.

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 5/15/2011 10:04am

Originally Posted by battusai

Will calisthenics do the same (make me stronger, without slowing me down)? Sorry for the noobity.

Speed is mainly a result knowing what to do, and having the explosive strength to physically move yourself when do whatever it is you do. You're not going to build much explosive strength with callisthenics - it is possible, but a good weights program would get you there quicker.

**chiangmaiwolf** · Posted On: 5/16/2011 5:09am

When I was fighting years ago we were told not to lift weights as it would make you musclebound, as you say. In fact I did lift weights and although I was bigger and stronger I was very tight and stiff, so I went back to pushups and sit ups and found them to be much better, but this is because I was going about it wrong way. I used heavy weights and low reps and not a full range of motion or explosive type lifting. If I trained today I would definitely lift weights, but with lighter weights and more compund type lifting, as the other posting states.

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 5/16/2011 5:42am

If you want to build strength and speed, heavy weights and low reps are what you should be aiming for. Lower weights and more reps are for building size.

You should be performing the lifts with good form and full range of motion no matter what your goals are.