Punching with Dumbells

**cshirk** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:20pm

I'm thinking about getting a set of dumbells and ankle weights and using them to add extra resistence to kicks/punches. I've heard a lot of warnings about this in the past, that it was bad for joints and what not. Has anybody else had experience with this or been able to talk to an MD about this?

**sochin101** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:23pm

Better on a cable machine, if at all.

**new2bjj** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:28pm

Waste of time, basically. Your punching and kicking has more to do with the rotation of the hips, etc. You aren't really punching with just your arm/shoulder, and if you are, your not getting enough force. You will have to "pull" your punches and kicks to prevent hyper extension of the joints. You could use them for a little light shadow boxing for stamina training. You would be much better off with surgical tubing bands. Hit the bag, the speed bag, and make sure you have adequate strength in your wrists and joints. Go to a boxing gym, fi there is one in your area. BTW, Most doctors, if not all, would warn you against doing this. My favorite site for stuff like this is Stadion.com, which has tons of articles on sports training.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:33pm

If you are punching while holding dumbbells or wearing wrist weights you will likely muck up your elbows. There are better things to do to help your punching power, like speed sets of bench press, or speed sets of pushups... Or punching the heavy bag....

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:43pm

read this whole page, especially the medicine ball section. it should explain why you don't want to use dumbbells.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rossboxing5.htm

**cshirk** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:48pm

That's basically what I'd heard before, thanks for the links and all.

Kintanon:
By speed sets of bench press, you mean in addition to normal weight-training rigimen or in place of? And with heavy bag, I've got one of those free-standing bags filled with about 80 or 90 pounds of sand + however much water. Kind of what you mean by heavy?

**Matt W.** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 2:58pm

I do a punching motion with dumbells as part of a shoulder routine. Works great.

Please notice two things, however. First, I said "punching motion" not "punching", because actually punching with dumbells is hard on the joints and generally bad for you. Second, I said, "as part of a shoulder routine" and not as way to work on my punches. Dumbell punching is not a good way to work on punching.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 3:08pm

Originally Posted by cshirk

That's basically what I'd heard before, thanks for the links and all.

Kintanon:
By speed sets of bench press, you mean in addition to normal weight-training rigimen or in place of? And with heavy bag, I've got one of those free-standing bags filled with about 80 or 90 pounds of sand + however much water. Kind of what you mean by heavy?

In addition to your normal weight training regimen. If you look at Sakuraba's workout he does these super super fast short range of motion pushups. Something like that will help you add power to your punching. Explosive motion is where it's at.

**Invader_Chris** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 3:54pm

Try using resistance bands instead

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 7/24/2007 4:21pm

Originally Posted by cshirk

That's basically what I'd heard before, thanks for the links and all.

Kintanon:
By speed sets of bench press, you mean in addition to normal weight-training rigimen or in place of? And with heavy bag, I've got one of those free-standing bags filled with about 80 or 90 pounds of sand + however much water. Kind of what you mean by heavy?

Avoid free standing bags (specially those made by NEverlast), or those things filled with water. I guess they are better than nothing if you don't have space to have a hanging heavy bag. But if you do, a hanging heavy bag will server you (and last you better.)