weights and MA in the same workout.......

[=control freak=]

Sometimes when I'm at the gym I like to spend a period doing weights and a period doing kick/punch/movement practice.

Is there an optimum order in which to do these which would make the body develop more effectively? Ie. weights then MA work or MA work then weights.

Cheers

[Yohan]

MA work, then weights - that way you won't build poor movement patterns because you are fatigued.

[slipthejab]

Yeah Yohan is on it. In fact I just got back from such a workout. Well... sort of...

I usually do about 6 rounds of shadow boxing and mixed drills to warm up for weights. By the time I hit the weights... I'm dripping with sweat. Which sadly I can say is in contrast to 99% of the other people in the gym who are either chatting each other up, admiring themselves in the mirror or doing some entirely retarded movements that are guaranteed to do nothing whatsoever for them*.

I normally work in no less than X3 round of 1.5 minutes shadow boxing with a 30 second break in between. That's just punches, bob and weave, slipping, feinting etc.
I also work in body weight squats. I usually go for as many as I can crank out in 1 minute followed by a 30 second break. On top of that I throw in a set or two of either kick checks (as we block kicks in Muay Thai) or I work in straight knees while using both hands to clinch a dumbell of around 5lbs. I'm also keen on standing crunches where the opposite knee comes up and meets the elbow.

Then after a 2 minute break... I jump into weights.... I don't mince about. No more than a 1 minute break between sets. No faffin' about in front of the mirror. In fact I find I stay warmer and more motivated if wear a sweat shirt and a beany.

Why? For warmth obviously because a sweatshirt is warm... and the beany keeps in a good amount of body heat that normally escapes from the head. As here in Hong Kong they always have the bloody AC up way to high... this keeps my body temperature up enough so that I don't cool off between sets and so that I keeps sweating like a dog.

An advantage mentally to the sweatshirt is the most gyms are plastered with mirrors. Too many idiots spend their whole time admiring their physique in the mirror. You can't do that with the sweatshirt on. No bicep flexing thank you. All the other idiots in the gym are guessing what my physique is like... they quiver in panic from not knowing if I am actually a chiseled Greek God underneath... I actually hear a guy ask his buddy if I was a Spartan under my sweatshirt. True story. :D
As well... I find it's a bit more inspirational... because by the time I do actually take a gander in a full length mirror at the end of a couple months... the changes in physique are noticeable... that keeps me stoked... and in the gym. Just a small motivational tool I use.

If you turn this around so your MA is second and weights are first... it would suck... your form and technique would be wobbly... and after a heinous session of bench press, dead lifts, over the shoulders and squats to press etc. you wouldn't feel much like giving the shadow boxing the energy it deserves. The MA works better as workout first. Besides if you like me... no one in the gym is going to try it on with a chiseled Spartan who can throw a clean three punch combo. :p

[=control freak=]

Thanks guys. Always so comprehensive slip! You should be getting paid for this!

Take it your not from Hong Kong originally? Move out there for work?

[wires]

I usually do about 6 rounds of shadow boxing and mixed drills to warm up for weights. By the time I hit the weights... I'm dripping with sweat. Which sadly I can say is in contrast to 99% of the other people in the gym who are either chatting each other up, admiring themselves in the mirror or doing some entirely retarded movements that are guaranteed to do nothing whatsoever for them*.

Yeah, that's why I bought my IPod. I couldn't take some of the depressing conversations I was hearing from the older people on the treadmills. Not ALL of them.. but some of the older ladies were in such a cult of despair that I couldn't bring myself to deadlift. So I bought the IPod. :)


Why? For warmth obviously because a sweatshirt is warm... and the beany keeps in a good amount of body heat that normally escapes from the head. As here in Hong Kong they always have the bloody AC up way to high... this keeps my body temperature up enough so that I don't cool off between sets and so that I keeps sweating like a dog.


Totally good advice. Sweat = Fewer Injuries.. I hate that all the gyms I've worked out in try to keep the termperature at 68 degrees, with FANS ON.. People should sue those gyms for the injuries they get down the road..

And a person works out much better with a warm up. That person may feel more tired, but if he looks at his numbers, he's much stronger when warm.


An advantage mentally to the sweatshirt is the most gyms are plastered with mirrors. Too many idiots spend their whole time admiring their physique in the mirror. You can't do that with the sweatshirt on. No bicep flexing thank you. All the other idiots in the gym are guessing what my physique is like... they quiver in panic from not knowing if I am actually a chiseled Greek God underneath... I actually hear a guy ask his buddy if I was a Spartan under my sweatshirt. True story. :D

Hm. Seems like they could tell how strong you are just by counting the number of plates you have on the bar?

But I think the sweatshirt is a great idea - mostly because I'm an insecure doof who is constantly seeing if he's doing any good when he passes a mirror. I don't try to do that.. it's just natural - I'm working on my arms - I look at my arms.

But I hate being that guy. I'll have to do your sweatshirt idea! Should break me of the habit - great idea!


As well... I find it's a bit more inspirational... because by the time I do actually take a gander in a full length mirror at the end of a couple months... the changes in physique are noticeable... that keeps me stoked... and in the gym. Just a small motivational tool I use.

If you turn this around so your MA is second and weights are first... it would suck... your form and technique would be wobbly...

Totally agree. Do the precision/skill work first, do the strength work after. Otherwise - sloppy form fighting.

[Yohan]

Totally agree. Do the precision/skill work first, do the strength work after. Otherwise - sloppy form fighting.

You are on the right track - it's actually explosive exercise first, then weights.

So the same rule would apply to plyometrics, ladder drills, hammer swings, etc . . .

[mai tai]

i might be the only odd ball...but i do aout 20 minutes of weights ....then ma training m-th its i hour bjj then i hour mt.......friday and sat its 2 hrs mt


i lift first cause by the end of the ma training...i am so beat i cant even see straight...much less have an intense lifting workout. in fact after a hard session i am so weak keeping my hands up is hard....much less lifting a weight.

any strenght training would just be endurance training.

to each there own i guess

[Yohan]

i might be the only odd ball...but i do aout 20 minutes of weights ....then ma training m-th its i hour bjj then i hour mt.......friday and sat its 2 hrs mt


i lift first cause by the end of the ma training...i am so beat i cant even see straight...much less have an intense lifting workout. in fact after a hard session i am so weak keeping my hands up is hard....much less lifting a weight.

any strenght training would just be endurance training.

to each there own i guess

Are your weights at your fight gym?

[Mungo]

When I used to go boxing, there was absolutely no question of me doing anything remotely energetic for at least the next 48 hours.

[NaughtyKnight]

Always do skill related activities first. You wont learn jack if you are tired. If you are lifting weights with intensity, your muscles will feel ripped to shreads afterwards. Just keeping up your guard while you shadow box will be a challange, let alone trying to get your combos firing off just right.

Lol Slip! I had a mate who used to wear 2 sweatshirts to the gym, purely to make him look bigger :p.

[JaxMMA]

I usually do about 6 rounds of shadow boxing and mixed drills to warm up for weights. By the time I hit the weights... I'm dripping with sweat. Which sadly

I normally work in no less than X3 round of 1.5 minutes shadow boxing with a 30 second break in between. That's just punches, bob and weave, slipping, feinting etc.
I also work in body weight squats. I usually go for as many as I can crank out in 1 minute followed by a 30 second break. On top of that I throw in a set or two of either kick checks (as we block kicks in Muay Thai) or I work in straight knees while using both hands to clinch a dumbell of around 5lbs. I'm also keen on standing crunches where the opposite knee comes up and meets the elbow.

Then after a 2 minute break... I jump into weights.... I don't mince about. No more than a 1 minute break between sets. No faffin' about in front of the mirror. In fact I find I stay warmer and more motivated if wear a sweat shirt and a beany.



I've done that before when I did mostly heavy weights, but recently I started doing some circuit training/lifting and if I do shadow boxing I'm pretty much gassed out by 3rd circuit.


Lol Slip! I had a mate who used to wear 2 sweatshirts to the gym, purely to make him look bigger :p.

Slip wouldn't do that :)

[DRMA]

i might be the only odd ball...but i do aout 20 minutes of weights ....then ma training m-th its i hour bjj then i hour mt.......friday and sat its 2 hrs mt


i lift first cause by the end of the ma training...i am so beat i cant even see straight...much less have an intense lifting workout. in fact after a hard session i am so weak keeping my hands up is hard....much less lifting a weight.

any strenght training would just be endurance training.

to each there own i guess

When I am training at home, If I lift I lift first. Mainly because it makes it easier to measure gains, and keep consistent, if I do lifting when fresh. I also don't want to die whilst squatting. I don't find weights hampers my training that much, but the other way no chance. I understand where Yohan and Slip are coming from though.