Lower-body Strength Training for Martial Arts  | Article by Idai Makaya | | This article was written for the August 2007 edition of Martial Arts Illustrated Magazine. |
In previous articles I covered the different considerations a martial artist must make when planning how to condition the body for optimum performance and long-term health. My earlier articles were intended to form a foundation for more specific conditioning and training discussions because the understanding of sound exercise science is a crucial requirement for anyone who plans to subject their body – or, indeed, anyone else’s body - to the trials required to maximise physical performance. There is a fine line between cutting edge performance-enhancement and dangerous training practice. We all need to equip ourselves with the knowledge to make this distinction. Now that the stage has been set, so to speak, we will begin to look more closely at individual conditioning routines with the understanding that the various conditioning strategies and principles outlined in previous articles will now be familiar and will always be taken into consideration when planning how to use any training drill. To maintain clarity I will still describe the routines within the context of the broader training logic of the previous articles, but the focus will now shift from more general training principles to the description of actual exercises and training drills. 
Idai Makaya performs a callisthenics drill for both lower and upper body development. This article will focus on lower body strength conditioning for ideal performance in martial arts. I will outline simple exercises for the legs and describe a general leg training routine. The major aims of conditioning programs for the legs are: To fortify the leg joints against injury. Stronger legs are more resistant to injuries caused by hard impacts, falls or repetitive strains.
To build strength and power in the legs for striking and stability. Stronger legs will not only improve the striking force of your kicks - they will also allow you to generate more power in upper body techniques for grappling and striking. Upper body techniques require specific foot and leg work as well as lower body stability for effective delivery.
To condition the mind and nervous system to perform leg techniques in a set way. Continuous repetition of techniques builds ‘muscle memory’ so that you are programmed to perform instinctively. This is essential for self defence and sporting performance under pressure. However, it is crucial that you learn the techniques correctly so you don’t reinforce incorrect movement.
To build endurance in the legs. Good technique still requires the back-up of adequate fitness and staying-power to be effective. You cannot always count on neutralising an opponent with just one strike - fights can be prolonged and a good martial artist must be prepared for all eventualities.
To develop the required flexibility for your techniques. Gymnasts, Olympic weightlifters and dancers use strength training to enhance their flexibility because they save time by working on two different types of conditioning simultaneously. Using strength increases across the range of motion of the leg muscles to enhance flexibility is not only convenient - it is actually the fastest and most effective way to enhance flexibility. To be a versatile kicker you must be able to choose accurately from a range of techniques and a variety of targets on the opponent’s body – both high and low. So development of adequate and appropriate flexibility is desirable.
To de-sensitise the striking surfaces of the legs to allow for harder strikes and more effective blocking techniques. ‘Surface conditioning’ refers to training the striking surfaces of the body so that they are not hurt or injured when delivering strikes or blocking blows from opponents. It is important not to get overly carried away with surface conditioning. You can never condition yourself to the extent that your limbs hit like baseball bats without incurring any damage at all – if this sort of conditioning were at all possible you would be able to win every fight by simply striking first and blitzing your opponent. For the majority of us, surface conditioning really should focus on re-setting the pressure and pain receptors (scientifically termed as ‘baroreceptors’) in the striking surfaces and gradually thickening the leg bones by repetitive measured impacts against a hard but padded surface. This kind of conditioning sometimes takes a long time (often many years of consistent practice) to maximally develop. However, the striking technique is probably almost as important as the surface conditioning when it comes to breaking bricks and boards and such surface conditioning can be developed to a highly effective standard within a relatively short space of time (especially when focus is placed on good technique and regular sessions against hard but padded targets).
In future articles I will discuss the rest of the conditioning objectives listed above in greater depth but this particular article will be focussed solely on strength training for the lower-body. 
The side/box split is not easy to perform without a good power-to-weight-ratio in the lower body. For increasing leg strength you broadly have two options available to choose from. The simplest and most efficient way to increase the strength of the leg muscles and joints is to use weight training and to train progressively over time (until a reasonably heavy load is being managed with relative comfort). You don’t need to lift so strenuously that it impacts on other aspects of your martial arts training. The sessions should be moderate to avoid lengthy recovery times. The second option is to perform leg exercises using resistance generated by the weight of your body alone. This option gives limited strength returns once you are comfortable with the weight of your body and any further gains in strength can only be obtained by adding weights to the exercises. However, more endurance can be gained if you use the bodyweight and perform increasingly higher numbers of repetitions. This is often of athletic benefit. If you are not sure which method to use the following criteria will be helpful: Larger, heavier people stand to gain more from using just their bodyweight for resistance training because their bodyweight is substantial. Smaller, lighter people will not gain so much of a strength or power advantage using only the weight of their body and will need to perform many more repetitions for the exercises to have a reasonable effect.
Strength gains from bodyweight-only resistance training are limited. This is not necessarily a bad thing because there is a scale of diminishing returns when training for strength - after a certain amount of strength has been developed a great deal of extra effort will be required just to get a very small incremental gain in additional strength. Once again, this will favour the heavier person. A heavyweight will more easily be able to generate large increases in strength from exercises using just their bodyweight - a smaller person (below average weight) will not be able to develop similar strength levels by just training with the weight of their body. Weight training is ideal for the smaller person but also suits heavier people equally well.
If accessing a gym is undesirable - or inconvenient for your lifestyle or training schedule – then training at home is the only option available to you. Often, housing the necessary equipment for weight training is not always possible in the home setting and exercises using the bodyweight will be much more convenient.
If you want to gain as much strength as possible - while spending as little time as you can doing strength training - then weight training is the most convenient option for you.
If you don’t have much time to devote to specific endurance training - or you simply don’t do specialised endurance training - then bodyweight exercises performed with high repetitions are essential for optimising your endurance. This is because you will get used to moving your bodyweight around with relative comfort, despite moderate exertion over an extended period of time – a similar concept to a fight.
Now we will look at the actual exercises a martial artist can use. You may not want conditioning work of this sort to dominate the bulk of your training time so the best solution is stick to just three or four of the most basic leg strength exercises. These exercises are: The squat (strengthens the thighs, with emphasis on the front and side muscles of the thigh).
The lunge (also strengthens the thighs, with emphasis on the front and side muscles).
The deadlift (strengthens the thighs and lower back, with most emphasis on the hamstrings and lower back).
The calf raise (builds strength in the lower leg, the ankles and the muscles and tendons under the feet).
You may want to minimise the number of exercises used to just three so instead of using all four of the exercises you can choose between omitting either the squat or the lunge - because they are actually variations of one another. However, if you do have the time and/or motivation, then feel free to use both exercises for added effect. As with most exercise techniques, if you haven’t been taught the above exercises before and you want to start doing them for the first time, it is crucial that you get a knowledgeable instructor to take you through the correct technique for each exercise. You cannot learn a martial art properly by simply reading a book, you need an experienced instructor. Similarly, you cannot learn major weight training exercises without personal instruction. Gyms will usually provide adequate personal instruction on how to use their weights and equipment so make sure you are taught these exercises correctly. I will briefly describe the performance of each of the above exercises but if you are new to weight training, or to these particular exercises, please do seek instruction before embarking on the training program to be outlined later in this article. Performing the squat involves using a weighted barbell rested on the shoulders (specifically, on the deltoid and trapezius muscles) – not on the bones of the neck. The shoulders, thus, should be slightly shrugged when squatting. Initially, the barbell should be held on a squat rack positioned at a height slightly lower than your shoulders (so you have to bend your knees to get under the bar). If you have never done leg strength training before, learn the exercise without using any weights at all and build enough endurance to perform one hundred repetitions with your bodyweight alone. Only then can you look at using weights. Many people are happy never to use weights when squatting and build adequate strength and power using just their bodyweight in this exercise. However, using the bodyweight alone for leg training requires high numbers of repetitions to be performed in order to get a good effect. Use a wide stance when squatting (about twice the width of your shoulders) so your inner thigh and groin interface muscles are strengthened as well. Those muscles are very important in performing martial arts techniques. Face the feet forwards in a way that your ankles and knees feel comfortable. For most people this position will involve the feet facing slightly outwards and forward. Make sure the feet do not point inwards. Lower the weight by bending the knees, while focussing on keeping your torso angled upwards with the lower back curved in a concave profile. Never allow your back to round itself (torso curving forward) at any stage of the exercise. The lunge is a simpler exercise than the squat but equally useful. Place the bar securely on the shoulders in the same way as you would when performing the squat. Some people prefer to use hand-held dumbbells instead of a barbell for this exercise. The only disadvantage of using dumbbells is that they also stress your hands because a great deal of grip strength is required to hold dumbbells of the weight required to work your thigh muscles adequately. This may mean your hands will tire before your legs and that would limit your capacity to do more repetitions. Begin the lunge exercise with both feet facing forward, approximately shoulder width apart. Then take a large step forward, keeping your torso upright. This is the first half of the movement. The second half involves returning to the starting position. Do this by pushing off the foot of the forward extended leg and returning it to the initial starting position. Then repeat the same movement with the other foot. Continue to alternate in this way until the required number of repetitions is completed. Don’t lunge too far forward or you may find it difficult to balance. Never lunge in such a way that the knee is actually ahead of the ankle when the foot lands (overstepping). The lower leg must be approximately at right angles to the floor with a bend of ninety degrees or slightly more at the knee joint. A good way to judge this is to perform the exercise in front of a mirror or a similar reflective surface. Another way to ensure that you don’t overstep is to be able to see the front of your foot just ahead of the knee from your upright position while lunging. If your knee hides the front of your foot from view each time you step forward - you are overstepping. Ideally, try to have the knee directly above the heel in the fully lunged position. Once again, use a mirror to be sure you’re in the correct stance when you first start using this exercise. Overstepping will usually lead to a weaker knee instead of a stronger one, so it’s worth getting the stance correct. As with the squat, beginners should start by doing the lunge exercise with only their bodyweight. When enough strength and endurance has been built up to do fifty repetitions with each leg you can start using weights. I have described the deadlift in a previous article on midsection training but will do so again for the completeness of this article. Begin by resting the weighted barbell on the floor in front of you. Dumbbells can be used instead of a barbell for this exercise, should you prefer. Bend the knees slightly, lock the lower back so it stays straight, or slightly curved (concave back) throughout the movement. The basis of the deadlift is to lift a weight off the ground until the body is upright and then lower it back - under full control – without jerking. Never perform this - or any other lower back exercise - to the point of muscle failure. Always stop with the capacity left to do at least one more repetition. Deadlifts cannot be done without the use of hand-held weights. The final exercise to be described is the calf raise. Calf raises can be done in a number of different ways. The principle is to stand the balls of the feet on a step or elevation of some sort. Lower the heel as far as it will extend downwards so the calf is stretched. Then use the calf muscle to raise the heel as high as you can. To complete the movement, slowly lower your heel back to the starting position. Calf exercises work well when used in high repetitions so limit the weight used so that at least twenty repetitions can be performed. As with the squat and lunge exercises listed above, start with just your bodyweight (if you are new to strength training for the legs). When you have built up the fitness to perform a hundred repetitions in a row you can start using weights to further increase the intensity. Most gyms have a calf raise machine but if you want to exercise at home then use a step or an elevation of some sort and perform calf raises using just your bodyweight. To intensify the exercise when using your bodyweight alone, either perform calf raises with one leg at a time or simply increase the repetitions over a period of time. There are three basic approaches available when using weight training: Use moderate poundage which will only allow 20 to 30 repetitions of each of the exercises and perform only a single set.
Perform three sets of each exercise using a weight you can lift for between ten and twelve repetitions.
Combine the first two approaches by using a pyramid system consisting of three sets of each exercise - where the first set employs comparatively moderate poundage which will allow 20 to 30 repetitions to be performed. For the second set use a weight heavy enough to restrict repetitions to between ten and twelve. Then for the third and final set use a weight so heavy you can only complete between six and eight repetitions of the exercises. This approach works on building strength-endurance as well as all-out maximum strength.
If possible, utilise all 3 methods seasonally, moving in a cycle from one approach to the next, every few months. This way you will derive the maximum benefit of all three methods. However, if time constraints are a major challenge, or if you simply prefer just one of the methods, you can stick to the one training method which best suits your circumstances. When following a strength training program for martial arts there is no benefit in lifting so much weight or performing so many repetitions that you need assistance to complete the last few repetitions of each set. Train within your limitations and use moderation at all times. 
Training with Lee Hasdell in 2008. Now that we have outlined the methods of building strength in the legs, it is important that the positioning of leg training in your routine is made clear. Leg training should not be done before technical training sessions. The fatigue induced by leg training will hamper any efforts to perform subsequent technical training on the same day. Also, fatigued legs will be highly susceptible to injury if subjected to further technical training. This does not mean you cannot train technically on the days you train your legs. Technical training is actually an ideal warm-up activity for strength training and a session focussed on kicks would work well in building up a sweat and loosening the leg muscles. Do not stretch before leg training because it will make you more susceptible to developing injuries. However, it is ideal to stretch at the end of a leg training session. Hence, leg training works very well in combination with technical training and flexibility training – as long as the sequencing is done correctly. 
The exercise sequence for leg training routines must always be as follows: Technical training (including any kicks, martial arts techniques and forms practice, etc).
Strength training (lifting weights or bodyweight-only exercises).
Now that we have looked at the strength aspect of leg conditioning my future articles will cover the other aspects of leg conditioning mentioned earlier in this article and detail how you can design training sessions that will improve them in the safest and most efficient manner. Of particular interest will be the concept of neurological conditioning to improve muscle memory and technical endurance with emphasis on Periodisation of training. I will also show you how you can incorporate the types of exercises described in this article into your everyday martial arts training routines. Happy training till then! If you want more specific advice on any of the issues raised in this article, or you want to find out more about martial arts fitness and conditioning, contact Idai Makaya. |