Power Training for Martial ArtsPower training in the martial arts is like training for any of the other attribute, you need to understand what the attribute is and then train specifically for it.
Power is strength and speed combined. You can be very fast, but without strength you will not be powerful. You can be very strong, but without speed your power will also be limited. The key to power training in the martial arts is to develop both your speed and strength and combine them with excellent technique and body mechanics. I cover the attributes of speed and strength separately on other pages of this website.
Good technique should form the foundation to any martial arts strike. Good technique means that the strike is:
Good body mechanics in the martial arts Power comes from combining speed and strength with excellent body mechanics. Excellent body mechanics means using the right amount of movement in each of the joints involved in a strike. Using a right cross punch as an example, movement occurs at the ankle, knee, hip, trunk, shoulder, elbow and wrist joint. When each of these joints ‘winds up’ and adds to the torque of the other joints, a lot of force can be generated, significantly more than just using the shoulder and elbow joints alone.
Weapons add an extension to the limbs of the human body. To produce enough force with a weapon you have to use more body mechanics than if you were only using your hands and feet as a weapon. Generally, the longer the weapon the more body mechanics required to use it effectively. Training with a weapon in the right way can therefore improve your body mechanics. This was a concept that I was first exposed to when I started learning Filipino martial arts through my Jeet Kune Do Concepts training. Most Filipino martial arts have a foundation in weapons training. They typically use a long blade and/or short blade (knife). The long blade can also be replaced with a stick. Carenza: shadow boxing with a weapon Carenza is a Filipino martial arts term meaning shadow boxing with the use of a weapon. Typically, you would use a stick, a long blade or a knife. You can also combine the weapons by holding one in each hand. Carenza training is one of the best ways that I have found to improve body mechanics for the martial arts. When performed properly it should form the cornerstone of a power training program. To find out more about Carenza
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Solid, powerful strikes come from a good base of support and a balanced posture. This is because a lot of the power comes from the legs. To ensure a good base of support, have enough distance between your feet when standing. Having your feet a little wider than shoulder width is a good guideline. A narrower stance reduces your base of support and thus compromises your balance. A stance that is wider than this will slow you down too much. To maintain good balance, try to keep your body weight centred between your feet. To illustrate how power is produced from having a good base of support and balanced posture, try hitting a heavy punching bag while having your feet together. You will be surprised how little power you can produce compared with when you have a wider, balanced stance. Reducing an opponent’s power
You simply cannot generate a lot of power when you are off balance. Another way of disturbing an opponent’s base of support is to injure his legs. This is commonly seen in Thai Boxing competitions where repeated kicks to the thighs have rendered a fighter virtually powerless. Power training using a punching bag Power comes from combining speed and strength with excellent technique and body mechanics. The best way to test the combination of these elements is to hit a heavy punching bag with full force. When power training on the punching bag, alternate between using maximum body mechanics and tighter, sharper movements. Maximum body mechanics means exaggerating your movements to make them wider and longer. Tightening these movements then make the techniques very powerful as you are able to put your whole body behind the strike without leaving yourself open, as is the case when you are training with maximum body mechanics.
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Power
Power training with weapons
By compromising an opponent’s base of support and balance you can greatly reduce the power of their strikes. This concept is commonly used in the grappling and throwing arts where the aim is to off balance and/or throw an opponent.