Best functional leg workouts?

[TylerManning]

Do you think doing this would work better than increasing your deadlift by 70 pounds, jumping on a higher box or running a faster 40?

I think that is a waste. You should increase your limit and explosive strength SPECIFICALLY and there is plenty of moder science to help you do that.. then AFTER for conditioning you could hit a bag 2-3 times a week to train your NERVOUS SYSTEM to throw a kick with proper force, technique

There is a lot of truth in what you are saying, but i would almost put money on the fact you couldn't throw 100 good kicks on each leg without huffin and puffin. Hit the bag bro, As far as im concerned, striking is as explosive as it gets. Also, unless your power lifting i don't see the relevance of your dead lift, but yeah it could help with box jumps and your 40k run.

[DFS200]

There is a lot of truth in what you are saying, but i would almost put money on the fact you couldn't throw 100 good kicks on each leg without huffin and puffin. Hit the bag bro, As far as im concerned, striking is as explosive as it gets. Also, unless your power lifting i don't see the relevance of your dead lift, but yeah it could help with box jumps and your 40k run.

I believe what he means is that you are limiting yourself training in this fashion, because you won't be able to perform that number of kicks, and certainly not a distance run, in an explosive fashion. Sometimes when building explosion, it is quality over quantity. A good example is burpees, 10 burpees performed with maximal effort will likely build more explosiveness than 50 burpees performed half-assed for cardio purposes. I see it at my muay thai school in the advanced class, they had them doing 50-100 burpees continuously, at this point the body is training just to get through the movements, not to perform them in a way that helps to facilitate explosiveness. You can lift heavy and build explosive power in the hips (deads can do this, along with many other exercises mentioned), and this can help you to attain the physical tools to throw a strong cross, but throwing 500 strong crosses as your only explosiveness training is a different animal.

[SpiderSense]

I honestly think box squats would be more useful than lunges and squats.

[SpiderSense]

You know what else I've noticed to just messing around:

If you do squats with a staggered stance (one foot comfortably back) it REALLY stretches out your Achilles.

Now I've only done these with body weight, though I'd bet you get better results with light weight.

I'd be careful with heavy weight.

And the only reason I bring this up is I do boxing and moving around kills my Achilles.

Therefor I feel if you can strengthen your Achilles specifically it'll make you way more quicker/explosive.

[MichaelCJ]

However what's the best for a mixed traditional martial arts and spar[r]ing as well? Leg strength, speed, explosiveness?>

Oly lifts, or "power" versions of same, are great for this (and for most sports in general, really).

Also, lunges and squats and deadlifts, of course (nice choices there). Maybe try stepups as well, if you want something different (alternate with lunges, maybe?) Throw in some standing calf raises too - why not?

GHRs, hamstring curls, SLDL/RDL, etc., etc.


edit: Oh, and front squats as at least part of your regular squat programming - they're just awesome, in so many ways.

[TylerManning]

I believe what he means is that you are limiting yourself training in this fashion,

I hope that was copy pasta cause thats where i got.

[DFS200]

I hope that was copy pasta cause thats where i got.

Wat?

[cgc]

Wat?

Might be associated with the "tread meal" he mentioned earlier.


I'm kidding Tyler, don't get mad (srsly).

[ftwrestler]

Might be associated with the "tread meal" he mentioned earlier.


I'm kidding Tyler, don't get mad (srsly).

he is so tiny

[sword_]

Front Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats