My lifting routine

[NYkarate]

Here is my current lifting routine. My training philosophy is pretty straight forward. Lift weights to gain balanced strength in all parts of the body. Keep in mind, I am lifting for my sport and not for "bodybuilding". In addition to my weekend weight lifting, I also do push-ups, knee bends and other body weight type exercises in karate class:

Saturday
Deads
1 x 12 warm-up
4 x 6
Barbell Rows
3 x 6
Squats
1 x 12 warm-up
4 x 6
Lat Pulls
3 x 6

Ending with 24 Bosu ball body squats (stability on your feet is quite important in martial arts)

Sunday
12 Push ups
Chest Dips
5 x 5
Bench press
3 x 6
weighted ab crunches decline bench
2 x 20
Incline Bench Press
3 x 6
Leg raises
2 x 20

I train weight striving for form failure on last set/rep. I welcome any thoughts.

[bigtallox]

I welcome any thoughts.

OK.

Ending with 24 Bosu ball body squats (stability on your feet is quite important in martial arts)

Yes stability is important... Oh, never mind. Sounds wonderful! Enjoy squatting on the Bosu ball ( I'll refrain ).

I train weight striving for form failure on last set/rep.

So you have no formal progression for reps or weight? How do you choose your weight so that you get the right number of reps ( ie as described above ) and be right at form failure on the last rep? Getting stronger requires a progression, without a program with a progression, you won't make any progress in the long term.

[NYkarate]

OK.



Yes stability is important... Oh, never mind. Sounds wonderful! Enjoy squatting on the Bosu ball ( I'll refrain ).


So you have no formal progression for reps or weight? How do you choose your weight so that you get the right number of reps ( ie as described above ) and be right at form failure on the last rep? Getting stronger requires a progression, without a program with a progression, you won't make any progress in the long term.

You are an ass. I would rather take work-out advice from Richard Simons.

[Brackneyc]

Keep in mind, I am lifting for my sport and not for "bodybuilding".

All due respect, but why would you think anyone here could give meaningful feedback on your program. I have no idea how to even really train to be a BBer, but even less knowledge about how to train to be good at karate. The program you have outlined may be the best for that purpose. I guess I wouldn't expect much in the way of meaningful feedback, considering this is primarily a BBing forum.

[NYkarate]

All due respect, but why would you think anyone here could give meaningful feedback on your program. I have no idea how to even really train to be a BBer, but even less knowledge about how to train to be good at karate. The program you have outlined may be the best for that purpose. I guess I wouldn't expect much in the way of meaningful feedback, considering this is primarily a BBing forum.

I guess I am more looking to make sure I haven't overlooked a body part or that the pogram is out of balence in some way. I am sure there is no ideal program for everyone, for we are all different and in different stages with different goals. I certainly wasn't looking for insults for using a very effective (but much mis and over used training device.)

[Meatpants]

You are an ass. I would rather take work-out advice from Richard Simons.

I guess I am more looking to make sure I haven't overlooked a body part or that the pogram is out of balence in some way. I am sure there is no ideal program for everyone, for we are all different and in different stages with different goals.

So you make a post on a BB site, then insult a member who I would venture to bet knows a lot more about weight lifting than you. Good thing you welcome input as you mentioned.

[NYkarate]

So you make a post on a BB site, then insult a member who I would venture to bet knows a lot more about weight lifting than you. Good thing you welcome input as you mentioned.

I responded to his insulting me. The poster has a very bad habit of doing so and talking down to others.

[Meatpants]

That's an insult? I saw it more as a statement. Some of which I agree.

[NYkarate]

That's an insult? I saw it more as a statement. Some of which I agree.

Yes, the comment about the bosu ball aspect of my routine was clearly just that.

[Meatpants]

Yes, the comment about the bosu ball aspect of my routine was clearly just that.

Lulz. Get thicker skin dude.

[Smelly bull]

You are an ass. I would rather take work-out advice from Richard Simons.

Then go ask Richard Simmons for workout advice. And you do not welcome any thoughts....See Big Tall Ox....

[Karl_Hungus]

I guess I wouldn't expect much in the way of meaningful feedback, considering this is primarily a BBing forum.

True, but there are lots of people here that train for performance.

[NYkarate]

Lulz. Get thicker skin dude.

If that were the only thing I would have let it slide. But, I have seen that poster talk down to and insult many others in here and meant what I said to him, sorry. I have never seen posts from you and most of the regulars in here that were condecending to others. Most on here are smart enough to know that they don't know everything.

[Brackneyc]

True, but there are lots of people here that train for performance.

I have seen "some," but most I have seen "supplement" their BBing with performance training, not the other way around.

[NYkarate]

I have seen "some," but most I have seen "supplement" their BBing with performance training, not the other way around.

Don't think it is a big deal. If no one can give me constructive feedback in here, no biggie. I could have posted it in the MMA forum on here, but most of the posters are very young and are not that knowledgeable. I really thought someone could just look at it and tell me if I was missing something or out of balance in some way.

[ZazenZone]

Here is my current lifting routine. My training philosophy is pretty straight forward. Lift weights to gain balanced strength in all parts of the body. Keep in mind, I am lifting for my sport and not for "bodybuilding". In addition to my weekend weight lifting, I also do push-ups, knee bends and other body weight type exercises in karate class:

Saturday
Deads
1 x 12 warm-up
4 x 6
Barbell Rows
3 x 6
Squats
1 x 12 warm-up
4 x 6
Lat Pulls
3 x 6

Ending with 24 Bosu ball body squats (stability on your feet is quite important in martial arts)

Sunday
12 Push ups
Chest Dips
5 x 5
Bench press
3 x 6
weighted ab crunches decline bench
2 x 20
Incline Bench Press
3 x 6
Leg raises
2 x 20

I train weight striving for form failure on last set/rep. I welcome any thoughts.

My 2 cents, and that is all it's worth, trust me

Program looks decent overall. I would old school pyramid your sets for your particular goals- 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 perhaps. The sets of 8 and 6 will take care of your strength needs well enough, the higher stuff will help you out in karate and serve nicely to grease the joints and warm you up thoroughly.

Also would not to go to failure on EVERY set, maybe just on one set or two on any movement on every second or third workout. You are already doing karate, no need for failure quite as much- yes, failure has its place, but it's also very tough on body and neurology.

Also, I'd rather see you cut down your set yolume slightly and go for 4 sessions per week instead of two. I've never bought into the once a week stuff. Alternatively, you could alternate your halved workouts 3 times a week, for frequency of lifting once every 4 or 5 days (my personal sweet spot). The once weekly thing tends to work better for ultra huge big and strong guys who do tons of volume and damage to their bodies every time they lift.

Also noticed you're pushing lots more than you are pulling. Keep the set volume equal for chest and back if you can. Also incorporate some prehab shoulder work at the end of one of your workouts- face pulls, ytwl stuff, external rotation, scap raise/shrug, pick a couple you like and use moderate weights for 2 or 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

If your body is healthy and will allow, incorporate turkish get ups to benefit function of entire body while further strengthening the vulnerable shoulder area, and try some v ups for your abs versus the leg raises.

Good luck

[Old_swole]

The only thing you might change (or not, it may work for you) is maybe do back and legs on different days rather than both on the same day.

[Getsum]

A few years back, I used to workout regularly at a gym that specialized in MMA, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Boxing and maintained a 3 or 4 day lifting split while doing it. You might want to consider going to 3 days and separate your deadlifts and squats while focusing on strength gains.

Back when I was doing it, the boxing/kickboxing workouts were my main forms of cardio and my lifting was for strength…it’s all in my journal, 2005/2006. I’m hoping to get back into it this Fall after I finish two more classes at SDSU.

I know those balls are getting really popular now, but one of the nastiest ankle sprains I’ve ever seen came from some lady losing their balance on a bosu ball, best to be extra careful on those.

Good luck to you.

[NYkarate]

A few years back, I used to workout regularly at a gym that specialized in MMA, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Boxing and maintained a 3 or 4 day lifting split while doing it. You might want to consider going to 3 days and separate your deadlifts and squats while focusing on strength gains.

Back when I was doing it, the boxing/kickboxing workouts were my main forms of cardio and my lifting was for strength…it’s all in my journal, 2005/2006. I’m hoping to get back into it this Fall after I finish two more classes at SDSU.

I know those balls are getting really popular now, but one of the nastiest ankle sprains I’ve ever seen came from some lady losing their balance on a bosu ball, best to be extra careful on those.

Good luck to you.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. For the record, I don't stop at the prescribed rep range I put forth if I can continue to lift. If I do go beyond the rep range, I look to increase the weight next time around. If I can't complete the prescribed rep range, I know I went too heavy and adjust accordingly. I try to work to form failure and not rep failure. I am obsessive with writing down weight lifted and number or sets/reps performed. I also will make a note if I had a spot, felt weak, strong or anything else I think is important.

Several of you have suggested that I spread the routine out and I would agree with you all in most cases. However, training in traditional arts like kung fu and karate are very different from MMA training and training in the grappling arts like Judo, etc. Karate and similar arts demand that you stand in stances for some period of time and train students to do things like wall sits, deep knee bends, etc. You also train in movements to increase grip strength and other body weight type exercises from crunches to push-ups to squats with a person on your back. To me, these are additional days of lifting and since they are unpredictable as to what particular exercise will be done, I can't really work lifts too close to karate training, as this training can be just as taxing on your muscle groups.

In MMA classes, they usually teach things like sand-bag, kettle bell and trx type training. Some will incorporate traditional weight training, many do this through circuit training.

As you know, I lift on Saturday and Sunday. This gives me at least two days of rest before doing anything that may over-tax my the muscles I work on the weekends.

To clarify my "leg lifts", I do these on power/leg lift stand and also do knee raises and twisting knee raises.