Hit Harder with Training
by S.G.R.BThis post gives you three exercises you can do in your exercise routine that may make you stronger and permit you to transfer that power at once over to striking harder.
Sledgehammer Workout. Swinging sledgehammers for building muscle, strength, conditioning and punching power was an amazing secret of the old time fighters. Men who could hit Really hard. It’s also symbiotic with the kettlebell swing. Working a total body explosive movement with heavy emphasis on the shoulders, wrists and abdominals. Teaching your body the proper explosive sequencing to hit harder while at the same time building its physical powers.
Isometric Strikes. There are lots of techniques to try this, but I am going to share with you one way. I put a chain around an immovable object (low for kicking, high for hitting), and attach either a strap to put around my foot or a handle to grab with my hand and then as closely as I probably can I simulate the exact trail a correctly thrown strike would take pulling against the chain. I make certain that my body as well as the limb that I’m striking with follows all the actions that a correctly thrown strike would take. I work the isometric along multiple parts of the trail of the strike beginning at the generation and going out along a link or 2 on the chain until I can the finish. Be certain to work both hands or legs. And you can hold for whatever time or reps you see fit, just work it hard.
The Dennis Rogers Lever Wrist Curl. I’m potentially not supposed to let this cat out of the bag, but I’m going to sneak around and share it with you. Dennis is as you know, likely one of the planet’s foremost authorities on wrist strength. He has some totally original exercises that you will be hearing about from him very soon. I’m going to share with you an exercise of one he taught me, because I believe it will be one of the most awesome hand and wrist strengtheners you’ll ever do and because it will be a huge key toward strengthening your hand and wrist movement to protect it and strengthen it for incredible striking.
Dennis does it with a short barbell, but I prefer to do it with a dumbbell just for convenience sake. What you basically do is overload one side of the bell by 3 to 10 pounds depending on your strength and the length of the bell you use. You then perform a normal one arm wrist curl with it. Swapping between the overloaded side being on your thumb side or on the pinkie side. By doing this you are fortifying the wrist, but basically performing a levering and wrist curl at the same time. The unbalanced load puts additional stress on the fingers as well making it a very complete hand strengthening movement. Powerful and lots of bang for your buck.
Add these into your routine and you’ll be able to double your punching power.
Bud Jeffries is the owner of Strongerman. You can explore more on his site on strongman training program to martial arts strength training.