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Aikido, Ju Jitsu, Kickboxing, T'ai Chi and the countless other flavors of martial arts are invigorating to learn if you train properly. Big, bulky muscles don’t help your form, they can actually get in your way. Speed may be important in short spurts but agility and muscle control can make, or break, your martial arts training. Strength training for martial arts should concentrate on plyometrics with weights as well as traditional weight training.

Begin your martial arts weight training routine at the bottom, your calves. Load the leg press machine with twice as much weight as you typically use for leg presses. Place your feet on the sled with your heels hanging off the bottom edge. Using your calf muscles, press your toes to extend the sled and hold for 10 seconds. Do three sets of 15 reps each. Shoot for a weight increase of 10% each workout. Follow up with full leg presses.

Work your core with extended sit ups. Lay back on a bench set at a 45 degree angle. Bend your knees over the top, elevated end of the bench. Hug a 10 pound plate against your chest and slowly, with a flat back, do 20 sit ups. Increase weight as the exercise gets easier.

Continue your martial arts weight lifting with your arms. Step onto the treadmill with a five pound dumbbell in each hand. As you speed up and your arms begin to swing, practice quick jabs forward as well as to the side (watch for treadmill neighbors, though.)

Round out your strength training for martial arts with push ups throughout the day. Start your morning with as many push ups as you can do with your hands positioned under your chest. After lunch, shoot for 100 push ups with your hands under your shoulders. As you return home, practice push ups with your hands in a diamond pattern, centered below your chest. Finally, before bed do push ups with hands positioned eight inches outside of your shoulders until your muscles are exhausted. Shoot for a total of 500 push ups per day.

Our sports training newsletter is my gift to you. The Regular Annual Price of $97 is being waived temporarily. Subscribe for FREE today, and you will never have to pay the annual fee!

Also when you sign up for my free newsletter, you will be automatically entered in my monthly drawing to win free supplements and other great prizes.