Strength training for Uechi Ryu: Part I

[Bill Glasheen]

Introduction

I have been asked by some to write what I would consider to be a proper weight training program for Uechi-ka. It actually started innocently enough with a few people asking me if I knew of some books that beginners could purchase to get started in the gym. After a few trips to the bookstore, I discovered that the shelves were full of books that were nothing more than narcissistic tributes to steroid-filled body builders, or 20 minute workout books published by bulimic supermodels. A few bordered on…well…let’s say they were rather manly books. No, none of these books teach you anything about how to improve your sports and fighting performance. Yes, I found a few old no-nonsense classics that got me started. But when I looked at them, I realized that the technique used in these dated books showed exercises or training frequencies that have long since been shown to put a person at risk for injury. So…there appeared to be a gap, and I feel I can get people started with what I have read and what I have learned from several very good mentors. I’ll also give some recommended books to buy when the topics that they cover come up.

I have decided to break up what I will communicate into a series of threads. The meat of what I will tell will have to wait until I can lay the foundation. This foundation will hopefully explain what I do and why I do it. It will explain why some of our ancestors trained the way they did, and why I choose to teach my students something just a bit different. And it will also hopefully make the reader realize that this is an open-ended area of exploration and discovery. More breakthroughs in training methods are undoubtedly just on the horizon.

One final point… I would like this to be interactive. Feel free to post questions along the way. Occasionally when I’m teaching these concepts to a group of people, a good question makes me realize that I forgot a major point.

Methods of strength enhancement

Before I go further, it’s important to understand some basic concepts of training and exercising. I’ll try to define many of them here.

Calisthenics

Most coaches and instructors engage in some type of exercise like this. This includes the “daily dozen” such as push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, short squats, etc. They are range-of motion resistance exercises where little or no equipment is involved and the resistance is basically the person’s own body weight.

Many of the hard-headed purists who argue against weights and weight training will instead use this type of training. To say that they are different is basically a lie. Both involve resistance training; the resistance is easier to see when you are holding a weight in your hand. But one’s own mass is indeed a force that must be worked against similar to any classic weight training exercise. The major advantage of calisthenics is that you can do them virtually anywhere. The major disadvantages are the following:

1) Your resistance is limited to your own body mass.

2) It is very difficult to do “flexor” exercises in calisthenics. For example while it is easy to work on the quadriceps, the hamstrings cannot be effectively worked in this mode. The result can be training athletes to an unbalanced state where they are an injury (such as a hamstring pull) waiting to happen.


Isometrics

Translates literally as same position. One holds a muscle in a given position and then does a maximal contraction for about 7 seconds. Several decades ago a device called The Bullworker that employs this concept sold rather briskly. Isometrics can be done with little or no equipment if you have a good imagination and lots of props. It does indeed increase strength rather quickly. It’s also very good in the early stages of rehabilitation from injury, as there is no joint movement involved. The disadvantages include the following:

1) Often the user engages in strained breath-holding (Valsalva) which can be somewhat dangerous. This should be avoided. Breathe throughout the maximal contraction phase.

2) Some argue that one only enhances the strength at the particular range that you do the exercise. If you do the exercise at several points of lengthening of the muscle, then the time-efficiency factor is lost. You might as well do a different type of training.

3) The exercise does not engage in generalizeable motions that can be applied to sports activities.

Isokinetic

Translates literally as same speed. The idea is to have a machine or device move at the same speed, no matter what huge force you exert against it. The speed of the motion is pre-set before the exercise; the user then exerts maximal force throughout the range of a motion. A variation of isokinetic training is dynamic tension work – the Charles Atlas method. Here one pits the agonist muscles against the antagonist muscles. A classic example is the Goju ryu sanchin, where one exerts a certain force with the punch or blocking muscles, but has the muscles “opposite” to the defined motion pull back so that one ends up moving very slowly. Isokinetic machines are very good at developing strength very quickly, and are very safe because they stop providing resistance when the athlete stops. There are also no “sticking points” in an exercise since the machine will essentially “lighten up” through the weak range of a motion. Consequently they are often used by physical therapists in rehabilitation. Dynamic tension exercises are very good at helping one gain strength in defined athletic motions without the use of equipment. They are also very good as warm-up exercises before engaging in athletic competition. And as long as one breathes while moving, both types of exercise are safe (unlike what the peanut gallery may tell you). The disadvantages are the following:

1) Isokinetic exercises generally involve the use of complex, expensive machines.

2) Whenever you use a machine that rigidly defines a motion, you are missing the opportunity to exercise important secondary muscles that control the movement. Consequently the strength gains earned via these machines don’t easily translate to the activity in question.

3) Isokinetic machines do not exercise the “negative” half of a motion. Negative motions (returning to start) indeed help develop a certain type of strength, and teaches a sports-oriented person important skills.

4) Isokinetic and dynamic tension exercises rely very heavily on motivation. If you don’t work at your max, you aren’t going to improve. It’s too easy to lie to yourself on a bad day.

5) Occasionally dynamic tension exercisers forget how to relax when moving in real athletic activities. Karate requires the practitioner to completely relax some muscles while contracting others to various degrees. This concept is lost during the exercise.

Isotonic

This translates literally as same force or tension. Usually this means that the force applied at the extremity is the same; the force actually applied to the muscle(s) being trained can vary through the motion due to the physics involved. An exception to this would be Nautilus or similar machines that use variable cams that attempt to simulate the variation in strength through the range of a motion. Isotonic exercises can be done with both machines and free weights. This is the bulk of what most athletes do today. The machines can be manufactured relatively cheaply, and are usually available for any muscle group you might want to work on. And free weight exercises are limited only by the imagination of the user. The two most important reasons to do isotonic training are: 1) they are simple, and 2) they work.

The disadvantages include the following:

1) One only exerts maximal force at “the sticking point” in an exercise. But again, this can be partially corrected on machine exercises using a variable cam.

2) It is easy to explode in the beginning of an isotonic exercise and then rely on inertia to complete the motion. While this may be an important technique to learn to lift a given weight for its own sake, it will not result in maximal strength gains. This can be corrected with proper coaching and attention to good technique.

Because these disadvantages can be addressed. Most coaches rely on isotonic training for the bulk of a strength training program.

Static tension

Actually I never have seen this defined in a book, but I know what I mean. Both Uechi ryu practitioners and rock climbers rely on specific exercises to develop strength in the extremities (fingers, toes) where machine or weight work is difficult. Examples include holding weighted jars with lips for the Uechika, or hanging on small “holds” for the rock climber. They also include exercises like standing on the sokusen or pointed toes, something also done – by the way – in ballet. While I really like the techniques used by our China ancestors, I am a great believer in seeing what the rock climbing crowd also has to offer.

It’s important for the athlete to realize that the extremities of the fingers and toes are subject to secondary osteoarthritis from overtraining. Take your time, and stick with exercises that the modern experts consider safe for a long career in your respective activity. In general, exercises that pull on a joint are safer than those that compress it excessively.

Plyometrics

There is a big difference between strength and power. Traditional weight training works on strength, or the ability to contract a muscle against a given force in a defined motion. Plyometric exercises work on power. This is the ability to apply maximal force using all one’s neuromuscular capabilities. Karateka rely very heavily on power. Examples of plyometric training include repeated jumping (to be done on a soft surface), jumping off of and back onto a platform (again doing it on a soft surface), clapping pushups, and medicine ball tosses. The goal in a plyometric exercise is to do the most rapid concentric to eccentric motion. In other words when one is jumping off of and back onto a platform, it is not important how deep you bend the knees when you hit the floor; one must instead keep all joints flexed and spring off the floor as rapidly as possible. To a certain extent, heavy bag training is plyometric in nature.

It’s important to remember that one must first have a strength foundation before engaging in plyometric training. These exercises are very hard on the body, and are not for people with bad joints. But if you want power, you must do plyometric training.

Here’s a real simple one that you can do in your dojo. Position yourself in front of the heavy bag in the sanchin kata position just before the double boshiken thrusts. Push the bag out with your hands (one high, one low), and use your whole body. As the bag comes back to you, absorb it and explode out using this same motion. See how far you can get the bag to swing out, and how easily you contract/expand. Remember to use the whole body, starting from the back leg and finishing with the hands extending. Think of yourself as a whole-body spring, but with an “active” component (like a triggered charge that explodes). Note: if the bag is near a wall, get in-between the wall and the bag so you can really swing it out.

Enough for now...more to follow.

- Bill


[This message has been edited by Bill Glasheen (edited January 04, 2000).]

[David Elkins]

Bill Sensei,

I really enjoyed your thoughtful essay and am eagerly awaiting part two.

[Bill Glasheen]

Thanks, David. Part II will be this week. Looking forward to interaction with you when more comes.

I've got a lot of neat references piling up. You should enjoy!

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

Thanks, David. Part II will be this week. Looking forward to interaction with you when more comes.

I've got a lot of neat references piling up. You should enjoy!

- Bill

[BILLY B]

Glasheen Sensei,

Any developments?

[Fedele Cacia]

Bill Sensei,
Great post,

I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable in the gym, but I learned a few things from your earlier post.

Thanks, looking foreword to your next post.
Fedele

[Bill Glasheen]

Ahhh....but I was considering how I have left this hanging as I was doing my squats in the gym on Sunday. How interesting the timing!

Thanks for the prompt.

- Bill

[Fedele Cacia]

Be sure to keep your head up and don’t go below parallel with your thighs.

Fedele

[David Elkins]

Bill, I'm sorry, what was hanging as you were doing your squats?

Fedele, interesting that you should mention the training advice. I have lifted for power and useful athletic strength for many years without "protective gear" or knee problems. This includes lifting primative equipment as well as squat/squat and more squats, heavy bottom position squats in the rack,etc. About six months ago I decided that I would "take up" Olympic lifting. I changed my training to accomodate the rock bottom position that this style of lifting demands and guess what?
Well, I'll give away the secret. Last week when I saw the orthopod he basically reiterated your training advice. UGH.


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Good Training,

David
Uechi Ryu West

[Fedele Cacia]

Hi David Sensei,

I was only joking when I was giving advice to Bill Sensei, as he seems to know a lot more on the subject than I, although, the advice I gave was good.

I am sorry to hear of your injury, I to lifted for many years and sustained numerous injuries due to cheating and swinging of heavy weights, thus, the importance of good form. I mainly lifted for bulk rather than power. Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m no muscle head, the reason that I always worked on size was due to my small frame. I don’t get to lift as much as I used to, due to the hours that I spend studying Uechi, though, I still try for three times a week.

No pain no gain.

Fedele

[maurice richard libby]

So Bill,

are you going to get into Periodization and stuff like that?



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maurice richard libby
toronto/moose jaw
Ronin at large

[Bill Glasheen]

Absolutely. I'm a believer and practitioner of such.

[maurice richard libby]

Bill,

Have you read the new book by Tudor Bompa? I've just been going through it. I like his principles for setting up periodized programs.

maurice

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maurice richard libby
toronto/moose jaw
Ronin at large

[This message has been edited by maurice richard libby (edited March 01, 2000).]

[Fedele Cacia]

O.K you guys

I'll be the one to ask,"what the heck is
"periodization"
Can't find in the, "Webster comprehensive"

[David Elkins]

Bill,

I guess that depends pretty much on who's coaching advice that you're citing. Some, such as coach Louie Simmons (much better known for his powerlifting accomplishments as a competitor and coach) do advocate exactly what you're recommending - go heavy with record singles on a variety of basic movements combined with days of tremendously explosive movements using submaximal resistance.

Others, such as Dr. Ken Leistner advocate the same concept only effect it through high rep high intensity work rather than the singles that coach Simmons prefers.

Both realize that the two Olympic lifts require contstant practice as a function of the complexity of the movements and have their athletes doing light sets for form (which are of course decreased as contest time grows near and the weights go up.)

However, the majority of Olympic lifters train the two lifts exactly as the perform them in competition, heavy assistance work for weaknesses, rejuvinative work for injuries, and plenty of light form work on the lifts per se.

The eastern Europeans who set the standard for Olympic lifting sometimes use the same weight that they're planning to use in competition, the day before in training. All the motions are done exactly as they are in competition including assistance work such as front and back squats, cleans/pulls from the ground, the hang, and the rack.

The reasoning is similar to what we discuss so frequently on these forums, that you will do in competition (the street) exactly what you do in training. If you were to train cutting the depth of the movement short in training you would be buried when you performed your max clean to jerk or snatch as you would have engrained not going low enough to succeed in the catch.

I keenly look forward to the next installment of Strength Training. I can tell you that we are going to have some good discussions as I represent the "other guys" relative to periodization.

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Good Training,

David
Uechi Ryu West