The Best Free Weight Exercises for Martial Arts

One of the main things martial artists rely upon is their strength. This doesn’t mean that technique is unimportant, but without strength, martial artists near Tampa are nothing but show. 

How do you develop your strength?

There are several exercises that martial artists near Tampa use to help build up their strength.

Kettlebell Swing

One of the most convenient free-weight tools for martial artists to use in strength training near Tampa is the kettlebell. There are dozens of exercises that can be done with it, one of the best being the kettlebell swing. Regardless of how advanced you are in your martial arts training, you’ll find that the movement is friendly.

Barbell Squat

When martial artists near Tampa want a lower body exercise, they tend to immediately think about doing squats. The barbell squat is one that anyone at any level of training can benefit from since it’ll work your quads, core, hamstrings, and glutes while significantly improving your power.

Bench Press

One of the best exercises for increasing your upper body pushing power is the bench press. With this being said, the exercise is essential, especially for students of grappling martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This exercise will help strengthen your shoulders and triceps so you can push your opponent away and create space.

Deadlift 

The best way to work your whole body is by doing deadlifts. Not only does this exercise work your posterior chain, but it’ll also strengthen your grips. Another reason why so many martial artists near Tampa like this exercise is that there are a variety of ways in which it can be done. The most beginner-friendly version is the trap bar deadlift because it doesn’t have a lot of the technical challenges that other variations have.

Overhead Press

To work your shoulder, triceps, and core (including your boxer’s muscle, a.k.a., the serratus anterior), you’ll want to do some overhead presses. For this, you’ll need a free weight since this exercise isn’t as technical as other exercises. However, you do want to make sure that you have your feet in a tripod position and keep both your core and glutes tight.

Barbell Row

This exercise is mostly performed by grapplers because it will help strengthen your upper back, rear delt, lats, and grips. It can be performed with a barbell, kettlebell, or dumbbell since it’s equally as effective when performed with both hands as it is when it’s alternately performed on each hand.

Hammer Curl

If you want to work on grip strength, endurance, forearm strength, or wrist stability, this is an excellent exercise for you. While anyone can benefit from it at any stage, those who are in the more advanced stages of their training stand to gain the most. This is especially true if you’re a Jiu-Jitsu student because the hammer curl can help prevent lactic acid buildup.

Power Clean

This dynamic exercise requires both mobility and practice. It’s an effective way to improve your ability to explode from the ground and will also help increase your overall athletic capacity and power output. It mainly works your body’s posterior chain, especially its traps. To perform it, you’ll need either a barbell, a kettlebell, or a dumbbell.

How do you get good training in martial arts?

Elevate Martial Arts, near Tampa, FL, offers a wide range of martial arts classes for all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re just starting out and want to learn self-defense techniques or an experienced practitioner who wants to refine their skills, they have something for everyone. With highly trained instructors and a supportive community, you’ll be able to achieve your goals and improve both physically and mentally in a safe and welcoming environment.