Are there any tips for building up speed?

[dgh2112]

And by speed I mean the explosive power of punches and kicks?

I'm a martial artist so my prefernce with training is to build up the speed at which I can use my muscles rather then the strength of my muscles. (But I am interested in increaseing my strength as much as I can without lossing body speed/movement.)

I know the most obvious way to gain speed is to practise my kicks and punches, but I'm curious to know about any other techniques I can use, either with free weights (I find machines restrictive) or other techniques.

If it's of any help, I'm 5'8, 150lbs, have a 34inch chest and can press my own weight.

I'm also wondering if anyone can point to a site that explains what some of the wieght exercise are. Incline and decline bench presses are easy enough to figure out, military presses sound like a shoulder press varient, but shrugs? No idea.

Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[NWinters]

Hey CCJ...where are you?

He'll be here,

anyway, Olympic style lifting will make you stronger and faster, Do a search on these lifts

Push press

Snatch

Front squats

Power cleans

I would aslo try deadlifting.



Nick try here too

 

[edgecrusher]

The best thing you can do both to increase your hand speed and your punching power, is to superset heavy incline presses with 20-30 seconds all out on the heavy bag. Wheni say all out, I mean all out with good form. Straight eplosive strikes, not wild side arm swinging.

 

[dgh2112]

That's a faster response then I was expecting, thanks guys, I'll look those up pronto.

 

[coolcolj]

Well a combo of very heavy weights 2-3 rep range combined with plyos will help.
You have to move all concentrics as fast as possible without injury off course. You will have to use bands, otherwise you will slow down at the end of the move, and that ingrains bad neural muscle memory

by plyos I mean stuff like plyometric pushups, jump squats etc

med ball throws and pushes are very good, these can be done normally or plyo like

also work your rotational strnegth with woodchops, russian twists etc. A lot of the power and speed in a punch comes from the hips and legs too.

 

[Lord_Suston]

The easy way to increase speed or not to lose it while weightlifting is the rep ranges and excercises.

Try doing only compound excercises and olympic lifts; Squats, Deads, Military press, Bench, clean and jerk ect....

rep ranges should be from 3-8 and not done to failure, working on explosive force. Also try plenty of speed work with your body, sprints for the hands and feet. basicaly go as fast and hard when training to increase one's speed.