[attack]

do you have to bust your ass 3, 4, 5? days a week? how much should you lift weights? can you go with pure technique?

Get more specific with your question, hard to get what you mean, are you refering to mma competetion or what. To throw an answer out there, its not necessary, but will add some benefits to your health. You may feel and look better as well. As far as fighting goes, anyone can beat anyone on any day. Learning the principles of your art is the most important thing.

Lifting greatly depends on your goals. If its for looks, go for a bodybuilding program, if you want functional strength and such, go for olympic and powerlifting. Either one with a clean diet will add benefits beyond MA. Frequency of training depends on how your body reacts to training. I have great results doing one body part once a day once a week, others get great results using a 3 day split.

[NathanRahl]

Originally Posted by attack

do you have to bust your ass 3, 4, 5? days a week? how much should you lift weights? can you go with pure technique?

Zero, calisthenics is the way to go, not weightlifting. Bye bye

Yes, if you want broken.

[Robert_RedBeard]

Just to be simple about it.

3.5 of 5 stars in importance.

If you wannt be able to push 300lbs around. You have to go out and do it on a regular basis.

P.S.

Here's a fast two week schedule.

Week #1

Day 1: Upper body
Day 2: Cardio
Day 3: Lower body
Day 4: Cardio
Day 5: Upper Body
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Day off

Week #2

Day 8: Lower body
Day 9: Cardio
Day 10: Upper body
Day 11: Cardio
Day 12: Lower body
Day 13:Cardio
Day 14: Off

That should do ya.

The rest is details and personal taste.

[WushuPadawan001]

I love to lift so I do it 5-6 times a week. But that's just me. Does it help my MA? Eh, not really (I'm a kung fu guy fyi). Helps with hang time on them fancy kicks, but that's about it.

Actually it does indirectly, it helps strengthen the tendons, ligaments, and bones as well as the muscle.

[hara_12]

I think it is very important. There is a lot to be said about body weight training, and for beginning the martial arts, holding horse stances for 5 minutes is plenty. But once you have developed the strength to hold and move your body weight, to get stonger and continue to progress, you need to add weight.

With plyometric training you can progress and be able to develop jumping ability and power with punching/kicking, but without a base of strength to support the power that is being developed, injury may be around the corner.

3 days a week is fine. I am not a big fan of dividing upper and lower body workouts. The body works as a unit, so why should be intentionally try to split is up. Just make sure you give yourself at least a day of rest between workouts or you will burn out.

[samurai6string]

Welcome to the forums, Hara. I saw on the other thread that you are a physical therapist? Your input will certainly be valued here, I'm sure.

[hara_12]

Thanks, nice to be here. I am a PT, but I am also an ATC and CSCS. I much prefer the training that I do with athletes as opposed to the elderly that I usually see in the clinic, but that puts bacon on the table.