How strong are most amateur martial arts trainees?

[YourNotAboutIt]

Technique paired with decent "functional" strength is by far the best combo. That will beat huge muscle heads 9/10 times. Think GSP, Cain, JDS, Cormier, Sapp, Fedor..Ect..

[MJ1432]

Originally Posted by McCrispi

When I first started training I was bigger and stronger than almost everyone at my gym... With that being said, my ass got handed to me for the first several weeks. I even tapped to a girl my second week. It's not quite as embarrassing since she is a world class mixed martial artist, but I still tapped to a girl. So don't worry about strength near as much as technique and smooth transitions

Had the same exact experience, and that's how it should be, if you're not getting owned when you start, then you should leave that gym and go somewhere where you are. No better proof of Martial Arts effectiveness than being what you think of as a big strong 200 pounder and getting helplessly held in side control by a 145 pounder.

[Burrito Guido]

I carry my fat mom up to her bed at night. She is easily 400 lbs. This has to count for something.

[terribill]

Originally Posted by +Gulo+

You kinda sound like a dick.

Working out in the gym makes you good at working out in a gym. Sometimes it translates to activities in the world, often times it doesnt. I was a carpenter for quite a few years and lifted a lot of heavy weird shit all day long. There was nothing that could have prepped me for that in the gym, nor was I worth much in there when my body was geared towards an 8 hr day of weird industrial work.

Anyhow, TS, youre going to get outclassed when you start anything new. Some people will be big, some small. The key is, the longer you do it the better youll be, so just get started. You sound really strong for someone who's 175 lbs. Ive never been able to lift more than 215 or so and Im 6'2 190 lbs.

Didn't mean to come off like a dick, but I stand by what I said. I look to people like Alexander Karelin as an example. His strength in the gym certainly assisted in his capacity to hoist heavyweights opponents into mid air, and deliver what was apptly named the Karelin Slam. A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle, and when has a little extra strength ever NOT helped an athlete?

Also, let's not forget force=mass x acceleration...

Muscle mass bro! Curls... Protein! Dem gains!

[S80]

My thinking was this, if I go in with no training, yet most guys with little training as well generally bench 300lbs and deadlift about 500, well I'm a little outclassed for my weight. I know a few guys who train and I have them outclassed strength wise, but they are a good 20lbs lighter.
And I train extremely hard so its not just like I can decide to train hard and get twice as strong in a month or two.

Grip strength and such wise I'm pretty decent. As far as gym lifts in my highschool I think I have the 2nd best upper body lifts for my weight in the school currently after a guy broke his hand.



Basically I was just scared of walking in and realizing it was populated with dabouvs, and while of course with technique you can beat a stronger opponent , if I am weak even for a bigger who takes it seriously It really won't turn out well.


If I am fairly gym strong, then I can go into it with confidence, yeah I have no doubt ill get my ass kicked by guys half my size, but I would prefer it to getting my ass kicked by a guy twice it. might hurt a little less. Not to mention learning to beat a guy a little bit weaker or my level would be easier than trying to pin steroidicus

[terribill]

BTW ts, your numbers look good. You should be focused in improving your fight game, and that's goal number one. But don't be afraid to hit them 1rm's every once in a while - once a month really - and push yourself in the gym. The mental strength it gives you is just as beneficial as the skeleton muscle strength, nahmean?

I don't know why cardio hasn't been brought up. That's arguably as important as the martial arts training itself!

[AMD1]

It's amazing how full of shit most people in this thread are.


Just lift the god damn weights, any serious martial artist is going to consider some strength work a part of training. I know so many dudes who were on the "functional strength" bandwagon and did stupid amounts of pushups and hindu squats and all kinds of things, years down the track and everyone who took up a real strength routine has said the same thing "WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS A DECADE AGO?".


Seriously.... "functional strength"? There's nothing more functional that picking a 100kg barbell up over your heard... Don't confuse cardio or endurance or big muscles with being strong, lifting heavy won't make you some bloated, slow roidmonkey.

Pretty evident that a lot of people in here have never experienced being ragdolled by another guy the same size as them because he can just strip your grips in an instant and blow through your guard.

[devilfisted]

You will be outclassed by guys much smaller then you. Leave your ego at home and you will get better. I started train late 29 and got tapped by 18 19 year olds it sucks but as long as you keep trying you will get better. And striking for a new guy it's mostly bags and pads.

[Brian Cronk]

Originally Posted by terribill

BTW ts, your numbers look good. You should be focused in improving your fight game, and that's goal number one. But don't be afraid to hit them 1rm's every once in a while - once a month really - and push yourself in the gym. The mental strength it gives you is just as beneficial as the skeleton muscle strength, nahmean?

I don't know why cardio hasn't been brought up. That's arguably as important as the martial arts training itself!

That is a good point that knowing you've got the brute power to help you when you do make a technical error is great for moral.

[Revs]

Strenght is not everything
dos Santos is not even that big and can beat anyone