This month I’m delighted to feature an article by Dave Hedges; co founder of Wild Geese Martial Arts and Fitness in Dublin. I met Dave whilst attending the IKFF CKT in Dublin recently, which he hosted. In his article Dave explains the valuable role kettlebell training plays in getting fighters in top condition. Dave (shown being hurt by FISFO master Seb Verroult) holds Black belts in Wado Ryu Karate, Ed Parkers Kenpo and is an instructor for Rapid Arnis and Doce Pares Eskrima. Dave has also trained in traditional Jujitsu, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Gung and Bodyguard & Security tactics. He is also involved with Both the IKFF and the All Ireland Kettlebell Lifting Federation (www.AIKLF.eu) and spends much of his time looking for better methods to improve martial artists strength, mobility and longevity.

Kettlebell Training for Boxing

If you were to ask me to choose a group of athletes to train, I’d pick fighters each and every time.

This is not just because as a martial artists myself, I know their wants and needs, but because I find them to be the most rewarding and responsive people to train. A fighter knows that if he (or she, but for simplicity I’m going to use the masculine term throughout) isn’t the best conditioned athlete in the room they could get seriously hurt.
Who else takes those kind of risks?
A overweight executive trying to cut fat? No
A track and field athlete looking for a PB? No
A Bodybuilder? No

There is no other competition as pure as a fight, there is no equipment, no excuses, nothing but skill, strength, stamina and the will to keep going. As Rocky Balboa said to his son, “It’s not how hard you can get hit, it’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

While skill is a huge factor in the ring, every fighter knows that his strength and condition could easily become the deciding factor. If you tire before your opponent, you will get beaten, it really is that simple. As you fatigue you become less able to use the skills, fine motor control is lost, you loose your spring, your explosiveness and feel the opponents blows that much more.
So we need to bring our strength & conditioning up to a level where will it will never quit, where we can keep developing knockout power all the way to the twelfth round while your opponents blows simply bounce off with no effect.

While there are a multitude of ways to train for this, in my opinion few are as efficient as the kettlebell and it’s associated training methods.

For those of you still unfamiliar with the kettlebell, it is simply a solid cast iron weight, it is as tough and brutal as the sport you’re training for. Why is it a superior training tool? Simple, the kettlebell and it’s lifts are hard work, if you do not perform them with clarity, focus and determination, the bell simply will not be moved. Few other training methods (and I’ve tried most of them) evoke the same work ethic, few if any have the ability to build full body power and endurance. In fact a whole new term has been coined in the strength & conditioning industry since the kettlebell came out of the underground and into the mainstream.

Power Endurance.

What will a fighter need as the clock ticks on into the later rounds? Power Endurance.

What’s the single most important lift for a fighter?

The 1 arm Clean & Jerk.

If we break the lift down to it’s component parts we can see exactly why this one lift is should play a pivotal part of a fighters training program.

1.       The Backswing  – As the bell swings backwards between the legs you are stretching and loading the hamstrings and glutes, essential muscles for the development of power.

2.       Explode – The bell is driven powerfully forward by the hips extending. The hamstrings, glutes and low back now work together to drive the bell forwards and up, teaching a fighter to develop power from the ground up.

3.       Catch – The last part of the clean is where the bell is caught on the chest. The upper back is strongly involved in the this, pulling the bell in towards the body, the core has to be tight and the legs springy in order to absorb the impact.

4.       Dip – The first part of the jerk loads the quads ready for to explode upwards.

5.       Explode – Basically jump. Spring up vertically, come onto the toes, extend the hips, push the chest up and attempt to throw the bell upwards.

6.       Dip and Lockout – The final part of the lift. As the bell passes the eyes the fighter must drop under it, pushing his arm out straight and locking the elbow. At this point straighten up so the arms and legs are straight.

You can see how there is no muscle left out of the equation, that includes the heart and lungs.

You will train the body to develop power from the legs and hips, you will learn not to rely just on the arm. You will develop a powerful midsection as it stabilises the body throughout the lift. The shoulder gets worked  as you first pull then push the bell to get it overhead developing endurance and power.

Somedays use a relatively light weight and go for time, match it to the rounds of a fight. Perform 10 reps each hand continuously for 2 minutes, then rest a minute. Repeat for as many rounds as necessary. Other days go heavy and aim for max power.

I personally include these into circuits, here’s one I use myself, feel free to try for yourself:

Set the timer for 20 minutes.
Perform 5 deadlifts, 5 clean & jerk each side, 20 sledgehammer strikes (10 each side). Add weight to the deadlift each time round and try to get as many circuits done in 20 minutes as possible.

As with all training, correct technique is of paramount importance. Kettlebell lifting is about efficiency, ensure your coach has the training and experience to be able to correctly teach the techniques and correct you mistakes. Once you find such a coach and really master this drill, you’ll never look back.

Dave Hedges
Co Founder of Wild Geese Martial Arts & Fitness
IKFF and IUKL-IKSA Kettlebell coach

author: No Equipment, No Excuses – Bodyweight Training for the Home, the Office & on the Road

email info@wildgeesema.com
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