Dave Longley: Technique and Strength in the Martial Arts

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yinyang: Technique and Strength in the Martial Arts | Dave Longley

[Jopa_St]

Good article Dave.

It seems like you have gotten pretty strong for an martial arts athlete, can you share with us what kind of programming did you use after LP, considering your BJJ training?

[Dave Longley]

Good article Dave.

It seems like you have gotten pretty strong for an martial arts athlete, can you share with us what kind of programming did you use after LP, considering your BJJ training?

Thanks! Good lord, I did write that I'm not an athlete.

Programming depends what I'm trying to achieve. When I've wanted to gain some more strength, I've made sure I'm in a caloric surplus and just trained volume and intensity as per Practical Programming. Modified Texas Method if you will.

For the last 6 months or so I've pretty much just maintained by lifting 2-3 times a week, with a max set of 3-5 reps followed by back off sets. This is alongside 4-9 sessions of BJJ a week.

Age will be a factor. The young guy I know that ran an LP whilst training was able to make good progress in his strength, still roll a few times a week and pleasure his girlfriend on a nightly basis.

[Jopa_St]

I like both strength training and martial arts so I really enjoyed your article.

What is your opinion/experience on size vs strength in martial arts?
For example, you are very strong compared to your opponents, but what if you grapple a guy around 260-270 lbs or even bigger, who doesn't do strength training, but is a good athlete that has decent strength just from grappling?

So basically you are stronger, but the other guy has a significant size advantage, skills aside, who is gonna overpower the other one?

[Ryan Foster]

Dave,

Great article. I'm not a martial artist. But I'm a corrections officer at a 1000 bed plus facility and have been in many use of force situations and the biggest factor in me being the victor has been the strength I have gained since finding SS.

[Dave Longley]

What is your opinion/experience on size vs strength in martial arts?
For example, you are very strong compared to your opponents, but what if you grapple a guy around 260-270 lbs or even bigger, who doesn't do strength training, but is a good athlete that has decent strength just from grappling?

There's a guy at my place who is 6'5" and probably 265lbs, he's been training BJJ for just over a year. Played rugby all his life and is just a naturally big guy, strong and athletic. From the very first session he was an absolute fucking nightmare, for all but the higher belts. I'm (probably) stronger than him but it certainly doesn't feel like it. I tend to get the better of him, but only just and sometimes (depending on the sparring we're doing) he'll beat me. I've also seen him rag doll higher belts, but higher belts have enough experience to ride out the storm and they will eventually get the better of him. The point here though, is that they have acquired years of skill and experience in order to deal with him, whereas he just walked in and was nightmare from DAY ONE.