Today's question comes in from Taner:
"Hi Dave, I bought your book W.M.D. I'm a boxer and wanted to ask if I can use the power circuits just for strength training or should I do strength training as well? Wouldn't the power circuits be enough for strength training?
Should I do the power circuits for 20 minutes or 3-5 rounds if it's about strength? That's my last question.
Taner
Via email"
The WMD book is a PDF eBook I wrote several years ago and details the training that I was running for the very first evolution of the Bootcamp sessions in WG-FIT.
The Bootcamp was created on the request of a handful of kickboxers who, through their own reading, realised the need for supplemental training for their sport.
One of the lads went from a not insignificant losing streak to convincingly winning his next several fights after taking the Bootcamp for a few months.
And there's plenty of other success stories attached to this program, from fighters and general fitness clients alike
So what is a power circuit and is it enough for your main strength work?
Strength training really can be quite simple. Where most get it wrong is they equate bodybuilding with strength training and end up doing dozens and dozens of different movements.
If you're an Athlete, as in you participate in a sport of physical activity, you probably only need maybe 4-6 exercises that you increase strength in.
Your sport will likely keep you moving well.
A non athlete could do more in the gym as they don’t have to save energy for the sport and probably could use the extra movement patterns
Power Circuits then are a strength based circuit.
Usually we have 1 main lift followed by a number of smaller lifts.
I love to base the circuit around the Deadlift, but other drills work just fine. So long as you are safe.
Here's an example circuit:
1A: Deadlift x 3-5
1B: Military press x 4-6
1C: Super Lunge x 8L/R
1D: 30 seconds on the Heavy Bag
Go through the circuit quickly without rushing and rest as long as necessary after the heavy bag before beginning again
Each round, if possible, add load to the Deadlift.
The last set should be a genuine struggle, but please leave a rep or two in the bank.
Usually we set a timer for 20 minutes and you rock on until the buzzer goes off.
This, including a warm up and cool down means the whole session may take 40 minutes.
If done after sports practice, you don't need to warm up, just maybe do a few load acclimatisation sets, so we're down to 30 minutes.
And this is the point.
Time efficient training that has a high yield.
Here's another example straight from the book:
Power Circuit 6:
1A: Barbell Squat 5/4/3/2/1
1B: 1 Arm Clean & Jerk x 4-6 L/R
1C: 1 Arm Snatch x 4-6 L/R
1D: Sledgehammer Slam x 10 L/R
We're not using a timer here, but you go from the squat through to the sledgehammer quickly, without rushing, then rest as needed before starting over.
The squat reduces in reps as it increases in load, the rest stay the same.
It will take around 20-30 minutes to complete, potentially longer if you're already very strong. Less so if you're a cardio machine
Power circuits will help you get stronger
You will learn to maintain your strength under fatigue
You will look and feel powerful
In the Bootcamp strength day is always Monday. The other days emphasise the other energy systems.
But if strength is your specific need, you can do a second strength day later in the week, say Thursday.
If you are doing 3 or more strength sessions per week, then I wouldn't recommend the strength circuit format.
Keep that for a 1-2 sessions per week routine.
2x/wk is plenty for a hard training athlete.
In the WMD ebook there are examples of other power circuits as well as a large example of more traditional conditioning circuits and the full program for the kickboxer focused Bootcamp program.
The name “WMD” was suggested as a title by one of the participants who was so blown away by how capable everyone became, not just the competitors he joked “You're creating weapons of mass destruction, call the book that!”
It's available in euros here: https://www.wg-fit.com/product-page/w-m-d-strength-conditioning-for-kickboxing
And Stirling here: https://www.davehedges.net/product-page/w-m-d-strength-conditioning-for-kickboxing
Now don't forget to hit reply and have your sat or send in your questions
All emails get read and replied to, so get in touch.
Chat soon
Dave
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Regards
Dave Hedges
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