Which muscle groups do you use for each weapon class?

[Kirethorn]

My goal in this is to pinpoint which muscle groups a fighter should target to improve more (not neglecting the rest) to become more effective with a specific weapon class.

I know that there is more than one way to swing a sword and that each give a different balance between speed, power and accuracy. But not everyone is going to be totally impartial betwen these different strikes and the effects of the strikes (eg. which one gives the most power, speed, accuracy) is not going to apply to everyone the same way either (ie. for some with different builds the strongest strike may be different for them then for others).

So what class do you use and which groups do you use the most?

[Davit]

Fighting, when done correctly is a whole body workout. It left me sore in all those places that I had forgotten since wrestling. Sure there are a few muscles you use a bit more when you do a specific shot with a specific weapon, but like I tell everyone who I try to help out at the beginning, if you use your whole body for a swing, it will arrive faster and with more power than one that just uses your arm.

[Mercer]

I would say, develop everything with your exercise regimen, and let practice with your weapons of choice develop the fighting muscles further. Nothing really trains the muscles for fighting better than fighting.

One thing to remember: unless you're an archer, you can't kill what you can't catch. Legs are an important part of your fighting skill, if for nothing else but footwork and having a stable base from which to strike. Get in some road work, and practice moving fights occaisonally rather than just facing off straight.

[Kirethorn]

I had a conversation with a chinese friend of mine while we were fighting. He beat me of course as he does a whole number of chinese martial arts that don't have english translations. We were discussing different fighting techniques and he said that westerners tend to use their upper arms more than their forearms when fighting.
This is true, I have a friend that practices mostly with bokkens and his forearms are like oversized chicken legs. I also train with bokkens and when coming back to training from not doing it for a while it is my forearms that burn. . Using your whole body in combat is common sense, and it does let you perform faster, harder more accurate hits. But for landing the hit you can use different musles to achieve a different effect. Session 2 in a six session training manual I got from this site discusses different types of power generation, using different parts of your body to achieve different combinations of speed and power. Granted, all of these should be used when required (you pick the best tool for the job so to speak), but as I said before: Not everyone is going to be totally impartial betwen these different strikes. And the effects of the strikes are not going to apply to everyone the same way either. This isn't a discussion on western vs. Eastern styles, this is about the various mehtods that different fighters tend to favour when fighting with specific weapon classes.

Having established that there are different techniques, can we continue the thread so that the various trends for the different classes can be discovered.

(If anyine wants to dispute what I have said please do it via PM to avoid a potential flamewar.)

[debuenzo]

tricep and forearm muscles are prolly the main muscles involved in throwing a shot with a blue weapon

*just imagine the mechanics of each weapon, and the muscles used should be fairly obvious*

[Arrakis]

You use whatever muscle group is appropriate to a particular strike with a particular weapon. I use every muscle in my body with each class. Redswords, shockingly, require more upper body strength than blue and board, blue and board requires more shoulder strength (esp. if you use a heavy strap). That's about it.

[tvetree]

Target breathing,I notice a lot of fighters run out of steam WAY before any of the muscle groups are even stressed.

As to this goal...jump rope,run sprints(up hill).

[Roland Demox]

to add to the idea of not running out of steam. Breath when you hit. If you guys have ever watched Never Back Down the movie explains this pretty well, every time you make contact exhale. I tend to exhale through my teeth, it is the same concept of the AYAH in any traditional martial arts school

[Soo Ma Tai]

I dont really have a prob with forgetting to breathe, so I try to keep my breathing even and steady when I fight. I will kiai (fast exhalation of breath, often accompanied by a loud yell) when I am hit to prevent injury to myself but other than that I go for even and steady.

[Forkbeard]

The glutious Maximus is the most important musle in Bel.
That's right.
Work that *, y'all.
FB

[Roland Demox]

As Light Heavyweight Champ Quintion "Rampage" Jackson has said:

"Put yo * into it, put yo * into it and you gonna put yo opponent on his *"

Use them hips

[Hatchet]

My goal in this is to pinpoint which muscle groups a fighter should target to improve more (not neglecting the rest) to become more effective with a specific weapon class.

With Archery I suggest deltoid, triceps, biceps, latissimus dorci, trapezeus, and rhomboid. It's probably also helps with swinging a stick also.

In general... legs.

[Thanatos]

Target breathing,I notice a lot of fighters run out of steam WAY before any of the muscle groups are even stressed.

As to this goal...jump rope,run sprints(up hill).

OMG!! Your saying Nerdie little Belgath beginners are unfit? golly MR your so wise. heehee. I'm kidding if i cause an offence i apoligise in advance.

I myself are a veteran of Japanese martial arts myself, and currently working on a workout to get generally fit to get back into fighting at the end of the year. Cardiovascular training is my biggest worry, it's the hardest thing to train. with weights you pump everyday, then up the weight every few weeks. For those looking to get fitter or stronger, i'd suggest seeking out martial arts forums, as it's the closest thing to bele, as they're both fighting. target movements that should isolate the muscles needing to be worked. I'm japan hardcore Martial arts Dojos get there students to punch and perform kata with weights, to build strength.

[tvetree]

Target breathing,I notice a lot of fighters run out of steam WAY before any of the muscle groups are even stressed.

As to this goal...jump rope,run sprints(up hill).

OMG!! Your saying Nerdie little Belgath beginners are unfit? golly MR your so wise. heehee.

HA ha ,Now now, I didn't mean it that way But the breed of monkey known as Human is genarrally rather unfit,and can't spell either

[Thanatos]

Target breathing,I notice a lot of fighters run out of steam WAY before any of the muscle groups are even stressed.

As to this goal...jump rope,run sprints(up hill).

OMG!! Your saying Nerdie little Belgath beginners are unfit? golly MR your so wise. heehee.

HA ha ,Now now, I didn't mean it that way But the breed of monkey known as Human is genarrally rather unfit,and can't spell either

Heehee, yeah i get what you mean. I apoligise about the dodge spelling.

[tvetree]

Well the spelling was a shot at myself,I guess the monkey bit was too.
As some of us didn't fall to far from the tree .