Www.combatcorestrength.com



TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Introduction…………………………………………………………………4

The Sledgehammer

Equipment………........................................................5

Musculature………………………………………………………………………..6

Movement………………………………………………………………………….8

Exercises………………………………………………………………………….10

Loading…………………………………………………………………………..13

Benefits…………………………………………………………………………….14

Sport Specific………………………………………………………………….16

Program……………………………………………………………………….18

Circuits.…………………………………………………………………………….20

Exercise Index………………………………………………………………….21

References…………………………………………………………………….55

Closing……….…………………………………………………………………….56

The Author.…………………………….……………………………………….57

SLEDGEHAMMER

Sledgehammer training has many benefits to all athletes, including those who participate and are involved in Combat sports, including mixed martial arts (MMA.) Explosive force generation (power), a vise-like grip and a high level of general physical preparedness (GPP) can be achieved with proper implementation of sledgehammers into your strength programs.

EQUIPMENT

▪ Sledgehammer

o Weights: 8(? Lbs – you can go as low as a 6 lb sledge or as high as a 150 lb War Hammer! Remember – Speed and technique should not be compromised, so pick a weight where the mechanics of the movement do not diminish.

o Increase grip aspect of sledgehammer by wrapping handle with a large amount of athletic tape or replace sledgehammer with a 2”(2.5” OD thick pipe.

▪ Tire

o No Tire – Explosive Deceleration Series – see page 9.

o With Tire – strike the sledgehammer against tractor tire, car tire or tree stump.

MUSCULATURE

▪ UPPER BODY

o Trapezius, Rhomboids, Pectorals (Major/Minor), Deltoids, Teres (Major/Minor), Lattisimus Dorsi, Abdominals (TA, RA, Internal/External Obliques), Spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), hand flexors, wrist extensors / flexors.

▪ LOWER BODY

o Erectors, Gluteals, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Hip Complex (Flexors, Extensors)

CONDITIONING

▪ GPP – General Physical Preparedness (GPP)

o Exercises that enhance the athletes’ work capacity, general conditioning, prevention of injuries and restorative abilities. It can also a means of active rest.

o Sledgehammer training will increase your athlete’s GPP as the sets and intensity progress.

FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS

▪ Spine, Hip, Knee, Shoulder Extension / Flexion

▪ Spinal Rotation (thoracic, cervical)

▪ Grip

o Dynamic Support / Crush Strength

o All Postural Movements of the Wrist (Supination, Pronation, Ulnar/Radial Deviation, Extension, Flexion)

MULTI-PLANAR MOVEMENT

▪ Planes of Motion

o Motion happens along these 3 planes of reference:

▪ Sagittal

▪ Frontal

▪ Transverse

▪ Movement – Lower Body

o “All Spokes of the Wheel” – Gambetta

o Move in all directions – Be Mobile!

▪ Lateral Movements

▪ Forward / Backward / Diagonal Lower Body agility movements across a distance

▪ Improve your footwork while generating force

HAND POSITIONS

o 1 HAND

▪ 1 Hand – varying positions from sledge head end - depending on strength of athlete

o 2 HANDS

▪ 2 Hands – over/under – varying positions from sledge head end - depending on strength of athlete

▪ 2 Hands – both hands spaced apart, moved in close proximity - to an over/under position as a swing is initiated

TIRE POSITION

o With Tire

▪ Tire flat

▪ Tire standing

o No Tire

▪ Deceleration Series – see Exercise section below – page 9.

ENVIRONMENT

o Stable

▪ Grass, Turf, Mat, Pavement, Concrete, etc..

o Unstable

▪ Inflatable Discs

▪ Bosu

▪ Foam Pads

▪ Barefoot (Rooney-Parisi)

EXERCISES

▪ Exercises where Tire is Flat

o 2 Hand Overhead Slams

o 1 Hand Overhead Slams

o 2 Hands Slide to 1 Hand Overhead Slams

o 2 Hand Rotational Slams

o 1 Hand Rotational Slams

o 2 Hand Rotational High to Low Slams

o Tire Taps

▪ Exercises Where Tire is Standing

o 2 Hand Rotational Baseball Swings

o 1 Hand Rotational Baseball Swings

o 2 Hand Rotational Posterior Swings

o 1 Hand Rotational Posterior Swings

▪ Without Tire

o Acceleration / Deceleration Series

o What is the Deceleration Series?

▪ Start of movement – explosive power, followed by immediate deceleration of the implement. Builds mind/body connection, antagonists and synergists statically to decelerate the motion initiated by the prime movers, dynamic grip strength. The goal is to not let the sledge touch the ground after exploding into the movement as hard as you can.

o Exercises

▪ Golf Swings

▪ 2 Hand High to Low Swings

▪ 2 Hand Baseball Bat Swings

▪ 1 Hand Baseball Bat Swings

▪ 2 Hand Slam Decelerations

▪ 1 Hand Slam Decelerations

▪ 2 Hand Rotational Decelerations

▪ 1 Hand Rotational Decelerations

o Levering Series

▪ 1 Hand

• Ulnar - Front Lever

• Radial - Back Lever – “Weaver Stick”

• Supination

• Pronation

• Multi-Directional Levering

▪ 2 Hand

• Conans – “Halos”

• Ulnar - Front Lever

• Supination

• Pronation

• Finger Walking

• Multi-Directional Levering

LOADING THE ATHLETE (RESISTANCE)

The following can be an additional external load directly on the athlete while they are performing sledgehammer exercises.

▪ Non-Conventional

o Weight Vest (X-Vest)

o Weighted Back Pack

o Resistance Bands

▪ Accelerated Lower Body Movement

▪ Decelerated Lower body Movement

▪ Lower Body Loaded Vertical – Hook band from a (weightlifting) belt around the bottom of the athlete’s feet – to stress stabilization of the ankles/ knees / hips.

▪ Lower Body Loaded Lateral – Slide band up over both legs around the calves or around the quads of the athletes – to stress hip abductors while performing footwork.

BENEFITS

▪ Promoting Stabilization, Flexibility and Mobility of:

o Major joints of the body; shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles

o Thoracic and Cervical Spine

o Irradiation – creating full body tension to absorb impact or generate power

o Improve footwork while explosively swinging sledgehammer

▪ Vibration Training

o Improve Grip Strength endurance dynamically with every swing.

o Bracing each impact will send shock waves (vibrations) through the athlete’s tendons, ligaments and muscles increasing their stability, density and ability to fire – maximum motor unit recruitment

▪ Starting Strength / Speed Strength

o Explosive Starting Strength

▪ Enhancing the development of explosive starting strength and improving the neural firing. The speed of movement will be accentuated by the (loading of the) backswing and utilizing the Stretch Shortening Cycle (SSC) (and elasticity of the tendons, ligament and musculature) thereby shortening the amortization phase between the concentric and eccentric phases of the movement.

▪ Sport Specific

o See page 16.

SPORT SPECIFIC – Combat Athletes

▪ Promoting the development of the musculature responsible for;

o Insane Grip Strength, increase your athlete’s ability to;

▪ Maintain Hand control - controlling their opponents’ wrists (standing, in guard or in mount) and breaking a submission

▪ Throwing and landing Powerful Punches while preventing injury from the impact

▪ Ensuring and maintaining the integrity of the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

o Explosive hip and knee flexion – teaches athlete to:

▪ Explosively “lower their level” for take downs or recover from a missed takedown attempt:

• Shots – Doubles, Singles

• Firemans

• Lifts - Suplex, High Leg, High Crotch

• Ankle Picks

▪ Explosively deliver knee strikes and kicks

o Rotational Power Development

▪ Punches, Elbow Strikes

▪ Side / Front Kicks and Knee Strikes

o Anaerobic Endurance

▪ Develop muscular endurance in training to make you explosive in the last round.

ACTIVE REST / RECOVERY

▪ Finger Walking – promote overall hand health and dexterity

REHABILITATION

▪ Supination / Pronation

o Rehabilitation of medial / lateral epicondylitis (Golfer's or Tennis elbow)

WORKOUT

▪ Integration

o Can be integrated before, during or after your workout. Can also be done on a totally separate Active Rest day, promoting recovery from heavy training.

▪ Methods

o Endurance - Timed Set

▪ Perform combination of exercises for a set duration of time - Time Under Tension (TUT) should be appropriate to exceed Lactic Acid Threshold (LAT) approximately (strength - 45 seconds) moving into endurance training (70 seconds-120 seconds)

o Circuits

▪ Can do done with only sledgehammer exercises, or with a combination of different exercises.

▪ Can be done:

• For a specified time, ie. Do the circuit for 2, 3, 4, 5+ minutes.

• For a specified number of runs through the circuit, ie. Do the circuit 4 times.

• The goal is to increase the number of runs, decrease rest period between runs or increase repetitions per set (increase your work capacity.)

o Sets / Reps

▪ Typical Sets and Rep Schemes

• 5x5, 3x8, 4x6 – mix up your sets and reps.

• Stay with short reps / high sets and concentrate of explosiveness

• Stay with high reps / high sets and concentrate on muscular endurance

Grip Specific Muscular Endurance

|Exercise |Repetitions |

|2 Hand Slams |6 |

|Golf Swings |6 |

|2 Hand Slam Decelerations |6 |

|2 Hand Baseball Swings |6 |

|Pullthrough to 2 Hand Slam Decelerations |6 |

|2 Hand High to Low Swings |6 |

|Exercise |Repetitions |

|Finger Walking |30 sec |

|Weaver Stick |30 sec |

|1 Hand Levering |6 |

|2 Hand Levering |6 |

|Tire Taps |6 |

|Supinations / Pronations |6 |

|Exercise |Repetitions |

|Band Accelerated Shots |30 sec |

|2 Hand Sledgehammer Levering |30 sec |

|Pushups |6 |

|Med Ball Thrusters |6 |

|Sledgehammer Deceleration Slams |6 |

|Tire Step-Ups |6 |

|Exercise |Repetitions |

|Medball Shoulder Squats |30 sec |

|Burpees |30 sec |

|Sledgehammer Baseball Swings |6 |

|Kettlebell Snatches |6 |

|Sledgehammer Deceleration Slams |6 |

|Barbell Push Press |6 |

The Sledgehammer

[pic]

2-Hand Overhead Slams

1-Hand Overhead Slams

2-Hand Rotational Overhead Slams

2-Hand High to Low Swings

Golf Swings

Finger Walking

(Dexterity & Hand Health)

Finger Walking – 2nd Style

2 Hands to 1 Hand Overhead Slams

Baseball Swings

1-Hand Baseball Swings

[pic]

2-Hand Overhead Slams

(Decelerations)

[pic]

2-Hand Conan’s

(Shoulder, Elbow, & Wrist Mobility)

1-Hand Slams

(Decelerations)

[pic]

Pull-Through to 2-Hand Overhead Slams

(Decelerations)

1-Arm Levering

[pic]

[pic]

2-Arm Levering

Back Levering

(Weaver Stick)

[pic]

[pic]

2-Hand Supination / Pronation

1-Hand Supination / Pronation

[pic]

Front Levers

[pic]

2-Hand Backward Swings

[pic]

Tire Taps

(Grip Endurance)

[pic]

Multi-Directional Levering

Standing patterns/postures

Clubbell Patterns – Shoulder Circles – 2 Arms

Clubbell Patterns – Shoulder Circles – 1 Arm

Clubbell Patterns - Reverse Circles – 1 Arm

Clubbell Patterns – Armpit Casts

Grip Specific Movements

Supination / Pronation

These are great movements that engage the lower arm musculature that cross and stabilize the elbows and wrists. As strength and proficiency improves, the center of mass can move further from contact point.

Supine Patterns/Postures

Supine – Shoulder Horizontal Abduction / Abduction

Supine – Shoulder Flexion / Extension

1.

2.

3. Cosgrove, Alwyn, The Professional Fitness Coach Program Design Bible, , 2006.

I hope you enjoy your exclusive sledgehammer bonus emanual.

Sledgehammers are a very versatile tool that are inexpensive and can be quickly and easily integrated into your strength programs.

Sledgehammers are a means to enhance grip endurance, explosive speed in multiple planes and recovery.

Thank you again for your support,

Jim Smith “Smitty” CSCS, CFT, USAW

The Diesel Crew

“Achieving Beyond Potential”









About the Author

Jim Smith, CSCS

Jim “Smitty” Smith is a strength coach and cofounder of the Diesel Crew ( ).  Jim dedicates himself to studying, developing and enhancing athletic performance through the utilization of conventional and non-conventional training protocols, including; powerlifting, weightlifting, strongman, odd-objects, Russian kettlebells and grip strength methodologies.   This distinctive and comprehensive approach has helped athletes of all skills levels attain their goals and “Achieve Beyond Potential.”  Jim is an active student of strength athletics and is always seeking new ways to innovate and provide a unique perspective for gaining muscle, rehabbing injuries, improving performance and building better athletics.    Jim is a lecturer who regularly speaks at clinics, conferences and seminars about the importance of a comprehensive approach when analyzing the sport specific requirements for athletes on an individual basis.  He has published articles and authored manuals related to strength and fitness written for coaches all over the world.  He is also currently a member of the Elite Fitness Q&A staff.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download