By Will Romero
SIX STAR AMBASSADOR
The use of elbow strikes in martial arts, whether in Thai boxing or MMA, can be very effective for securing a victory if utilized correctly. The use of elbow strikes can also be a great new addition to your cardio workout on the heavy bag! The power generated comes mostly from the hips with assistance from the core muscles and proper use of the feet that support a strong and balanced base. Because of the assistance of the core muscles, training for more powerful elbows will also help to give you some bulletproof abs! The following article will discuss some exercises that will allow you to be more effective in using the elbow as a powerful weapon of choice while simultaneously giving you the shredded core of a professional fighter.
ROTATING PLANK (ON ELBOWS)
Get into a plank position with your feet hip-width apart and elbows on the floor shoulder-width apart. Using one arm at a time, lift the elbow off the floor, maintaining at most a 90-degree angle. Twist away from the midline of your body towards the sky. While doing this, allow your hips to also move simultaneously with the elbow and pause for a count of 2 seconds. Head back to the start position and do the same on the other side. Repeat for 12 to 16 reps.
CABLES TORSO TWIST
Using the cables machine at your gym, set one pulley so that it’s at about shoulder height and attach one handle grip to the cable attachment. Using both hands, grab onto the handle grip with your shoulder facing the pulley and chest facing forward, like in a cable crossover position. At this point, while maintaining a strong posture with your chest up, shoulders back and chin down, keeping your arms straight, pull the handle towards the opposite hip and pause for 2 seconds. While doing this movement, allow the foot that’s on the pulley side to pivot toward the direction of the movement in an effort to allow your hips to travel its full range of motion. Slowly and under control, return to the start position and repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
OVERHEAD PLATE ROTATIONS
This exercise is done using a barbell plate from your gym or home. If you don’t have barbell plate, you can use anything that is easy to hold (so you don’t drop it on your head) but heavy enough to offer resistance like a kettlebell, sandbag or heavy medicine ball. Choose a weight that you are comfortable with but that is also challenging. Starting with a 10-lbs. weight will allow you to feel out the movement and get comfortable before adding greater resistance in order to make this exercise challenging. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees so you are in a half-squat position. At this time, in your static half-squat position, lift the plate all the way around your head, and then back out in front of your chest for a full overhead rotation. The objective is to execute this movement with little to no movement in the rest of your body, specifically the hips, allowing your core to fully contract and preventing the body’s posture from being compromised.
Do 8 rotations one direction and then 8 the other direction right after, preferably with no rest in between. Add these exercises to your resistance training and strength/endurance program at the end of the workout to help you achieve better strength, balance and coordination for the ability to execute an elbow strike better and more efficiently than ever before!
