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Fitness
Grip Training for Arnis
By Carlomagno Canta, CSCS; Sixto Carlos
Photography by Bahaghari MFI
"Absorb what is useful, dismiss what is not." Bruce Lee might have been credited for that quote but that phrase has been an unwritten law followed by organisms ever since the dawn of time. It has also been conceptualized by evolutionist Charles Darwin himself. Then why did it turnout differently for Arnis? Why are the masters of old hit harder? Faster? And have a firmer grip than practitioners of today? That is what you think.
Now and Then
At a time that notion masters of old are better than today seems to be true. The masters of old are farmers and lumberjacks. That would explain their superior preparedness since they were accustomed to hard work. They hoe the ground, till the soil, chop some woods, and carry heavy things. Now the typical master looks like somebody who just came out of bed, bloated like a drunkard, coughs and spits phlegm so thick it clogs the sink. They turned into chain smokers and measures strength on how many spirited drinks they could chug.
The Evolution and MMA Connection
The growth of Mixed Martial Arts has sent shockwaves in the martial arts world. They saw that no single martial art is best. They found out that the simplest punch, kick and takedowns are the most effective. And they also paid attention to conditioning. Locally, some arnisador got the message. Evolve or cease to exist.
Grip training for arnis
Grip in arnis is as important as grip strength for rock climbers. You lose your grip and you will get mangled. In arnis you lose your weapon and you will get bashed. Here are some grip strengthening drills for arnis:
Hit tires with different strikes. This drill teaches your hand grip to be reactive. You cannot just grip the stick as hard as you can and strike wildly. Doing so will tire your hands instantly and the chances of you losing your stick rises.
Use thicker sticks. This drill is used so as you won't get accommodated with the practice and will introduce new stimulation to your training.
Swing heavy sticks/lead pipes. To improve your speed strength you must wield heavier stick or pipes. Although use this drill sparingly because it might disrupt your technique.
Chin ups with towels. This drill is works your grip strength harder than conventional chinups since you are constantly slipping you will have to grip harder.
Wet towel twists. Stop using the washing machine dryer and not only will the saving come a long way on your electric bill but you also get to strengthen your grip.
Lever lifts. This is the reason why carpenters have a vise like grip and as a bonus this develops the forearm muscles that will make Popeye envious.
A few other grip guidelines
The grip required in arnis does not require you to have a strong crushing or pinch grip. Grip training should be a secondary to a good general workout, then add the grip training.
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Men's Health Philippines - November 2005 Issue
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