we're going to go over strength training for Taekwondo and we're going to start right now what's Taekwondo okay if we can just think about it the simplest form right it's a crazy combat sport there's a ton of hip mobility there's a higher score for rotational kicks there's kicks that have to be very very precise it's also done over three two minute rounds with only one minute of rest all right and when you're looking at Combat Sports you understand that you have to be extraordinarily explosive you have to be elastic right we've got to be very quick very agile we also have to be in unilateral positions and applying a large amount of force in those unilateral positions so that we can be more successful out on the mat we're also constrained to an eight meter diameter circle so we've got to exist in that specific Circle we need to understand our balance we need to understand our speed we need to understand our means of attack and how we can set up specific movement patterns to optimize our overall performance that's some of the key factors that go into strength training for Taekwondo we have to look at the sport for what it is we have to look through the lens of what the confines are and then as a strength coach we need to build everything based off of those confines we're not looking to deadlift 700 pounds we're not looking to back squat 900 pounds those things will help us to a point to a very small point but in all reality we're looking to be absolute physical specimens that are very very mobile very very reactive we also have to think we're competing Barefoot right so we're going to be in a position that's going to be a little bit different so often times I would even recommend training that way but now let's look at those specific strength characteristics that go into Taekwondo and how we can train them and optimize them through resistance-based training that is created through the absolute lens of strength training for Taekwondo that first key aspect it comes back to understanding the scoring you know one point through four points and where the contact points need to be the head the Torso on the colors right we also understand that most of these things are going to happen while we're in a unilateral position so there's going to be a lot of agility that goes into this there's going to be a lot of dynamic trunk control there's going to be a lot of crazy hip mobility that we have to focus on but the first key step is when we're introducing someone into Taekwondo is that we need to build into this by increasing their unilateral strength so that first key characteristic is improving that unilateral strength so that the athletes are more confident they're able to execute while standing on one leg that's going to mean doing things like offset single leg squats curtsy squats skater squats even doing things like Plyometrics in a unilateral position doing rotational Plyometrics in a unilateral position if we can train unilaterally and we can start with basic simple progressions basic strength training movements in that unilateral position and then as the athlete advances and becomes more mature as an athlete and as an individual we can start to get more advanced with the movement patterns that we're going to be training unilaterally that might mean introducing different reflexive movement patterns that will increase their performance out on the mat but when we're training specifically in the weight room we have to look at it and identify can single leg squats improve power output in that unilateral position can curtsy squats improve our patterns of movement so that we can have better change of direction we can have better change of our levels we can be more Elusive and have better attacks yes that second key characteristic is going to be training our Mobility but when we're doing resistance Based training we should probably be doing some substantial Mobility work and there's some research that when we're doing let's say a back squad or a single leg squat or even a pull-up that doing some type of strengthening in between those sets will lead to better performance of the strength based exercise and it can increase our overall limber ability our overall ability to be more elastic and joint capsules so when we're looking at training Mobility we want to lengthen the muscles around that specific joint if we have problems inside of our hip that will be an issue as a fighter as a Taekwondo athlete right so we need to make sure that our hips are extraordinarily mobile and then that's going to lead to our third key aspect we want to focus on speed and dynamic trunk control we want to be able to attack with a kick without really leaning all over the place without really changing our trunk angle we want to change our trunk angle on an attack but if we had that unilateral stability and we're Mobile in our hip we can attack with a wild amount of speed because of that Dynamic trunk control so that might mean doing specific Plyometrics with a band that might mean doing specific Plyometrics with a kettlebell that might mean doing some offset work that might be as simple as doing walking lunges with a plate overhead these are all different ways to train speed and dynamic trunk control but even doing plyometric Series where you jump off of two feet and you land on on one foot that's another phenomenal way to train that speed that will then carry over to whatever it is that you need to do out on the mat I would recommend though looking at your movement patterns with your coach analyzing where you struggle to execute and then using resistance-based training from a unilateral perspective from a speed and dynamic trunk control perspective through a Mobility lens to improve your patterning then out with your Technique on the mat against your opponents and then finally we're going to get into Power based endurance three two minute periods one minute rest this is highly intense work it's not as challenging as if we were going out and you know running a 10K or something along those lines that's that's a challenge on a different level but when we're focusing on like three periods of two minutes we're gonna have to have a very very high level of aerobic capacity and while we have a very high level of aerobic capacity we have to have a very big Reserve to pull from with our a lactic system so that we have that speed so that we have that Dynamic trunk control so that we have power endurance so I recommend doing things like high intensity interval training Sprint interval training and then probably once or twice a week long slow distance work that's going to be 40 to 45 minutes that's going to increase your overall aerobic capacity but if we can do some Sprint interval work let's say we get on the assault bike 10 to 15 seconds as hard as we can go rest for 45 seconds that's going to increase that power Reserve if we're in the fifth minute and we need to score some crazy points we need to get in position if we have more speed in that fourth and fifth minute that's going to help us one with our attacks but two with our defensive positions so we've got to look through those lenses okay of what the strength characteristics are that are going to be needed for the sport of Taekwondo we need to look at it as an athlete as a coach and say this individual lacks this specific movement pattern and when they lack that movement pattern we need to bring that into our training system and then see what ends up happening out on the mat and then slowly Plug and Play over a long period of time this is stuff that we do inside of our app Peak strength if you head over to peakshrink.app the Google Play Store the Apple iOS store you can pick up Peak shrank today for seven free days of training and you can cancel at any time the worst thing that's going to happen is you're gonna get five free days of training specific to taekwondo work because at some point you have to begin that journey to attain Peak strength freaks if you want to become a champion you've always got to cultivate your power [Music] all right [Music]