Workout Tips--Arms

[sonofaconch]

Does anyone have any good shoulder exercises? I've been having some endurance problems and it is slowing my blade response down.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by sonofaconch

Does anyone have any good shoulder exercises? I've been having some endurance problems and it is slowing my blade response down.

Do yourself a favor. Go to the gym, get a personal trainer, have him get you on a fitness program geared toward tennis or basketball players.

Besides that, try jumping rope, it can help with the shoulders.

[dramamine]

it all depends...

the shoulder is made up of 3 heads (anterior,medial, and posterior). they all do different things. it sounds like your problem might not be the shoulder but in fact the rotator cuff though. what specific movement are you talking about?

all this aside the majority of your bladework should be in your fingers. if your shoulders are really weak then do simple dumbbell shoulder presses and different types of lateral raises (standing, bent over).

[parryDoh]

When I first started fencing I remember my shoulders wearing out toward the end of a long day of fencing but this eventually went away as I got use to fencing. Anyway as for working out with weights, wouldnt musclar shoulders flexing be a sign to your opponent you were extending/starting a attack maybe?? I lift weights once weekly for crosstraining and never work my shoulders out directly because of this. Someone once told me not to build large musclar shoulders. Anyone else ever hear of this?

[VERITAS]

Hindu pushups give a thorough shoulder workout.

Single-stick moulinelli are also nice, in that they are both developing technique and working arm muscles.

Also practice technique and refine your movements to be more efficient. Often when I'm tired out its because I was sloppy.

[Downtown]

I tried to find a link to my 15 minute shoulder routine, which is out of an old Men's Health magizine. It is no longer available,however there are several routines for shoulders available there. ( SEARCH: Shoulders).

4 sets of any of the exercises that hit your shoulders in different areas should be enough. Make the last one a military press with dumbbells. Use light weights. You want endurance not mass. If you do this once a week, your shoulders will not get big.

Now here is the rub...if you are not doing some sort of total body routine with weights it will be less effective. Not that it will not improve you, but it will not be optimum. Bench presses with dumbbells will hit stabilizing muscles even in the shoulders. Chin ups and dips
help everything in the upper body (except triceps....depending on how you do them).

The person that suggested a personal trainer is giving you good advice, if you can afford it.

If not, read and talk to friends/coaches.

[dramamine]

Originally Posted by parryDoh

When I first started fencing I remember my shoulders wearing out toward the end of a long day of fencing but this eventually went away as I got use to fencing. Anyway as for working out with weights, wouldnt musclar shoulders flexing be a sign to your opponent you were extending/starting a attack maybe?? I lift weights once weekly for crosstraining and never work my shoulders out directly because of this. Someone once told me not to build large musclar shoulders. Anyone else ever hear of this?

Man if your shoulders are muscular enough to be seen flexing through a generally baggy thick kevlar jacket then you are friggin crazy. I have fenced some really, really big guys and I've never seen this.