Using science to maximize striking power: Part 3 – The “Double Pulse” •••••••••••••••••••••••••
In striking martial arts the ultimate goal is to generate power sufficient enough to render an opponent unconscious. How can one generate enough force to accomplish this task?
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In terms of striking muscles contract to initiate the strike and create force, however a maintained contraction will slow the strike. To generate maximal force and speed one has to contract to generate the movement and immediately relax to minimize ‘stiffness” during the follow through. Immediately before contact the contraction occurs again to create maximum force. Dr. Stu McGill refers to this as the “double pulse”.
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McGill discovered that fighters who generate the most force are ones who have a high rate of contraction AND a high rate of relaxation. “The rate of muscle contraction, and the rate of relaxation, determines the strike speed and impact force.” .
Here is a picture of Dr. Stu McGill working with @ufc hall of famer and MMA legend @georgesstpierre on increasing his power production for martial arts.
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How can one practice the double pulse mechanism outside of skill training?
The Kettlebell swing.
Repetitive bouts of stiffness and relaxation in the swing may be similar to reinforce this pattern for transfer to striking arts.
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In my next post in the series I will breakdown how to improve striking velocity (speed).
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Reference:
1️⃣McGill, S.M., Chaimberg, J., Frost, D., Fenwick, C. (2010) The double peak: How elite MMA fighters develop speed and strike force. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 24(2): 348-357.
2️⃣Lee, B., & McGill, S. (2017). The effect of core training on distal limb performance during ballistic strike manoeuvres. Journal of sports sciences, 35(18), 1768-1780.
3️⃣Tsatsouline, P. (2006). Enter the kettlebell. Minneapolis, MN: Dragon Door Publications.