Karate Dumbbell Exercises

In Okinawa, Japan, karate students, called karateka, toughen their bodies with workouts called hojo undo. Practitioners harden their bodies by twirling a chiishi, a concrete weight at the end of a stick. They also hoist weighted pots called nigiri jars, boost iron padlocks called tetsu sashi and pump hand weights called tetsu game. Western karatekas can substitute traditional tools for dumbbells and still build muscle, says fitness and martial arts expert Martin Rooney.

  1. Chest Muscles

    • Visit any dojo and you will see students perform pushups as a routine part of the class. Pushups are key martial arts exercises for building chest, shoulder and triceps strength. For additional strength training, Rooney suggests variations of the bench press. You can perform a dumbbell bench press lying on a bench, the floor or an exercise ball. You can press both arms over your chest at the same time, or alternate arms for variety. Perform three sets of eight to 10 reps using a dumbbell heavy enough to cause fatigue on the last rep.

    Back and Shoulder Muscles

    • Hojo undo students use weighted jars to build grip strength, but the exercises they perform also work other muscles in the upper body. For example, they lift the jars out to the side as a weightlifter would for a lateral raise for shoulder development. Using dumbbells, you can develop your shoulder and back muscles through similar movements. Perform dumbbell lateral raises, front raises and upright rows to work your shoulders. Bent-over rows, either the single arm or the two-arm variation, will develop your upper back. Choose weights heavy enough to fatigue your muscles after 12 reps. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

    Arm Muscles

    • To build their arms for striking and blocking, karatekas use tetsu sashi, tetsu game and chiishi. Hojo undo students drop to the floor on their backs and use the testu game for an exercise that resembles a dumbbell lying extensions, commonly called skull crushers. The same movement with dumbbells will build the backs of the arm, which provide power for downward strikes. To develop the biceps in the front of the arm, important muscles for any pulling move, you can use bicep curls. With the arm exercises, aim for three, 10- to 12-rep sets using dumbbells that will tire the muscle on the last rep.

    Leg Muscles

    • Martial artist Bill Louie, founder of Goju Ryu karate, incorporated some bodybuilding techniques in his daily workouts. He told BodyBuilding.com in 2005 that he used squats and deadlifts to develop his lower body. A dumbbell squat will strengthen the muscles in the front of your thighs, your hips and your buttocks. Deadlifts will work the muscles in the backs of your thighs and your lower back. All these muscles must fire for powerful kicks. In the interview, Louie said he preferred higher reps and moderate weights. You can aim for 12 to 15 reps and three sets using a weight that causes fatigue on the last rep.