Ways to Improve Your Grip Strength | Anastacio Kali

Summary

In this tutorial, Mark from Honest and Union Martial Arts shares insights on enhancing grip strength for Kali, a Filipino martial art. He emphasizes the importance of grip strength for effective weapon handling, contrasting it with the needs in grappling sports. Mark suggests practicing with a bag to simulate resistance and recommends varying grip firmness to manage weapon flow and power. He also addresses the common practice of stick twirling, advising on how to build trust with the weapon and control its momentum. The video concludes with an announcement about an elite access program for advanced training and feedback.

Takeaways

• 🤼‍♂️ The video is a tutorial on increasing grip strength for Kali, a Filipino martial art, focusing on single stick training.
• 💪 The importance of grip strength in martial arts is emphasized, especially for effective weapon handling and combat.
• 🤔 The video contrasts the need for grip strength in Kali with that in grappling arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, highlighting different applications.
• 🌀 In Kali, grip strength is crucial for guiding the weapon through circular strikes and maintaining control over fluid movements.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Bag work is recommended for building grip strength, simulating the resistance felt when striking a target.
• 🔁 The video suggests practicing with both open and closed grip techniques to improve the ability to switch between different strike types.
• 🌀 Twirling the stick is a method to build grip strength and trust in handling the weapon, starting with a firm grip and progressing to a tighter one.
• 🎯 Practicing with different grip strengths helps in transitioning between smooth and powerful strikes, enhancing weapon control.
• 📢 The video promotes an online membership program offering feedback and live sessions for those interested in advanced Kali training.
• 📆 An upcoming launch for an elite access program is announced, which will provide personalized feedback and training sessions.

Q & A

Why is grip strength important in Filipino martial arts?

Grip strength is crucial in Filipino martial arts because it allows practitioners to effectively swing and control their weapons, especially when meeting resistance. It's not just about holding onto the stick, but also about guiding it through various movements and maintaining control during rapid or powerful strikes.

How does grip strength training in Kali differ from that in grappling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu?

In Kali, the focus is on guiding the stick through circular lines and maintaining control during fluid movements, whereas in grappling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the emphasis is on holding onto opponents' clothing or limbs to control their movement and apply techniques.

What is the significance of practicing bag work for grip strength in Filipino martial arts?

Bag work helps simulate the resistance encountered when striking a target, allowing practitioners to understand and adapt to the force required to control their weapon effectively. It also helps in shaping the perspective on how to handle the weapon under stress.

What are the two different ways Mark suggests practicing with a stick to improve grip strength?

Mark suggests practicing with a stick by loading up strikes with full body movement and maintaining rhythm, and also by doing bursts of rapid-fire strikes to change tempo and apply power with purpose.

Why does Mark recommend against the 'death grip' when training in Kali?

Mark advises against the 'death grip' because it can limit the practitioner's ability to perform circular lines and fluid movements, which are essential in Kali. Instead, he promotes a grip that allows for dynamic control of the stick.

What is the role of twirling the stick in developing grip strength in Filipino martial arts?

Twirling the stick is a method to build grip strength by teaching the body to handle the weapon's weight and momentum. It starts with a firm grip, gradually increasing to a tighter grip as the practitioner becomes accustomed to the stick's movement and learns to control the momentum.

How does Mark describe the transition between different grip strengths while training?

Mark describes the transition between different grip strengths as a way to train the hand to jump in and out of various physical properties of holding the stick, from a smooth flow to a tight grip for power strikes, enhancing the ability to control the weapon in different scenarios.

What is the significance of the 'elite access' program mentioned in the script?

The 'elite access' program is an online membership initiative that offers video feedback and live sessions with instructors, providing a more personalized and interactive learning experience for those interested in Filipino martial arts.

What are the benefits of the video feedback component in the 'elite access' program?

The video feedback component allows members to receive personalized advice and corrections on their techniques from certified instructors, which can help improve their skills and understanding of Filipino martial arts principles.

How does Mark plan to expand the reach of his martial arts teachings through the 'elite access' program?

Mark plans to use the 'elite access' program as a foundation for future certifications, affiliates, and global seminars, with the aim of building a community and revolutionizing online training in Filipino martial arts.

Outlines

00:00

🥋 Introduction to Grip Strength in Kali

Mark from Honest - Typically and Union introduces a tutorial on enhancing grip strength for Kali training with a single stick. He discusses the importance of a strong grip in Filipino martial arts, contrasting it with the needs in grappling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Mark emphasizes that in Kali, the focus is on guiding the stick through circular motions rather than holding it rigidly. He explains that grip strength is essential not just for holding the weapon but also for controlling it during strikes against resistance. He suggests bag work as a primary method for building grip strength, recommending practicing both open and closed positions to understand the resistance encountered when striking a target.

05:00

🤚 Building Grip Strength with Twirling and Flow

Mark continues by addressing the common practice of stick twirling in Filipino martial arts, advising against using just the thumb and index finger due to the risk of losing control. He suggests starting with a firm grip, allowing the stick to twirl freely, and gradually increasing the tightness of the grip as one becomes accustomed to the stick's weight and momentum. Mark also talks about the importance of being able to switch between smooth and forceful movements with the stick, practicing both to develop a versatile grip. He shares his preference for incorporating 'wicket' strikes, which require a snap and a sharp stop, to build grip strength and control.

10:02

📢 Conclusion and Announcement of Elite Access

In the final paragraph, Mark concludes the video by encouraging viewers to like and subscribe for more Filipino martial arts content. He announces the launch of an Elite Access program on June 18th, which offers video feedback and live sessions with instructors for a more personalized learning experience in Filipino martial arts. Mark expresses excitement about the potential for future certifications, affiliations, and global seminars, aiming to revolutionize online training in the field.

Keywords

💡Grip Strength

Grip strength refers to the force that a person can exert using their hands and fingers. In the context of the video, it is crucial for martial arts, particularly when handling a single stick in Kali. The video emphasizes the importance of grip strength for controlling the weapon effectively during strikes and maintaining control during resistance. The script mentions that grip strength is not just about holding on tightly but also about guiding the stick through various movements.

💡Filipino Martial Arts

Filipino Martial Arts, also known as FMA or Arnis, is a Southeast Asian martial art that emphasizes weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, and other bladed weapons. The video discusses the unique aspects of FMA, such as the flowing and circular nature of its movements, which require a different approach to grip strength compared to other martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

💡Kali

Kali is a general term for a group of Filipino Martial Arts that focus on weapon-based fighting. The video specifically addresses training in Kali, highlighting the need for a strong grip to effectively use a single stick. The term is used to describe the martial art form that the tutorial is based on, and the script provides insights into how grip strength is applied within this discipline.

💡Resistance

In the video, resistance refers to the force or opposition encountered when striking with a stick in martial arts training. It is mentioned as a key factor in understanding the practical application of grip strength. The script explains that training should involve understanding and overcoming resistance to improve the martial artist's ability to control their weapon effectively.

💡Circular Strikes

Circular strikes are a characteristic of Kali and other Filipino Martial Arts, involving the use of circular or looping movements with weapons. The video script discusses how building grip strength is essential for executing these fluid and dynamic strikes, as it allows the practitioner to guide the stick through the intricate lines of motion without losing control.

💡Bag Work

Bag work in martial arts refers to training methods that involve striking heavy bags or other padded targets to develop strength, speed, and technique. The video suggests using bag work as a way to build grip strength, emphasizing the importance of understanding the resistance and the motion of striking a target when practicing with a stick.

💡Twirling

Twirling, in the context of the video, refers to the technique of spinning the stick in one's hand during martial arts practice. It is a fundamental skill in Kali and is discussed as a method to build grip strength and trust with the weapon. The script explains the importance of twirling with a firm grip, not too tight, to allow for the stick's momentum and control.

💡Flow

Flow in martial arts denotes the smooth and continuous transition between movements. The video script mentions the importance of flow in executing techniques in Kali, and how grip strength plays a role in maintaining this fluidity. It contrasts with the 'death grip' which can hinder the natural flow and movement of the stick.

💡Death Grip

The 'death grip' is a term used in the video to describe holding the stick too tightly, which can restrict the natural movement and flow of martial arts techniques. It is contrasted with the desired firm grip that allows for control and guidance of the stick without hindering its motion.

💡Momentum

Momentum in the video refers to the product of an object's mass and velocity, which is crucial in martial arts for executing powerful and fluid movements. The script discusses how understanding and creating momentum with the stick can help in building grip strength and controlling the weapon effectively during various techniques.

💡Elite Access

Elite Access is a feature mentioned in the video that refers to a premium membership program for the online training platform. It offers video feedback and live sessions with instructors, which are designed to provide personalized training and guidance in Filipino Martial Arts. This service is highlighted as a way to enhance one's skills in Kali and other martial arts techniques.

Highlights

Introduction to increasing grip strength for Kali single stick training

Importance of grip strength in Filipino martial arts

Comparison of grip strength needs between Kali and grappling/Brazilian jiu-jitsu

The role of grip strength in flowing arts and the importance of swinging the weapon effectively

Difference in grip strength training for linear and circular strikes in Kali

Building grip strength through bag work to understand resistance when striking a target

Two different approaches to bag work: open position and bursts of rapid strikes

Practicality of grip strength training and its application in actual movements

Grip strength training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focusing on collar and sleeve grips

Guiding the stick versus stopping it in Kali grip strength training

Home practice exercises for grip strength using a single stick

The technique and importance of twirling the stick in Filipino martial arts

Transitioning from a firm grip to a tighter grip while maintaining control of the stick

Jumping between different physical properties of holding the stick to build grip strength

Importance of creating and controlling momentum with the stick

Incorporating smooth and sharp movements to increase grip strength and control

Announcement of the launch of an elite access program for online Filipino martial arts training

Details of the elite access program including video feedback and live sessions

Future plans for certifications, affiliates, and global seminars

Upcoming content on the channel including technique and partner videos

Transcripts

what's going on guys this is mark here

with honest - typically and union

martial arts and bio stress models I'll

bring you guys a quick tutorial video on

how to increase your grip strength when

it comes to training specifically with a

single stick in Kali so before we get

into that let's talk about why you would

want to have strong grip strength and

I'll give you guys a little bit of

comparison because I know another big

one that people try to search for is how

to increase your grip strength and

grappling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu so why

you would want a strong grip strength

and strong is subjective we'll talk

about that as I go over the drills with

you guys but a lot of the times what

we're used to in Filipino martial arts

is the maximum amount that we can strike

is somebody else's stick and stick a

good stick will give you a little bit of

resistance but nothing really to allow

you to understand the amount of power or

they might have follow through that it's

required to actually hit a target so

we're very much a flowing lard we do a

lot of you know what are called

Lorenzo's or sinawali z' in our case you

get a lot of free flows and most of the

time when you train this it's very very

free and there is no resistance there is

nothing placed on you to make you feel

stress or make you feel the importance

of speeding up or slowing down other

than personal preference so we miss out

a lot of the physical side because we're

so consumed with having the intricate

angle and having the intricate timing

that we sometimes forget that you still

need to be able to swing the darn thing

and to be able to swing it is not just

twist your hips and shoulders it's also

being able to hold on to your weapon as

you meet resistance but when you build

grip strength in Filipino martial arts

it's a little bit different because it's

a it's like I said is a very flowing art

but it's also something especially an

honest naturally that's filled with

circular strikes or circular lines so

you have your linear lines again my name

you have been able to and then whenever

other angles you might think of that's

part of your curriculum or mind but then

you also have these intricate lines that

are able to you know go into sin of

Wali's with tip motions and in a lot of

wrist twirls and whatnot so to me the

strength that you're trying to build it

is not necessarily being able to hold on

to your stick but being able to guide

your stick okay

so as I go through my my emotions right

I want to be able to you know put my

foot down on the gas pedal and be able

to speed it up and then drive with it

without it being too linear I don't want

my satellite to look like this because

I'm strength I'm giving what we call the

death grip to a stick and then that

doesn't allow me to be hitting these

circular lines because my hands pretty

much in a fixed motion or a fixed

position so the way that I like building

my grip strength first and foremost it's

with bag work okay so it's not

necessarily grabbing something up with

like pull ups and stuff like that it's

literally going through the motion and

being able to understand and kind of

shape your perspective to understand the

resistance that's going to be met when

your strength to a target so bad work

hitting a tire hitting some up some sort

of target that requires fall over or

something a little bigger than a state

and one of the things that I'm supposed

to be like doing is I like doing in two

different ways one is I like just to

load up the strikes simple angles and I

like to drive all the way through with

my hips and shoulders we call this open

position I like to drive all the way to

close position and make sure that my

hand can go all the way through doesn't

really mess up I don't lose my rhythm

I'm still focused and I can launch it

again the other way is I like do bursts

and I showed this with my pad work video

I'm sorry bad word video with a padded

stick and so the first can happen in

triangular formats it can happen in

/this snaps and basically just changing

the tempo to them to rapid-fire that

state with purpose or with substance so

that's probably the best way if also

what I think is the most logical or

practical way to Train it because at

least now you have an idea of why you're

training

Chris Traeger why try to improve it and

not to mean nothing is better to build

an attribute then to actually do the

movement itself yes you can

jump Ropin and run for to increase your

cardiovascular but if you're time to

apply them is farm then you still need

to spar as soon as you get your rounds

and that's probably the most important

part but not the only part so for me

when my brief time I spent in Brazilian

Jujitsu

to improve my grip strength you know

you're trying to grab collars you're

trying to grab sleeves try to be able to

hold on maybe in like a gable grip or

whatever kind of grip just being able to

keep them from moving so to me it's kind

of like the opposite of what we're

trying to do in Kalia we're just trying

to guide we're not trying to stop it

we're just trying to guide it and

constantly keep it in motion if you will

so I start from bad work here's a couple

of things you guys can practice at home

with your single stick to get your grip

strength to a higher level

first and foremost obviously you can

twirl the stick now twirling is the

biggest question mark with the biggest

asterisk in Filipino martial arts on

YouTube and I know that so let me break

that down for you guys real quick yes I

do believe it's bad to twirl with your

thumb and your index finger and kind of

just get the flower effect from it cuz

then time what's gonna happen is your

guy's gonna stuff all this to the bottom

and eventually it'll pop out of your

hand so I don't especially some kids to

get everything I get that okay but

you're made out the reason why people do

that is because they're afraid of the

stick for most people that have never

trained in Filipino martial arts or with

weapons in general this is very

intimidating to hold so if I'm asking

you to do this how can you do that if

you can't even trust that this will not

get you back so one of the first things

is getting used to understanding the

weight and the momentum you can create

with a weapon and sometimes for the most

part being in being able to teach many

many different people from different

experiences most of them beginners this

is how we start twirling the beginning

so my grip is

like 50% it's not all the way close not

all the way open it's what we call a

firm grip but not a tight grip okay so

it's firm enough that my hands don't

open as I twirl but it's not so tight

that I don't allow to twirl so once I

get that what I'm doing is I'm teaching

my body the friction that happens on the

inside of my palm so normally what

especially like my instructor one of the

things that they teach is you know when

you first pick up a stick and you're not

used to it you get these blisters that

run across your fingers especially if

you're swinging the stick really hard

and it's like you're a rite of passage

bunch of blisters heal your hand becomes

used to it and then you're able to pick

up the speed and be able to dry and it

doesn't really hurt harm you anymore so

that's kind of the introduction I'm

trying to teach you how to trust in the

weapon but I'm also teaching your hand

that this is what's going to be

happening okay so now that we get that

going then you can start gradually

closing it and squeezing it a little

tighter a little tight a little tighter

to the point that you can have it as

tight as you want and still get a good

twirl and not having one of these half

twirls because they're so tight and

that's because you understand how to

artificially create momentum now and I

can do it on the same spot I can still

use momentum if I need to I understand

how to create momentum with different

parts of my body and again control it

and guide it with my head so that's my

take on twirling now one of my favorite

ways of building my grip strength is

jumping in and out of the different

physical properties of holding the stick

you have your nice and easy flow like we

spoke about and then you have your tight

almost like baseball death grip that you

want to load up and just drive that

angle well maybe you're doing more snaps

maybe you're focusing on more weapon

retention and just one clean hit so the

thing is is is to me that's like the

reason why your grip strength is dying

or I can't keep up it's because it's not

willing to follow your lead it's not

used to jumping in and out of it it's

almost like your brain is hardwired in

that okay if I'm doing it smooth

it's gonna stay smooth and that's the

only temple I'm gonna do so when I want

to speed it up or what I actually want

to apply maybe I want to add in a strike

here for my hand to do that I'm asking a

lot of changing everything that I just

told it to do and it's the same thing

when I'm hardwired to hold it tight if I

want to relax I can I'm just if I'm

sniffing out what I got everything

flexing and I sweat up blast the stick I

don't know how to relax

so if I have my stick on my shoulder

because it's a chambered position you're

gonna kind of let it flick down in that

50% grip like you spoke of with a twirl

and as it's coming down I'm going to

essentially push it with my thumb and my

supporting fingers and as starts rocking

forward I'm bringing it down I'm

tightening my grip tightening my arm and

I'm stabilizing so why don't I do that

I'm smooth sharp smooth sharp and then

you can start to increase it start to be

a little bit more dramatic with your

grip and again it allows you to jump in

and out so by jumping in and out it's

again create that understanding that

this is what's going to happen I'm gonna

be smooth at some points but as some

opening or some particular line I'm

gonna want to explode

I can grip that stick I can stabilize

and then I can drive through that angle

but I can really get those angles if I

allow myself to be a little bit more

circular a little bit more free and then

there goes mine with tick strike and if

you guys are a fan of my youtube channel

you'll see a lot of my single sinawali

czar a lot of the times I do like a

free-flow it's very rapid it's very fast

because of that explanation I just gave

you I like to be smooth but I'm a big

fan of with tick strikes but my with

tick strike has to be a whip I don't

just like drawing the line I need to

hear them but waiting behind

I gotta feel a snap behind it and my

simple Wally is generally fast because I

carry the momentum and then all the

sudden I go back how can I give those

bursts and then I smooth in and out so

that I can last longer able to maintain

that pace for a longer amount of time

again making it applicable so I hope you

guys enjoyed the video if you did make

sure you give it a thumbs up make sure

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really appreciate that help grow this

channel will help you continue bringing

you guys some dope Filipino martial arts

curriculum content anything else that I

can give you guys I'm willing and

growing with this channel so thank you

guys for supporting me I just want to

give you guys a quick breakdown on

what's happening on June 18th

we got launched an elite access of

understand chef Khalid

so if you're new to the channel on the

stash of Killeen has an online

membership program with three different

tiers basically determining what content

you can access and so elite access the

biggest thing that we're offering with

that is you're going to actually be able

to give video format feedback so you

would record yourself film being filmed

and doing the technique and the

curriculum that I'm teaching you and

then either myself or certified aka

instructor will give you a written

formal review and be able to give you

guys some pointers give you some tips

and feedback on what you just did and

then we take backs and then you actually

get two 30-minute sessions with myself

or the aka instructor to actually go

over those things live and we can build

off that we can search different things

we can dive deeper into the principles

and the theory and really give you a

hands-on experience on what it is being

a student in Filipino martial arts under

on a statue of Khalid so I'm super

excited to share that I'm super excited

to get started we already have some

people lined up we are limiting the

launch to ten members to start so we can

just make sure we're giving our all and

giving the amount of time that is

necessary for these elite members so I'm

super excited to share that and

hopefully this will lead to future

certifications it'll lead to affiliates

it'll lead to global seminars outside of

Canada and honestly just building the

family and revolutionising online

training and sharing Philippine martial

everyone so take a minute to check it

out if you're interested and we've got

more technique videos coming we've got

some partner videos coming in I know a

lot of you have gotten back to being

able to train with partners so I'm

jealous of you guys but I will be able

to get you guys that content so make

sure you guys also turn on that

notification valve to make sure you

don't miss my videos until then

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