Does practicing martial arts moves underwater help with speed?

Question

I was in a pool today, and I tried doing a few punches and hand strikes underwater. It was hard!

Would practicing underwater improve speed? Has anyone ever tried this?

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

Yes it does. Any training that adds resistance to your movements will increase strength and speed. We use tension bands in practice all the time, which is the same concept.

Answer 3

Nope. But it does reallllly irritate lifeguards, so i guess its worth doing!

Answer 4

yes, bruce lee did this. it does help speed, and therefor power.... its a great way to practice

if you get used to having to push water out of your way, you'll move much faster when its not there

Answer 5

The answer is probably yes.

I do Taekwondo and whenever I go swimming I try different moves especially spinning and jumping kicks.

The water resistance will certainley help build up you muscle strength but im not sure about speed.

Speed and strenght are of course linked.

Muscle memory reflex is probably the best way to increase your speed in punches and kicks along with acuracy and technique.

All in all, all practice is better than no practice!

Answer 6

yes because water gives you more resistance.  So, the faster you move in water, the faster you move in air...

Answer 7

I'm sure someone has tried it, I know they have used it in running.  Water creates resistance and therefore it provides an isotonic value to the action, more strength, better tone.  It seems like there would be better sources of resistance, though.

Answer 8

i do karate and i have tried underwater and trust me it is hard. and i hvent seen any difference in my speed so no i dont think it does

Answer 9

maybe, since your going slow you can see if your doing it wrong so when you do it out of water you dont hurt yourself

Answer 10

It might improve speed or power, I don't know but I'm sure one of those 2. Cause I was watching UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and the fighters would go into their pool and start punching in the water.

They are professionals so I'm definite it'll help you.

Answer 11

yes, check out the movie shao-lin soccer. hahahahahah

Answer 12

Rocky Marciano, Muhamad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson all did it, depending on what you've got, that is what it will help you with.  If you're fast, punching under water will help with speed, and if you've got power it will help with power.  Yeah, I tried that once and it was pretty hard.

Answer 13

no. but it will build muscle and increase your power. the ocean is great for stances and balance if you ever get the chance.

Answer 14

Yes, the reason is RESISTANCE!

Answer 15

Actually yes, many professional athletes practice workout underwater to help with speed.

I saw something on NBA Fit (channel for NBA exercises), where a trainer was showing how he trained one of his athletes underwater, helping his leg power and speed.

I'm sure if an NBA athlete can improve strength and speed in the water, so can a fighter.

Answer 16

Absolutely.  Training underwater isn't unheard of, and it's a great way to add low impact resistance to any workout.  The quality and challenge are definitely greater, so in that sense you'll be better toned for better speed.

Answer 17

well there's more factors in that equasion than just training.  

reaction speed is for a large part determined from birth.  The division between the short (fast) and long (volume) muscle fibres is genetic.

you can improve your speed by training but in the end there's only so much you can improve

HOWEVER

practising under water has various advantages it's Ideal for training balance, it provides counter pressure when kicking or striking but no true resistance.

I practise my kicks in the pool manier times, it's great stuff

Answer 18

I'd say yes if you do it a lot...never tried it myself, but it makes sense that it would help you to be stronger and faster.

Answer 19

Yes. It can improve your speed and also your balance. Works on the same principle as baseball players swinging weighted bats before going up to the plate.

Answer 20

Yes, it does. By practicing underwater, you are given more of a challenge where you have to exert more strength. The pressure from the water helps build strong muscles. Many professionals use this technique.

Answer 21

i dont think so. it's really slow under water. what gave u such an idea???

Answer 22

i dont think so because u r going really slow under water

Answer 23

i dont know