Sledgehammer Training

COMBAT CORE BONUS – Sledgehammer Essentials 2THE DIESEL CREW, LLC COPYRIGHT © 2006-2008“ACHIEVING BEYOND POTENTIAL” www.DieselCrew.com

http://www.DieselCrew.com


TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Introduction…………………………………………………………………4

The Sledgehammer

Equipment………........................................................5

Musculature………………………………………………………………………..6

Movement………………………………………………………………………….8

Exercises………………………………………………………………………….10

Loading…………………………………………………………………………..13

Benefits…………………………………………………………………………….14

Sport Specific………………………………………………………………….16

Program……………………………………………………………………….18

Circuits.…………………………………………………………………………….20

Exercise Index………………………………………………………………….21

References…………………………………………………………………….55

Closing……….…………………………………………………………………….56

The Author.…………………………….……………………………………….57



SLEDGEHAMMER

Sledgehammer training has many benefits to all athletes,

including those who participate and are involved in

Combat sports, including mixed martial arts (MMA.)

Explosive force generation (power), a vise-like grip and a

high level of general physical preparedness (GPP) can be

achieved with proper implementation of sledgehammers

into your strength programs.



EQUIPMENT

§ Sledgehammer

o Weights: 8à? Lbs – you can go

as low as a 6 lb sledge or as

high as a 150 lb War Hammer!

Remember – Speed and

technique should not be

compromised, so pick a weight

where the mechanics of the

movement do not diminish.

o Increase grip aspect of sledgehammer by

wrapping handle with a large amount of athletic

tape or replace sledgehammer with a 2”à2.5” OD

thick pipe.

§ Tire

o No Tire – Explosive Deceleration Series – see page

9.

o With Tire – strike the sledgehammer against

tractor tire, car tire or tree stump.



MUSCULATURE

§ UPPER BODY

o Trapezius, Rhomboids, Pectorals (Major/Minor),

Deltoids, Teres (Major/Minor), Lattisimus Dorsi,

Abdominals (TA, RA, Internal/External Obliques),

Spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), hand flexors,

wrist extensors / flexors.

§ LOWER BODY

o Erectors, Gluteals, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Hip

Complex (Flexors, Extensors)

CONDITIONING

§ GPP – General Physical Preparedness (GPP)

o Exercises that enhance the athletes’ work capacity,

general conditioning, prevention of injuries and

restorative abilities. It can also a means of active

rest.

o Sledgehammer training will increase your athlete’s

GPP as the sets and intensity progress.



FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS

§ Spine, Hip, Knee, Shoulder Extension / Flexion

§ Spinal Rotation (thoracic, cervical)

§ Grip

o Dynamic Support / Crush Strength

o All Postural Movements of the Wrist (Supination,

Pronation, Ulnar/Radial Deviation, Extension,

Flexion)



MULTI-PLANAR MOVEMENT

§ Planes of Motion

o Motion happens along these 3

planes of reference:

§ Sagittal

§ Frontal

§ Transverse

§ Movement – Lower Body

o “All Spokes of the Wheel” –

Gambetta

o Move in all directions – Be Mobile!

§ Lateral Movements

§ Forward / Backward / Diagonal Lower Body

agility movements across a distance

§ Improve your footwork while generating

force

HAND POSITIONS

o 1 HAND

§ 1 Hand – varying positions from sledge head

end - depending on strength of athlete



o 2 HANDS

§ 2 Hands – over/under – varying positions

from sledge head end - depending on

strength of athlete

§ 2 Hands – both hands spaced apart, moved

in close proximity - to an over/under position

as a swing is initiated

TIRE POSITION

o With Tire

§ Tire flat

§ Tire standing

o No Tire

§ Deceleration Series – see Exercise section

below – page 9.

ENVIRONMENT

o Stable

§ Grass, Turf, Mat, Pavement, Concrete, etc..

o Unstable

§ Inflatable Discs

§ Bosu

§ Foam Pads

§ Barefoot (Rooney-Parisi)



EXERCISES

§ Exercises where Tire is Flat

o 2 Hand Overhead Slams

o 1 Hand Overhead Slams

o 2 Hands Slide to 1 Hand Overhead Slams

o 2 Hand Rotational Slams

o 1 Hand Rotational Slams

o 2 Hand Rotational High to Low Slams

o Tire Taps

§ Exercises Where Tire is Standing

o 2 Hand Rotational Baseball Swings

o 1 Hand Rotational Baseball Swings

o 2 Hand Rotational Posterior Swings

o 1 Hand Rotational Posterior Swings

§ Without Tire

o Acceleration / Deceleration Series

o What is the Deceleration Series?

§ Start of movement – explosive power,

followed by immediate deceleration of the



implement. Builds mind/body connection,

antagonists and synergists statically to

decelerate the motion initiated by the prime

movers, dynamic grip strength. The goal is

to not let the sledge touch the ground after

exploding into the movement as hard as you

can.

o Exercises

§ Golf Swings

§ 2 Hand High to Low Swings

§ 2 Hand Baseball Bat Swings

§ 1 Hand Baseball Bat Swings

§ 2 Hand Slam Decelerations

§ 1 Hand Slam Decelerations

§ 2 Hand Rotational Decelerations

§ 1 Hand Rotational Decelerations

o Levering Series

§ 1 Hand

• Ulnar - Front Lever

• Radial - Back Lever –“Weaver Stick”

• Supination

• Pronation

• Multi-Directional Levering

§ 2 Hand

• Conans –“Halos”



• Ulnar - Front Lever

• Supination

• Pronation

• Finger Walking

• Multi-Directional Levering



LOADING THE ATHLETE (RESISTANCE)

The following can be an additional external load directly on

the athlete while they are performing sledgehammer

exercises.

§ Non-Conventional

o Weight Vest (X-Vest)

o Weighted Back Pack

o Resistance Bands

§ Accelerated Lower Body Movement

§ Decelerated Lower body Movement

§ Lower Body Loaded Vertical – Hook band

from a (weightlifting) belt around the bottom

of the athlete’s feet – to stress stabilization

of the ankles/ knees / hips.

§ Lower Body Loaded Lateral – Slide band up

over both legs around the calves or around

the quads of the athletes – to stress hip

abductors while performing footwork.



BENEFITS

§ Promoting Stabilization, Flexibility and Mobility

of:

o Major joints of the body; shoulders, elbows, wrists,

hips, knees and ankles

o Thoracic and Cervical Spine

o Irradiation – creating full body tension to absorb

impact or generate power

o Improve footwork while explosively swinging

sledgehammer

§ Vibration Training

o Improve Grip Strength endurance dynamically

with every swing.

o Bracing each impact will send shock waves

(vibrations) through the athlete’s tendons,

ligaments and muscles increasing their stability,

density and ability to fire – maximum motor unit

recruitment



§ Starting Strength / Speed Strength

o Explosive Starting Strength

§ Enhancing the development of explosive

starting strength and improving the neural

firing. The speed of movement will be

accentuated by the (loading of the)

backswing and utilizing the Stretch

Shortening Cycle (SSC) (and elasticity of the

tendons, ligament and musculature) thereby

shortening the amortization phase between

the concentric and eccentric phases of the

movement.

§ Sport Specific

o See page 16.



SPORT SPECIFIC – Combat Athletes

§ Promoting the development of the musculature

responsible for;

o Insane Grip Strength, increase your athlete’s

ability to;

§ Maintain Hand control - controlling their

opponents’ wrists (standing, in guard or in

mount) and breaking a submission

§ Throwing and landing Powerful Punches while

preventing injury from the impact

§ Ensuring and maintaining the integrity of the

hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

o Explosive hip and knee flexion – teaches athlete

to:

§ Explosively “lower their level” for take downs

or recover from a missed takedown attempt:

• Shots – Doubles, Singles

• Firemans

• Lifts - Suplex, High Leg, High Crotch



• Ankle Picks

§ Explosively deliver knee strikes and kicks

o Rotational Power Development

§ Punches, Elbow Strikes

§ Side / Front Kicks and Knee Strikes

o Anaerobic Endurance

§ Develop muscular endurance in training to

make you explosive in the last round.

ACTIVE REST / RECOVERY

§ Finger Walking – promote overall hand health and

dexterity

REHABILITATION

§ Supination / Pronation

o Rehabilitation of medial / lateral epicondylitis

(Golfer's or Tennis elbow)



WORKOUT

§ Integration

o Can be integrated before, during or after your

workout. Can also be done on a totally separate

Active Rest day, promoting recovery from heavy

training.

§ Methods

o Endurance - Timed Set

§ Perform combination of exercises for a set

duration of time - Time Under Tension (TUT)

should be appropriate to exceed Lactic Acid

Threshold (LAT) approximately (strength - 45

seconds) moving into endurance training (70

seconds-120 seconds)

o Circuits

§ Can do done with only sledgehammer

exercises, or with a combination of different

exercises.

§ Can be done:



• For a specified time, ie. Do the circuit

for 2, 3, 4, 5+ minutes.

• For a specified number of runs through

the circuit, ie. Do the circuit 4 times.

• The goal is to increase the number of

runs, decrease rest period between runs

or increase repetitions per set (increase

your work capacity.)

o Sets / Reps

§ Typical Sets and Rep Schemes

• 5x5, 3x8, 4x6 – mix up your sets and

reps.

• Stay with short reps / high sets and

concentrate of explosiveness

• Stay with high reps / high sets and

concentrate on muscular endurance



Grip Specific Muscular Endurance

Exercise Repetitions2 Hand Slams 6Golf Swings 62 Hand SlamDecelerations 62 Hand Baseball Swings 6Pullthrough to 2 HandSlam Decelerations 62 Hand High to LowSwings 6

Exercise RepetitionsFinger Walking 30 secWeaver Stick 30 sec1 Hand Levering 62 Hand Levering 6Tire Taps 6Supinations / Pronations 6

Exercise RepetitionsBand Accelerated Shots 30 sec2 Hand SledgehammerLevering 30 secPushups 6Med Ball Thrusters 6SledgehammerDeceleration Slams 6Tire Step-Ups 6

Exercise RepetitionsMedball Shoulder Squats 30 secBurpees 30 secSledgehammer BaseballSwings 6Kettlebell Snatches 6SledgehammerDeceleration Slams 6Barbell Push Press 6





The Sledgehammer



2-Hand Overhead Slams



1-Hand Overhead Slams



2-Hand Rotational Overhead Slams



2-Hand High to Low Swings



Golf Swings



Finger Walking(Dexterity & Hand Health)



Finger Walking – 2nd Style



2 Hands to 1 Hand Overhead Slams



Baseball Swings



1-Hand Baseball Swings



2-Hand Overhead Slams(Decelerations)



2-Hand Conan’s(Shoulder, Elbow, & Wrist Mobility)



1-Hand Slams(Decelerations)





Pull-Through to 2-Hand Overhead Slams(Decelerations)



1-Arm Levering



2-Arm Levering



Back Levering(Weaver Stick)



2-Hand Supination / Pronation



1-Hand Supination / Pronation



Front Levers



2-Hand Backward Swings



Tire Taps(Grip Endurance)



Multi-Directional Levering



Standing patterns/postures

Clubbell Patterns – Shoulder Circles – 2 Arms





Clubbell Patterns – Shoulder Circles – 1 Arm



Clubbell Patterns - Reverse Circles – 1 Arm



Clubbell Patterns – Armpit Casts



Grip Specific MovementsSupination / Pronation

These are great movements that engage the lower arm musculaturethat cross and stabilize the elbows and wrists. As strength andproficiency improves, the center of mass can move further fromcontact point.



Supine Patterns/Postures

Supine – Shoulder Horizontal Abduction / Abduction



Supine – Shoulder Flexion / Extension



1. http://www.DieselCrew.com

2. http://www.FightAuthority.com

3. Cosgrove, Alwyn, The Professional Fitness Coach Program

Design Bible, www.AlwynCosgrove.com, 2006.


http://www.AlwynCosgrove.com


I hope you enjoy your exclusive sledgehammer bonus

emanual.

Sledgehammers are a very versatile tool that are

inexpensive and can be quickly and easily integrated into

your strength programs.

Sledgehammers are a means to enhance grip endurance,

explosive speed in multiple planes and recovery.

Thank you again for your support,

Jim Smith “Smitty” CSCS, CFT, USAW

The Diesel Crew“Achieving Beyond Potential”www.DieselCrew.com

www.CombatCoreStrength.com

www.ChaosTraining.com

www.TheGripAuthority.com



http://www.CombatCoreStrength.com

http://www.ChaosTraining.com

http://www.TheGripAuthority.com


About the AuthorJim Smith, CSCS

Jim “Smitty” Smith is a strength coach and cofounder of the

Diesel Crew (www.DieselCrew.com

<http://www.dieselcrew.com/> ). Jim dedicates himself to

studying, developing and enhancing athletic performance

through the utilization of conventional and non-conventional

training protocols, including; powerlifting, weightlifting,

strongman, odd-objects, Russian kettlebells and grip

strength methodologies. This distinctive and

comprehensive approach has helped athletes of all skills levels attain their goals

and “Achieve Beyond Potential.” Jim is an active student of strength athletics

and is always seeking new ways to innovate and provide a unique perspective for

gaining muscle, rehabbing injuries, improving performance and building better

athletics. Jim is a lecturer who regularly speaks at clinics, conferences and

seminars about the importance of a comprehensive approach when analyzing the

sport specific requirements for athletes on an individual basis. He has published

articles and authored manuals related to strength and fitness written for coaches

all over the world. He is also currently a member of the Elite Fitness Q&A staff.



http://www.dieselcrew.com/

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Sledgehammer Training