The New Skinny on Body Leverage Training from Fitness Elements Express!

Body Mechanics and Leverage 101

Remember the days of sitting on your suitcase to get it closed shut? Have you ever used a jackhammer to drill a deep hole? Do you twist your body when you swing a baseball bat?Or finally, have you ever jumped in the air to shoot a basketball? If so, then you are using body mechanics and leverage to help you increase force. Body mechanics and leverage are not only tools of everyday life, they are essential elements of sports and martial arts. In self-defense, your techniques must be effective, but delivering a devastating strike, throw or break requires real power to work. In addition to learning individual techniques, your training must include learning to maximize the power you can generate. Many people assume this means building muscle, but generating real power is not done by using muscle strength alone; real power is generated by using body mechanics and leverage together with your technique.
Body mechanics are essentially posture in motion used to gain power. They combine sequenced and coordinated movements to generate torque in an efficient way. The purpose of using body mechanics is to maximize applicable force by taking advantage of the principles of physics as related to the structure of the body. For example, when using body mechanics, you do not rely on the arm alone to throw, swing, push or pull. You incorporate a twisting, springing or dropping motion of the body to increase the power that is output through the arm.
Developing body mechanics requires proper training. Proper training involves moving the entire body in appropriate posture and sequence together. The more muscle groups and body weight used in a motion, the greater the force output will be. In training, movements that use body mechanics should first be practiced in an exaggerated manner. This method ensures the neuromuscular system will be trained to incorporate all of the supporting elements in the proper sequence.
In addition to using exaggerating movements, body mechanics should be trained with continuous fluid movements, completing a full range of motion for total development. If you imagine a batter trying to hit a home run in a baseball game, he doesn’t bunt the ball. He swings the bat all the way through. How about the pitcher? Imagine when he throws his fast ball, he doesn’t lob the ball like he is trying to throw something in the trashcan. He winds up and really hurls his whole body into the pitch. This is body mechanics and that is where your real power will develop. Although application of martial arts techniques requires economical motions, training must tap deep into the body structure for movements to become habit. This is why we use exaggerated movements and the full range of motion to develop them. Once rigidity is removed and body mechanics have been developed, gross motor movements are refined and movements are abbreviated. The result is power and economy of motion.
Leverage, also known as a mechanical advantage, is generated by the use of a fulcrum and a lever. With proper placement, the mechanical advantage gained by using the lever can be applied to another object. Furthermore, the longer the lever, the greater the force generated. When applied in the martial arts, leverage is used to gain an advantage over the opponent. It is gained by specific placement and use of your body relative to the structure of your opponent’s body. A simple arm bar demonstrates the use of leverage wherein your opponent’s arm is the lever and your arm or hand positioned at his elbow acts as the fulcrum. By pulling on the opponent’s arm at the wrist, one gains leverage against the elbow joint. If you were only to pull at the forearm, then your job would be more difficult. But by pulling at the wrist, you have maximized force output by using the longest lever available. Leverage is not restricted to fulcrums and levers alone; it is also gained by adjusting body weight, stance, posture, and balance. We use leverage because it is an efficient way to increase the force we exert when applying techniques.
Developing leverage is a matter of applying principle to technique and application. The famous Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes once said, "Give me a place to stand, and I will move the earth." As long as you understand the principle of leverage, then you can improve the application of any technique. Improving your ability to apply leverage in locks, throws, breaks, etc. require you evaluate each technique looking for the ideal body position and placement to find the maximum leverage. When training with a partner, always communicate with each other to find what subtleties of position, direction and force improve the technique. Find how you can use your body weight to your advantage. Adjust your posture and stance to ensure that you can efficiently transfer force.
Using leverage and body mechanics is stronger than using simple strength alone because body mechanics and leverage multiply power generated. Leverage and body mechanics allow someone who is small to generate more power and be more effective than would otherwise be possible. Using body mechanics and leverage helps to equalize the old and the young because personal attributes alone do not determine the victor. Proper training gives the advantage. To improve your martial arts and develop power, be sure to maintain focus on executing your movements without compromising the body mechanics and consider leverage where appropriate. Make it a part of your daily training, but remember in application you must temper the use of body mechanics and leverage with strategy. If your recovery time or balance is too far extended, your extra power may compromise the integrity of your tactics. Also, proper body mechanics should help you generate power without exposing your body to possible injury, so maintain proper posture, stance and balance according to your system or style. Ultimately, if you combine your understanding of leverage with proper body mechanics, the force you generate will compound to create an unstoppable power.

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