Building pulling strength for medieval combat athletes

Medieval combat, as governed by the International Medieval Combat Federation, places extraordinary physical demands on its athletes. A single bout can require a fighter to draw a sword hundreds of times, absorb the weight of a heavy helm pressing on the neck and shoulders, and shove opponents in a shield wall while carrying ten to thirty kilograms of plate and chain. Behind every successful strike, grapple, and recovery lies a well-conditioned posterior chain, and within that chain the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles play starring roles that many recreational fighters overlook until pain forces them to address them.

For Australian athletes preparing for state meets, interstate qualifiers, or the World Championship, building these muscles is not about mirror aesthetics. It is about producing repeatable power in pulls, protecting the cervical spine under a bascinet, and creating enough shoulder stability to maintain weapon control after a full day of lists. The strength program described here is built around those practical demands rather than abstract hypertrophy goals, and it borrows from the periodisation used in combat sports and field-based codes across the country.

Anatomical priorities for the combat athlete

The latissimus dorsi is a broad, sheet-like muscle that connects the humerus, the thoracic spine, and the pelvis. In a medieval bout it fires powerfully during every sword draw, every pole strike, and every grappling clinch. A weak or underactive lat means the shoulder joint absorbs loads it cannot handle, leading to rotator cuff irritation and elbow tendinopathy, two complaints common among amateur fighters returning to long training blocks after the off-season in Sydney or Perth.

The trapezius, in both its upper and mid-back regions, stabilises the scapula, supports the cervical spine, and resists the forward head posture created by the weight of an Italian-style bascinet or a heavier great helm. The upper fibres also assist in shrugs and overhead pulling, both crucial when a pollaxe is held at arm's length above the head waiting for the referee's call. Without deliberate trap work, fighters tend to develop rounded shoulders and chronic upper-back tightness, the posture that quietly costs them reach and endurance in the later rounds of a tournament.

Movement patterns that translate to the list

Pulling patterns matter more than isolation work for this sport. The clearest carryover comes from single-arm pulls, vertical pulls, and loaded carries, all of which mirror what happens inside the timeline. A one-arm dumbbell row trains the lat through a range that is essentially the same as drawing a sword across the body, while heavy farmer's carries build trap endurance and grip simultaneously, both useful when carrying a fallen opponent's equipment to the side of the field after a melee.

Mobility also deserves attention. Thoracic rotation drills are essential because the armour restricts natural shoulder mechanics, and a mid-back that cannot rotate leaves fighters relying on the lumbar spine, often showing up as the back spasms seen in athletes returning from tournaments in regional Victoria or coming back to training after long drives across the Nullarbor. Foam rolling the lats, prone cobra holds, and half-kneeling landmine presses all keep the joint capsules happy across a multi-day event.

For coaches looking to deepen their understanding of how these movement qualities interact with intent inside the timeline, the practical guide on reading an opponent's body language in armour offers useful insight into the connection between physical composure and tactical awareness during a bout. Strength, mobility, and the ability to read tiny postural cues compound rather than compete, and a fighter who trains all three is hard to rattle.

A weekly template that fits around tournament travel

Australian fighters often juggle weekend competitions with weekday work and family life, so the template needs to be realistic. Three strength sessions per week is the sweet spot for most competitors training out of suburban garages in Adelaide, suburban CrossFit boxes in Brisbane, or commercial gyms in Melbourne's inner north. The first session focuses on vertical pulling, the second on horizontal pulling plus trap-specific work, and the third on lower-body and core, with maintenance upper-body work sandwiched in.

Vertical pulling day might include weighted pull-ups or chin-ups, lat pulldowns with a pause, and face pulls to balance shoulder health. Heavy grip work such as dead hangs and towel pull-ups deserves a place here, because the hands fatigue long before the lats do during a long sword session. Trap-focused work sits best on the horizontal pulling day, using barbell or dumbbell shrugs, rack pulls, and bent-over rows to load the upper back through a fuller range than most lifters ever explore.

Rest is treated as seriously as training. With Australia's heat making summer outdoor practices in places like Townsville punishing, athletes must account for hydration, sleep, and deload weeks before a major event. A simple rule of thumb is to reduce volume by roughly forty percent in the week leading into a state championship or a trip to the World Championship, keeping intensity moderate to preserve sharpness without accumulating new fatigue. Travelling interstate, particularly the long haul from Perth to the eastern states, requires careful scheduling so that jet lag and dehydration do not erase weeks of careful preparation.

Working with the equipment you actually own

Not every fighter in Australia has access to a fully stocked strength facility, and many train out of garages, public outdoor gyms, or modest commercial setups. The good news is that lats and traps respond exceptionally well to modest equipment. A pair of adjustable dumbbells, a pull-up bar that fits a standard doorway, and a thick resistance band cover the majority of effective exercises.

For the trap work specifically, bands provide a unique advantage because they keep tension high at the top of the shrug, which free weights often cannot replicate. Bands also make it easier to warm up the upper back before putting on steel, a useful habit before practice sessions under fluorescent workshop lights or in the open-air training yards used by the medieval combat community along the east coast. Heavier trap loading, when desired, can be done cheaply with a sandbag or a sturdy duffel filled with concrete, which doubles as event gear transport on the road.

Finger health is another overlooked variable that affects pulling performance. A sore hand from a previous bout can quietly cap how much weight an athlete can pull, because the grip gives out long before the back does. Choosing well-fitting gauntlets is part of the equation, and the federation has published practical guidance on selecting the best gauntlet design for finger protection that complements any strength program by keeping the hands training-ready across the season.

Bringing it together across a training year

Periodisation matters more in armoured combat than in many modern sports because the demands change so dramatically between off-season, pre-competition, and competition phases. During the off-season, which in Australia typically runs through the cooler months of June to August, the goal is to build a base of muscle and movement skill without excessive fatigue. Two pulls and two trap-focused sessions a week, alongside general conditioning, are usually plenty.

As competition approaches in spring, volume increases moderately and intensity climbs. Fighters add heavier singles on key lifts, practise sport-specific pulls with training weapons, and occasionally wear partial kit during accessory work to accustom the shoulders to the harness weight. By the time a national team selection event arrives in October or November, the athlete should be hitting personal bests on pulls while feeling fresh, with crisp technique intact. The timing lines up nicely with the end of the AFL and NRL seasons, when many Australian gyms become quieter and equipment becomes easier to access.

Peak performance rarely comes from a single hard week; it is the accumulation of smaller, consistent choices. Eating enough protein, sleeping seven to nine hours, looking after the small joints of the hand and wrist, and showing up to the occasional open mat or community social keeps the whole ecosystem healthy. Some clubs run community nights, film screenings, and downtime social events that strengthen the social fabric athletes need to sustain long careers, and the tradition of Saturday club film sessions reflects that same spirit of gathering around shared culture. No training block survives long without a sense of belonging, and the friendships formed around shared steel often outlast the medals.

For fighters ready to formalise their training, the federation's official channels are the best starting point for rules clarification, event calendars, and sanctioning inquiries. Reaching out through the IMCF contact page connects Australian athletes with both their national body and the broader international organisation, ensuring every lift in the gym translates to safer, sharper performance on the field.