| Strength and conditioning for MMA is an evolving | | | | instead of chest, biceps, quads, hams, back, etc. |
| science, getting more detailed as the popularity of | | | | Hitting the full body with different movement |
| the UFC and mixed-martial arts grows. Like all sports, | | | | patterns two days a week will allow you to make |
| MMA athletes must dedicate themselves to workouts | | | | progress in your routine without over training. Here's |
| that will take them to the highest level of physical | | | | an example of a 2 day split: |
| fitness possible. | | | | Day 1: Reverse lunge - Bench press - Woodchop - |
| To make sure you're achieving your full potential as a | | | | Arnold press - Reverse Curl |
| fighter, make sure you utilize these 3 MMA workout | | | | Day 2: Squat - Chinup - Romanian deadlift - 1-arm |
| tips in your strength and conditioning program. | | | | row - Skull crusher |
| Tip #1 - Follow a Program | | | | You could do these workouts on Monday and |
| If you're not following a program, you could simply | | | | Thursday to develop your strength and power. |
| be spinning your wheels. The worst thing you can do | | | | The repetition range you use will depend on your |
| is go to the gym and say to yourself, "OK, now that | | | | goals, if it's muscular endurance, then choose 10-12 |
| I'm here, what am I going to do?" | | | | reps, if you're going for pure strength, you can get |
| If you're serious about being an MMA fighter, then | | | | down to 3-5 reps. A good balance is between 7-8 |
| you must have a strength and conditioning program | | | | reps per set. The lower the reps and heavier the |
| that's laid out for at least the 8 weeks leading up to | | | | weight, the more rest you generally want to take. |
| your fight. If you don't have a fight lined up, then | | | | TIp #3 - Use a Medicine Ball for Conditioning Circuits |
| you must think about what you need to improve and | | | | By far the best tool for developing MMA specific |
| focus on those aspects of your game. | | | | power is the medicine ball, since you can throw the |
| Tip #2 - Maximize your Efficiency in the Weight | | | | ball as hard and fast as you can in rotational |
| Room | | | | movements that heavily involve the core. Integrating |
| As a mixed-martial artist, you've got to train jiu-jitsu, | | | | the medicine ball will allow you to develop knockout |
| boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, wrestling, and put | | | | power with your strikes, as well as explosive take |
| them all together into MMA at the very LEAST. This | | | | down ability. |
| doesn't leave you a ton of time to work on strength. | | | | Exercises like the side toss and chop toss will have |
| So you've got to get the most bang for your buck in | | | | you (and your opponents and sparring partners) |
| the little time that you do have. | | | | feeling a difference after only a few weeks. |
| In your strength program, you can do so by training | | | | Unfortunately, many people do these exercises |
| full body workouts focused on movement patterns. | | | | completely wrong, in terms of reps, weight, and |
| Think squat, lunge, deadlift, push, pull, and twist | | | | form. |