| When it comes to training for MMA, many athletes | | | | clears your waist, begin to pull it up to upper chest |
| are still using outdated training methods that may | | | | height. When it reaches this position, immediately flip |
| actually be doing more harm than good. To devise a | | | | the bar over and throw your elbows forward while |
| proper strength and conditioning program for a mixed | | | | dipping into a quarter squat position to catch the bar. |
| martial artist we need to look at the specific | | | | Squat- Before unracking the bar, make sure to take |
| demands of the sport. | | | | an even grip and squeeze your shoulder blades |
| During competition a mixed martial artist will find | | | | completely together. Try to take as close a grip as |
| himself making explosive movements such as strikes | | | | comfortably possible in order to create a bigger shelf |
| and takedowns. He will also find himself exerting | | | | to place the bar on. About six to eight inches wider |
| maximal strength concentrically, eccentrically and | | | | than shoulder width is usually the norm. Rest the bar |
| probably even more often; isometrically. Lastly, their | | | | somewhat high on your traps and be sure to |
| endurance will be pushed to the limits and beyond. | | | | squeeze it as hard as you can. Take a slightly wider |
| If you do not take all of this into account during your | | | | than shoulder width stance and point the toes out |
| training, you may be headed for disappointment and | | | | slightly. Keeping your chest held high and your head |
| defeat. | | | | up inhale deeply and fill your abdomen with air. This is |
| Having established what we need to cover with our | | | | a key point and must be practiced. You do not want |
| training, the next step is setting up the workouts. | | | | to breathe in through your chest and allow your |
| Since most combat athletes train in a variety of | | | | shoulders to rise. Start the descent by breaking at |
| disciplines for several hours a week, there will not be | | | | the hips and sitting back and down. Go all the way |
| a ton of time to dedicate to the strength training | | | | down to below parallel, making sure to keep your |
| workouts. Three day per week, sixty minute full | | | | back tightly arched and refrain from looking down. |
| body workouts are the optimal choice for most | | | | Once you have hit rock bottom, explode back to the |
| combat athletes. Any more than that will usually lead | | | | top. |
| to overtraining and sub par results. | | | | Chin Up- Grab the bar with an overhand grip and be |
| In those three workouts, we need to cover speed, | | | | sure to start from a dead hang position with both |
| strength, endurance and in most cases, muscle | | | | arms straight. Being sure to keep your back arched, |
| hypertrophy. That's a lot to tackle in three hours a | | | | pull your chest up to the bar. Squeeze your shoulder |
| week. So how do we do it? | | | | blades together at the top. |
| First, we need to make sure that we include some | | | | Blast Strap or Chain Suspended Pushup- This is a |
| kind of dynamic effort or speed training in each | | | | great exercise that will not only work all of your |
| workout. This kind of training is comprised of various | | | | pressing muscles and stabilizers but will work your |
| plyometric exercises, Olympic lifts and throws of all | | | | entire core as well. You can use gymnastics rings for |
| kinds. | | | | these or you can get Blast Straps from or even just |
| Secondly, we need to improve maximal strength | | | | get chains cut at the hardware store and loop them |
| levels. This is done by incorporating heavy sets of 1-5 | | | | over the bar with towels over the chains where you |
| reps on big compound exercises such as squats and | | | | grab them. Be sure to keep your body completely |
| chin ups. | | | | straight and go down all the way. |
| Next, for building muscle we need to use the | | | | Kettlbell/ Dumbbell Windmill- Stand with a kettlebell in |
| repeated effort method which includes sets of 6-12 | | | | one hand and that arm locked out overhead. Bend |
| reps with both traditional and non traditional exercises. | | | | down to the opposite side, trying to touch the |
| Lastly, we need to increase our endurance levels by | | | | ground on the side of your foot. Return to the start |
| using the most effective conditioning methods | | | | position. |
| available. | | | | Jump Squat- This is done with 10-25% of your one |
| And we need to do all of this in each and every | | | | rep max on a regular squat. So if you squat 300 |
| workout. | | | | pounds, an empty 45 pound bar is usually a good |
| Usually the sequencing of exercises and methods is | | | | starting weight. Don't go down as you would on a |
| based on what is most neurologically demanding. | | | | normal squat; instead go halfway down and |
| Therefore you would do your speed training | | | | immediately reverse your momentum and jump as |
| exercises first, followed by your max effort work. | | | | high as you can. Stick the landing and reset before |
| The hypertrophy work, if needed, would come next | | | | starting the next rep. |
| and then you would go into conditioning at the end. | | | | 1 Arm Incline Dumbbell Press- Lie down on an incline |
| Below is a sample of a highly effective training | | | | bench and keep the non working arm straight out to |
| program for combat athletes: | | | | the side for balance. Press the weight straight up to |
| Day 1 | | | | lockout. This is great for core stability and you will |
| 1) Hang Clean- 5 x 3 x 90 seconds rest | | | | feel an intense contraction in your opposite obliques. |
| 2) Squat- 4 x 3 x 120 seconds rest | | | | 1 Arm Dumbbell Row- Brace your non working arm |
| 3A) Chin Up - 2 x 8-10 x 90 seconds rest | | | | on an immovable object and split your legs so that |
| 3B) Blast Strap or Chain Suspended Pushup- 2 x | | | | the same leg as the arm you are working is back. |
| a.m.a.p. x 90 seconds rest | | | | Arch your back and row the weight to your waist. |
| 4) Kettlebell/ Dumbbell Windmill- 2 x 10-12 x 60 | | | | Be sure to stretch all the way on each rep. |
| seconds rest | | | | Sandbag Shouldering- Place a heavy sandbag on the |
| Day 2 | | | | ground in front of you. Squat down and grab it with |
| 1) Jump Squat- 5 x 6 x 90 seconds rest | | | | both hands like you are bear hugging it. Explode |
| 2A) 1 Arm Incline Dumbbell Press- 4 x 3 x 90 | | | | upward and heave the bag up onto one shoulder. |
| seconds rest | | | | Return it to the floor and repeat with the other side. |
| 2B) 1 Arm Dumbbell/ Kettlebell Row- 3 x 6-8 x 90 | | | | Inchworm- Put your hands on the ground in front of |
| seconds rest | | | | you and begin to "walk" them out as far as you can |
| 3) Sandbag Shouldering- 2 x 10-12 x 90 seconds rest | | | | go until your body is parallel with and a few inches |
| 4) Inchworm- 2 x a.m.a.p. x 90 seconds rest | | | | off the ground. Hold this position for a second, being |
| Day 3 | | | | sure to keep your back flat (no A-framing or hips |
| 1) 1 Arm Overhead Kettlebell Throw- 6(per side) x 1 | | | | sagging). Then ankle walk your feet back to the |
| x 30 seconds rest (between throws) | | | | starting position and repeat. Walk as far as you can. |
| 2) Fat Bar Pullup- 4 x 3 x 90 seconds rest | | | | 1 Arm Overhead Kettlebell Throw- Hold a kettlebell in |
| 3A) Resisted Pushup- 3 x 8-10 x 90 seconds rest | | | | one hand and swing it through your legs and then |
| 3B) Sandbag Zercher Squat - 2 x a.m.a.p. in 60 | | | | explosively throw it over head backwards. |
| seconds x 90 seconds rest | | | | Fat Bar Pullup- For this exercise you need a fatter |
| 4) Sledgehammer Swing- 2 x 12-15 x 60 | | | | than normal grip pullup bar. You can add tape or a |
| Exercise Descriptions: | | | | piece of foam to a regular pullup bar to create this |
| Hang Clean- Start with the bar just above your | | | | effect if you don't have access to a fat pullup bar. |
| knees. Arch your back and bend forward. To initiate | | | | You can also do towel chin ups instead. Be sure to |
| the movement, explosively shrug while straightening | | | | start from a dead hang and pull yourself all the way |
| up your body and going up on your toes. As the bar | | | | up over the bar. |