MMA Gym Strength Workouts

A MMA fighters gym workout needs to be different then the typical bodybuilders workout. A MMA fighter's body needs to work as a whole and requires different types of strength from different groupings of muscle.

First, an MMA fighter needs to be able to explode and needs POWER. So a good portion of the exercises that the MMA fighter must perform needs to focus on raw explosive powerful strength. The best exercises for this are Push Presses, Deadlifts, Squats, Chest Presses, High Pulls, Cleans, Snatches and the variations of these exercises.

Second, a fighter needs to have strength endurance. They need their muscles to be able to keep humming and working for them. A lot of these exercises can done in circuits in conjunction with grappling and MMA drills. You would incorporate more bodyweight exercises along with punching drills, sandbag exercises, high reps cleans and snatches, sprints, etc. The bodyweight training article has some good examples of some circuits you can do.

Lastly a fighter needs to know when to train and how often to train along with your regular MMA training. Typically most fighters train 5-6 days a week. Unless you are a pro-fighter and fighting all the time, most fighters still need to go to a job everyday so it becomes tough to fit in your grappling, boxing, and MMA training along with your strength training.

The best way to split your training and incorporate both aspects of MMA training, is work on your strength in the morning or mid-day, then do your MMA skills training at night. I would suggest strength training 2-3x a week, preferably 3. If you have a fight coming up, cut it back to 2. Many MMA schools also have a conditioning day 1-3x a week. Don't lift on those days. Lift on opposite days.

Sample MMA Gym Workout Routines:

MMA Athletes Routine for Strength and Power

MONDAY
Power Clean - 3 sets of 3 reps warm up, then 3 t5 sets of 3 reps with a work weight, about 80% of a 1RM.
Bench Press - (medium to heavy day)- (if med)- 3 sets of 5 t6 reps warm up then 3 sets of 5 with a work weight. (if heavy)- work up over six sets of 5 t6 reps to limit set of 3 t5 reps on the last set. A rule of thumb puts a limit triple at about 90% of one's 1RM.
Squat - (light speed day)- one warm up set of 10 reps. Then 5 sets of 5 reps with no more than 65% and no more than 60 seconds rest between sets. Start with 60% . Apply 100% effort on every rep and do each rep as fast as possible.

WEDNESDAY
One Power Clean followed by 3 Military Presses followed by 2 Push Presses for 5 reps total per set - 3 warm up sets, then 3 sets of 5 reps with a work weight.
Deadlift - warm up- 10 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps, then the same work weight for 3 t4 sets of 3 t4 reps. The Romanian DL or Straight Back Clean Style DL's are recommended. (On clean DL's use about 80% of your 1RM your first workout.)(On RDL's weight is not as important as doing the exercise correctly with strict form.)
NOTE: Because squats and deadlifts overlap the working of a lot of the same muscles, squats are not recommended the same day as deadlifts.

FRIDAY
Bent Row - 3 sets of 5 t6 reps warm up, then 3 sets of 5 t6 reps with a work weight.
Squat - (medium to heavy day) same formula as BP on Monday.
Bench Press - (light speed day) same formula as Squat on Monday.

Randy Couture MMA and Grappling Workout Circuit

Bent rows x8
Upright rows x8
Military press x8
Good morning x8
Lunges x8 (each leg)
Squat push press x8
Deadlift x8

Brock Lesnar Strength Workout

Sample Strength Training: 1 Hour Workout Duration

Leading up to a fight, these exercises need to be conducted with less weight, higher intensity that will also work on overall conditioning.

Day 1: Chest & Triceps

• Bench Press: 6 Sets 12 Reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 Sets 10 Reps
• Dumbbell Flyes: 3 Sets 8 Reps
• Cable Crossovers: 3 Sets 8 Reps
• Triceps Dips: 4 Sets 10 Reps
• Triceps Pushdowns: 4 Sets 10 Reps
• Skull Crushers: 3 Sets 10 Reps

Day 2: Back & Biceps

• Wide-Grip Pull-Up: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Medium-Grip Pull-Up: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Narrow-Grip Pull-Up: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Seated Cable Row: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Deadlift: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Preacher Curl: 4 Sets 12 Reps
• Hammer Curl: 3 Sets 10 Reps
• Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 Sets 10 Reps

Day 3: Shoulders

• Overhead Barbell Press: 4 Sets 10 Reps
• Seated Dumbbell Press: 3 Sets 10 Reps
• Dumbbell Front Raise: 3 Sets 10 Reps
• Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3 Sets 10 Reps
• Smith Machine Upright Row: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Barbell/Dumbbell Shrug: 4 Sets 6 Reps

Day 4: Legs

• Leg Extension: 3 Sets 10 Reps
• Leg Curl: 3 Sets 10 Reps
• Narrow-Stance Smith Machine Squat: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Medium-Stance Smith Machine Squat: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Wide-Stance Smith Machine Squat: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Leg Press: 4 Sets 6 Reps
• Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 4 Sets 6 Reps

Brock Lesnar MMA Muscular & Cardio Intense Endurance Training

1st Round: Pushing Muscular Endurance - 1 Minute

• Spiderman Push-ups
• PlyPush-ups
• Mounted Punching
• Tire Push
• Hand Switch

2nd Round: Pulling Muscular Endurance - 1 Minute

• Recline Pull-ups
• Bodyweight Pull-ups
• Pulling/Pushing tire
• Jumping Pull-ups
• Heavy bag Twirl

3rd Round: Cardio Endurance Training - 1 Minute

• Airdyne Bike (70rpm)
• UBE Machine
• Incline Treadmill (as steep as possible)
• Windsprint Bike (standing full time)
• Airdyne Bike

4th Round: Hybrid Strength Training

• Jammer Machine
• One arm Sledge Hammer
• Medicine Ball Sprawls
• Bear Crawls
• Transition Station

5th Round: Most Intense Round - No Rest Periods

• Airdyne Bike (70rpm)
• UBE Machine
• Incline Treadmill (as steep as possible)
• Windsprint Bike (standing full time)
• Airdyne Bike

8 Reasons to Hit the Gym

Here are the top 8 reasons real women (like you!) go to the gym

* 1. To Battle Depression
* 2. To Feel Sexy
* 3. To Stay Healthy
* 4. For The Kids
* 5. To Achieve New Goals
* 6. To Feel Happier
* 7. To Build Stamina
* 8. To Have Your Cake (and Eat It Too!)

Women's Health magazine provides the list above for reasons to go to the gym. So inspired, I wanted to add my own.

9) To gain strength
10) To burn stress and anxiety
11) To sweat
12) To know that I'm prolonging my life through exercise (good diet, too, of course).

WHAT ARE YOUR REASONS FOR GOING TO THE GYM? PLEASE SHARE!!!

Why Your Workouts Don't Work

How to Change Your Workout to Get the Results You Want

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com

Updated: August 11, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Did you know the average health club exerciser quits after just six months for one of the following reasons:

1. Not Enough Time
2. Not Seeing Results

Sadly, most people become frustrated and quit exercising before they see any real results. But it's not surprising given the common mistakes many people make with their training programs. Are you making these workout mistakes? Common Reasons Your Workouts Don't Work

• All Quantity, No Quality
  Take a look around the gym (if you haven't quit going yet) and see how many people are really getting a quality workout. I'm always amazed by how many people are wandering aimlessly, walking leisurely on a treadmill while reading a book, lifting weights so light that not one hair moves out of place, or simply look bored. A lot of exercisers head to the gym out of habit, and as if on automatic pilot, put in some time and head back to work or home. If you are one of these people, ask yourself, "What do I want to get out of this?" If you want serious results, you need to do serious exercise. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it and have fun. But it does means you need to focus on what you are doing and increase the quality of every movement. Once you start exercising with a real purpose and pushing both your aerobic capacity and your strength you will find your workouts take half the time and give better results.

Overestimating Your Exercise

• Most exercisers are far too generous with estimates of exercise intensity and time, weight lifted and the frequency of their workouts. To avoid overestimating it's helpful to keep an exercise log and track these items. Additionally, many people mistakingly believe that if they exercise at a moderate pace for 30 minutes they have burned lots and lots of calories and fat. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. While exercise does burn calories over time and consistent exercise is one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off, it's hard to lose body fat through exercise alone. Which brings us to the next mistake. . .
  
  
• Underestimating Your Eating
  Many people are in denial about the foods they eat and especially the quantity consumed. If you really want to lose weight you need to be honest with yourself about what you put into your mouth and how that helps or hinders your weight loss goals. To get real with yourself, write it down. Tracking what you eat in a food diary will help you break the cycle of food denial. (Besides, you are the only one who needs to know).
  
  
• Doing the Wrong Type of Workout
  Where did you learn your current exercise routine? Watching others at the gym (who are exercising incorrectly)? From your friends, coworkers, the web, tv, newspaper, the latest research findings, or perhaps your 5th grade gym teacher? What you are doing for exercise directly determines the results you will get. To learn what you should do, there is no better place to start then by writing down your goals and then working with a professional trainer to design the right workout to meet those goals. Haphazard exercise will provide haphazard results.
  
  
• Never Changing Your Workout
  When you do the same thing day after day, you get very good at it. In exercise this is called the principle of adaptation. It basically means that we become very efficient by doing the same exercise over and over. This is great for sports performance, but not that great for weight lose, strength increases or physical fitness progression. If you always do the same workout for the same amount of time you will eventually hit a plateau where you fail to see any additional change. One way of overcoming this plateau is to modify your workouts every few weeks or months. You can change the type of exercise you do, the length, the amount of weight lifted or the number or reps. This is why professional athletes change their program during the off-season.
  
  
• Using Incorrect Form or Technique
  Learning the right way to exercise is essential to getting results. Form does matter, especially when doing any strength training exercise. Incorrect form or technique also sets you up for potential injuries, pain and soreness. To learn proper technique, there is no better place to start than with a personal trainer or coach. (JUST ASK ME!)
  

• Setting Unrealistic Goals
  So, what are your goals? Are they realistic for you? If your goal is to be the next Lance Armstrong, and you only have 30 minutes a day to train, or wanting to lose 25 pounds in a month, well, how realistic is that? Again, it comes back to being honest with yourself about your abilities, your level of commitment and your lifestyle. We need to set appropriate goals that start from where we are and progress at a reasonable rate or we are sure to get frustrated and quit.
  

• Measuring the Wrong Results
  Many people think their workout isn't working because they don't measure the right things. Looking for proof in a scale is often a set-up for disappointment because some new exercisers build muscle and lose fat, but the scale doesn't provide information about body composition. Better ways to measure your fitness progress include tracking your heart rate at a given pace, measuring the distance you can cover in a certain amount of time, tracking the amount of weight you can lift, or even writing down how you feel -- physically -- at the end of each day. Many of the benefits from exercise are subtle and not visible by looking into the mirror, but things such as cholesterol level, blood pressure, and the ease with which you can do daily chores are every bit as motivating -- if you monitor them.
  
  

You Don’t Have To Go To A Gym To Work Out.

What? No gym? How will I get buff?

For those of us lucky to live in locations with great weather, we can use the great outdoors as our natural gym. You can do your stretches at the park. Some people like to stretch in their living room before they go out so that they can lie down on the floor without getting dirty.

You should stretch for at least 10 minutes before starting any exercise.

Don’t forget to stretch after your work out, too.

You don’t have to run on a treadmill or on the track. You can run up hills or up and down the stairs. Running up hills or up stairs not only gives you a good cardio workout, but you also get more strength and muscles in your legs.

Dips are great anywhere! Dips strengthen and tone your triceps. You just need to put your hands facing you on a sturdy surface, such as a chair, bench or steps. Steady your legs in front of you so that you can sink to a seated position, while your arms bend to a 90 degree angle.

Push ups on the steps. You can do this in the city or even your house. As long as you have steps and are steady, you can challenge yourself in many ways with push ups.

Maintaining balance is important as we age. If you have steps, stones or any other solid surface, you can leap from one to another to maintain your balance.

Don't forget to stretch after your work out.


Contact me at melissa@ultrafitsf.com for personal training in the park.

Fitness and Travel

A lot of our workout routines get messed up when we travel. What can you do to stay fit when you can’t perform your regular routine?

Flying

If you’re going to be spending some quality time in airports and on airplanes, there are some activities you can perform from the comfort of your middle seat between two strangers.

At the Airport

Stretch! Even in the security line with your luggage, you can stretch. Stretch your calves, arms, neck, etc. If you get past security and still have time before your flight leaves, you can briskly walk with your luggage (pretend you’re backpacking). It will kill time and keep your blood circulating.

In Your Seat

Airplane seats have shrunk nearly 23% in the past 10 years, so it’s not you who’s getting taller. So little space, what can I do? While seated, bend over and touch your toes; rotate your neck; stretch your arms above your head; bring an elastic exercise band and do bicep curls.

Out of Town and Nowhere to Exercise

If you’re like me, you either travel and stay with family or friends, or you sometimes stay in a hotel. This is often very difficult to maintain my regular exercise schedule. If someone you’re visiting belongs to a gym, have your loved one call ahead to find out how to bring a guest. It’s been free for me so far, but you’ll never have to pay more than $10. Also, if your gym is a chain, see if there’s one near where you’re going. Of course, a lot of hotels have a fitness center that you can access for free.

Can’t Go to the Gym?

* Walk or run with the family dog or children.

* Play with the children in a capacity where you can all release energy.

* Commit to doing a certain number of crunches or push ups on alternating days.

* Run or walk in a new park.

Whatever you choose to do, stay active!

What will you do to stay active when you travel?