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