Mixed Martial Arts is a sport full of uncertainty. You cannot guess whether your hardcore blow will be defining moment in your fight or will it only provoke your opponent to counterattack. But if you practice the art of executing your total strength in a single move, you can not only conquer the octagon but also help your body build phenomenal strength and endurance.
Most of your strength comes from your hips and core. They form the foundation of all attacks that you execute, be it the punching, grappling or kicking. Workouts such as push press and dumbbell snatch make use of your hips to power coordinate muscles that help you take quick action.
These exercises are extremely useful for fighters as well as players who need to use their strength in quick actions. Lifting weights helps get rid of calories while tuning the nervous system to use as many muscle fibres. This is the reason why boxers, MMA fighters, footballers and wrestlers have the ability to translate their body strength into powerful shots.
The following workout helps you build strength helping your get a leaner, powerful physique.
How To Perform These Exercises?
Each of the exercises listed below should be performed once a week. Take a rest day after the workout. Perform each exercise as a straight set, finishing all the sets before moving on the next exercise.
Lifting Maximum Weight
For weight exercises, you can gradually increase the weight until you are able to perform these exercises with the total weight that you intend to lift in a perfect form. For example, you are required to perform 3 reps of box squat with 315 pounds weight, you can begin by performing 10 reps by holding just the bar. Then load 25-pound plate on each side of the bar making it weigh 95 pounds. Perform 3 reps. Keep on increasing the weight to 155, 195 and 265 pounds performing one rep with each weight. Now put on 315 pounds. You will have the strength to perform just 3 reps.
You may not want to aim for 315 pounds only. First choose how much weight you want to lift. Based on the total weight that you intend to lift, you should choose your warm-up weights accordingly. Perform minimum reps and take rest whenever you feel fatigued during the warm-up sessions. Once you have mustered the strength to lift the maximum weight, perform 2-4 sets.
To read about MMA Workout To Strengthen Body And Biceps click here.
Performing Reps
For exercises with 30-40 reps, you should perform as many reps in a good form. When you feel stressed out, take some time to rest. Then perform the remaining reps. It is perfectly fine if you perform 10 reps for the first set while performing only 3 or 4 reps for the remaining sets. With constant practise your body will improve its stamina helping you to perform maximum reps for each set. Aim on targeting 10 more reps every week. This way you would be able to perform 40-50 reps which have been advised on this workout, just in the second week.
Reps With Weights
If you have to perform 8-12 reps with a particular weight, start off with a lower weight so that you can perform maximum reps in the first set. Then keep on increasing the weight with every set as the number of reps decline. Ideally, the weight in your third set should allow you to perform 8 reps.
Exercise # 1 – One Arm Dumbbell Snatch
Sets/Reps: 6/3
Rest: 90-120 seconds
Equipment: Dumbbells
How To Perform The Exercise?
Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in one of your hands. Now begin with bending your hips and then your knees. Now with full force, extending your hips and knees bring the weight in front of your body, holding it overhead with your arm extended. As opposed to traditional exercises such as deadlifts, one arm dumbbell snatch keeps your neck and traps from putting on extra mass.
Read about Losing Weight By Engaging Into A MMA Workout by clicking here.
Exercise # 2 – Push Press
Sets/Reps: 5/5
Rest: 90-120 seconds
Equipment: Barbell
How To Perform The Exercise?
With your knees slightly bent, hold the bar at your shoulders. Now with a sudden thrust, straighten your knees taking the bar overhead with arms extended.
Learn what it takes to be a MMA Star by clicking here.
Exercise # 3 – Inverted Rows
Sets/Reps: 0/40
Rest: 45-60 seconds
Equipment: Power Rack
How To Perform The Exercise?
Put up a barbell in the rack at nearly hip height from the ground. Alternatively, you can also use a Smith Machine. Now hold the bar from beneath by lying on the ground. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Now fully extend your arms so that your body forms a straight line hanging from the bar. Now pull yourself up by squeezing your shoulder blades, contracting your back muscles.
Photo: RDX T6 Power Fighter MMA Gloves
Exercise # 4 – Jump Squat
Sets/Reps: 8/2
Rest: 90-120 seconds
Equipment: No Equipment Required
How To Perform The Exercise?
Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the ground and bend your knees slightly to assume a semi -squatting position. Now jump as high as you can. Land on the ground gently and perform the next rep.
Get Power Packed Legs For High Octane Performance by clicking here.
Exercise # 5 – Medicine Ball Rotation Throw
Sets/Reps: 3/8-12
Rest: 45-60 seconds
Equipment: Medicine Ball
How To Perform The Exercise?
Standing in front of a wall, hold a medicine ball in your hands with your arms extended out. Now flex your torso to one side, causing a stretch in your abs. Quickly throw the ball with full strength towards the wall and assume the starting position. You should perform the exercise in front of wall of concrete or bricks.
