MMA Strength Training

Training Powerlifting
21

[quote]Wayland wrote:
im in total agreement with Xen, im basically the guy he described in his first post. I did kyokushin for 12 years and my instructor encouraged me to weight train, over a period of time i hit 235lbs from 150 lbs (made most of my gains on WS4Sb). I started BJJ and i was constantly chastised for using my strength to muscle my way out of situations, slamming from guard, muscling into submissions. (i could’nt do many hindu push ups either)

now after two years of BJJ ive learn’t to relax and apply my strength at the right times, my top game is very tight my guard game still needs work.

I use a mixture of Conjugate lifting and strongman to achieve and maintain my strength. [/quote]

That sounds just like me when I started BJJ. I would use my strength…at all the wrong times. Instead of applying proper technique, I would get frustrated and just muscle my partner where I thought he was supposed to go.

I agree with that last point about relaxing and using strength at the appropriate times. Very important.

22

Workout I did today:

6 Rounds of Bas Rutten’s Fight tapes, I did the muay thai tapes

between rounds, I alternated between 12lb sledgehammer strikes and jumping rope (1 minute)

Finish up with 2 rounds of 2min of the boxing CD… (nothing between rounds)

Fucking brutal- highly reccomended. Thats conditioning where you get to work on some ballistic strength and your technique as well.

make sure you circle the bag and move around an lot, cause you can do the shit stationary but it wont do a damn thing for you.

Doesn’t replace learning/practcing your skillset but damn. Training like that will make sure that when you’re in class you have the energy needed to pay attention and learn the skill correctly.

You owe it to yourself AND your training partners to be in shape enough to provide them a challenge.

23

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Further nuance: Determine why you’re doing “MMA.” (That’s in quotes because it seems BJJ, thai boxing, and basic karate qualifies as MMA.)

I do BJJ 2-3 times a week. I love it. But I am not going to compete in tournaments or fight. So I don’t worry if I’m showing up to class sore from a workout. I have all the time in the world to learn BJJ, and I’m certain it’s going to be a lifetime hobby/lifestyle like golf or tennis is for many people.

If, like me, you’re a hobbyist, train how you want to train in the weightroom. If you want to fight, you need to be MUCH more focused.

Of course, if you want to fight, you need to worry a whole hell of a lot more things than just how to lift. You literally need to restructure your entire LIFE around your goals. You need a long-term plan, etc.

So be honest with yourself why you’re training. If it’s just to learn something useful in the unlikely event you get into a street fight, or if it’s just something you think is a productive activity, your weightroom mindset should adjust to that.[/quote]

Good post man.

That’s essentially the reason I had to put this whole “learn to fight” thing on the backburner.

It takes so much to be a professional at any sport. You’ve got that right about making it your LIFE if you want to make it in the big leagues. But even then, a fight is a fight, with a lot of random shit that could happen, so even then you’ve still got a slim chance.

One thing that put that into perspective for me is living with a Kenyan runner. He’s here on a full scholarship and trains like a mad man. Put him in a major marathon and he’d just be another “also ran”. Sure MMA is a younger sport, and therefore less athletic people have a shot at making it, but damn it’s still a long shot.

So people considering stepping into a cage should definitely figure out why. Is it worth taking energy away from your job, school, family? If so then do the damn thing but if your heart isn’t totally committed, no need in stepping up to the plate IMO.

Also, good posts Xen. Yall listen up because he knows his shit.

24

[quote]carter12 wrote:
Sure MMA is a younger sport, and therefore less athletic people have a shot at making it, but damn it’s still a long shot.
[/quote]

Good point. It seems like everyone who “does MMA” thinks they are going to end up in the UFC. Too many guys lack perspective. To get at the highest levels you have to first have some great genetics. Then you have to dedicate your entire life to it.

Not just anyone can take thai boxing and BJJ and then suddenly be a champion. Just like with other sports, natural atleticism (hand-eye coordination, reflexs, timing, etc.) makes a huge difference.

Then you have to get lucky enouhg to not get seroiusly injured. Then you have to get lucky enough to fight the right guys. (Say your first fights are against an animal and you lose. Good luck getting more fights when you’re 0-2.)

Sure, you can plan some of these things, but not nearly as much as guys think. There are a whole class of guys who sacrificed everything and have nothing to show for it.

I think combat sports make a great hobby. I just think guys need to keep thigns into perspective: Unless you’re devoting your entire life to MMA, you’re just a hobbyist.

Nothing wrong with that at all, either. But it’s important to keep things in perspective; if you’re neglecting your wife or job for a hobby, you are a fool.

25

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
carter12 wrote:
Sure MMA is a younger sport, and therefore less athletic people have a shot at making it, but damn it’s still a long shot.

Good point. It seems like everyone who “does MMA” thinks they are going to end up in the UFC. Too many guys lack perspective. To get at the highest levels you have to first have some great genetics. Then you have to dedicate your entire life to it.

Not just anyone can take thai boxing and BJJ and then suddenly be a champion. Just like with other sports, natural atleticism (hand-eye coordination, reflexs, timing, etc.) makes a huge difference.

Then you have to get lucky enouhg to not get seroiusly injured. Then you have to get lucky enough to fight the right guys. (Say your first fights are against an animal and you lose. Good luck getting more fights when you’re 0-2.)

Sure, you can plan some of these things, but not nearly as much as guys think. There are a whole class of guys who sacrificed everything and have nothing to show for it.

I think combat sports make a great hobby. I just think guys need to keep thigns into perspective: Unless you’re devoting your entire life to MMA, you’re just a hobbyist.

Nothing wrong with that at all, either. But it’s important to keep things in perspective; if you’re neglecting your wife or job for a hobby, you are a fool.[/quote]

Great points, Cali Law. I think more people need to have this conversation with themselves before deciding where MMA training fits into their schedule.

Once you figure that out, then you can figure out where weight training and endurance work come into play. If you’re just doing MMA training as a hobby, I see no reason why you wouldn’t still be in the gym lifting, trying to get stronger and trying to improve your endurance.

If you have serious aspirations to be a fighter, than the mindset and strategy differs.

26

ditto everything Zen Nova said. I stopped contributing to this forum because would get flamed for saying what Zen Nova just said. He is completely right. I’ve been doing this stuff on and off since 1970 - from my point of view he is right on.