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4 Keys to Be the Strongest MMA Fighter You Can Be

Posted: 4/12/2012 - 5 comment(s) [ Comment ] - 0 trackback(s) [ Trackback ] Ratings: []

Category: MMA Blog

Tags: conditioning , martial arts training , mma training , strength

If you are the student who has been training for only a few months or a few years then strength is going to give you a huge advantage. Say you want to be a professional MMA fighter in the UFC then you better get to training because those guys and gals are as strong as they come and spend countless hours in the gym working out. The good thing about getting stronger is you don't need a personal trainer or a lot of fancy equipment.

With a bit of knowledge, these 4 keys, and some dedication you too can become a stronger and more powerful martial artist:

Incorporate Compound Lifts/Exercises Into Your Workout

Compound exercises are ones that involve multiple joints to perform the exercise.

* Upper Body Exercises would include: Shoulder Press, Bench Press, & a Row.
* Lower Body Exercises would include: Squats, Dead Lift, & Leg Press.
* Compound exercises focus on all the muscle fibers working in unison which creates power.

You MUST Keep Adding Weight

These exercises can be done with weights and obviously that is how you will come across the greatest strength gains. Should you just be starting out or find yourself without a gym or training partner, that's okay too because there are several compound exercises that can be done with your natural body weight.

* Pull Ups
* Push Ups
* Single Leg Squats
* Dips

Keep Adding Weight

As a beginner you want to start out with light weights to get the hang of things and also you don't want to wind up getting hurt. As you progress and develop muscle memory it is essential to add weight to each exercise. If you train with the same amount of weight all the time then don't expect to add any mass to your frame.

* Working out on a regular basis means you will need to keep a log of your daily exercises and how much weight you use for each.

Schedule Your Day

This concept applies to both your strength training as well as your martial arts training. Rest days are a key part of a productive training routine. Don't consider yourself a slacker because you take one day off each week. This is a key time when your body will recover and your muscles will grow stronger. Don't try to be a tough guy and go 7 days a week, because you will wind up regretting it in the end.

Consistency is Key

Rest days are good and important to a proper routine, but you need to be consistent in both your mixed martial arts training as well as your strength workouts. If you want to be the best fighter possible then you can't train for a few weeks and then skip a few weeks.

So, whether you are wanting more strength for MMA, Taekwondo, Karate, or Judo then the key is to focus on functional strength and not the appearance of strength.

Tony Hackerott - is an avid practitioner and lover of martial arts with over 18 years of experience in training and writing about various arts from Kenpo Karate, TKD, to Judo and BJJ.

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Despite what you may read on the Internet or hear from old school MMA fighters on how strength plays a big part in your success in this area.  Sure they say that BJJ is a martial art for the little guy, but that's only if you've been training for numerous years and fully understand the techniques and how your body works.If you are the student who has been training for only a few months or a few years then strength is going to give you a huge advantage.  Say you want to be a professional MMA fighter in the UFC then you better get to training because those guys and gals are as strong as they come and spend countless hours in the gym working out.  The good thing about getting stronger is you don't need a personal trainer or a lot of fancy equipment.<br /><b><i>With a bit of knowledge, these 4 keys, and some dedication you too can become a stronger and more powerful martial artist:</i></b><h2>Incorporate Compound Lifts/Exercises Into Your Workout</h2>Compound exercises are ones that involve multiple joints to perform the exercise.* Upper Body Exercises would include:  Shoulder Press, Bench Press, & a Row.<br />* Lower Body Exercises would include:  Squats, Dead Lift, & Leg Press.<br />* Compound exercises focus on all the muscle fibers working in unison which creates power.<h2>You MUST Keep Adding Weight</h2>These exercises can be done with weights and obviously that is how you will come across the greatest strength gains.  Should you just be starting out or find yourself without a gym or training partner, that's okay too because there are several compound exercises that can be done with your natural body weight.<ul>    <li>* Pull Ups</li>    <li>* Push Ups</li>    <li>* Single Leg Squats</li>    <li>* Dips</li></ul><h2>Keep Adding Weight</h2>As a beginner you want to start out with light weights to get the hang of things and also you don't want to wind up getting hurt.  As you progress and develop muscle memory it is essential to add weight to each exercise.  If you train with the same amount of weight all the time then don't expect to add any mass to your frame.<ul>    <li>* Working out on a regular basis means you will need to keep a log of your daily exercises and how much weight you use for each.</li></ul><h2>Schedule Your Day</h2>This concept applies to both your strength training as well as your martial arts training.  Rest days are a key part of a productive training routine.  Don't consider yourself a slacker because you take one day off each week.  This is a key time when your body will recover and your muscles will grow stronger.  Don't try to be a tough guy and go 7 days a week, because you will wind up regretting it in the end.<h2>Consistency is Key</h2>Rest days are good and important to a proper routine, but you need to be consistent in both your mixed martial arts training as well as your strength workouts.  If you want to be the best fighter possible then you can't train for a few weeks and then skip a few weeks.So, whether you are wanting more strength for MMA, <a href="http://www.themmazone.net/uniforms/taekwondo-uniforms.html">Taekwondo</a>, Karate, or Judo then the key is to focus on functional strength and not the appearance of strength. Tony Hackerott - is an avid practitioner and lover of martial arts with over 18 years of experience in training and writing about various arts from Kenpo Karate, TKD, to <a href="http://www.themmazone.net/uniforms/judo.html">Judo</a> and BJJ.