MMA Training 2000 program
 

MMA Training 2000
Workout provided by Jax

Answer this riddle. If you're an MMA athlete, why would you use a weightlifting routine that was designed for a bodybuilder? Is your primary goal really bigger muscles? Isn't muscular endurance and power more important than muscular hypertrophy? Well, even if you don't, I do. And the results speak for themselves.

After 8 long months of trial and error, MMA Training 2000, is finally ready to be released to the public. The secret is out. And the cost to you: nothing. Why? Because you wouldn't buy it if you saw it. It's too different and people don't like different. What I may call revolutionary, you will call different. If you've spent the last year reading Muscle and Fitness, you won't know where to begin. Bodybuilding it is not. So what is it?

Background
In MMA, muscular endurance and power (not strength) are king. In every fight Forrest Griffin has, he looks like he can fight for 10 rounds. GSP, even though some of his opponents look twice as strong as him, tosses his adversaries around like ragdolls. Do either of those athletes have bodybuilder-like physiques? Hardly. But they're both strong as an ox, and have an endless supply of energy. Look at all of the top fighters. You'll see the same recurring them: great shape, great power.

So that's our focus. 2 days will be devoted to training for power and 2 days will be devoted to training for muscular endurance. The power training is loosely based on a program called Canadian ascending-descending training, which trains the entire power continuum from plyometric to limit strength each workout. The endurance training is based on circuit training. Before I get into the program specifics, I want to answer two questions 99% of you will have as you read the program.

Where's the upper body work?
In football, the top strength and conditioning coaches continually use a phrase during training, "Football is played from the waist down and neck up." That can also be applied to MMA. Power, even though this is going to be hard to believe for you die-hard bench-pressers, comes from your backside. How do you improve the vertical jump, a great objective test of power? Train the hamstrings and glutes. Plus, have you ever seen a 400+ pound squatter with a small upper body? Didn't think so.

Endurance training and no cardio?
Do not confuse endurance with running. That type of endurance is aerobic. MMA is largely anaerobic (doesn't rely on oxygen to create energy). Training for one type of endurance doesn't necessarily transfer over to the other type of endurance. If you were training for a marathon, running 40 miles per week would be great training. If you were training for basketball, football, MMA, or almost every other sport, 400m sprints or exercise circuits would be great training. Think about it. Is GSP's body more like a sprinter or a marathon runner?

One other point to ponder.... Steady-state cardio is extremely hard on your body. How many steps do you think you take when you run a mile, 2 miles or even 3 miles? A lot. And with each step, you're overloading your knees and ankles with an unforgiving force. MMA athletes already put enough stress on their bodies. Why add another one, especially when it's almost useless? Remember, injuries, not losses, kill careers.

And now let's get into the routine

Warning: This program was not designed for the weekend warrior. Only experienced MMA athletes should use it.

Day 1 - Speed emphasis
Box Jumps 3x10 RI 150s (Find a challenging height. Remember, the goal is to jump higher and higher each week)
Jump squats 3x10 15-20% 1RM load RI 150s
Speed squats 3x6 55% 1RM load RI 150s
Speed Shrug 3x6 RI 150s
Deadlift 3x5 RI 150s

Med ball twists 3x40 total reps RI 60s
Cable Wood chops 3x10-12 RI 60s
Planks 3 x 30 seconds

Day 2 - Muscular Endurance
Floor Press 7,5,3,7,5,3 RI 150s
Pull-ups 4x8-10 RI 120s
1-arm bench 4x6-8 RI 120s

A1) Jump Lunges 20 total reps
A2) Overhead Squat 12 reps
A3) Jump lunges 20 total reps
A4) Iron cross 12 reps
A5) Jump lunges 20 total reps
A6) DB Squats to overhead press 12 reps
A7) Jump lunges 20 total reps

Rest 2 minutes and repeat 3 times

Day 3- Strength Emphasis
Squat 3x5 RI 150s
Push Press 3x6 RI 150s
Speed Box Squats 3x6 55% 1RM RI 150s
Dynamic lunges BW 3x10 RI 150s
Bounds 3x8 RI 150s

Decline weighted crunch 3x10-12 RI 60s
Kneeling cable crunch 3x8-10 RI 60s
Planks 3x30 seconds RI 60s

Day 4 - Muscular Endurance
Dips 4x8-10 RI 120s
1-arm DB Rows 4x8-10 RI 120s
1-arm bench 4x3-5 RI 120s

A1) Med ball push-ups 20 reps
A2) Speed Press 20 reps
A3) Med ball swings 20 reps
A4) Front Squat & Press 20 reps
A5) Inverted Rows 20 reps
A6) Alternating Front & Side Lat Raises 20 total reps

Rest 2 minutes and repeat 2 times

And after 8 months, that's the program. Extremely simple, yet extremely effective. It's a nice mix of real-world feedback and science. Do I guarantee this program? No, but I'll let the results speak for themselves. Use the following tests to objectively measure your results:
Absolute strength: Max Squat
Lower body power: Vertical jump
Relative strength: pullups
Muscular endurance: 90 second pushup test

No program is complete without mentioning nutrition. Pre, peri, and postworkout nutrition are extremely important to any training program, especially one that’s as physically and mentally demanding as this one. I’ll briefly discuss each meal. A more thorough discussion will be included in a future article.

Pre: You’re going to need fuel for your workout. To kick start anabolism, my athletes use the following preworkout protocol that’s taken 30-45 minutes before the workout:
Creatine 5 grams
Beta Alanine 3 grams
Whey isolate protein 20 grams in water
20 grams of a quick-acting carbohydrate
Leucine 5 grams

During the workout:
BCAA’s 20-40 grams depending on the size of the athlete and the intensity/duration of the session
Postworkout immediately after workout:
Leucine 5 grams
Beta Alanine 3 grams
Creatine 5 grams
Digestive enzymes and cinsulin
10-20 minutes later:
50 grams of quick-acting carbohydrates
30 grams of a quick-acting protein


If you're truly looking for a program that was created for the MMA athlete, this is it. Try it and you'll soon be reaping the rewards of your hard work.