Touchdown in Thailand
July 31, 2008 by admin · 3 Comments
Sorry for the delayed update. As you may have assumed, things have been pretty hectic. I’m writing this entry from an internet cafe since I can’t seem to find an adapter for my laptop. Since I’m using a public computer, I won’t be able to upload my pics and vids on here just yet for you guys to see.
So where to start?
I landed in Bangkok at around midnight on the 27th. From the airport, I took a taxi into the heart of Sukumvit (Sukumvit is a popular area in Bangkok that’s highly populated with hotels.) The driver just dropped me off around Sukumvit 19 and I checked into the first hotel I saw. It was a little pricey at 1300 baht a night (about $40 US), but it was pretty pimp - I have to admit.
The first thing I did upon arrival was go for a walk. I was immediately targeted by seemingly every Thai person that saw me. They see foreigners and immediately assume that we’re all rich. Nothing but walking ATMs to them I think. I was offered everything from motorbike rides to massages; clothes to… vaginas? Yup, in Thailand, everything is on offer.
I always get mixed emotions when I come to Thailand and this time, so far, is no different. The people are so friendly. And because of that, it’s often hard to see some of the disturbing images that are on display.
One image that took me a while to shake off was one of a girl (she must have been about 4 years old) sitting on an overpass, alone, with a change cup for people to donate. I gave her some money (which I later found out is illegal) and asked her “you have mom?” She replied with a “yes.” I then asked her if she was ok and again she obliged with a “yes.”
Still, any 4 year old girl that is sitting alone on an overpass in the heart of Bangkok at midnight is definently not “ok.” I was telling the story to a girl I met later on in the night (that’s right, I’m a player) and she told me that it’s most likely just a trick that they do to get people to pity her and that the mom was probably off in the distance keeping an eye on things. Who knows for sure though.
In the more populated nightlife districts, you’ll often feel a slight tug at the thigh level of your pants. You look down and see a tiny child (again around about 4-6 years old) holding a handful of roses. Most people just think it’s cute and buy a rose or two for the girl they’re pursuing for the evening but it goes much deeper than that.
These kids are forced to sell the flowers. And at the end of the night, if they haven’t sold enough, they get beat up by older Thai men. The girl I was talking to about it said that one of the young boys had a really bad cut on his forhead about a month prior from a beating, and she pushed his hair back to show me the scar. I asked the kid what happened and he didn’t even reply. I knew by the look in his eyes though that the girl I was talking to was right - he had been beaten.
In Thailand, it’s easy to get caught up with all the excitement and incidents like that are often overlooked.
Anyway, I decided to get out of Bangkok after only 2 nights. It’s not for me. The air is so dirty that you’ll often see the Thais wearing masks over their mouth and nose. If they aren’t willing to breath the air in their own city, then neither am I. However, I will be going back and giving you guys an inside look at all the most popular camps there. It’ll all come later on.
Right now I’m in Pattaya and honesty, this place is insane. I’m pretty sure it was ranked as the number one “sin city” in the world by askmen.com. I fully agree! I’ve been walking around and filming some crazy stuff that I’ll upload for you guys to see in my next entry. I’m also just getting myself settled and I went to check out Scorpion Gym today. I have a video tour of that gym as well.
Anyway, it’s about 8pm right now. The streets are live, the girls are out, and I should be too. Honestly, the next entry and videos that accompany it are going to be insane, so stay tuned. Unless you have a problem looking at insanely hot Thai girls. If you do (I hope you don’t), just skip over the next one then.
I start training tomorrow as well, so hopefully I’ll be able to get some good footage of Ekapol (former Lumpinee champion) in action.
Sawadee Khap…
Allmax AllWhey Protein Review
July 23, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Product Reviewed
Allmax AllWhey Protein
Product Cost
$39.99 - $80.99
GET THE BEST PRICE HERE!
Company Product Description
Allmax AllWhey combines the latest innovations in whey protein extraction technology creating a 3-stage instantized protein delivery system protected under the trade name TriWHEY. This unique protein complex features a high protein percentage (76% as is), Reduced Lactose Content (ideal for lactose sensitive individuals), and contains undenatured whey microfractions that support proper protein digestion and utilization.
Allmax AllWhey is further enhanced with the inclusion of OmegaEFA (a source of stable essential fatty acids), and Protein Digesting Enzymes that increase whey peptide transit speed to muscles. From taste to protein percentage, Allmax AllWhey delivers it all!
Allmax AllWhey Nutrient Breakdown (Per Scoop)
- Protein 25g
- Carbs 4g
- Fat 2g
Personal Experience
I bought a 5lb bucket of the Allmax AllWhey just because it happened to be on sale and I had pretty good experiences with the Allmax line (especially the isoflex protein). The first thing I noticed was that the scoop was larger than most of the other whey protein supplements I’ve tried. It was about the size of the scoops that typically come in the weight gainers.
No big deal though. Unlike the pure isolate proteins (which can contain as much as 98% protein per scoop), the protein blends contain a lower percentage of total protein so a larger serving must be used to get the same amount of protein. Luckily, the Allmax AllWhey tastes pretty good so don’t worry about it.
Allmax AllWhey mixes pretty well too although I usually prefer to use the blender as I add ice and fruits to my protein smoothies. Overall, the Allmax AllWhey seems to be a pretty good value for the money. With the Allmax AllWhey, you’re paying under 10 dollars a pound and the stuff is pretty high quality.
Remember, you don’t need to be taking isolate protein all the time. Immediately following your workout is when you’d want to go with a pure isolate as it has a faster absorption rate but even then, Allmax AllWhey does contain some isolate (along with other types of protein). For detailed information on nutrient timing, click here and for a a breakdown of exactly what you should be looking for in your protein supplements, check this out!
Allmax AllWhey Recommendation - Yea, it’s a good value.
How Sex Effects Performance
July 22, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Aside from the rapid beat of your heart, the room is dead silent. You’re sitting there trying to focus; trying to mentally prepare for your toughest opponent to date. The clock ticks and you look up to realize that you have a mere ten minutes before you have to step up and embrace the greatest challenge you’ll ever face. All the sweat; all the sacrifice; it’s all been for this very moment. You’ve gone over every possible outcome over and over in your head.
Tick, Tick.. the clock continues to wind down and you have eight minutes to go. Nervousness hits an all time high; your heart starts pumping even faster and you feel the butterfly’s in your stomach. The anxiety is too much to handle and you’re just about to get sick when you hear a light knocking at the door. The much needed distraction holds back the vomit.
You compose yourself enough to make your way to your dressing room door. You open it, and standing there is the sexiest ring girl you’ve ever seen - Arianny Celeste. You see, the chemistry between the two of you was so strong at the weigh-ins that you dreamt about her last night.
“You’re all I think about” she says, “ I can’t get you off my mind”. She then proceeds to rub your chest and kiss your neck. You have a decision to make. Do you postpone the hook-up as a caution until the event is over or do you go at it, right there in the change-room knowing that the time restriction makes for a perfect excuse for “finishing” too fast? I mean, it is Arianny Celeste - it’s bound to happen.
Well, let’s be honest; this is a no-brainer. I highly doubt any straight guys with remotely functional vision would give Arianny the boot; I know I wouldn’t. But what sort of effects, if any, would this have on the upcoming performance. Would it hinder or help? The topic of sex on performance definitely deserves a closer look.
The Myths
It’s been long believed that engaging in sexual activity prior to competition negatively effects your performance. A good friend of mine mentioned that his football coach encouraged his team to abstain from sexual contact for a few days before every game. Even Mohammed Ali has said that he avoided having sex for a full six weeks before his fights. Paul Lezenby; a professional kick-boxer, has made a similar claim. “ I don’t have sex for a month before my fights” he recently stated in an internet forum discussion. Well, the theories as to why these athletes practice pre-competition abstinence are as follows..
- Ejaculation lowers levels of testosterone; which in turn, decreases aggression.
- Sex draws upon energy stores that should be saved for competition.
- Sexual frustration causes the athlete to be more aggressive in competition.
- Sex effects the legs of the athlete, making them less agile.
The Facts
As you may have guessed, the facts differ significantly from the myths - which is usually the case. While many athletes have gone on record by saying they avoid sexual encounters before show-time, an equal amount are advocators of pre-event romps. One of basketballs greats - Wilt Chamberland - is equally as famous for his claim to having slept with over 20,000 women as he is for scoring 100 pts. in a single game. Twenty-thousand women; that averages out to more than a different girl, every night, from the age of 15. An astonishing number when you think about it, yet his promiscuous ways clearly didn’t have a detrimental effect on his on-court performance. Actually, a quick glance over the facts below makes it quite clear that his lifestyle may have even improved his game.
- Ejaculation actually increases levels of testosterone while long periods of abstinence causes testosterone levels to drop.
- While sex can use up a lot of energy (if your doing it right), the average married couple doesn’t even burn a hundred calories during their lovemaking sessions.
- While sexual frustration may trigger an increase in aggression, pre-competition sex helps to reduce anxiety and increase relaxation.
- There is no evidence to date that suggests that pre-competition sex negatively effects the athletes agility.
Phychological Effects
Whether or not pre-competition sex is beneficial from a psychological standpoint is highly individual. For some; it’s a positive - for others; it’s a negative. Some may find it a welcome distraction to calm their nerves and alleviate anxiety while others may find the distraction to be counter-productive and would rather focus on nothing but their upcoming performance.
Find out what works best for you, but never try new things right before competition - stick with what works. The time to experiment is during periods of training. Another factor that should also be considered is how sex effects your sleeping habits. With so many athletes being unable to get a good night sleep the night before competition, sex may help to increase relaxation and improve sleep quality.
Final Thoughts
All things considered, pre-competition sex has not been shown to negatively effect performance. Rather, it actually may help - although everyone is different so it’s best to find out what works for you, and stick with that. Through experimentation, if you find that sex enhances your performance, you just better hope that you don’t hit a dry spell before your next event. Hmm.. maybe we should throw up a few articles on how to pick up women just in case.
Further Evidence
I came across these videos on youtube. The show is called “sport science” and in this episode, they perform a number of tests (punching power, leg strength, cardiovascular endurance and testosterone levels) on a heavyweight boxer both before, and then after having sex. Check it out. Even Bas Rutten believes in “Boom Boom” before fights.
Creatine Review: Purple-K
Product Reviewed
Purple K Creatine
Product Cost
$27.98 - $32.99
THIS SITE HAS THE BEST PRICE
Company Product Description
Purple K should be a staple in any serious athletes supplement program because it gives the real strength gains you need to move big weight. With each workout you’ll feel your strength grow. Other creatines just can’t live up to Purple-K - they are poorly bio-available and cannot even deliver a full and concentrated dose of creatine to your muscles. Because Purple-K is ‘ph correct’ there is no loading, bloating or water retention and your body will absorb 100% of the dose.
The Science Behind Purple-K
Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid that has a ph between 1 and 2. In this acidic environment, other creatines break down into creatinine (kree-AT-ah-neen) - a useless waste product.
Because other creatines break down in stomach acids, mega-dosing is common, but only causes more problems because it makes you bloated and shuts down your creatine transporters (Crt), making you absorb less creatine - not more.
Purple-K is the King of Creatine because it uses Kre-Alkalyn’s ph correct creatine that utilizes an advanced ph correct buffer that prevents creatine breakdown in stomach acids. As a result, 100% of Purple-K is delivered intact to your muscles, making it highly bio-available and ensuring real strength gains at a fraction of the serving size.
How Purple-K Works
During exercise, ATP and pcr breakdown triggers the build-up of acid in your muscles - this state is called acidosis - and this build-up causes ph changes inside your muscles resulting in muscular failure.
By increasing ATP and pcr - two potent muscular fuels - Purple-K produces real strength gains rep after rep. And, by utilizing its advanced ph correct buffer, Purple-K prevents the onset of acidosis and muscular failure, so you’ll continue to achieve the real strength gains you need for hardcore muscle building workouts.
You can access an in-depth article on the importance of creatine supplementation for MMA athletes by clicking here.
Personal Experience with Purple-K
I think very highly of Purple-K because quite frankly - it works. I’ve used it and achieved great results. No word of a lie, I actually gained 9 lbs within my first month of use. Unlike many other creatine products, Purple-K contains a lower dosage than other creatine products(750mg per capsule). This shows that the manufacturers have actually done their homework because they never exceed doses of 3 grams per serving - anything in excess of 3 grams is unnecessary. When supplementing with Purple-K, a loading phase isn’t necessary either.
This is good because you’re not constantly overloading your system. The reason why Purple-K doesn’t contain a high dosage or even require a “loading phase” is because it’s so potent. Purple-K (Kre-Akalyn) is basically a buffered form of creatine monohydrate with a higher Ph level. This prevents the conversion to creatinine and allows for optimal absorption.
Purple-K Recommendation? HELLZ YEA!
MMA Supplements: Creatine
July 21, 2008 by admin · 3 Comments
The secret of creatine is out - and has been for quite some time now. Bodybuilders, football players and athletes of all kinds have been using creatine over the last decade to improve their performance and increase muscle mass. But what about MMA athletes? The physical demands of mixed martial arts are far from the demands of bodybuilding. Well, in order to determine whether or not it’s worthwhile for MMA fighters to supplement with creatine, let’s first review exactly what creatine is, and how it works.
How It Works
Simply put, creatine phosphate supplies our energy needs during short duration, high intensity activity. For example, a heavy set on the bench press, a 100 meter sprint and a 5 yard touchdown run all rely on the energy provided by creatine. Of course, as with anything relating to how our bodies function, there is quite a bit of science behind it. Adenosine tri-phosphate, otherwise known as (ATP), is our bodies immediate source of energy. Whether you’re utilizing fats, protein, carbohydrates or creatine to meet your energy demand, they all must be broken down into ATP molecules.
However, only a small amount of ATP can actually be stored in the muscle cells. Such a small amount in fact, that the stored ATP can only supply 2-3 seconds of activity. After this initial 2-3 seconds of activity, the body must utilize a secondary source to fuel the high intensity activity. This is where creatine phosphate comes into play.
The creatine phosphate that is stored within the muscle cells converts what’s known as Adenosine tri-phosphate (ADP) into ATP for energy. Remember, during high intensities, creatine phosphate only provides energy for approximately 30 seconds. Beyond that point, your body shifts into what’s known as fast glycolisis. For more information on energy systems, click here.
In addition to the obvious improvements during high intensity / short duration activity, creatine supplementation carries many additional benefits. It has been shown to pull water inside the cells, thus hydrating the muscle fibers. This cellular hydration causes the muscle to swell and this swelling then stimulates protein synthesis.
Should MMA Fighters Use Creatine?
Creatine phosphate supplies energy during brief periods of high intensity activity and while MMA fights are as intense as it gets, the duration isn’t exactly “brief”. The rounds are typically 5 minutes long (in America anyway) and the fights go on for either 3 or 5 rounds. So, is creatine really worth the investment seeing as how “creatine phosphate only provides energy for approximately 30 seconds of intense activity”? Well, simply put - yes, it’s worth the investment.
While creatine only provides the energy during brief, high intensity bursts of activity, sometimes that “brief” burst is all it takes to end an MMA fight. If creatine supplementation can add a few extra seconds into a powerful punching flury, it’s well worth using. An MMA fight often times performed at varied intensities. A quick, powerful burst of punches can be followed up with a period of calmness - in which both fighters are just feeling each other out. These “feeling out” stages allow for somewhat of a recovery period.
If the fight is action-packed and the fighters go “balls to the wall” the entire time without showing any signs of slowing down, the energy systems being used will vary between creatine and the glycolytic system. The glycolytic system is categorized into two phases. One is termed “fast” glycolysis and the other termed “slow” glycolysis. Fast glycolysis utilizes carbohydrate without the presence of oxygen and lactic acid accumulates. Slow glycolysis on the other hand, occurs in the presence of oxygen and therefore, the accumulation of lactic acid isn’t as much of a concern. Again, you can learn about all this stuff in this article on energy systems.
To summarize, supplementing with creatine can be very beneficial for MMA fighters as it will increase your “power endurance”. As for the accumulation of lactic acid (which inhibits muscle contraction) that accompanies fast glycolysis (energy system that kicks in once your creatine stores are exhausted), you should check into beta alanine. Check this article out for more info. on beta alanine.
Ready to Go!
July 19, 2008 by admin · 5 Comments
Ready to Go!
Saturday, July 19th, 2008
I’ve been working it casually into my recent conversations - “so, what are you doing on the July 28th?”. They’ll respond with the usual “I don’t know, probably just work, why? What are you doing?”. That’s when I hit them with the “Oh, you’re just working? That’s cool, that’s cool. Me? Oh, I’ll be rockin’ out in Thailand. Training some Muay Thai, getting a massage or two”. At this point, I have a hard time holding back my smile and the people I’m talking too usually respond with a “Ohhh.. very funny! Yea, shut up!”
I know, I know - it’s an asshole move on my part. I just can’t help it. My flight’s booked, I got my 1 year visa, I quit my job - it’s just a matter of days until I’m back in paradise (7 to be exact). I leave Ottawa on the 26th, fly to Chicago, then from Chicago, I’m off to Tokyo, then from Tokyo, it’s right to Bangkok. The flight is actually pretty brutal - that’s one thing I’m not looking forward too.
Once I arrive, I’ll probably kick it in Bangkok for a while. I’ll hit the mall and get myself a new wardrobe since I’m packing nothing but my laptop, camera, couple pairs of socks and boxer shorts, my mouth-guard and my cup (it’s Thailand, I’ll be needing my “boys” to be intact).
Once I settle in, I really don’t have any set plans. I sort of like it that way. I might check out Fairtex Bangplee or maybe I’ll hit up Kaewsamrit - I just don’t really know yet. There’s also a gym called “Ingram” that nobody really seems to know about. They’re produced a few lumpinee champions and they’re also the ones that first brought Baukaw to K1.
I doubt I’ll be able to tolerate Bangkok for too long so once I get sick of it, my next stop will likely be Pattaya. Pattaya is a crazy place from what I hear but it also has some world class Muay Thai. In Pattaya, I’ll probably check out Sityodtong. You’ve probably heard the Sityodtong name being tossed around by Joe Rogan during the UFC broadcasts - particulary during the Kenny Florian fights as he trains under Mark Delegratte at the Boston Sityodtong branch (there’s another in LA).
From there, I’ll be heading down to Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket. Tiger Muay Thai has both Muay Thai and MMA training and at the moment, they have all sorts of accomplished grapplers training there. I’ll get owned for sure but you know what? The more sore I am, the better those post-workout massages are going to feel : ) While I’m on the topic, I should also mention that the camp owner (Will) has been very pleasant to deal with. He even provided me with the invitation letter I needed to get my visa. It seems as though they do everything in their power to make everything go smoothly for their guests. So far so good!
Anyway, that’s about it for now. Keep checking back and I apologize for the delayed update. Once I arrive and start training, I’ll be updating this journal about 3-4 times a week. I’ll also be recording everything from camp tours and training to the rowdy nightlife of Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya.
Sawasdee,
Bill
P.S .. What are YOU doing on July 28th?
Haha.. just messin’ with ya!
MMA Workouts: “Strength Center” Training
July 8, 2008 by admin · 2 Comments
We’ve all seen the image - whether it be from a Nike or Gatorade ad or from a scene in pretty much any of the Rocky movies. The scene; an exhausted athlete/fighter with his feet hooked under a decline bench struggling to complete the final repetitions of his gruelling workout. He’s got sweat pouring out of every sweat gland, his shirt is soaked and the agony seen in his facial expressions resemble that of someone being tortured.
Sit ups seem to be the staple exercise for combat athletes. However, what most people don’t realize is that while sit-ups/crunches may be beneficial for certain aspects of the fight game, they’re not the be-all, end-all solution to torso training. In order to put together a “functional” core conditioning program, you need to have a basic understanding of the anatomy of the mid-section. Here’s a very brief overview..
The abdominals (”abs”) are what you are training with the more traditional exercises like sit ups and crunches. Leg raise movements also train the abdominals with additional recruitment from the hip flexors (muscles that move the leg upwards at the hip). Training the hip flexors is important as strong (not tight) hip flexors will enable you to deliver devastating knee strikes.
To enhance the effectiveness of the traditional crunch-type exercises, you may want to have a partner drop a light medicine ball on your stomach as you perform the movement and toss it back up to him as you move to an elevated position. This will make the movement more “MMA specific” as it will strengthen the abdominal region and better prepare you to withstand those “body-shots” to the mid-section. You can also perform crunches with your feet next to a long punching bag and as you move to an elevated position, rotate and deliver two punches to the bag. The rotary movement brings us to the next muscle group ..
Obliques
The obliques (both internal and external) are extremely functional as they work together to rotate the torso. A large percentage of your strength training workouts should be designed with the goal of increasing your rotary strength as it translates to pretty much all of the movements you do in MMA. Here is a brief breakdown of some MMA related movements that will be improved through the implementation of rotary exercises..
Punches: Punching power stems not just from the chest, shoulders and arms, but even more importantly - the rotary strength of the core. If you were to analyze your punches, whether it be a hook or an uppercut; an overhand right or even a jab - you’d realize that the they all involve a rotation of the core (some more than others.)
Mount Escapes: One mount escape involves bucking your opponent upwards, trapping an arm, hooking a leg and rolling him over. As with punches, your efficiency to do so relies on the rotary strength of your core.
Kicking: Kicking; whether it be a spinning back kick or one of those powerful Thai-style kicks that involve turning your hips over to increase the force of the impact - it’s all dependant on core strength. The greater the rotary strength of the core, the greater the force of the kick. It’s really that simple.
Transversus Abdominus
The often-overlooked transversus abdominus muscle helps stabilize the core (along with other muscles) and plays an important role in the breathing sequence. There’s a technique known as “setting the abdominals” that activates the transversus abdominus. To perform the technique, you simply inhale, tighten your stomach, then exhale while keeping your stomach tight/flat. If you were to perform crunches using this “abdominal set”, you would rotate the pelvis forward as doing so will emphasize the natural curve of your lower back.
Beyond the obvious benefits, a strong lower back will do wonders for your MMA game (particularly while grappling). Whether you’re trying to posture up from your opponents guard or escape from a triangle choke (Rampage vs. Arona style) - a strong lower back is key. When you’re training the lower back, try to make the exercises as functional as possible. Deadlifts are excellent as they mimic specific movements that are commonly performed in MMA competition.
If you’re a little confused as to which MMA-specific exercises you should be performing, you can keep checking back as we’ll be posting workouts in the near future. If you want a comprehensive encyclopedia-like guide on all sorts of specific core exercises for combat athletes - just CLICK HERE!
Here is a brief preview of the “combat core” book and DVD series.
Florian vs. Huerta: Fight Analysis
July 6, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
The showdown will be the co-main event on the UFC 87 card on August 9th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both fighters are hungry for a title shot and will surely leave it all in the ring as it’s already been pre-determined that the winner will get the opportunity to face B.J for the belt. Some victory prize, you get to fight the seemingly unstoppable B.J Penn who’s been demolishing his recent opponents and licking the blood off his 4oz gloves during his post-fight celebration.
This match-up has “fight of the night” written all over it. Both fighters are extremely well rounded and exciting to watch. Kenny Florian is coming off an impressive victory over Joe Lauzon - who many thought would be a legit threat to Florian. I remember watching that fight with a couple friends (1 of which is new to MMA) and he dubbed it a “nerd fight” based on their looks. If he only knew ..
Anyway, Huerta is coming off an impressive win himself in one of the most exciting fights of 2007. Him and Clay Guida almost went the distance in a fight where the third round looked just a fast paced as the first. That’s the fight where Huerta really got a chance to prove himself as Guida was his first taste of legit competition in the UFC. The majority of Huerta’s recent competition has been fighters making their UFC debut - not what you’d expect from a guy who has now made 6 UFC appearances.
Regardless of who’s faced tougher competition throughout their careers, both fighters have great skill sets. Florian trains under Mark Delagratte at the Sityodtong Muay Thai school in Boston - which is a branch of the acclaimed Sityodtong gym in Pattaya, Thailand. His Muay Thai is razor sharp and we’ve all seen what he can do with his elbow strikes. Florian also has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so he’s very competent if the fight hits the ground. If fact, he may be the one looking to take it there!
Huerta is a cardio machine and is well versed in every aspect of the game. He can strike, he can wrestle and he has a solid Jiu Jitsu game. Is his Jiu Jitsu up to Florian’s level? I don’t believe so. However, Huerta has the edge when it comes to wrestling ability so he may be able to stuff Florians takedown attempts and keep the fight on the feet.
It should be interesting to see how this match-up plays out. Will it be the fight of the night? Or fight of the year perhaps? It certainly has the potential to be. The outcome of this fight is too unpredictable but one thing is for sure - you don’t want to miss it!
MMA Workouts - 5 Training Tips
The recent explosion of mixed martial arts has prompted a lot of people to take their newfound interest in the sport to the next level. More and more people are wanting to enrol themselves in martial arts and MMA gyms are popping up all over the world to supply the demand.
The majority of these MMA gyms offer classes in Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Wrestling (among other arts). What a lot (not all) of these gyms neglect is sport-specific strength and conditioning classes - leaving you to fend for yourself in the gym.
Here are 5 important guidelines for you to consider when you’re designing your MMA workouts.
MMA Workout Tip #1 - Train Your Core!
There’s a lot more to core training than just sit ups and lower back extensions. The power of your punches, kicks, and throws are all dependant on the rotary strength of your core. The core region really is your strength center and your MMA workouts should be packed with core strengthening exercises.
The muscles of the body function together as a kinetic chain and you’re only as strong as your weakest link. Since the core is involved in pretty much every MMA-related movement you do, weakness will completely throw off your game.
There’s all sorts of exercises you can do to strengthen your core. There’s actually a book that profiles over 100 MMA-specific core exercises. Some of the exercises will get you some weird looks in the gym but it’s worth checking out for sure.
MMA Workout Tip #2 - Don’t Forget To Stretch
With increased flexibility comes increased versatility as a fighter. Want to throw Crocop-like head kicks? You need to be flexible! Want to work from the rubber guard? You need to be flexible! Want to look like a contortionist while you stuff takedowns like B.J Penn? You need to be flexible! Want to reduce the chances of sustaining an injury while you’re training? Of course you do! You need to be flexible!
Flexibility is something I’m personally trying to implement into my MMA workouts at the moment. Out of all the fitness components, flexibility is the easiest to gain but the quickest to go when you stop doing your stretches. Since improvements in flexibility come rather quickly, I had high expectations for myself. Unfortunately, I haven’t been getting the results I had been hoping for.
However, it looks like my problems are solved as today, for the first time, I did my stretches in the sauna at the gym following my regular MMA workout. The increased temperature made a huge difference and I felt more limber immediately after. In addition to the sauna stretching, you can enrol yourself in some “hot yoga” classes. I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback about them from various Muay Thai & MMA students.
MMA Workout Tip #3 - Perform Only “Functional” Exercises
If you want to be a fighter, you’ll have to ditch those old bodybuilding workouts. Your MMA workouts should consist of primarily compound/multi-joint exercises that will carry over to your fight performance. When you’re about to perform an exercise, just think to yourself - what aspect of MMA will his help me with? If the exercise doesn’t directly simulate a related movement - replace it with something that does.
So, in other words ..
- Ditch the triceps kickbacks and do more close grip presses.
- Ditch the preacher curls and do more close grip, supinated grip pull ups.
- Ditch the leg curls and do more straight leg dead-lifts.
Get the idea?
Just in case you don’t, here’s the explanation..
- Close grip presses = increase in the power of your punches
- Supinated grip pull ups = increase in your Thai “clinch” strength
- Straight leg dead-lifts = increase in the strength of your takedowns/slams
These are just a few examples of many.
MMA Workout Tip #4 - Vary Your Training Intensity
Fighting is performed at a very high intensity. Your MMA workout should always mimic the demands of your sport so you should implement high intensity training. You can accomplish this through high intensity interval training or “HIIT” for short. The purpose of training at a high intensity is to increase your tolerance to the accumulation of lactic acid. For an extended/detailed explanation, click here. In short, the accumulation of lactic acid decreases the contractile strength of your muscles.
With that being said, you can’t ALWAYS train at an extremely high intensity. In Thailand, a lot of the training camps vary the intensities of their runs. They’ll do a long distance, low intensity run in the morning and in the afternoon, they’ll either do intervals or simply run a much shorter distance, at a much faster pace. The low intensity jogs allow for some “active recovery”.
However, depending on your MMA training program, you may not have room to implement low intensity runs. The training demands for a fighter can be pretty demanding so it’s important to keep in mind that low intensity training can be anything from skipping to light rolling.
MMA Workout Tip #5 - Circuit Training
Circuit training refers to performing multiple exercises in concession without a rest interval between each set. Depending on your exercise selection, circuit training can be a great way to perform your HIIT training (as discussed above). When you’re working on your muscle endurance (high repetitions & long time under tension), the circuit training format is ideal as it best mimics the demand of your sport.
When your performing your “traditional” bodybuilding-style workouts, your set will last for approximately 40 seconds (depending on your rep ranges) and your rest interval will be around 2 minutes. In MMA, you certainly don’t get a 2 minute rest after only 40 seconds of fighting. In an MMA fight, you work hard for 5 minutes, then get only 1 minute to recover. You should tailor your MMA workout around these demands.
Circuit training is the best way to structure your muscular endurance programs as you can train for 5 minutes straight (providing you implement a proper split) before taking your 1 minute to rest. Here’s a video by Craig Ballantyne (author of “turbulence training”) that will give you an idea as to what exactly circuit training is.
He’s got a book out (SEE IT HERE!) that provides all kinds of various training circuits. You may want to switch up some of the exercises for your personal MMA training as a lot of them may not be specific to fighting.
Anyway, that about wraps it up for now. When designing your MMA workout program, it all comes down to common sense. Well, common sense and some basic knowledge of human anatomy and energy systems.
If it all seems overwhelming, don’t worry. We’ll be uploading all sorts of MMA workouts to the site so keep checking back.
