MMA Workouts - Spotlight Exercise - Bench Press
“Hey man, what do you bench?” - A question that has seemingly become an indicator of male dominance. I was pretty strong coming up through high school and because I could bench press more than the other guys in my grade, I had that false sense of invincibility that most people only get when they’re drunk. If I could press 3 plates and another guy could only do 2 and a half, I automatically assumed I could kick his ass. By the same token, if I was pressing 315lbs and another guy at the gym was doing 330lbs, I’d get a feeling of inadequacy and immediately go home and Google what new, “scientific breakthrough” supplements I could take in order to get my bench press up. If he was bench pressing 330lbs, then I wanted to be bench pressing 335lbs - because that meant I could kick his ass (so I thought).
Fast forward a few years to my first MMA class and the first time I rolled against someone skilled in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. What happened was obvious as I’m sure it happens to about 99% of the inexperienced, egotistical males that step into the dojo for the first time. I got triangled, arm-barred, knee-barred and kimura’d to the point where it was as if I was playing the drums (minus the drum set) since I spent the entire session slapping the mat.
I now realize that the bench press exercise is not the be-all, end-all indicator of fighting ability. As a matter of fact, I realize that it has very little to do with fighting ability at all. Perhaps the two “strongest” MMA fighters in terms of how much they bench press are Tank Abbott and Houston Alexander and both of those fighters are riding major losing streaks. Check out Tank putting up 6 plates per side in this video..
However, with that being said, when either of those two fighters (Abbott & Alexander) connect, the result is admittedly devastating. Tank has literally sent his opponents into convulsions and we all saw what Houston Alexander did to Keith Jardine with that series of uppercuts.
So perhaps there IS something to it?
When you’re performing the bench press, you’re recruiting the chest, the triceps and the front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid). These muscles, along with many others (particularly those of the core), play a major role when it comes to generating powerful punches. Of course, keep in mind that power is a combination of both speed and strength so oftentimes you’ll see a strong, muscular guy hitting the pads and because he’s so slow, the “power” just isn’t there. By the same token, a quick, yet physically weak fighter will also be unable to generate a decent amount of power. If one of the necessary components for power generation is missing (speed, strength or technique) - the sort of devastating knockout power that guys like Tank and Alexander possess simply won’t be there.
I find the bench press - as well as other chest press movements - to be an excellent way to develop both the speed and strength necessary to deliver powerful punches. As for the third component; the technique - that will eventually come via your specific combat training. Here’s a guideline on how to use chest press movements to help develop both your punching power and endurance.
Bench Pressing for Maximum Strength
Training specifically for strength requires you to implement heavy loads as maximum strength is highly dependant on neural efficiency. Heavy loading will train your nervous system to recruit a higher percentage of motor units - thus muscle fibers - to aid with the muscular contraction. Since maximum lifting is harder on your nervous system, you must allow for a longer rest interval between sets as neural recovery occurs at a slower rate than muscular recovery does.
Guidelines For Max. Strength Training
Use Low Reps (1-6)
Use High Loads (85-100%)
Long Rest Intervals Between Sets (3-5 minutes)
Low Volume (Not Too Many Sets)
Bench Pressing for Maximum Endurance
What good is having powerful punches if you can’t maintain that power beyond the first round, or in many cases, beyond the first flurry? Sure, you may be able to get a quick knockout but if your opponent is able to “weather the storm” - as UFC commentator Mike Goldberg says in seemingly every broadcast - the chances of you landing a knockout shot in the later rounds will be minimal if you don’t train for muscular endurance.
Fatigue in MMA has a lot to do with the accumulation of lactic acid so in order to prevent that, you need to train at a high intensity to increase what’s known as your lactate threshold. You can read more about lactic acid and how to train within the different “energy systems” by clicking here.
However, it may also be beneficial to increase the local endurance of select muscle groups. In this case, the muscle groups that are recruited via the bench press and likewise, some of primary muscles that are responsible for punching power. I recommend that you alter your rep ranges so you not only train for general muscular endurance but also, strength endurance as well. Here are some guidelines for each..
Guidelines for Strength Endurance
Use a rep range of between 8-12 (similar to bodybuilding)
Use drop sets (once fatigued, strip off approx. 15% of the weight and continue)
Perform your set, rest 30-60 seconds, then continue.
Guidelines for General Muscular Endurance
High repetitions (15 and up)
Minimal rest (30 seconds or less)
For the bench press specifically, you can attempt to press only the barbell for 100 repetitions.
Bench Pressing for Maximum Speed
It should go without saying that your training should always reflect your training goal. If you’re training for speed, then it only makes sense to perform the movement at a fast pace. For the bench press specifically, you can lower the barbell down to the chest slowly but you want to ensure that the concentric portion (driving the bar upwards) be performed in an explosive fashion. Bands and chains can also be used to provide what’s known as “variable resistance”. This will ensure constant, progressive resistance throughout the concentric motion.
Plyometrics are perhaps the most famous method of improving speed and explosiveness. It’s tough to perform plyometrics with a standard barbell bench press, however, a plyometric version can be performed using the smith machine. For this variation, you’ll need to load the end of the barbell with only about 25% of your one-rep-max. Basically, you’re going to be throwing the barbell upwards in an explosive fashion, catching it and repeating the movement. Here’s a video clip..
If you’d like to learn more about other exercises (besides the bench press) that can be implemented to increase the power of your punches, check this article out. Another easy-to-perform exercise that translates well over to increasing hand speed is clapping push ups. I’m sure you’ve seen it before. Rather than simply pushing yourself back up, you explode and clap your hands together before you perform the next repetition.
Also, the most important muscle groups in terms of MMA performance are the rotary and bracing muscles of the core. You can access a comprehensive core-training resource designed specifically for combat athletes by clicking here.
Combat Core Review
August 8, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
combat core review
Combat Core is basically an e-book & DVD series that demonstrates all kinds of crazy, yet innovative exercises designed to improve the strength of your core. Most of the exercises are designed to improve rotary strength, which is important for basically all of the movements you perform in a fight. Throwing a punch, a Thai style kick, a Judo throw - the effectiveness of these fight-related movements are dependant on core strength.
Who Wrote “Combat Core”?
The book is written buy a guy named Jim Smith, who is the co-founder of Diesel Crew. The Diesel Crew guys are known for coming up with all sorts of wacky, yet effective exercises that are very specific to fighting. Jim Smith holds the CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) designation which is perhaps the most sought after and respected certifications in the personal training industry.
Who Endorses “Combat Core”?
If you check out the combat core pitch-page, you’ll see testimonials from some of the industries most respected “guru’s”. Alwyn Cosgrove and Ross Enamait are a couple of the standouts. While both of these guys have solid reputations in the industry, there’s always the possibility that they just give a testimonial without reading the book so they could get some exposure for their own sites (unlikely but a definite possibility).
My Personal Opinion of “Combat Core”
I actually got the combat core book and looked it over. You’ll see some of the exercises and think to yourself “wow, as if I didn’t think of that” and there’s some exercises that you’ll see and think to yourself “damn, how did he ever think of that?”. Overall, it’s pretty solid.
Is “Combat Core” Worth The Money?
Honestly, I think it depends. Whether combat core is worth the money or not all depends on whether or not you actually implement the exercises into your workouts. If you just order the book, look it over, think to yourself “ya, that’s sort of cool” and never actually try the movements, the combat core book will be a complete waste of money.
On the other hand, if you read combat core and actually perform the exercises on a regular basis, then absolutely, you’ll get a good bang for your buck. It all depends on how dedicated you are.
Recommendation - YES, but only if you’ll actually DO the exercises.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT A PROMOTION THAT’S CURRENTLY RUNNING FOR COMBAT CORE
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.
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.
MMA Workout: 3 Exercises for Explosive Power
Aleksander Emelianenko performing sledgehammer tire hits in the park.
If an MMA fighter shows up to the fight in less than top condition, the consequences can be pretty severe. They’ll likely end up getting knocked out or submitted via choke or a joint lock. Not to mention the humiliation and ego-blow that accompany defeat.
MMA workouts should be carefully thought out and designed specifically around the demands of the sport. A well designed MMA workout doesn’t consist of lateral raises or glute kickbacks. It’s not about “toning” and it’s not about “getting jacked”. An MMA workout is about increasing speed, power, lactate threshold and training the muscles of the body to function together as a kinetic chain.
The following 3 exercises develop what’s known as “functional strength” as it carries over to MMA performance.
Plyometric Push Ups: This exercise works on hand-speed and explosive power. All you need to perform this exercise is 2 steps from the aerobics room at your gym. For a video and step by step instructions on how to perform this exercise, click here.
Tire Flips: Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a giant tractor tire, but if you do (many training centers have them), this exercise is a must for your MMA workout program. When you analyze the muscle mechanics of a takedown (hit low, drive upwards), you’ll notice that the tire flip exercise closely resembles this movement.
Hammer Hits: This exercise is done using a sledge hammer and the tire used for the tire flip exercise. You’ll see this exercise being performed in about 80% of the MMA training highlights. Reason being; it works. It develops rotary strength within the core.
Speaking of core strength, the development of your core should be a primary focus in all your MMA workout programs. You’re only as strong as your weakest link and your core is the “strength center” so to speak as it’s involved in pretty much every MMA-related movement you.
For a comprehensive listing of core strengthening exercises that you can immediately implement into your MMA workout program, you can check out the “combat core strength” MMA workout resource by clicking here!
