I've been training MMA and competing locally on and off for about 10 years now, my girlfriend is a nutritionist and my best pal is a physiotherapist for a professional soccer team in the UK. Furthermore, I have been learning about MMA conditioning extensively, whilst training on Eric Wong's Ultimate Strength and Conditioning program. I want to pass on the essential information I've learned, by dispelling some common misconceptions about MMA conditioning.
Myth #1:
"I'll bulk up if I lift weights."
Fact:
If you eat and train like a bodybuilder, you will end up looking like one. However, this type of training is counter-productive and potentially harmful for a mixed martial artist.
Optimally, you want to maximise your relative strength by staying at the same weight or getting lighter, while increasing your strength.
Follow the right program and your body composition will improve - eat and train well and you will increase muscle mass whilst reducing body fat.
Myth #2:
"Lifting Weights Will Make Me Slower."
Fact:
If you lift weights slow, your performance will be slow. Other than base conditioning, most exercises for MMA conditioning should be done as explosively as possible. Most bodybuilding routines require you to lift with a slow tempo, to increase the time your muscles are under tension - this will lead to a greater amount of hypertrophy (in simple terms, bigger muscles), but not functional strength and power, which is needed for MMA.
Myth #3:
"Lifting weights will make me too sore to do my martial arts training".
Fact:
If you're training for hypertrophy, the likelihood is yes, your muscles will be sore. Proper MMA training will focus on strength, power and efficient training methods, meaning you'll be in perfect shape to work on your muay thai, boxing, BJJ and grappling.
When you start a new training method, even one that's specifically designed for MMA, you're likely to be sore for the first couple of weeks, whilst your body adjusts. Soon, you'll adjust to the volume and primarily you'll get stronger by maximising neuromuscular efficiency.
Don't fall in to the trap of thinking that, if you're not sore, the workout wasn't effective. Keep a log of your training, and if you either lifted more weight, did movements faster or did more reps than your previous session, then you've improved your performance.
Myth #4:
" I don't have enough time to lift weights"
Fact:
If you follow a good quality, specific MMA strength and conditioning training program like mentioned above, then two or three 50 minute minute sessions per week will mean you'll make significant and consistent progression. This will allow you more than enough time to train your MMA skills.
Bodybuilders have to spend much more time training, as their workouts are designed to focus on specific muscle groups. As mentioned above, a bodybuilder's physique is useless for MMA, so you won't have to worry about that.
Myth #5:
"I'll gas if I lift weights"
Fact:
This is a strange one, that keeps cropping up on forums. The fact is, you'll gas if you don't train all 3 energy systems, all of which get used throughout a typical MMA fight:
ATP-CP system - (high energy, instantly, without oxygen for about 10 seconds. In basic terms, this is the energy system you'll use when you're in the clinch and attempt a throw).
Anaerobic (providing energy w/o oxygen for about 2 mins. If you're boxing for the first 2 mins of a round, say, then you'll use this)
Aerobic (long term energy at a low level, using oxygen. Breathing throughout the round, when you're grappling, doing stand up and clinching to clear the lactate from your muscles will use this).
Anaerobic (providing energy w/o oxygen for about 2 mins. If you're boxing for the first 2 mins of a round, say, then you'll use this)
Aerobic (long term energy at a low level, using oxygen. Breathing throughout the round, when you're grappling, doing stand up and clinching to clear the lactate from your muscles will use this).
An awesome circuit to incorporate all of these would be something like (sprinting between exercises):
* Medicine ball tosses over the head, 2 reps, as high as you can, explosively,
* Inverted row (6 reps)
* Clap push ups (6 reps)
* Medicine ball side tosses, explosively as you can, 2 reps, sprinting between reps
* Kettle bell swings, from between legs to head height (6 reps)
* Squat jumps (6 reps)
* Medicine ball front slam, with burpee between (6 reps).
Do this 3 times, and you will feel it!
Myth #6:
"I need to do strength and conditioning 6 times a week to make progress."
Fact:
If you're training strength and conditioning 6 times a week, then the program that you're following is totally inefficient. You're either training too slow, taking too much rest or working muscle groups instead of movements.
Training your muscles to failure often will mean that your mma skills sessions will suffer. Your muscles and/or nervous system will be shot, meaning your technique will be sloppy, your progress will be slower and you're likely to be caught with more shots in sparring.
Don't forget that whilst you're thai boxing, grappling and sparring, you're working on your conditioning. It may not be a pure conditioning workout, but it still contributes to your overall progress.
Chris Rankin has been a fan of mixed martial arts since he watched UFC 1 on VHS about 15 years ago. Now he competes at local level at mma, runs barefoot through the rolling hills of his native Brighton (UK) and tries his best to detach himself from television, radio and junk food. Occasionally he strays!
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