6 MMA Fighter Weight Training Mistakes and How to Fix Them

[MrzDiva]

TweetMMA Weight Training Mistake #1 – Strictly Training The Mirror Muscles.

A lot of times fighters & grapplers come to me with bulging chests, biceps, shoulders & defined sixpack abs. With such a great figure you would expect them to be strong, but I couldn’t tell you how many fighters & grapplers come to me that can’t perform a couple simple chinups. In many ways MMA & especially grappling can be considered a sport of pulling, wouldn’t it make sense to develop the pulling muscles?

At most times, almost every fighter and grappler that comes to train with me has weak hamstrings & glute muscles. These muscles are solely responsible for hip extension and are therefore an important factor in sprawling, lifting an opponent, throwing more powerful strikes KO shots, throwing your opponent, and darting in on an opponents legs.

A lot of the underdevelopment of the hamstrings and glutes isn’t always the fault of the individual; there just aren’t a lot of known options other than the hamstring curl.

MMA Weight Training Mistake 2 – Lifting The Same Weights.

MMA fighters & grapplers are always coming up to me & saying they want to get stronger. When I ask them if they’ve been lifting weights, most all of them say a resounding yes. During our first workout I will usually sit back and watch their level of intensity, form, technique etc. The most common thing I find is that when I say to them to do an exercise for say, 3 sets of 8 reps, they always lift the same weight for each set.

When they start to go for the same weight again that they did easily for the first set I go up to them and ask, Are you happy with your current strength level? They almost always respond with a no which leads me to think: Then why are you lifting the same weights over & over that have given you your present level of strength?!

MMA Weight Training Error 3 – Repetition of The Same Exercises.

This is one of the biggest issues I find not only with fighters and grapplers, but with everyone. Your body gets used to doing exercises and starts adapting. If you were to perform the same technique over and over again with the same type of reps & sets, you wouldn’t have much to show for it would you? Your progress of understanding the technique would plateau in a very short time. But when you start mixing up different setups, finishes, & angles to the same takedown or striking combination you become a much more dangerous fighter.

The same thing happens in the weight room, most likely with the bench press. How many people do you know that bench whenever they go into the weight room? The first couple weeks, or probably months, they make some consistent gains right? But when their body starts adapting to the stimulus their bench stops going up. This is when you need to start mixing up different variations, but no one seems to want to, they want to stick with their rigid routine because it’s worked in the past or some bodybuilder wrote in a magazine article that this was the surest way to get full pec development or something along those lines.

MMA Weight Training Error 4 – Using Too Many Machines

In a fighting or grappling match you almost always going to have to stabilize various joints, some more than other’s depending on the position you’re in. The why would it make sense to use machines with only fixed movement patterns that completely eliminate the need for stabilization?

Trust me, ditch the machines & go train with free weights, you will get a much better, more efficient, & more combat specific workout.

MMA Weight Training Error 5 – Stop Lifting Entirely During A Training Camp.

Now, you most likely won’t set any new records during a training camp (most likely due to the increased volume of conditioning & training sessions), eliminating your strength training program entirely is a great way to lose most of your strength and show up weak for a big fight. If you’re worried about making the cut, just cut down on the volume of the program. Instead of 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps, do 2-3 sets of 5-6 reps.

This will cut your overall volume down by over half in most cases and will ensure you’re not stimulating muscle growth during a time when you’re looking to lose weight.

MMA Weight Training Error 6 – Performing High Rep Conditioning Workouts In Gym.

Between all of the conditioning, sparring, & technique sessions, do you think you get enough conditioning? Then why are you doing ultra high rep workouts in the weight room during your strength training sessions? Training camps are identical to grappling seasons in the duration and physical demands on the body.

There’s been a number of studies performed on wrestlers to measure pre, during and post season strength and power and researchers have found that those wrestlers who don’t take part in a strength maintenance orientated program during the season experienced a lot of loss in strength and power by the end of the season. A 12 week camp is very identical in length to a wrestling season.

Don’t let similar losses in strength and power ruin your shot at success!

[jipped genes]

Tweetgood info. i always complain about my strength lacking while grappling but i only get to the gym 1X a week and do light weights and high reps.