Anaerobic Exercise for MMA

MMA is different from a lot of other sports because of its great need for anaerobic capacity. If you notice, most of the fighters with good strength and conditioning are wrestlers. This is because they train for anaerobic endurance. The problem with a lot of MMA fighters is two-fold: they think that skill always trumps conditioning and they also believe that running is the best way to build up MMA conditioning.

That is simply not true. While aerobic exercise
is important, MMA conditioning requires that you have great muscular endurance and the ability to exert yourself at near 100% for a full 15 minutes. Running will help you recover during down time and breaks, but will do very little to help your endurance in a real MMA fight. Grappling is definitely the most stressful aspect of MMA, although striking will also wear you out if you're throwing power punches consistently.

The guide I use to train MMA conditioning is Eric Wong's Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning. It's a great guide that'll teach you how to make the most out of your workout. It stresses the importance of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise and shows you how to train for both.

I was able to go from gassing in the first round to being able to go the distance and still have energy left over. There's are a lot of hidden secrets in the MMA conditioning world and this guide helps uncover all of them.

I've learned the proper proportions of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, when to apply them. I've even learned great dieting techniques that'll allow me to increase my overall energy. All of this compounds and builds upon itself to make you the athlete you're really able to be.

Here are some additional tips on how to train for MMA:

1. Split up your cardio and weight lifting sessions. If you do them at the same time, you run the risk of reducing the intensity of your lifts.

2. Do explosive lifts, like the power straight or various cleans. This'll ensure that you're able to explode and will increase your anaerobic endurance through superior motions and coordination.

3. Drink plenty of water. The main reason you gas or get tired is because of not drinking enough water. You need to do this throughout your training session and after you make weight. You'll gas out very quickly if you're not hydrated.

4. Heavy compound lifts will increase your raw strength, which is good early in a fight. Use these in conjunction with your explosive lifts and you'll become a bonafide terminator. No one will be able to keep up with your pace.