Fight Training: Exercise Variations

This is a continuation of my first fight training article found here.

In mixed martial arts (MMA), as with most exercise training, there is a tendency to get stagnant on the exercises that are done. While keeping the overall format as laid out in the first article, here are some suggestions on exercises to keep your training fresh.

As far as exercise variance goes, even if you are not a martial artist, the exercises laid out here are good exercises to try and can add some spice to your resistance training (weight training) workout routine.

The format, as indicated in the first article, is to do a full body routine at least 2-3 times per week, placing the resistance training routine on "off" days that you are not going to (or conducting) your martial arts classes.

The exercises are intended to be done in this order.

Again, as mentioned in the first article, the exercises are designed to be done as 1-3 sets (that means, you may end up doing one, two or three sets as needed) of 10-12 repetitions. For the most part, you do not reduce the weight in consecutive sets (unless you misjudged the correct weight to begin with). Cardiovascular routines should continue to be done regularly and supplement your resistance training and fight classes.

The same medical warning noted in the first article still applies, so please be cautious and seek medical advice as needed.

Exercises:
1. Wide stance squats on the Smith Machine. Wide stance squats work the adductors (the muscles on the inside of the thighs that bring the legs together, aka the groin muscles) a great deal more than traditional stance squats/leg presses. Stronger adductors can be of vital significance while fighting, especially in grappling styles such as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ).

The Smith Machine is also known as a safety spotting machine. It is basically a bar that goes up and down on a track, allowing the user to be able to "lock" the bar at a variety of heights, making the exercise safer if doing it without a spotter (a human assistant that can aid the lifter in doing the exercise as needed).

Take a traditional squatting stance under the bar, with the bar on your shoulders. Walk your feet forward so that you are leaning back into the bar rather than being directly under it. Finally, widen your stance significantly (another 1-3 feet wider than the traditional shoulder width stance).

Your weight should be MUCH lighter than your normal squatting weight. Do a warm up set to reduce the chance of adductor strain (traditionally called "groin pull").

Proceed slowly (as on all exercises) with a 2 count down and a two count up. Keep your ab's (abdominal muscles) tight during the whole exercise (as with all exercises). Do your sets as needed, keeping your back straight and looking upwards at an angle to maintain alignment.

2. Single Leg Presses. Set up in your favorite leg press. This is a leg press where the person moves rather than the platform where the feet are. Assume a standard leg press stance (ab's tight, feet somewhat high on the platform, body secure and stable). Then, before beginning the exercise, drop one leg and adjust the other into the center of the platform. This is the pressing leg.

Use the same speed and ab posture on this exercise as on all others and as mentioned on the first exercise. Don't lock the leg/knee, and maintain continuous tension.

Do a full set with this leg, then do a set with the other leg. Obviously the weight should be correct for single leg presses rather than double leg presses (roughly a little less than half of what is done on double leg presses).

Doing this exercise as single legs accounts and corrects inconsistencies between leg strength of one leg relative to the other. These imbalances are always present, but exercises like this can reduce the difference thereby making you a better and stronger fighter.

3. Weighted push ups with drop sets. This is one of my favorite exercises! The overall time it takes to do this exercise is brief as it should be done as one long set but don't let form suffer.

This exercise assumes you can do traditional push-ups for many reps.

A weight plate should be picked to be added to your own weight to produce a workout weight that causes failure at roughly the 10-12 rep range. Even with the feet elevated the hips, ab's and torso should remain aligned, not allowing the hips to drop or raise to make the exercise easier.

Get on your hands and knees with the weight you have selected next to you and a bench (of the height suitable to you) at your feet within leg reach. To begin the exercise, place the weight between your shoulder blades, then place your feet on the bench and hands on the ground. Keep alignment as mentioned above, and begin doing slow push ups.

Do as many as possible. Really try to push yourself!

Then, without stopping, adjust yourself so that your feet are on the ground and you are now in the traditional push up position, hands and feet on the ground (weight still on the back). Continue to do push ups, as many as possible.

Then, without stopping, finish in a down position, and roll to your side to allow the weight to fall off. Then continue doing push ups without the weight. Do as many as possible.

When you can no longer do any push ups in the traditional stance, go to your knees and continue, keeping your torso in line and your abs tight, but your knees on the ground. Do as many as possible to failure/exhaustion.

Only one set needs to be done of this exercises, but variations can be added. For example, have a spotter help you, and have them progressively remove weights to add other stages of the exercise. Be creative!

4. DB (dumbbell) one legged upright rows. Assume a proper standing position, shoulders and chin back (as in correct posture), holding dumbbells. Then, before beginning the exercise, raise one leg and adjust the "standing" leg in the center of the body. Don't fall over!

While keeping the db's close together (almost touching) slowly raise your elbows, focusing on using the trapezius and deltoids (shoulder muscles) to raise the humerus (upper arm bone). Don't focus on raising the db's! That will take care of itself. If you focus on raising the db's then you will not raise your elbows enough and the exercise looks like a reverse biceps curl. Raise those elbows!

Do not raise the elbows above parallel to the shoulders. Doing so may risk shoulder impingement injuries.

Do one set on one leg, then the next set on the other, alternating sets. This allows you to work out your shoulders but also work on torso and leg stability at the same time.

5. DB one legged rows. Using a different weight than the upright rows hold one dumbbell. Keeping your torso straight, bend over at the waist until at a 45 degree angle (bending without rounding your back). Keep your ab's tight the whole exercise.

Traditional db rows are done with one leg on a bench and one arm supporting your weight. With this exercise we use a lighter weight and incorporate torso and stability muscles as well.

With the weight in the left hand and your body in the correct position, raise your left leg. While maintaining balance, row the db up to your body for a two count, then back down. Repeat for the same set/rep sequence mentioned above, keeping one leg in the air.

Alternate legs and hands, one set per side equals one total set.

6. Flat bench DB biceps curls. This exercise simulates fighting an "arm bar" while fighting. It is a great stretch, even more so than using a preacher bench.

Lie flat on a bench with db's lighter than you might use for standing biceps curls. If you are not sure, go light! You can always add more weight later, but you can strain your biceps if you go too heavy.

The bench should be flat, not at an angle. I typically like to keep my legs bent and feet in the air to keep my back flat.

Allow the db's to come down slowly, almost touching the ground. If your arms are too long for the exercise, then use risers to raise your bench or find a higher bench. Just before the db's hit the ground, begin bringing them back up. Continue the set without allowing the weight to come too high, thus maintaining tension throughout the exercise. This exercise burns, so enjoy!

7. Knee ups with feet on an exerball. We will need an exerball for this exercise (it resembles a big, dense rubber beach ball. Pick a size relative to your size, bigger if you are bigger).

Place your hands on the ground and your feet on the exerball. You will be in a standard bench press position, but your feet will be on the exerball.

Keeping your hands stationary, bend your knees and raise your tail bone, thus rolling the exerball forward and under you. Then slowly roll it back to the starting position.

This exercise should be done in the same set rep format as those mentioned above.

Doing these exercises and adding them into your overall resistance training can do nothing but expand your knowledge and variations and get you in even better shape. Enjoy the routine and keep improving in your fight training.