Interval Training for MMA

Mixed martial arts is a combat sport that requires a ton of cardiovascular and anaerobic endurance. In order to really push your cardio to the max, you'll need to increase your VO2 max. One of the best ways to do this is by doing interval training, which is the absolute best way to train cardio and increase your endurance in a short amount of time. The main concept behind interval training is to do high intensity exercise for a period of time followed by another period of rest, which increases both aerobic and anaerobic endurance.

Many MMA athletes are using interval training to push their cardio to the next level. While many people like to sprint, I prefer using the elliptical machine as I often twist my ankle when stopping-and-going over and over again. You can break up your interval training routine however you want, but I suggest doing no more than 20 seconds of high intensity at once. You'll burn out too quickly otherwise.

The routine I suggest uses 25 seconds of low intensity exercise (walking), followed by 15 seconds of high intensity (sprinting), and 15 seconds of medium intensity (jogging). Depending on your fitness levels, you can repeat this up to ten times. I don't recommend doing it more than this, but you can really push yourself as hard as you want if you're in the right cardiovascular shape.

Interval training is best done two or three times a week. Some people suggest only doing it once, and I recommend this if you're over 35, but anyone younger should be able to recover from the workout in a couple days. You can supplement your interval training with more traditional cardio, like burpees, jump roping, or normal running. All of these will help increase your VO2 max.

The other main benefit of interval training is that it increases your metabolism by a significant amount in the hours following the workout. This is similar to weight lifting, as they are both anaerobic exercises. You might see an increase of 50% in your metabolism. If you want to lose weight, then try not to over-indulge, since you'll be dropping fat like crazy.

People with heart problems should not partake in interval training, as the heart rate will often get into the high 100s, which can be dangerously high for people that are susceptible to heart attacks. As always, contact your doctor before starting any exercise routine.