Strength Training for the MMA Fighter

by Mark Ginther

(First appeared in Full Contact Fighter magazine, 12/01)

Part-1: Common Errors

Most athletes and fighters these days understand that strength training is an important part
of their training regimen and no longer believe that lifting weights will make them slow or
muscle bound. However, few take a rational or scientific approach to strength training,
training by "instinct" or using methods that are either outdated or inappropriate for the
competitive fighter.

Probably the most common error is relying on weight training programs influenced by, or
taken directly from bodybuilding magazines. I know of two prominent MMA fighters
whose (supposed) routines were published in bodybuilding magazines, and were virtually
identical to something the pro bodybuilder would use. Training in this manner is not
without its merits, (moving up in weight; general strength, etc,) but done exclusively, over a
long period of time, can result in decreased performance in the ring and even lead to injury.
At the very least, such training is less than optimal.

Another common error is to train the agonist at the expense of the antagonistic muscle
group. An example of this would be doing leg extensions to improve one's round kick. As
the quadriceps (agonist) get stronger in relation to the hamstrings, (antagonist) the
hamstrings, which stops and retracts the kick will not be strong enough to handle the power
of the stronger quadriceps, and will contract earlier to compensate, thus decreasing the
speed and power of the kick.

An additional mistake is over reliance on machines, believing that the machines greater
isolation of the muscle is superior. This is incorrect because in the real world muscles never
act in isolation, depending on the movement some will act as prime movers, while others
will fixate and stabilize the movement. A judoka who is stronger on machine chest press
than another, but has weak fixaters and stabilizers, will likely be unbalanced by, and thrown
by the other, even though he is stronger on the machines.

Most fighters are aware of the need for great speed and power but often use antiquated
methods to achieve it. A common method among boxers is to shadow box with light
dumbbells. This is largely ineffective because the direction of force is different than the
direction of movement. Another misconception is the belief that doing, for example, bench
press with a light weight, at a high speed will improve punching speed and power. The
problem is something known as the deceleration phase. It's been demonstrated that when
lifting a load that represents 81% of the weight that can be lifted by an individual for a
maximum single repetition, 52% of the range of motion during the lifting portion of the
movement is used to decelerate; otherwise the joints would be severely traumatized. When
lifting a maximum load the deceleration phase is 23%. The lighter the weight, the greater
the percentage of lift will be used for deceleration. To keep from decelerating as the
movement continues one would have to release the bar at the end of the movement.
Obviously, this would be quite dangerous and impractical.

Still, other fighters use such "high-tech" training devices as elastic cords, attached to the
ankles and wrists that are supposed to develop the neuromuscular pathways associated with
punching and kicking. While this sounds good in theory, the trouble is that the
development of force using this type of equipment is exactly opposite as in a real technique.
When an object of given mass (or an athletes extremity) is accelerated, the burst of muscle
action is "concentrated" both in time and space. Thus the muscle action is of short duration
and the maximal force is developed in a specific body position. If other types of external
resistance are used in training, such as rubber cords, or isokinetic machines, the maximal
force is developed either throughout the whole range of the angular motion or in a body
position different from the position used in the sport event. Such training is not optimal,
creating more of a continuous pushing motion than that of an explosive contraction, and
could actually decrease the speed and power of punches and kicks.

Since almost any form of training is better than no training at all, (provided it does not lead
to injury) there are many proponents of the above methods, claiming their success as
evidence of the methods efficacy. Many athletes are genetically gifted and are successful
in spite of, not because of their training methods. To make the most of one's training time
and effort, a plan that is rational, scientific, and suited specifically for the needs of the
individual is needed.

Part-2: Effective Methods

The fighter needs to develop many kinds of strength: maximal strength, (the amount of
musculoskeletal force that can be generated for a single all-out effort), strength endurance,
(the ability to exert maximal force repeatedly), static strength, (the ability to exert force
against an immovable object, or resist force to maintain position), and also important,
especially if competing in a specific weight class, is relative strength or one's strength in
relation to his or her weight. Important to nearly all athletes, and fighters is speed-strength.
This includes starting strength, the ability to turn on a maximum number of muscle fibers
instantly in any given movement, explosive strength which describes the firing of muscle
fibers over and over after initial activation, and reactive strength, the rapid switch from the
eccentric (lowering or retracting) and concentric (raising or extending).

Despite the current trend toward plyometrics, improving absolute strength remains the most
efficient way of improving speed strength . Imagine a man who weighs 200lbs and can
squat a maximum of 250lbs. This man has only 50lbs of reserve strength available to
propel his body upward in a vertical jump. Contrast this with a 200lb elite powerlifter
capable of squatting 600lbs, he has 400lbs of strength reserve available, and all else being
equal, will have a vastly superior jump.

Modified Olympic lifts, such as the power clean, can greatly improve explosive strength, or
power, teaching the athlete how to: explode, to apply force with the muscle groups in the
proper sequence, how to accelerate objects (or other people) under varying degrees of
resistance, and to how to effectively receive forces from another moving body. It is a well-
known fact that top class Olympic weightlifters achieve impressive results in tests of power
such as the vertical jump, standing long jump, 30-meter sprints, and other events that
require speed and strength performance. Olympic lifts however, are highly technical,
therefore the risk is of injury is greater, and should not be performed without proper
instruction.

Also useful for the development of explosive strength is the method of complex or Maxex
training, in which a set of a maximal strength exercise, such as heavy bench presses is
shortly followed by a plyometric, or ballistic exercise, such as drop push-ups or medicine
ball passes.

Because the body will quickly adapt to any sort of training protocol, any routine, no matter
how good, will soon cease to be effective. Therefore, variety in training is of essential
importance. A systematic approach to training, in which long term goals, say, over a one
year period, are met by first reaching a series of integrated short term goals is most
productive, and is the basis of a training concept known as periodization.

There has been a lot of discussion of periodization, and it has often been made to seem
unnecessarily complicated. But, as Australian Strength Coach, Ian King points out:
"Periodization is simply planning of training." In this way training, can be broken down
into manageable components, (often referred to as macro-, meso- and microcycles) with the
recognition that peak performance cannot be maintained throughout each stage; building in
planned recovery sections and ensuring that peaking occurs at the planned time. By having
different phases with different goals and training protocol, specific attributes, such as power
and endurance, that if trained for simultaneously would be mutually exclusive, can be
achieved over a training period, while minimizing overtraining and the potential for injury.
Before starting on a training program many factors should be taken into consideration: The
athletes goal, training history, specific strengths and weaknesses, recovery ability, other
forms of training engaged in (i.e. technical and tactical), time before a competition, and
many other factors will determine what is the best course to be followed and what methods
need to be employed to bring about the desired effect.

References:

Staley C, Special Topics in Martial Arts Conditioning, Myo-Dynamics 1996.

Poliquin C, Charles Poliquin Audiotape Interview III, Mile High Publishing 1996.

Zatsiorsky V, Science and Practice of Strength Training, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics,
1995

Bloomfield, J. et al. Applied Anatomy & Biomechanics in Sport. Cambridge, Mass:

Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1994. 136

Staley C, Quality Strength for Human Athletic Performance: A Guide to Speed Strength
Training, Mesomorphosis.com 1998.

Hartmann J. & Tunnemann H., Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports. Toronto,
Ontario: Sports Books Publisher. 1995

Chu D, Power & Strength, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1996

Bompa T, Periodization Training for Sports, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1999

King I, How to Write Strength Training Programs: A Practical Guide, Toowong, Qld, KSI,
1999

Fleck S. & Kraemer W., Periodization Breakthrough, New York, NY: Advanced Research
Press 1996

About the author: Mark Ginther has over 15 years experience in sports, martial arts, and
strength training. He has worked with numerous athletes including Michael Hawkins
(formerly of the Boston Celtics), as well as several pro and amateur boxers. In 1999 he
became the Strength & Conditioning Coach for AMC Kickboxing & Pankration where he
developed strength and conditioning programs for both Matt Hume, and Curtis Schuster (in
preparation for his return to K-1). He currently resides in Japan and is available for
personal training/coaching at Jeff's Fitness in Tokyo