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).