Reala's training for Kickboxing & MMA - Cardio / Plyometrics / Strength

[Reala]

Hello there,

Thanks for visiting my journal, I guess I should give you some background... I have been kickboxing since late july, around 3 months. I am doing pretty well in the class, I have dedicated myself and decided this is something I want to focus on. However over the last month I have been doing MMA classes as well, so I have now decided to make a workout, that will focus not only on my standup of kicks and punches (plyometrics & technique) but also my ground work and take downs (weights) and of course my cardio & conditioning for the two.

I have read a heck of a lot for the following workout... I took most of the weight training from Tito Ortiz's schedule... in my opinion there is not a better ground&pound / wrestler in the business and his strength is unbelivable. My training will be high reps, mostly 10 reps for weight exercises, but in some cases 15 or 20, it all depends. This is because I have read the facts and low reps may be good for bursts of strength and a powerful punch, but for quick punches, overall good strength and stamina so your muscles won't burn out as quickly, high reps seems much, much better.

Triceps, Biceps and Upper Back Workout - Friday

Dumbbell Curl 4 x 20
Hammer Curl 4 x 20
Preacher Curl 4 x 10
Cable Curls 4 x 20
Pull-ups 4 x 10
Standing Cable Rows 4 x 20
Sitting Cable Rows 4 x15
Cable Pull Downs 4 x 15
Rope Pull Downs 4 x 15
Lay Down Pullover 4 x 10
Elbow Extensions 4 x 20
Bar Dips 4 x 10

Chest, Shoulders and Lower Back Workout - Sunday

Dumbbell Fly 4 x 10
Incline Dumbbell Fly 4 x 10
Flat Bench Press 4 x 10
Incline Bench Press 4 x 10
Military Dumbbell Press 4 x 10
Fly Extension 4 x 10
Straight Arm Extension 4 x 10
Back Ups 4 x 15
Back Extension 4 x 15

Leg Workout - Monday

Name of exercise Technique Sets Reps
Weighted Squats 4 x 10
Leg Press 4 x 10
Hamstring Curls 4 x 10
Weighted Lunges 4 x 20
Leg Extensions 4 x 10

For conditioning I took my main part from Bas Rutten, who is one of the best strikers around and hardly ever got gassed in any of his fights. It is basically sports specific cardio, it is made up of 2 & 3 minute rounds of very, very intense bag work... with a minutes rest inbetween each round. Each week increasing the total cardio by around 30 minutes. I personally do not think jogging or running help you for a fight, however they are a good foundation for overall fitness and a lower heart rate.
Week 1 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
9 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
9 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
12 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
12 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins

Week 2 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
12 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
15 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
15 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
18 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins

Week 3 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
18 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
18 x 2 mins & 1 x 40 mins
15 x 2 mins & 3 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
15 x 2 mins & 3 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins

Week 4 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
21 x 2 mins & 3 x 40 mins
21 x 2 mins & 3 x 40 mins
12 x 2 mins & 6 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
9 x 2 mins & 9 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins

Week 5 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
9 x 2 mins & 9 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
6 x 2 mins & 12 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
3 x 2 mins & 15 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
3 x 2 mins & 15 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins

Week 6 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
18 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
18 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
18 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins
18 x 3 mins & 1 x 40 mins


My Plyometric & Agility routines are important, agility is the ability to stop and start quickly or produce bursts of strength / speed. Where as Plyometrics is a way of training the body (legs and arms) to come back and go out quicker... think of a punch, how fast it is thrown and how fast it comes back is very important. "By doing this type of training, you're training your fast twitch fibers to become more explosive and powerful. Fast twitch fibers have the fastest contraction speed as well they produce the most force."

Quick stop and starts 6 sets
(sprint and accelerate for 5-10 meters as fast as possible and stop as fast as possible)
Rest 1 minute
Z cone drill 4 sets
(set up cones in a Z, 5 yards distance from top to bottom and sprint to the outside of each cone making a Z with your path)
Rest 1 minute
Man makers 4 sets
(a distance of 10 yards and sprint back and forth three times)
Rest 1 minute
Figure eights 4 sets
(sprint and make a figure 8 around 2 cones)

I have two ab routines I am thinking about trying, both are to be donw directly after weights. One is a step up style program, where as your abs get stronger you do harder exercises in reps of 15. The other does reps of 25, but is much harder and weighted.

Weighted Abdominal workout - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Weighted decline hip rotations:
Decline bench with 5 – 10 pounds on each arm. Switch right weight to left knee, left weight to right knee. 4 sets of 25x2 repetitions.

Ring & medicine ball sit ups:
Medicine ball sit up off the edge of the ring, catching medicine ball as someone throws it to you, as you do a sit up down off the ring, throwing the ball up as you come up. 4 sets of 25 repetitions.

Step Up Abdominal workout - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

You begin with the first level and work your way forward. Most people will not get past the first few levels for several months. It can take a trained athlete months and possibly years to reach the final level, depending on their existing core strength. The technique is to vacuum your stomach and feel it really working your core. Rest 1 minute between sets.

Level 1:
3 sets of crunches
Level 2:
2 sets of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises (knees remain bent)

Level 3:
1 set of crunches
2 sets of hanging knee raises

Level 4:
1 set of crunches
2 sets of hanging knee raises
1 set of parallel leg raises (legs remain straight)

Level 5:
1 set of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises
2 sets of parallel leg raises

Level 6:
1 set of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises
2 sets of parallel leg raises
1 set of full leg raises (you are inverted at the end, legs over head)

Level 7:
1 set of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises
1 set of parallel leg raises
1 set of full leg raises
1 set of inverted scissors

And for now, that is my workout, give me any feedback and feel free to try it out your self... I will update you guys each week and let you know how I am feeling / looking / performing.

[Reala]

Hey guys,

My training is going pretty good so far. I decided to ease myself into the training.

Currently I am doing:

Monday: Weights an hour; cardio an hour
Tuesday: Kickboxing 2 hours
Wedesday: MMA 2 hours
Thursday: Kickboxing 2 hours
Friday: Weights an hour; cardio an hour
Sunday: MMA 2 hours

Next week I shall be pushing to get to the workout in the first post.

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/7560/bodywn8.gif

[Anthony]

You poor misguided soul.

[Stumprrp]

Reala...

your routine is absolutly terrible, and i dont say this often because most work, however, with all that volume and all that cardio, you should consider doubling if not tripling your calories.

for mma and kickboxing you should be training heavy compounds, such as cleans, presses, snatches, squats, and deadlifts.

[Bob]

Wow.. your work load is pretty heavy.. you have 10 minutes of rest anywhere during the week?

On your lifting program.. why are you working the smaller muscles so much.. esepcially the day before your chest & back? I think Tito is pulling an "Arnold"!! I understand the ground-n-pound... but you still need strength. If you don't have the heavy duty strength, then what kind of force are you delivering with high reps?

Example:
Lets say you can Curl 100lbs x 1 and 40 lbs x 20..
If you increase the Curl to 150 x 1, then your force for high reps could be 60 x 20 reps...

You can work them both together.. and I can guarantee you Tito does this too..
and Chuck is stronger then Tito.. perhaps that is the reason he is the champ?

And where are the Deadlifts and OL lifting... you gotta have those to be fully functional.

Good luck anyways.. looking forward to seeing your progress..

[Reala]

I am still working on my strength stuff, the above was an idea, but Anthony shot it down in another thread ;)

I am currently looking at other options, by trainer has tol me not to do any less than 10 reps of 3/4 sets. Which as much as I appriciate Anthony's opinion and I really do, I would ask how many times he has been UFC champion or in regards to my coach European kickboxing champion. My coach at least said his whole life he has never lifted less than 10 reps and he is built extremely quick and strong.

Even chuck does 10 reps though, I have his workout DVD's (island one).

I already have strength and for my size I think I am pretty strong... my kickboxing is going amazingly well... Most at the club are impressed after sparring I have only been doing it 3/4 months.

I don't want to come across as a prick and sound like I am saying people are wrong. But I just want people to understand how hard it is being told 200 different things are right, 200 different things are wrong, all of them contridicting each other and trying to pick one of them out :P

Marc.

[Anthony]

Asking a fighter for strength training advice is like asking the paper boy for advice on income tax.

No offense to Tito or any other champs, but a lot of athletes outside of strength sports haven't really been exposed to real strength training. They are stuck in the typical bodybuilding magazine routines, which is exactly what you posted. BTW, Chuck uses a Crossfit and 1RM is an element of Crossfit. ;)

10 reps is fine. But 48 sets in under an hour is a conditioning workout. NOT a strength workout.

I'm shooting it down because your using it for the wrong purpose. I won't even get into faulty movement patterns for 3/4 of the exercises you listed, but generally speaking the movements are horrible for athletes.

Show that routine to ANY nationally recognize STRENGTH COACH and they will honestly laugh.

THAT is fact.

[KingJustin]

Forbidden Topics:
"How does [insert fighter] train" type threads - Forbidden for three reasons: 1) Many fighters succeed in spite of their training not because of it. 2) An elite fighter's routine will differ on a fundamental level from yours because of experience. 3) Even if the fighter is at your level of lifting experience, and age, and skill, there are still many other factors that would make your routine different (personal weaknesses, muscle imbalances, periodization etc.)
You need a base in strength and size right now. Tito is already there, and needs to have good cardio for his next fight (not to mention his routine still isn't exactly ideal).

[Reala]

Hmmm, crossfit... the site with millions of workouts :S Yet again... to many damned decisions lol.

Anthony, I get you mate... but also you bust see it from my point of veiw... I see tito / gsp fight... think they are awesome, so wanna train like they do. You tell me something, someone else tells me different... and I am back at square one... lol.

[KingJustin]

Hmmm, crossfit... the site with millions of workouts :S Yet again... to many damned decisions lol.

Anthony, I get you mate... but also you bust see it from my point of veiw... I see tito / gsp fight... think they are awesome, so wanna train like they do. You tell me something, someone else tells me different... and I am back at square one... lol.
Well if you're not going to listen to what anyone here has to say, despite the fact that they are much, much more knowledgeable than you and give you great arguments for why you should train as they suggest, then best of luck being an idiot.

[1mmort4l]

REALA!!!!!!
Firstly, please don't follow a routine that you think Tito does.... Secondly, even if Tito did do that, he is genetic freak and would be as strong as he is doing almost ANY weights programme! I used to wrestle a guy with similar build (shape muscle type) but not 200 pounds, and i was about as big as him but i had more muscle mass. This guy was the strongest guy i had ever wrestled, and i couldn't beleive it!

Also, without even looking through your workout properly, you are doing WAYYY too much. I also think some things like 16 sets of Biceps before doing any Back work is absolutely CRAZINESSS!!!!! The list goes on man... Your routine also seems very complex, and i think you will be much better off with a basic routine, with much less volume..

[Anthony]

Hmmm, crossfit... the site with millions of workouts :S Yet again... to many damned decisions lol.
You can make it as complicated or simple as you want. You don't have to follow their example workouts, you can make your own using these principles:

1. constantly varied (this means vary the sets/reps/intensity/movements as much as you can/want)
2. functional movements (squats, deadlifts, lunge, push, pull ... no friggin kickbacks!!)
3. high intensity (intensity is a percentage of your 1RM or max heart rate - performing 48 sets of 20 reps might be intense for your heart rate, but it means **** for strength!)


Anthony, I get you mate... but also you bust see it from my point of veiw... I see tito / gsp fight... think they are awesome, so wanna train like they do. You tell me something, someone else tells me different... and I am back at square one... lol.
Read the post by Justin regarding asking about how the pros train. Sherdog is one of the top MMA forums in the world. If THEY are advising you to ignore what the pros do, there's probably a good reason for it, eh? If you're still not interested in listening to logic, then by all means, try your program. But don't be surprised when you burn out within 6-8 weeks with very little to show for your effort.

[Reala]

Yeah, I am taking in all the advice, well, I think I will take another few days to reserch my weight lifting routine. Immortal, I do kinda get the part about Tito's genetics, you can see from his frame he was always gonna be a big guy.

As I said though, I am looking for more the GSP (Georges Saint Pierre) build, rather than someone huge... and Kickboxing is my number one sport, which you don't need masses of strength for... My ground game is pretty good considering I have only been doing it 3 weeks, I have been a huge UFC fan for 2/3 years so have taken to it quite quickly and with Tae Kwon Do & Kickboxing I guess it is easier to get into.

At the moment I am doing 3 sets of 8 reps of:
Pull Ups
Dips
Rows
Bench Press

But I find it boring... I would rather to a more full body routine 1/2 days a week... this stuff just seems to work my arms / shoulders... My chest on Bench and back on Pull Ups I guess, but it doesn't really work me hard...

[KingJustin]

As I said though, I am looking for more the GSP (Georges Saint Pierre) build, rather than someone huge...
Oh, ok, I didn't realize this. If you do Anthony's routine for like 2-3 months (depending on your genetics) you'd probably end up accidentally looking something like Ronnie Coleman (http://i.b5z.net/i/u/230085/i/Ronnie_Coleman.jpg) (it'd be tough to time it right and look smaller). If you are looking for that small, ripped look then just do that routine you posted and you'll have no problem looking like GSP.

[Reala]

Oh, ok, I didn't realize this. If you do Anthony's routine for like 2-3 months (depending on your genetics) you'd probably end up accidentally looking something like Ronnie Coleman (it'd be tough to time it right and look smaller). If you are looking for that small, ripped look then just do that routine you posted and you'll have no problem looking like GSP.

Are you being sarcastic or serious now? I am beginning to lose track :D I don't so much want to look like GSP, but I want to have more of a strikers pace and quickness, rather than have the whole muscle look going on. A lot harder to do a rear naked choke if you got huge forearms, lot harder to keep your hands up for 15 minutes if you got huge biceps you know?

[Shifty]

Just do something. All this endless routine making will get you nowhere unless you actually do one. Diet is what makes you gain size, not Anthony's routine. Anthony's routine will get you strong, a lot stronger than doing the thing that a MMA fighter may have done.

[Reala]

If you read above you will see I am doing ANthony's routine, but it is so short it bores me :P

[1mmort4l]

If you read above you will see I am doing ANthony's routine, but it is so short it bores me :P

If your bored, then its very likely your lacking intensity. Aim to finish knowing that you will almost dread doing the same thing straight after.
Your finding it hard to breathe! Your muscles are gasping for oxygen! Your head is spinning, and you are begging yourself for mercy! Thats when it gets fun, thats what you should aim for if your bored... :strong:

[Reala]

Okiez, a lot changed today because I have been asked to come train in 'Fighter Training & Conditioning' on a Saturday, seeing as my training is coming along.
Here is my current schedule in regards to classes:

Monday: NEED TO DO WEIGHTS
Tuesday: Kickboxing 2 hours
Wedesday: MMA 2 hours
Thursday: Kickboxing 2 hours
Saturday: Fighter Training & Conditioning, 2 hours
Sunday: MMA 2 hours

Questions

Can any one recommend a full body weights workout to do one day a week?

What day would you recommend I do agility and plyometrics? I would guess Monday because they do not really affect recovery.

MMA, about an hour of it is slamming bodys about, same as fighter training, so I am hoping that will help out my strength also, but I would feel better doing weights at least one day a week ;)

[Reala]

Still going good, havn't updated in a while, but I have lost a bit more body fat and I am starting to lean out nicely. I am going to pick my training up again after christmas, this week I am going to take it easy and just do 8 hours (4 x 2 hours).

My latest picture:
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3207/latestuf9.gif