Goal shift..pro advice please..

[njssli23]

Recently I have shifted my goals. About a month ago I started doing MMA training again and my BB routine just isn't cutting it, so I made something using advice taken from the people on this board and one other that I belong to.

New goal:

1) Increase anaerobic and aerobic conditioning tremendously (muscle endurance, explosiveness, power).

2) Regain and increase my core strength.

3) Lose ~15lbs of excess weight (185 now, could prob get to about 165 or so).. Speed and efficiency a must.

The last time I did anything as strenuous as MMA was wrestling in high school (7 years ago). I'm not sure how to describe it, but I seem to have lost my core strength. I've also lost my ability to maintain strenuous activity without becoming gassed.

I decided to go with a two day, full body routine. I experimented with this today but have a few questions

Tues/Thurs (circuit style)

BB Bench
Chin Ups
Cleans
Over Head Press
Squat
SLDL
Dips

Bike with heart rate @ ~155-160 for 18 minutes.

I do the above circuit 3 times, all exercise get 10 reps. I do it in the gym so I have to share the machines, but I do the circuit as fast as possible. By the end of each circuit I'm dead. I used very light weight, probably a quarter of what a normal set of each exercise would use. My movements were fast and explosive. My question is, should I stick with the light weight and and keep my reps fast, or should i increase the weight and be forced to slow down and struggle with each rep? Also, I feel like I'm missing some rowing motion, wondering if I should throw it in there and omit one of the other movements, or add it to the existing movements and deal with it. I left the gym completely exhausted, my upper body was toasted but my lower still felt a little neglected.

Mon/Weds/Fri is spent training at the gym doing JiuJitsu, grappling, boxing/kick boxing, bag work, sparring, rope work, suicides and whatever else, for as long as two and half hours. I get up in the morning at 6am and hit the bike at the gym for 45 minutes at moderate heart rate (~120-125), stretch and jump some rope. I start training at the gym at 7pm and its pretty grueling.

Please correct, add, modify anything you see fit.. I appreciate it..

[JHarris]

Tues/Thurs (circuit style)

BB Bench
Chin Ups
Cleans
Over Head Press
Squat
SLDL
Dips

I dont know a huge amount about endurance training (anaerobic or aerobic), though just in general, lift progression tends to be better when you do larger muscle groups first, with more explosive lifts ahead of everything else. You might reorganize as: Cleans - Squats - SLDL - OH Press (if you are standing to do them they requires a bit more stabilization than benching. If you are sitting, do BB bench first) - BB Bench - Chins - Dips.

I know some people like alternating upper and lower body in circuits to give themselves a bit more recovery in the middle. You could do Cleans - OH Press - Squats - BB bench - SLDL - Chins - Dips.

As for not enough back work - yeah. I'd lose the dips and put in bent over rows. You have 3 upper body push motions and 1 upper body pull as it stands.

Just my thoughts - this isnt exactly my area of expertise, but I think these things will help you out.

Jay

[nddillon]

I work out with multiple fighters and they all have differant routines based on fighting style strengths and weaknesses, alot of fighters don't even do compound exercises, BJJ with someone alot heavier than you is more than any compound exercise can give you.
Whats your style? What skills do you train?
Rich Franklin uses really fast explosive movements with a slow descend in a circuit with no break...one giant superset. Josh Kosheck doesn't lift at all.
One of Master Toddy's workouts is posted on a thread called my problem, although it is "utter garbage" and kills innocent children...and nuns! lol

[njssli23]

I dont know a huge amount about endurance training (anaerobic or aerobic), though just in general, lift progression tends to be better when you do larger muscle groups first, with more explosive lifts ahead of everything else. You might reorganize as: Cleans - Squats - SLDL - OH Press (if you are standing to do them they requires a bit more stabilization than benching. If you are sitting, do BB bench first) - BB Bench - Chins - Dips.

I know some people like alternating upper and lower body in circuits to give themselves a bit more recovery in the middle. You could do Cleans - OH Press - Squats - BB bench - SLDL - Chins - Dips.

As for not enough back work - yeah. I'd lose the dips and put in bent over rows. You have 3 upper body push motions and 1 upper body pull as it stands.

Just my thoughts - this isnt exactly my area of expertise, but I think these things will help you out.

Jay

Great thoughts, thanks for the input! I'll def take it into consideration. Thurs is my next lift day and I'll play around with your re-org.

I have seen Rich Franklins workout. It's incredible. The circuits I did prob took about 3.5 - 4 minutes and at the end I was smoked. He does what I did for 45 minutes to an hour STRAIGHT.. NO BREAKS. I digress...

I would say if it wasnt for my lack of conditioning, the grappling and BJJ is my strong point. It's really hard to tell though because my boxing coach keeps tellin me that in the beginning of my workout, I hit like a 200lb golden glove boy, but mid-way through I lose it due to lack of conditioning. Like I said, I gas out so quickly its almost impossible to have a strong point. Thats where I'm at now, playing catch up with my conditioning.

Thanks for the suggestions.. keep em comin.

[nddillon]

Conditioning takes time, if you have boxing coaches and groundwork coaches I am sure they know what they are talking about.

Don't they have you set up on a round system for training to? 3-5 Minutes High Intensity Training 1 minute break, then repeat until death???? Thats normally what I see....

[njssli23]

Conditioning takes time, if you have boxing coaches and groundwork coaches I am sure they know what they are talking about.

Don't they have you set up on a round system for training to? 3-5 Minutes High Intensity Training 1 minute break, then repeat until death???? Thats normally what I see....

Yep, we work on a three minute round timer, go balls out during the three minutes, rest, repeat.. Usually jump rope for four rounds straight, then two minute rest, then whatever else round by round.. by the six round im usually toast and worthless..

[muscleup]

This forum site might be a good basis for the type of goals you have outlined. Check out the "Crosspit/Kickboxing" section.

http://forum.brandxmartialarts.com/index.php

[BCorn]

you may want to take a look at Ross Boxing website. There is a strength and conditioning section on the forum that is great. Ross also has a couple of books that may benifit you.

[njssli23]

wow, thanks all for input and great links.. i think i have some reading to do.. I was told that I have to stop thinkin in terms of body parts like a body builder and start thinking in terms of movements instead..