MMA Workout » MMA Strength Training

5 Reasons Why Heavy Bag Workouts Are Legendary

Jon M. — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:03:45 +0000

Heavy bag workouts are among the many reasons why an mma workout kills the standard issue workout routine. This equipment is the crowning glory of every mma gym and completes that sweet smell of leather that’s ubiquitous all throughout the place. This legendary piece of equipment has been incorporated with many fitness programs out there, then again, why wouldn’t it be? When this stuffed bag is being used by legendary fighters and notorious for getting an average person in battle shape.

This equipment has a ton of benefits and there are many exercises that you could do with it. Wanna train like a champ? Then stay tuned for this is the first part on the two part series of heavy bag workouts.

Why is it so awesome?
Heavy Bags are legendary because:

1. It’s a Killer Aerobic Workout

Following the right intensity a two minute round in the heavy bag could be similar to jogging or sprinting. The constant switching of position and the flurry of punches that you punish the heavy bag with is an aerobic workout.

2. It Improves Power

Fighters usually punish the heavy bag to improve technique and gain more power. While punching away, you could practice your combos while getting a full body workout at the same time. Throwing combinations while bobbing and weaving at the same time works out your upper and lower body.

3. It Helps You Improve Your Technique

The heavy bag is also the perfect place to practice different punching techniques. There’s nothing better than putting theory into action, and the heavy bag is the perfect equipment to do just that. This is hands down the most important aspect of your heavy bag training. If you’re punching the heavy bag without following the correct fighting stance you’re missing out on one of the critical aspects of training with the heavy bag.

4. It is a Great Stress Reliever

Come on, Who doesn’t get a kick on beating something up when you’re stressed? This is one of the benefits that the heavy bag is famous for. It is an awesome tool for stress reduction. Don’t you feel more motivated after punching? I know I do, because you could let all your frustrations out and helps you feel refreshed.

5. You Could Easily Install it in Your Home

Setting up your own Heavy Bag training area is relatively cheap. A heavy bag ranges from $50-$100 depending on the brand and after that all you have to do is install it in your home and you could start training. Complete your equipment with some good hand wraps and a good quality boxing gloves (Which you’re gonna use anyway if you are training for mma) and you’re all set and ready to go. In conclusion, a complete set of equipment (bag + wraps + gloves) it would only cost you something from $100-$200.

With a ton of benefits that this workout offers, why would you not add it to your mma workout? Stay tuned because on part 2 we’ll get busy with some heavy bag drills and combos to get you in shape. So Join Now to get the latest update.

Increase Punching Power in 3 Easy Workouts

Jon M. — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:19:21 +0000

The following exercises will give you blistering knockout power that will make Manny Pacquiao proud of you. But before that, how do you generate punching power anyway? The power of your punch travels from your feet to your hips , to your shoulder, then out your knuckles. Of course, you would want to transfer as much force to your target’s face rather than wasting it away.The key to transferring explosive knockout power is turning on total body stiffness at that precise moment where you land the strike. Stuart McGill, Professor of Spine Biomechanics, dubbed this super stiffness.

When a muscle contracts, it creates both force and stiffness. Force creates joint torque to support postures and create movement – but sometimes the force will enhance joint stability and sometimes it will compromise stability. It depends on the magnitude of the force and its relative magnitude relative to all other muscle forces acting at the joint…When all muscles at a joint stiffen together a “super stiffness” phenomenon generally occurs…. Read Full Article

Therefore, to gain knockout power you have to able to quickly turn on and off the muscles used in punching like a light switch. Fighters like Chuck Liddell , Rampage and other knockout artists have mastered the art of activating their glutes, abdominals, and lats to transfer that charged power to their opponent’s face and give fans one classic knockout.

And now, you can gain it too with the following exercises:

Exercise 1: Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent. With assistance from your heels, push your hips upward. Try to hold the position for three seconds, and then go back to the original position. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

For the hardcore person in you, you could make this exercise a bit harder by bending one knee at an angle of 90 degrees while pushing your hip up with your free heel. Then once again, holding the position for at least 2 seconds before lowering. Repeat it 15 times.

Exercise 2: Hand Walkout

Place your hands and knees to the floor, then with your arm straight extend your hands as far out as possible before walking your hand back to the starting position. Make sure that your back is straight and your abs are contracted all the while without letting your stomach touch the ground.

Perform 10 repetitions.

Exercise 3: Power Clean and Press

For starters, grab a pair of dumbells and start a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding the dumbells straight down at an arms length, palms facing your thighs. Next, make the dumbells parallel to your knees by bending a little bit and pull the dumbells up to your shoulders as you dip your body down to catch them. Lastly, push up to a standing position then push the weights overhead in an explosive manner.

If you want it to be a bit harder, use a barbell with a heavier weight and start in a crouching position instead of standing, similar to how Olympic weight lifters are doing.
Remember to always keep your back straight while performing this exercise to prevent injuries

And there you have it, a simple three step mma workout to get you in battle shape. Do you wanna check just how powerful your punches have become? I found this silly iPhone app that can apparently test your punching power just by holding your iphone while you do that punching motion. Check it Out

Smashing it Like Brock Lesnar

Jon M. — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:33:22 +0000

Brock Lesnar entering the UFC reminded Dana that one; they needed to make new gloves to fit Brock’s lunchboxes he calls fists and two; a nice reminder that UFC is not in any way affiliated with WWE. People have made fun of Brock’s MMA skills ever since he decided to join the UFC. But after dominating Frank Mir at UFC 100 and beating Randy Couture at UFC 91, this monster must be doing something right other than, of course, being ridiculously big.

For someone weighing 265 pounds Brock can seamlessly combine power, speed, and explosiveness into a complete package of big man hurting. Thus making him a force to be reckoned with in the UFC Heavyweight Division.

Now without further ado, let’s check out Brock’s mma workout.

Nutrition Plan

Lesnar is on a high calorie, high protein and high carb diet. He also makes it a point to drink a minimum of 1 gallon of electrolyte rich water per day. Drinking water with electrolytes replenishes your body much better than just drinking plain water, because it not only rehydrates you but brings back your fluid and electrolyte balance resulting in better recovery and thus better performance during your mma training.

Strength Training

Duration: 1 Hour

Leading up to a fight these exercises need to be conducted with less weight, higher intensity that will also work on overall conditioning.

Day 1: Chest & Triceps