Here are 10 training tips to improve your fitness and athletic performance for combat sports like MMA, BJJ, wrestling, boxing and Muay Thai.
1. Rather than spending hours on low-intensity steady-state cardio, perform at least one weekly high-intensity interval training session for a better gas tank. This can include resistance training, sprint intervals or intervals on a cardio machine like the assault bike or rower.
2. Incorporate multi-joint exercises that target multiple muscle groups. Full body exercises will increase the cardiovascular demands of your workouts and help improve your cardio.
3. Unilateral exercises target one side of your body at a time. They will iron out imbalances and improve your balance, coordination and proprioception.
4. Plyometric exercises recruit fast twitch muscle fibres and enhance neuromuscular coordination. They will allow you to develop explosive power, speed, coordination and tendon stiffness.
5. Perform rotational, anti-rotational, flexion and anti-flexion core exercises for sports-specific core strength and stability.
6. Combine multiple exercises in supersets or trisets to mimic the physical and physiological demands of your combat sport.
7. Aim for a 1-to-2 high-intensity-to-low-intensity ratio within your supersets or trisets. For example, perform
a high-intensity movement for 20 seconds followed by 40 seconds of a medium- to low-intensity effort.
8. Aim for a 2-1 to 3-to-1 work-to-rest ratio during your workouts - so going with the previous example: if you exert yourself for 60 seconds, aim for 20-30 seconds of rest.
9. During your High-Intensity Interval Training, push your heart rate towards the "red zone" of 85-95% of your maximum heart rate. This will boost your anaerobic fitness as well as your VO2 max. If you're new to exercise or you have a history of heart disease, please get clearance from your doctor before following this protocol.
10. Undulate your training intensity throughout the week. Alternate between high-, medium- and low-intensity training days and take rest days and deload weeks where needed for adequate recovery.
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