Issue 140

April 2016

Dominick Cruz needed a bulletproof workout program to get back on track after being ravaged by injuries. Here’s how he built the strength to win back his belt.

Dominick Cruz’s promising bantamweight title reign was blunted, and then ended by a string of catastrophic leg injuries. But after a series of rehabilitations he’s back and he looked as good as ever in his latest outing at UFC Fight Night 81. He showed the world that he’d barely lost a step when he outpointed TJ Dillashaw to reclaim the belt the UFC was forced to strip him of in 2014. 

‘The Dominator’s journey back to the Octagon was physically and mentally grueling, but it was essential to rediscover the sharp footwork and precision striking that took him to the top. Lesser fighters would have retired if they were subjected to the same injury woes, but Cruz’s iron will kept him in the game. 

Head coach at Alliance MMA in San Diego, Eric Del Fierro, touted his student’s drive and guaranteed he’d get back on top. And after dozens of months of rehab he stepped back into the Octagon to challenge for the 135lb title he never lost. 

Many people thought he’d be restrained by ring rust, but Cruz showed the hard work had paid off and he was crowned champion once again. Here are some of the tools that helped him complete the greatest career comeback in MMA history. 

CRUZ'S COMBO CIRCUIT

Low-impact exercises for strength and recovery

Warm-up: exercise bike (5-10 minutes)

Use the bike for steady-state cardio to begin your workout. You can adjust the resistance to better prepare your lower body for resistance training ahead.

Function: A warm-up increases blood flow through your tissues, which will help deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to make them more durable for a more effective workout.  

Concentric leg press (3 x 10-12 reps)

Straighten your leg from a bent-knee position against resistance – using a smith machine, resistance bands and Swiss ball. It involves a concentric motion, which is also called muscle shortening.

Function: Four quad muscles contract at the knee and pull on the lower leg and hamstring to strengthen your knees and lower leg muscles. 

Medicine ball rows (3 x 10-12 reps)

Lie on a Swiss ball and hold a medicine ball in each hand. From here row the medicine balls at the same time, pinching your shoulder blades at the top of the movement. Release and repeat. 

Function: Rows help to build muscles throughout your back – the largest group of muscles in your body. The Swiss ball encourages you to keep your core tight and works your lower back. 

Medicine ball throws (3 x 15 reps each arm)

Tuck a medicine ball into your right shoulder. Post your right foot with your knees slightly bent. Rotate your hips and power through with your heels as you rotate your hips and release the ball.  

Function: This simulates throwing a punch with resistance. It’ll activate muscle memory after a long layoff, strengthen your core and increase shoulder explosiveness.  

Med ball crunches (100 reps)

Lay on your back with your knees bent. Hold a medicine ball out in both hands in the air. Slowly do a crunch, keeping your chin and head up with the ball raised. 

Function: This will strengthen you abdominal and your chest muscles. Good core strength will directly affect knee isolation exercises as well as improve balance and overall muscle strength.

Warm-down: shadow boxing (3 x 3 minutes)

Throw combinations with proper form and footwork on the mat. Use a mirror to keep an eye on your technique and adjust anything you feel necessary. 

Function: A light, low-intensity end to your workout reduce delayed onset muscular soreness (DOMS), level out your adrenaline levels and reduce your heart rate to resting levels more quickly. 

RING RUST? NO CHANCE

“I’ve tried to explain this,” says Cruz. “There’s no such thing as rust. I’ve said that to all my critics, I’ve said that rust does not exist if you train hard enough and I’ve trained my butt off.”