Issue 133

October 2015

Three rounds of pain designed to smash your gas tank

Kevin Kearns

S&C coach to over a dozen leading MMA athletes, ‘Dr Evil’ is here to push your boundaries

When it comes to developing speed, strength, endurance, agility and explosiveness for the cage, traditional strength-training methods may not apply. Your max bench press or squat won’t matter in the cage. We’re interested in functional strength only.

Round 1

1. Hammer squats

Hold the sledgehammer as low as possible in front of your chest and do a squat.

2. Atlas ball fireman pick-ups

Squat to grab the ball, raise it onto your shoulder, then return to the ground before repeating on the opposite side.

3. Lateral lunge slide board

Place your left foot on the board and your right off it. Slide your left leg away and squat down on your right leg. Swap legs after 30 seconds.

4. BOSU sprawls

Drop to the ground with the BOSU in front of your chest as you shoot your feet back. Return and repeat.

Round 2

1. Overhead hammer rotations

Sit with your legs elevated and heels off the ground. Now circle one hammer at a time around your head.

2. Lateral jumps 

Jump on the trampoline with one leg, then bounce back to the ground onto the other. Swap legs after 30 seconds.

3. Overhead hammer lunges

Hold the hammer over your head with the head of the hammer on one side. Switch hands after 30 seconds.

4. Atlas ball slams

Lift the ball to chest height, then in one motion slam it and try to collect it on the bounce, then repeat.

Round 3

BOSU knees

1. Lie prone in a push-up position holding the sides of the BOSU. Drive alternate knees into the ball.

Sliding rear lunges

2. Place your right foot slightly behind you, slide it and try to bring your knee to the floor. Swap legs after 30 seconds.

Hammer T-holds

3. Sit on the floor with your feet elevated and hold a hammer in each hand, then extend your arms out to the side.

Double lateral jumps

4. Stand to the side of the trampoline. In one explosive motion jump and land on the trampoline with both feet and bounce off.

KIT

• 20lb+ sledgehammer

• 50lb atlas ball or med ball

• 4lb mini hammers

• BOSU ball

• Fitness trampoline

• Slide board

Aim for as many reps as you can in one minute at each station, with 15 seconds transition time between each. Take a minute’s rest between rounds.