Issue 134
November 2015
Develop your strength and conditioning with UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum – the baddest man on the planet
When Fabricio Werdum submitted Fedor Emelianenko back in 2010, it was labeled a fluke. When he tapped Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2013, ‘Big Nog’ was ‘past his prime.’ But when he choked out Cain Velasquez to become the undisputed UFC world heavyweight champion, Werdum’s cynics were finally silenced.
‘Vai Cavalo’ has transitioned from the best jiu-jitsu payer in the heavyweight division to an all-round athlete in peak condition thanks to his commitment to both technical and physical training. And the edge, he insists, has come from developing his strength and conditioning program as much as anything else.
“I added Olympic lifting to my camp training and, for sure, it has helped me a lot,” Werdum tells FO. “It’s allowed me to develop total-body functional strength, increased power and muscle flexibility, so I’m able to maintain power in my punches and kicks even when off-balance and on attack or defense.”
So, can you keep up with the baddest man on the planet with this power and endurance-building workout?
WARM UP
Shadow boxing
Werdum loosens up before any gym session with about 10 minutes of shadow boxing to raise his heart rate and get his body ready for the exercises ahead. In a staggered stance, focus on proper footwork and striking technique.
BATTLE ROPE
1 minute work, 30 secs
Anchor a heavy rope. Extend each half and hold an end in each hand, arms extended and knees slightly bent. Quickly raise one arm to shoulder height, then as you drop it back down, raise your opposite arm. Continue to alternate until the time is up.
BARBELL BENCH PRESS
8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps
Lie back on a flat bench with a medium-wide grip on the bar. Lift it from the rack and lock out your arms. Inhale as you lower the barbell to touch the middle of your chest. After a brief pause, push back to the starting position with your arms locked out.
LEG PRESS
8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps
Sit on leg press machine with both feet on the plate, shoulder-width apart. Lower the safety bars and inhale as you slowly lower the platform until your upper and knees are at a 90-degree angle. Drive through your heels to return to the start position.
BARBELL SQUAT
8 reps x 3 sets
Inhale, then lower into a squat with your legs shoulder-width apart and chest up. Aim to bend your knees to slightly less than a 90-degree angle. Exhale as you drive through your heels and straighten your legs to return to the start position.
DUMBELL PUNCHES
3 x 1 min rounds
With light dumbbells of equal weight, take a staggered stance and rapidly fire out alternate arms. Make sure to you keep your hands high and throw straight punches at the head of an imaginary target in front of you. Rest 30 seconds between rounds.
TOP TIP
Werdum undergoes fitness tests every month to measure his strength, fitness and progress, so he can change up his training if something needs to be improved. His trainers are constantly adjusting weights and rep ranges so he is forced to keep adapting. It also helps him avoid injury.
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