Issue 094
November 2012
Fighters Only presents the only technique that’ll deliver the strength to hold your opponents in a clinch or dominate them on the ground without moving a single joint
To build strength and muscle, you don’t necessarily have to get moving. In fact, sometimes you barely have to move at all. And such is the case with the strength-building system called isometric training. It has you doing a full-body routine that will train your muscles without moving your joints.
Research in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology found that this kind of exercise works as well as dynamic training (the traditional up and down, full range of motion method) at building muscle and strength. That’s because moving a weight or resisting against gravity generates tension. You’ll create it and stress your muscle fibres, creating growth and strength, by holding a weight in a stationary position.
“This is great for exercisers who have an injury they want to work around or for fighters who under perform in the clinch or while grappling on the ground,” says Brendan Chaplin (brendanchaplin.co.uk), a strength coach to MMA athletes and designer of this program.
So although MMA athletes do need to be explosive they also need to hold their opponent’s limbs in place and that’s the isometric strength that’ll dominate when you’re on the mat. If you’ve got any doubts, Bruce Lee was a huge fan of this type of training. Here’s how you can hold on tight to victory.
Repetitions
Always warm up with one set of 12 reps using a full range of motion on the exercise you’re about to do statically.
Hold long
You should hold each rep for 10–15 seconds and do 2–3 sets of 8–10 reps.
Intensity
You’ll be able to hold a much bigger weight than you can lift so don’t wimp out and use a light weight. Once you can hold a weight for more than 20 seconds then increase it by 15–30%
Rest
Have a one-minute rest between each set.
TRAINING SCHEDULE
Do this workout one to three times a week as part of your MMA training schedule. Complete 2–3 sets of 8–10 reps per drill.
FO’S STATIC WORKOUT FOR MMA
1) Squat holds
Works: Hamstrings, glutes and quads
With a barbell across the back of your shoulders, slowly bend your knees until they’re bent 90 degrees. Hold this position for 10 seconds.
Push back up through your heels to the start position.
2) Smith machine flat bench press
Works: Shoulders, triceps, chest and abs
Place a flat bench beneath a Smith machine. Lie face up on the bench and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the bar. Lift and turn the barbell off the supports. Lower it towards the middle of your chest.
Stop when the bar is about 20–30cm above your chest – a study by the University of Missouri found that this partial range of movement is effective at developing maximal strength on the bench press. Hold this position for 10 seconds then press the bar to the start position and go again.
3) Chin-up holds
Works: Forearms, biceps and lats
Grab a chin-up bar with an overhand grip and position yourself on the machine’s seat with your knees beneath the pads. Place your hands one-and-a-half times shoulder-width and sit on the seat.
Keeping your head and back straight, slowly pull yourself up until you’re about 10cm away from the bar with your chest. Hold for 10 seconds then release.
4) Lateral raises
Works: Shoulders
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand. Let the weights hang to your sides and keep a slight bend in your elbows with your palms facing each other.
Raise your arms straight out to your sides like a bird flapping its wings. Stop when the weights are even with the tops of your shoulders and hold that position for 10 seconds. Lower them along the same path to the start position.
5) Dips
Works: Shoulders, chest and abs
Grab the parallel bars of a dip station and lift yourself so your body weight rests on your hands. Keep your arms straight but not locked. Bend your knees and cross your ankles.
Rest your elbows close to your sides and lower yourself until your elbows are bent just above 90 degrees or until you can feel the most tension being placed on your chest and triceps. Hold for 10 seconds then press yourself back up.
6) Dumbbell upright rows
Works: Hamstrings, glutes and quads
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold two dumbbells in front by your waist.
Raise the weights straight up keeping your palms facing your body, until they’re just below your chin. Do it slowly; over-enthusiasm could land a knockout punch. Hold this position for 10 seconds then release to the start.
7) Machine hamstring curls
Works: Hamstrings
Lie on a hamstring curl machine. Push your abs onto the bench so your lower back is flat. Keep your knees slightly bent with your Achilles tendons resting on the pads.
Bend your knees to curl your feet towards your glutes while tensing your hamstrings in the process. Hold that end position for 10 seconds then lower back to the start position. This will give your opponent no hope of escaping your closed guard.
8)Barbell biceps curl
Works: biceps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a barbell with an underhand grip. Keeping your upper arms tucked against your sides. Bend your elbows to curl the weight up until your upper arm and forearm are at 90 degrees to each other - hold that position for 20 seconds. Slowly lower to the start position, kissing your guns at the end of each rep is optional but not recommended.
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