Fighters Only

Issue 089

June 2012

Barry Gibson BSc and MMA-CSCC is the owner/founder of GrappleFit Training, and an S&C coach focusing on combat sports. Isometric workouts are the key to building strength and stamina for holding onto submissions.

In the April issue I covered iso-dynamic protocols for fighters and looked specifically at punching isometric workouts. This month, as promised, I’m returning to the theme to cover isometric routines for grapplers and wrestlers.

For grapplers, the obvious carryover for isometric strength is obvious, or at least it should be! We’ve all been in the situation where we’re hanging onto a submission that is really close but not quite there. The ability to hold that position until your opponent tires is paramount. If your arms gas, or your grip gives out, then you can’t hold that sub any longer and your opponent escapes.

However, if you train hard and work quality isometric drills into your program then you’ll be able to rip limbs off – well, not quite, but you get the picture. Remember, isometric implies no change in the length of the muscle, so for fighting sports, this is the type of work where you’re clamping on a choke against a tight defense, or trying to prize on an armbar. This is where you are pushing against the might of your opponent but there is no ‘give’ from either side.

Here are some specific movements for helping you clamp on a choke, or prize on an armbar.

FO ISOMETRIC WORKOUT DRILL 1

KB swings: 10 reps

Barbell hang cleans: 6 reps

Ring dips: 6 reps

Rope climbs: 2-5 trips

Rope armbars (technically not isometric but it is on the grip!)

Perform the above for maximum rounds in a 20 min timeframe.

Tire flips: 4 -6reps

Ring push-ups: 8-10 reps

Lockdown hold Thai clinch pull-ups: 8-10 reps

Isometric hang-on lockdown: Max effort. You can use a regular pull-up bar for this, just position your hands as close to a Thai clinch as possible.

Perform the above for 5–6 rounds with 60 seconds rest in between.