Issue 074

April 2011

Barry Gibson is a kettlebell and fitness instructor as well as a 3rd dan black belt in judo. A strength and conditioning trainer to some of the UK’s top MMA fighters (including TUF 9 winner Ross Pearson), he is available for seminars and workshops upon request. For details or to contact him with any questions or queries, email [email protected]. Check out his new E-book Real Fighters Don’t Run, available from grapplefit.com/running

I’ve been training for a strongman competition, and it’s shown me that combat athletes can gain a lot from it. Former world’s strongest man turned MMA fighter Mariusz Pudzianowski’s conditioning looked suspect in his last outing; that’s probably more to do with body composition than training incorrectly. All that bulk needs fuel, after all.

I’ve always used techniques like tire flips, farmer’s walks and sled pulls to condition my MMA athletes. There’s nothing more functional for anyone, not just fighters, than lifting heavy stuff up, carrying it, throwing stuff around, overhead pressing and sprinting!

The most desirable factor of strongman training for MMA fighters, though, is its chaotic nature. This can mirror ever-unpredictable MMA fighting. The implements used in strongman training are unbalanced, shifting and very heavy. Moreover, it can provide a sometimes much-needed change of scene during fight camp (but it should never replace skills training and actual fight-specific conditioning). Here’s some strongman drills that work great for MMA.

Sandbag ‘Carry and Load’

At World’s Strongest Man 2010 contestants carried 250lb-plus sandbags through water. Great to watch, horrible to undertake! You could use a beer keg for this instead if a sandbag isn’t available. Simply carry it as fast as you can over 20-30 meters and load it onto a platform of at least waist height. If you have more sandbags do the drill as a medley. If not, unload the bag and carry it back as fast as you can. Vary the way you carry the bag too, so you hit your musculature from different angles. Some ideas include Zercher hold (cradled in your arms), over one shoulder and over both, or overhead (this depends on the weight). 

This alone would be awesome as a workout for the time-crunched athlete. But for a great MMA transfer, perform a set of squats prior to the carry and hit some resisted ground ‘n’ pound after. The body then has to work hard to fight through fatigue to keep striking. 

Axle Deadlift

This trumps deadlifts on a regular bar as the axle measures 2” in diameter, so grip becomes the limiting factor. We all know how important grip can be in terms of combat strength, but it’s good for injury prevention too so it’s a must. My axle at Grapplefit consists of a scaffold pole with collars attached, so it needn’t be a massive expense. 

Perform the classic five-by-five reps for massive strength gains with this movement. Or for a fight-specific complex you could hit some deadlifts for six reps, followed by overhead medicine ball or tire tosses (if outdoors) for four reps, followed by some core work in the form of knees and elbows, perhaps for 30 reps. 

Chain Drag

This is another strongman staple. A sled, makeshift or otherwise, will make a fine replacement. Load it up and drag it forwards, backwards, sideways, or anyway you can imagine. Pull hard and fast. If you’re lucky enough to be able to load it really heavily, then I highly recommend you bear crawl with it, just like the athletes on World’s Strongest Man pulling trucks and jets. Perform this for time or distance depending on your goals. For an

MMA transfer, hit fast sled pulls or pushes for 50 meters, followed immediately by four vertical jumps, then grappling dummy (or floor bag) supplexes for five reps.

Farmer’s Walk

Simpler than carrying shopping bags – but certainly not easier. I use this at my facility as a finisher, and it’s exceptional. The weight should be challenging for you – for example, one of my pro boxers weighs 137lb and he regularly uses 141lb to carry over distances up to 100m.