Issue 064

July 2010

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 DVD ‘Train Hard, Fight Easy and Win’, available from grapplefit.com. 

MMA is evolving beyond the single-leg, drag-down tactics of early MMA contests. Karelin-style suplexes and big sweeping judo throws are becoming popular and everyone wants to learn how to launch an opponent through the air. 

The obvious way to train these movements is by practicing them often on partners, as this will ensure the movement patterns (which are very specific to the skill) are properly engrained. But it’s not always possible to crank out 20 reps of a suplex without seriously injuring your partner! 

So what does an MMA fighter need to do to deliver awe-inspiring slams? Try one of my circuits!  

Looking at the movement, triple extension is the first thing: ankle, knee and hip extension. These are important in any lift. Proper lifting mechanics state that there needs to be a ‘hip snap’, which incorporates the hamstrings and lower back into the lift, and not just the quads. This snapping, explosive movement also ensures the opponent’s feet do not entangle the fighter’s legs to stop the throw by firing the other fighter away from the body. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.  

There is also a little complex I use to enhance your power output in this movement: 

Rack Pulls - 5 reps

Tire overhead toss - 5 reps

Sandbag death march - 50 m

Perform the above complex for 3–5 rounds with 60 sec rest. In a similar vein to previous articles, I’ve put this together with a strength movement, a power movement and a final specific movement that mirrors the initial hold on an opponent. 

The rack pull weight should be around your eight-rep max so you can finish the set relatively easily. 

The tire throw is the explosive portion of the movement that you don’t have to decelerate, so make this count. Pop your hips forward and fire the tire overhead as forcefully as possible. 

The sandbag death march is a sick finisher I use at Grapplefit to finish the fighter off. The coach or partner will stand in front of the fighter and resist the forward movement of the fighter. The level of resistance offered is up to the training partner. This will mirror the struggle of holding on to a squirming opponent as you lift. Perform this drill correctly and you’ll be firing opponents up into the air at will! 

Another obvious workout to try is the aptly named ‘heartbreaker minutes’. Suplex a dummy non-stop for one minute straight, rest for 30 seconds and repeat for a total of five rounds.  

This ensures you don’t run out of training partners by spiking them on their heads and shoulders at regular intervals! It’s a friendly way to train and promotes longevity in your training program – hopefully you’ll last a bit longer and so will your partners! 

The first drill would fit well into a power development phase; the latter would fit at any stage as a finisher. Use them wisely and you’ll notice a massive increase in your explosive power. The posterior chain involvement developed from the rack pulls and tire throws will even carry over into your other MMA skills, such as shooting, kicking and punching.