Revered S&C guru Martin Rooney reveals how to build strength and power simultaneously.

MMA athletes, like a Jon Jones, are now recognized as some of the fittest athletes in the world. Competitors like the UFC light heavyweight champion have it all: speed, strength, power and endurance. 

If you want a Jones-like physique, there are a few demands that you have to make on your training. Such as gain strength, gain explosive power and not to gain much weight in the process. Strength is necessary for the clinch and submission moves that are essential during a fight. Explosive power is needed to deliver Jones-esque crushing strikes and quick takedowns.

Since the fight game is weight-class based, it benefits a fighter to develop these qualities while still remaining in the same weight division.  Until recently, people did not believe you could develop these traits simultaneously. This feature will demonstrate that programs can be built using a combination of exercises to build multiple attributes at one time.

After a decade of training many of the top fighters in numerous disciplines, I realized that there was a point at which every athlete made a major jump from one level of proficiency to a higher level. 

The common thread that resulted in this improvement was the use of combinations.

The ability to combine moves or attacks in mixed martial arts is critical to keep the opponent off guard and to enhance the chance of victory. 

For example, if all the grappler attempts is the armbar, or the striker relies on the cross, the fighter is going to become predictable and have limited success. 

If, however, these athletes learn to combine these moves (like adding a triangle or omoplata to the armbar, or a jab and hook to complement the cross), now the fighter becomes more dangerous. 

So, the lesson is that something by itself, no matter how well done, is not as powerful as when it is combined with complementary things.

This is the lesson that I will apply to help describe the physical training concept of 'complex training.'

What is Complex Training?

This form of training is simply a style of workout that uses both a heavy resistance exercise followed by an explosive plyometric exercise that utilizes the same muscles. Complex training works on both the muscular and nervous systems to help stimulate the large, powerful fast-twitch muscle fibers. 

By exciting the fast twitch fibers with both the strength and plyometric complementary exercises, the body is put in an enhanced training situation and gets exposed to a greater stimulus than by just using one method at a time. 

Rules for Complex Training

I suggest that before attempting this style of training, you make sure you have been doing some strength and plyometric training.

I believe that to fully attain the benefits from complex training, you should first have been training in and attempting to perfect the forms separately before you start making combinations. 

Once you are ready to combine the strength and power exercises, you can choose to order them either power and then strength or strength followed by power. I prefer that the power exercise is used after the strength (say a jump after a squat) and research recommends that rest should be kept to about three minutes between sets of combinations. 

TFW Complex Workout

During the following workout, you will alternate a strength and a power exercise. The strength exercise is performed for a six-repetition maximum. The plyometric exercise will be performed for 8–10 repetitions and will be performed as fast as possible immediately (15–30 sec) after the strength exercise.

For this workout, you will perform the first two groups of exercises, wait three minutes and then repeat for three sets before moving on to the next exercise. The entire workout should take under one hour.

EIGHT EXERCISES TO HELP YOU BUILD STRENGTH AND POWER

Barbell Back Squat and Barbell Jump Squat 

To execute: Perform a back squat with your six-repetition maximum weight and then perform 10 jumps with the barbell. Perform all the jumps quickly in a row. Rest three minutes and repeat for three sets.

Floor Press and Plyo Hip Slap 

To execute: Perform a floor press with your six-repetition maximum weight and then perform 10 hip-slap push-ups. Drop the chest down and then press up violently and slap the hands on the thighs. Rest three minutes and repeat for three sets.

Quick tip: Be sure to exhale when pushing up and inhale when going down.

Good Morning and Jump Squat

To execute: Perform good mornings with your six-repetition maximum weight and then perform 10 jump squats. Perform the jumps all in a row and maximally use the arms to assist. Rest three minutes and repeat for three sets.

Bent-Over Barbell Row and Overhead Med Ball Throw

Pro Tip: To perform the bent-over barbell row correctly, bend over the bar keeping the back straight. Grab the bar with a wide overhand grip and sharply pull the bar to your upper waist without slouching.

To execute: Perform barbell rows with your six-rep maximum and then perform 10 overhead med ball throws. The overhead throws can be against a wall or with a partner and should resemble a football (soccer) throw-in. Rest three minutes and repeat for three sets.