When it comes to fight conditioning, Glover Teixeira takes it back to the beginning of his career. “When I lost my first fight [losing to Eric Schwartz in WEC 3 in 2002] I couldn’t even hold my water bottle between rounds, I was so tired. My conditioning was so bad and that’s the worst feeling in the world – getting tired in a fight. There and then I said to myself. 'I never want to feel like that again.'
Hooking up with John Hackleman, Glover went to work on his strength and conditioning - and the results have been clear for all to see.
"John has created a CrossFit-style training regime which he calls ‘CrossPit,’ because it’s more for fighters and we don’t have all the things that CrossFit athletes do. The idea is the same, but John helped mold it for fighters.
“We’ll use the rowing machine and we’ll row for four minutes hard, and you’ll be incredibly tired, but then you’ll go and wrestle for four or five minutes, and do three or four rounds. We also use really heavy medicine balls, sledgehammers, sprinting and so on. That’s my conditioning and I’m telling you it works great.”
THE CROSSPIT WORKOUT
Warm-up
- 400 meter row (steady pace)
- 10 press-ups
- 10 lie-ups
- 10 sprawls
- 10 lunges
Rest and stretch for 20 minutes
Circuit:
- 1km run
- 15 thrusters
- 800m run
- 10 lunges alternating each leg
- 30 leg kicks to the bag (alternating)
- 15 press-ups
- 600m run
- 15 wall ball shots
- 40 hard and fast punches on heavy bag
- 10 box jumps
- 400m run
- 10 sprawls
- 10 lie-ups
- 200m run
- 8 overhand pull-ups
- 50 hard and fast punches on heavy bag
BOX JUMPS
These boost your explosiveness markedly, working masses.of your posterior chain – vital in producing punching power.
Pro tip: Try keeping your feet close together on the ground.
Glover also incorporates these two fitness staples into his daily routine:
BARBELL POWER CLEAN
If you’re not familiar with performing the power clean experts advise that you master the proper dead lift technique first, and have someone guide you through correct power clean technique for safety and efficiency.
MEDICINE BALL SWINGS
If you wanted one move which just might be responsible for Glover’s wicked stand-up power, these medicine ball swings might be it. They’ll really challenge your rotational power, and help you deliver Glover-style power shots. Be fast and powerful – your left and right hooks will thank you later.
