Weight training for MMA

SheddingSkin

SheddingSkin

New member
In an earlier thread I asked for opinions on Krav Maga, I have decided against it and joined a school offering BJJ and Muay Thai.

I will be training 4 nights a week, an hour for each art form and one night a week of just boxing. I would like to still lift 3-4 days a week and need opinions on a weight training regiment that will help and not hinder my martial arts training.

I'm assuming BJJ is going to require a regiment which will help develop raw strength along with developing my leg drive, so would something like 5/3/1 work for BJJ?

In regards to Muay Thai, I need something to help improve my punching speed and hip drive for kicks so I'm assuming I need something with a high amount of reps to help with muscle endurance? Again I'm thinking 5/3/1 with my supplemental lifts focusing on isolated muscle group with low weights and high reps?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)
 
I can tell you this without question- if you are training BJJ and Muay Thai 4 nights a week for an hour each, you will not be weight training 3-4 days a week. MMA is VERY taxing on the body and you are talking 8 hours a week of stress on your joints and then recovery from sparring and rolling.

When I first started, I thought I could do it all and my weight training suffered horribly. My endurance was through the roof, but I was 50% as strong.

My advice would be to start training and see how your body adjusts to that workout. 8 hours of MMA a week, plus boxing, is going to kick your ass much more than it sounds. I would avoid volume work in the gym because you'll be getting plenty in your training and you really will be going to the gym to help keep overall strength up, so low-mid reps and bigger weight.
 
You couldn't be more right! I have off and on lifted weights throughout the years and I have never been more sore then I have been these past few weeks doing MMA.

My jaw hurts, my throat hurts, I have bruises all over from Muay Thai, and my body is just beat up. I love it though.

I agree I don't see myself hitting the weights as aggressively as I would like but that's ok, I'm enjoying what I'm doing and I need to work on getting my endurance up anyways.
 
My advice is to not worry about the losing strength in weight room. At least at this point. You are training your body in a new skill. You are developing different strength, your speed and cardio vascular. This is great and congrats for the balls and discipline to do it. I do not do MMA but I admire those guys. My co-worker used to fight, he now trains others - I could bury him on some lifts in the weight room. However this guys arms, shoulders and legs are gorilla-like. HE COULD CRUSH ME. A great example is gymnastics - male gymnasts build a lot of muscle just doing gymnastics. As for improving kick/punching speed and power. Athletic skill development comes from thousands of hours of training. My MMA buddy suggests the book "Bounce" he said it changed the way he trains. Good luck.
 
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