Who hasn’t heard of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)? The contact sport is considered as among the fastest-growing sports worldwide with widespread exposure from the traditional and digital media. No wonder then that the fitness industry including commercial gyms like UFC Gym offer UFC-style fighter training classes for interested individuals who want to build their strength and endurance without the head-to-head combat.
Here are the things that you must keep in mind when you want to train like a UFC fighter.
Regular Interval Training Is a Must
The best UFC fighters build their stamina, strength and endurance on the ring through high-intensity interval training (HIIT) performed on a regular basis. This is a must because a fight demands repeated bursts of explosive and intense physical energy with periods of active rest in between, just as in HIIT sessions. This isn’t the case in other sports where extended periods of jogging, cycling or swimming will suffice.
You can, for example, perform strength training exercises in a circuit training session consisting of 10 dumbbell jump squats followed by 25 walking dumbbell lunges and finished with 10 dumbbell jump squats. Be sure to perform the succession of exercises in quick order with 30-second rest between each one and to perform five sets.
Develop Your Knockout Power
While UFC fighters don’t have the largest muscles in the fitness and sports industry – it’s the realm of bodybuilders – the strength of their knockout power can’t be underestimated. You, too, can build your knockout power by adopting a specialized strength training program, usually a four days a week regimen.
You should focus on building strength in different parts of your body for each day, such as:
- Day 1- Chest and triceps workout
- Day 2- Back and biceps exercises
- Day 3- Shoulders
- Day 4- Legs
Your weight training sessions will yield better results when you use a mix of triceps dips, bench presses, and hammer curls. You can also perform six different exercises for each muscle groups with at 6-10 reps per set and 3-4 sets for each exercise. This is the Brock Lesnar method for building knockout power like the best UFC fighter.
Of course, you have to practice sparring, if possible, so that your mind and body can be as tough as that of the best UFC fighters. You don’t have to be as intense as if you’re in the ring but, oftentimes, it’s the best way to test your gains in strength, stamina and endurance. You must also adopt the proper training diet and hydration, such as a diet rich in fish oil, coconut oil, lean meat, vegetables, and baked potatoes, as well as plenty of water.