Mixed Martial Arts training is tough. There is no doubt about it and one of the hardest things to do is build genuine strength. But having a lot of strength will allow you to explode on your opponent, will increase your punching power, will make you better in the clinch and on the ground.
One thing that I want to point out here. We are not talking about doing traditional bodybuilding. We are looking for STRENGTH here not size. Just because you are big does not mean that you are necessarily strong. Remember that the key is strength not size. We are not looking to become the next Arnold Swarchenegger. We are looking to become the next Anderson Silva.
So where do we start? Well, the first and most obvious place is with your core. Your core is your abs, back muscles and all the surrounding muscles. These are the muscles that you use to generate torque on your punches, use your hips to escape… well, pretty much you use them for everything. That’s why they are vital.
One thing to look out for when doing weight training is that, unless you are doing so for weight class reasons, you really don’t need to get big. Large muscles use more oxygen and will cause you to tire out in a fight faster. Ever notice how quickly heavyweights gas out compared to the lighter weight classes. This is because their large muscles are demanding tons of oxygen to fuel them. We want to stay away from that. Remember, strength is key but not size.
