Train like an MMA fighter | Diet and Exercise | Real Life Fitness | PhitZone

Whether you want to be a fighter or look like one, there is no doubt that some of the best conditioned athletes in the world are Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters.

In case you are not familiar with MMA, it is just as it is labeled. By themselves boxing, kickboxing and wrestling are all very one dimensional. MMA takes the best of each of these, throws in a pinch Brazilian Jujitsu (BJJ), and a dash of Muay Tai kickboxing to come up with what is arguably the most exciting fight sport to watch.

Training really breaks into two parts. First, there is the strength & conditioning portion.  For this part you do not need to attend any special class just to get in shape like a fighter. You can simply go online (see below for some video examples), and see some examples of various ways that fighters train to become conditioned and stronger.

The second part is the fight portion. This is a little more involved. Fighters typically come from one certain area. For example, they may start out in a  striking art such as boxing, karate, Muay Tai, etc., or from a grappling background, such as wrestling or BJJ. The best fighters in the world expand their game to include some, if not all of these areas.

For those that really aren’t intersted in becoming the next big thing in the UFC, many gyms, martial arts dojos, and MMA training centers are now offering fitness classes that let the average person train like a fighter. These classes may be a conditioning class doing an hour or so of various circuit training strength and conditioning exercises. There are some that throw in some kickboxing, and possibly some grappling, such as that found in BJJ and wrestling.

When looking for a class with these types of training, be selective. Look for a class that is really going to challenge you. I’m sure that some of the health clubs will offer a legit class, but check it out really well. For that matter, UFC is now branding it’s own gym.

The best thing to do is to look for an actual MMA training center. These will sometimes offer a class for “non-fighters”, or even some kind of beginner MMA class. These are the real deal, so be prepared to work, and work hard.

See also:

MMA Fitness Class

Metabolic conditioning for MMA fighters