Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is one of the most physically and mentally challenging sports there is. On television it may seem like nothing more than a brutal combat sport, but beyond the caged octagon there is a lot more going on which goes unnoticed. Leading up to a competition, there are endless MMA training exercises that a fighter utilizes.  They push the boundaries and test the very limits of their mental and physical toughness to see what their body is truly capable of.  All things considered, there really is an artistic aspect to exercising when you take into account the time, effort and attention to detail that goes into sculpting the human frame in preparation for competition.

With regards to MMA, if the body is the art form, then the MMA fighter is the artist, and the exercise training routines are the tools. As with most types of art, the artist with the best tools and the most talent will produce the best work.  Over time, the fighter with the highest level of motivation and the most challenging, intense, well-rounded workout routine (tools) can develop a greater set of skills, strength and stamina (talent) and ultimately produce the body with the best physical and mental fitness (human art).   It is apparent that a majority of MMA fighters possess excellent physical and mental fitness.  Therefore, one could arguable say that the MMA Industry is home to some of the best human art forms.

While MMA fighters must possess the motivation and fighting techniques required to take part in competition, the workout routine that they use to get them there is what separates them from the rest.  Below is a list of some of the tools that a mixed martial artist utilizes:

• Hill Sprints: No workout is really complete without a good cardio session and MMA fighters have a difficult but rewarding one. Hill sprints build stamina and teach the body how to recover while acting as a perfect warm up to a great workout.  Yet, this isn’t a workout for everyone and is best done with the right equipment like comfortable shoes that soften each step and MMA t-shirts that help keep the body from overheating during the session.

• Dive Bombers: Dive Bombers may seem like nothing more than push ups but are actually much more. Unlike a simple pushup, dive bombers work many muscles that can go unused during normal push ups thus working many different muscles groups which MMA fighters love utilize much more frequently than others.

• Burpees:  Burpees don’t require many resources to take advantage of them.  In fact, Burpees could be done from the comfort of your own home. However, these exercises can be difficult to maintain and do push the body to work as one fluid unit. Many MMA fighters use this exercise as one of the basic foundations to their workouts because of its effectiveness.

• Mountain Climbers: For many MMA fighters Mountain Climbers  are the best abs workout there is. This is another example of a simple workout that’s quick but gets the job done. It’s also great for someone who is looking for an alternative to sit ups and crunches.

• Kettlebells: For MMA fighters it’s important to have strong, big muscles, but more important to have muscles that are sleek and lightweight. Kettlebells allow different weight training exercises to be incorporated into a routine other than the standard curls and bench presses. However, this is an intense workout for most average gym goers and should be done with MMA gear to help ward off injury.

• Jumping Jacks/Jumping Rope: These two workouts may seem unlike the others, but don’t ignore the importance of jumping jacks and jumping rope. They help to build balance, speed, and stamina and are a great way to keep the blood flowing towards the end of the workout.

• Climbing Rope: Climbing rope may be the exercise that everyone remembers hating from grade school, but it’s one of the best workouts for building the arms and for pushing someone to their limits.  The simple nature of them forces an individual to complete the exercise because if you quit in the middle, you’ll be suspended in mid-air.

MMA workouts can seem complex, difficult, and intense at times, but they are designed to be for a reason.  If you can incorporate any aspect of an MMA workout routine into your daily regime, you too could develop the necessary tools and talent to become the next top notch human art form.  All you need is the right frame of mind, in some cases the correct MMA equipment, and a strong desire to improve your overall health.

Article Via MMAindustries

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Matt

Co-Founder at Share It Fitness

Matt has been involved in the fitness industry for over 10 years and has worked with, and helped countless individuals improve their lives. After college, Matt started his fitness career working in the trenches as a personal trainer for a big corporate gym. It was here he saw how impersonal Big Fitness really was. Clients weren't people, they were just sales waiting to be made. After branching out and starting his own personal training business in San Diego, Matt soon developed the idea of Share It Fitness and started our (now highly successful) blog. A fitness junkie himself, Matt knows the importance of incorporating exercise into your life. When he isn't working at Share It Fitness, you can find Matt running, biking, taking yoga, or pumping iron around San Diego.

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