Contrary to what many believe, the importance of weight room training when preparing for mixed martial arts fights cannot be understated. Over the years, many people mistakenly believe that weight training will cause loss of flexibility and a decrease in speed and this is not so when weight training is tailored to martial arts requirements. Weight room training is a very important part of Mixed martial arts training for a very a number of reasons.
A mixed martial artist needs not only the strength and power for use as an attack but must also have the muscle power and stamina to absorb an attack from his opponent. Stretching is very important as it helps create flexibility by increasing your range of motion and the better your range of motion, the more muscle fiber will be stimulated, the more muscle will be produced. This not only increases your strength but also your balance, speed, and agility. It also helps provide protection against injury of the tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue.
When thinking about weight training, it is vital to remember that there are many forms of weight training and these forms are used to suit the individual and what they are trying to achieve. Sometimes, the word weight training conjures up the picture of a huge muscle-bound weight lifter or a massive footballer. These people work at producing large muscles to lift heavy weights for a short time. With mixed martial arts training, the artist wants to increase muscle strength while producing greater speed and stamina.
It should be obvious that if one person has been training and doing squats and bench presses, he is going to be stronger than the guy who only does half the amount of weight training. Nobody is suggesting that you go to the gym and begin to bulk up, far from it. But with a program especially for the mixed martial artist, with your body weight and shape in mind, you will be able to notice a difference in no time. As an example, doing 3 sets of 15 reps of squats, the same with leg curls and leg extensions, add to this walking lunges, standing or seated calf raises, all while using dumbbells (not overly heavy) and including some bench presses should see you building strength fairly quickly.
At this stage, though, as with any new mixed martial arts training regimes, you may notice some soreness as you will be working muscles that have not been worked at this intensity before. Any soreness will decrease as your body adjusts to this new regimen and begins to strengthen. It is wise to consult a trainer at your gym with regards to the exact type of weight training that is right for you. Advise him that you do mixed martial arts and as a precaution, be sure to advise him of any injuries you have had in the past.
