[Burkatron]

Guys, how's it going?
My name is Dave and I'm a 24 year old from Ireland, being training in Kenpo Karate on and off for the past 9 years, Muay thai on and off for 6 and Juji on and off for 4 years. Anyway, I've never really had the time until this year to combine them all effectively for MMA training and be able to tailer an effective complimentary weight training schedule (always have done a generic programme since I was 18) anywho I was training to start into MMA back in October 05, unfortunately in Feb last year I broke my ankle and I've only really recovered now. Was hoping someone could point me in the right direction for a decent strength building programme as thats where I've always fallen down when grappling guys at the same standard as me as I usually fight at around 162 middleweight but the bigger guys who cut down often over power me (I'm only 5'6, I bulk up but never seem to get the strength gains I want. I've being told it's becaus Im too nice when it comes down to it... I can be mean grr). At the moment Im down to 154 and am itching to start training hard again after another injury lay off...Any guideance/advice will be much appreciated.
Cheers guys,
Dave

[Team Dragonfire]

Dave, I think your number one issue to handle here is how to deal with good ground guys and working on developing those skills. Your strength will help, but I can tell you that although getting a strong guy to the ground that doesn't want to go is a pain... it's easy for somebody with a good grappling game. So first priority is to work on those skills.

Second, as far as strength, we're all big fans of the 5x5 in the stickies but there's also a lot of other exercises you need to be working including, but not limited to (lower body plyometrics, core training, upper body plyometrics, grip training, etc.).

p.s. thanks for not asking how to get a 6-pack or big gunz

[DEVILsSON]

The best suggestion is to pick few big lifts covering your entire body and try to get as strong in them as possible......you'll be amazed at how much athletecism/strength/power you can gain from deadlifts alone......

[Burkatron]

Originally Posted by Team Dragonfire

p.s. thanks for not asking how to get a 6-pack or big gunz

Haha, no problem dude...I take it they're common questions then, must be painful to read after a while.

Cheers for the tips guys, I'll read more into the 5x5's, they seem quite popular when I've searched before, theres just SO MANY different articles with different opinions and techniques I said I might aswell ask as I'm finding it hard to make a decision. Again, cheers guys!

Oh yeah, I'm training away at my ground game, I understand that technique wins over strength most of the time but I'd love to be able to apply a bit more strength to my technique if you get what I'm saying althought technique should allow me to do that anyway I suppose, just thinking the stronger I am the stronger I can make my techniques....

[Waxwingslain]

Whatever the reason, we all want more strength.

Decide whether you have time and energy enough for a 1, 2 or 3 day a week split after you're done MMA training and get back to us with the exercises you've picked.

[Burkatron]

Edit: Nevermind completely missed the FAQ, apologies. I thought I'd read through all the stickies. Cheers stonebreaker as it's pointed me mostly to what I was asking originally

[Stonebreaker]

Hmm. Maybe you didn't read the FAQ after all.

Go do that, and ammend your proposed workout before the real flaming starts. Fast.

If endurance and hypertrophy are your primary goals, then you're probably looking in the wrong place. Check the Conditioning subforum for some good endurance info, but you'll probably need to go elsewhere (BB.com, etc.) if you're just looking for muscle bulk.

[Lard-ass]

dude, you need to throw away 90% of those exercises.

As other will point out, a good program are built on compund movements such as

Squat
deadlift
OHP
Pullups/chins
BOR
Bench

[dexter c]

All I see wrong is the bicep 21's. Them shits need to be 52's.


I kid, I kid. Reading that, I sounded like Homer Simpson picking a peewee football team.

Why dont you like deadlifts? What are the knee and ankle issues that prevent you from squatting freeweight? Leg extensions place shearing force upon the knee, and the Smith Machine forces an incorrect bar path on squats, which is also not great for the knees.

[Burkatron]

Dexter C, it's a choice rather then a must. When I was younger, between the ages of 13-16 I butchered my knee playing soccer, it was always my left, 2 meniscus operations and a cruciate ligament operation left my knee sensitive for a long time, I barely suffer at this stage but for some reason whenever I've done Free bar squats my knee suffers, I find it's just weak in the vastus medialis area and my knee knocks in. I correct it everytime but still find It bad, the Smith Machine gives me the assurance that if my Knee does collapse I'm not going to end up in a heap, so its atleast a mental check. I also broke my ankle anastamosing the anterior talo fibular ligament just over a year ago and have found that I'm only getting the flexability back in it now so again, it's a mental check...I dont know what my adversity to deadlifts is but i'm going to rectify that.

Thanks lard-ass, I always found that programme I mentioned very generic, but my coaches have always recommended similar but again with compound movements the likes of dead lifts and military presses added in, I'll have to focus more on compound movements for the moment and see how I get on