Bulking goals/Crossfit/general training question

[Masterkiller]

I'm 6'3 205 and I look plenty skinny. My coach wants me to fight at 170 or 180, but I don't want to fight anywhere under 185 bc I want to gain more muscle and weight cutting kills any progress that I make. I am eating 3500 cals a day when I am not trying to cut weight and I want to eventually try Crossfit.

Question is, should I just stop all MMA training until I reach my bulking goals? And should I try Crossfit now while I am still skinny or would I be better off doing regular free weight workouts for another month or two and then use Crossfit to mainitain conditioning.

[MurphysLawyer]

You're all over the place here so let me take this piece by piece-

1. Why does your coach want you to fight at 170? Does he think you would do well there for any special reason? Is he trying to fill a hole in a team lineup?

2. Why do you want to bulk up? Strength or just to look jacked? I'm sure you know this but looks have zip to do with performance

3. Want to try Crossfit? No time like the present. Be warned it is NOT a hypertrophy or a strength oriented program!!! It's aimed at increasing overall work capacity and does a pretty good job at hitting anaerobic endurance, but it won't make you jacked or beast strong. Why do you want to do it in the first place?

[Masterkiller]

Thanks for replying, so I'll answer the questions in order.

1. When I first joined his gym I was around 199. His first reaction upon seeing me was that I should aim at fighting at 170. I weigh myself every day, but I look alot skinnier. People never believe me when I tell them how much I weigh, but Hell I just got weight by the doctor with clothes on and I was at 210. So while I'm not certain exactly why my coach keyed on 170, it's likely how I looked and he envisioned a tremendous reach advantage for me there. But this partly leads to my explanation of your second question.

2. I simply don't like looking thin. Or appearing to be skinny. So I want to bulk up for personal reasons not tied to fighting, I realize that going to far could put me above a weight class where my height would be an advantage, so I still intend to cut to 185, but lower than that, and I can't see my physique going to a point where I would like it to be.

I could definitely stand to be stronger as well. My technique is solid, but I feel that the only thing that is lacking in my going to another level with my abilities is strength and better conditioning. I'm going after the strength side of it first.

3. I like the workout. I want to have the amount of functional strength and endurance that it takes to perform the workouts, so I see it as more of a test of myself, much as MMA is. My question deals (and you pretty much answered this) whether I can rely on it for my primary workout. I intend to do it at some point, but should I concentrate on compound muscle-building workouts before distracting myself with Crossfit?

Hope that clears things up.

[FSUfightfan06]

Do you know your percent body fat? Reaching a weight where u can but to 170 if youre already really lean is going to be a bit of a challenge. And you wanna get big, I can tell you you gotta eat big and MMA can definetely not be your primary work out for size/power.
Sadly size is best achieved by higher volume moderate intensity lifting you knwo the stand 3 set 10 reps. Problem is the muscle is useless in fighting, sure you gain weight but you'll lose speed, unless your training your muscle's for speed and power, but that won't get you size but you'll hit a lot harder.

So the real question is do you wanna look like a fighter or do you want to hit hard like a fighter?

[Masterkiller]

Originally Posted by FSUfightfan06

Do you know your percent body fat? Reaching a weight where u can but to 170 if youre already really lean is going to be a bit of a challenge. And you wanna get big, I can tell you you gotta eat big and MMA can definetely not be your primary work out for size/power.
Sadly size is best achieved by higher volume moderate intensity lifting you knwo the stand 3 set 10 reps. Problem is the muscle is useless in fighting, sure you gain weight but you'll lose speed, unless your training your muscle's for speed and power, but that won't get you size but you'll hit a lot harder.

So the real question is do you wanna look like a fighter or do you want to hit hard like a fighter?

This is a good point, and I realize that I may have to sacrifice one for the other. I also can only get so big if I want to be able to cut to 185. So I guess my ultimate goal is speed and power. I already am eating more than I used to. Still strength is a big issue for me in BJJ. My technique is good but explosive strength and muscle endurance is lacking. This is a concern. I assume that it will come with better conditioning, but I don't want to be overpowered late in a fight that I can win.

Haven't checked my bodyfat lately, but it's gone up for sure since the beginning of the year partly due to the calories I'm taking in and the lack of cardio.

[pittelp]

Try the stickies.