In a typical MMA workout routine that focus’s on using body-weight, most people think of exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, bear crawls, etc.

Though these are indeed excellent bodyweight exercises, another method fighters should include in their mma strength and conditioning workouts are doing resistance exercises, such as with dumbbells or barbells, using actual bodyweight as the resistance.

Though it’s key to condition your body to get comfortable moving it’s own weight, it’s important not to forget that when you’re in a MMA fight, you’re not just battling your own resistance, but that of your opponents.

That being said, it is equally important that you include this type of resistance training in your mma workout routine.

Here are some of the most important exercises you should be doing in your mma workouts with your bodyweight as the resistance:

- Bench press’s

- Squats

- Deadlifts (both regular and stiff-legged)

- Lunges (both forward and reverse)

- Bent-Over Barbell Rows

- Shoulder Press’s

A good measure of relative strength, which is your strength to bodyweight ratio, is to be able to perform at least a couple reps of each of these exercises with your bodyweight in good form.

If you find yourself not able to do at least 3 -5 reps with any of these exercises with your bodyweight in good form, then you know a good place to start.

For exercises that you find relatively lighter, such as with squats and deadlifts, you can work on your strength endurance with these exercises through various mma workout routines.

Most people struggle with the lunges and the shoulder presses at this weight, so you may want to build up your levels of strength with these exercises first before working them into your mma workout routines for strength endurance.

After all, it’s called strength endurance, if you have no strength to begin with, what the hell are you trying to endure – weakness?

Next time, before one of your mma workouts, record the amount of reps you can do for each exercise above (remember to have a spotter) in good form, and make it a goal to increase these numbers every several months.

Don’t forget to share your results below!

Train hard, train smart, fellow fighters and fans.

Derek Manuel
MMA Workout Routine