Just as important as being able to defend strikes is the ability to shrug off take-downs, especially if your strength is in standup and you are faceing someone who’s strength is grappling.

With striking, learning to defend punches and kicks is much more technique then it is strength and conditioning. Things like speed, relfexes, and footwork are key components to avoid tasting leather or waking up with a shin indent on your forehead.

For defending take-downs, however, although a lot of it is technique, quickness, and timing, strength and conditioning is a very important factor.

If you have a strong core, powerful hips, and strong legs, you will be able to stuff take-downs and avoid being thrown off balance and dropped on the canvas with much more ease.

So if you want to have the type of take-down defense that Brandon “The Truth” Vera displayed against his 3 round fight with Randy Couture at UFC 105 or the type of leg and core strength that keeps Georges St. Pierre on his feet against the sports most experienced wrestlers, then following a mma workout routine designed to develop this type of strength is key.

Keep in mind that mma conditioning workouts should supplement this workout below, because if your heart and muscles exaust quickly, then it doesn’t matter how strong of legs and core you have and even how good your technique is, you’ll wind up on your back if you’re just too tired to defend.

MMA workout routine for developing strength to shrug off take-downs:

Squats: 5 x 5 – Strong quadricepts are fundemental for a strong stance and sense of grounding. Heavy barbell squats are the king of the hill when it comes to developing powerful leg strength.

Dumbbell Split Squats: 4 x 12 each leg – This exercise will help develop the leg strength, conditioning, and balance needed when trying to stay in control when you opponent has a single leg on you. Do each rep focusing on one leg at a time at a medium tempo to really simulate the burn you’ll feel in your legs when you’re in the later rounds of a fight and your conditioning has already been taxed.

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 3 x 10 – This exercise is complimentary to heavy barbell squats. It will develop strength in every muscle from the back of your heels to the back of our shoulders, with an emphasis on the hamstrings and lower back – two of the most important muscles used when stuffing common take-downs. Like the squats, work hard and heavy on these.

Kettlebell Swings: 3 x 20 – This exercise is becoming more and more popular with mma fighters, as it is one of the best exercises for developing a strong core, legs, and explosive hip strength which is essential for defending take-downs. To work on your conditioning, super-set these right after each set of stiff-legged deadlifts.

Sprawl Burpees: As many reps till failure – These are the same thing as burpees, with a little mma twist. Instead of kicking your legs out in the traditional manner in the burpee, alternate sprawling your legs out to each side, simulating as if an opponent was shooting in for each leg.

Incorporate this into your mma workout routine if take-down defense is one of your weaknesses. You’ll begin to notice the difference after a few months of developing your legs and core this way at how much more grounded you are and more stable you feel against your opponents take-down attempts, assuming, of course, you have good technique as well.

Train hard fellow fighters and fans,

Derek Manuel
MMA Workout Routine