8 Reason's to Include Shadowboxing in Your MMA Training Workouts

MMA Training Workouts, MMA Workouts

November 20th, 2009

8 Reason’s to Include Shadowboxing in Your MMA Training Workouts

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Derek Manuel

The Importance of Shadowboxing in Your MMA Training Workouts

There is a ridiculous amount exercises and drills mixed martial artists have to select from in their mma training workouts. Boxing drills, grappling drills,

the millions of mma strength and conditioning exercises such as battling ropes, tire flipping, weighted sleds, kettlbells, uphill sprinting, circuits,

chicken chasing, sledgehammers, heavy bag training, speed bag drills, etc. (not really chicken chasing, I’m just trying to keep your attention)

But one thing I suggest to mma fighters all the time is to stick to the basics. Whether you are beginning mma or are an established mma fighter, working

hard on the basics is NEVER EVER a bad idea.

One of the most basic exercises that should never be left out of your mma training workouts is shadowboxing; although don’t let the name limit you to just

throwing punches.

There are few exercises and drills that compare to the many benefits of beating the living hell out of an imaginary opponent for several minutes.

Here is a list of SOME of the benefits of shadowboxing:

- Improved footwork (one of the most undeveloped and ignored attributes in mma)

- Foot and hand speed development

- MMA specific nueromuscular effiency

- Immediate feedback in form (when in front of mirror)

- Aerobic conditioning

- Anaerobic conditioning

- Developing combinations

- Noticing and breaking patterns/bad habits (again, a mirror is needed for this one

Not to forget…. it’s fun as hell! Who doesn’t like standing in front of a mirror in an empty room pretending to be in the octogan fighting for the title?

Practice shadowboxing in rounds, such as rounds in a fight. You can add all sorts of various forms of progression such as shorter rest periods, intense

and face paced striking/sprawling for one minute followed by light boxing for a minute for 5 or more minute rounds, or using gloves or light dumbbells

(no more then 3lbs max is needed and any more can actually be bad for your shoulders).

Shadowboxing has always been a staple in a boxers training regime, and I am suggesting that it become a staple in your mma training workouts.

This was also a staple in Bruce Lee’s daily training routines, and if you know anything about me, you know how much I love Bruce Lee. If Bruce gives it

the thumbs up, then there is no reason why it shoudn’t be a main component in your mma training workouts.

Muhammad Ali Shadowboxing

There is a ridiculous amount exercises and drills mixed martial artists have to select from in their mma training workouts.

Boxing drills, grappling drills, the millions of mma strength and conditioning exercises such as battling ropes, tire flipping, weighted sleds, kettlbells, uphill sprinting, circuits, chicken chasing, sledgehammers, heavy bag training, speed bag drills, etc. (not really chicken chasing, I’m just trying to keep your attention).

One thing I suggest to mma fighters all the time is to stick to the basics. Whether you are beginning mma or are an established mma fighter, working hard on the basics is NEVER EVER a bad idea.

One of the most basic exercises that should never be left out of your mma training workouts is shadowboxing; although don’t let the name limit you to just throwing punches.

There are few exercises and drills that compare to the many benefits of beating the living hell out of an imaginary opponent for several minutes.

Here is a list of SOME of the benefits of shadowboxing:

1. Improved footwork (one of the most undeveloped and ignored attributes in mma)

2. Foot and hand speed development

3. MMA specific nueromuscular efficiency

4. Immediate feedback in form (when in front of mirror)

5. Aerobic conditioning

6. Anaerobic conditioning

7. Developing combination’s

8. Noticing and breaking patterns/bad habits (again, a mirror is needed for this one

Not to forget…. it’s fun as hell! Who doesn’t like standing in front of a mirror in an empty room pretending to be in the ring or cage fighting for the title?

Practice shadowboxing in rounds, such as rounds in a fight.

You can add all sorts of various forms of progression such as shorter rest periods, intense and face paced striking/sprawling for one minute followed by light boxing for a minute for 5 or more minute rounds, or using gloves or light dumbbells (no more then 3lbs max is needed and any more can actually be bad for your shoulders).

Summary

Shadowboxing has always been a staple in a boxers training regime, and I am suggesting that it become a staple in your mma training workouts.

This was also a staple in Bruce Lee’s daily training routines, and if you know anything about me, you know how much I love Bruce Lee.

If it’s good enough for my man Bruce, then it’s good enough for you and I – and should be a main component in your mma training workouts.

Train hard fellow fighters and fans,

Derek Manuel
MMA Training Workouts