reps ?

[heady]

Hi when im doing weights should i be doing 10 x 3 , 8 x 3 then 6 x 3 moving up in weight or should i use 5 x 5
i work out with my friend he is more in to body building excersizes and wants me to do the same as him but since i do mma i want to start doing more bench,squats and deadlifting also any other lifts i should be doing ? thanks

[sjharvey]

Hi when im doing weights should i be doing 10 x 3 , 8 x 3 then 6 x 3 moving up in weight or should i use 5 x 5
i work out with my friend he is more in to body building excersizes and wants me to do the same as him but since i do mma i want to start doing more bench,squats and deadlifting also any other lifts i should be doing ? thanks

Chin up and Dip are great exercises. So are power cleans. Reps all depend on what your specific goals are and volume, which would be how many sets you do, I think is entirely dependent upon how you're progressing and how well you recover from workout to workout.

Sites like sherdog, iron addicts and strong lifts all have some very useful information in them. Check them out and see what you think.

[KidKimura]

If you don't know what you're specifically looking to do avoid sherdog.

Too many idiots who really have no idea what they're on about, its hard to filter out all the shit!

I remember reading one of Paul McVeighs articles in FO about strength training. The example plan he wrote had 4 weeks doing 3x8, 4 doing 3x5, then 4 doing 3x3. I think he said that the last week of each should be a deload week, same sets and reps just reduced weight.

Obviously big compound lifts will give you the biggest results in terms of strength gains. I like to split my work outs into push/pull/legs work outs, but thats just personal preferance.

Give it a few months and your mate will be asking you for advice when he see's how much more weight you're shifting!

[sjharvey]

If you don't know what you're specifically looking to do avoid sherdog.

Too many idiots who really have no idea what they're on about, its hard to filter out all the shit!

I remember reading one of Paul McVeighs articles in FO about strength training. The example plan he wrote had 4 weeks doing 3x8, 4 doing 3x5, then 4 doing 3x3. I think he said that the last week of each should be a deload week, same sets and reps just reduced weight.

Obviously big compound lifts will give you the biggest results in terms of strength gains. I like to split my work outs into push/pull/legs work outs, but thats just personal preferance.

Give it a few months and your mate will be asking you for advice when he see's how much more weight you're shifting!

Unfortunately filtering out the crap is almost like a job in it self.

There is a lot of contradictory information out there.

[heady]

Thanks alot
what are the best compound lifts to do ? im training mma specific really but wouldnt mind looking good :)

[DetoxGuru.com]

try slow chin ups with close grip for your arms, wide chins for your back, dips for your triceps elbows wide, and chest elbows close.

[simonmobiledisco]

it's been said, but squat, bench, deads, shoulder press, chins, dip, rows pretty much cover all of what you need. with regards to reps 5 x 5 is a great place to start an many of the greatest strength coaches recommend this.

Try moving the weight up every session if only by a tiny amount.

Keep with the same rep scheme untill you stall, then try something different. there is no right and wrong, just what works and what doesn't

Don't do a body building routine. Don't do a body building routine.

If you want more help please ask, don't listen to anyone who can't bench over their body weight, or squat 1.5 x their body weight. They have no place telling anyone how to be strong.

[sjharvey]

Well luckily I can deadlift and squat well above my body weight. Not there on my bench yet but I'm getting close.

And if you're looking to build strength, please do not waste your time with a bodybuilding program, it just doesn't work unless you already have the strength, or if you're juicing to some extent. It's not appropriate for MMA anyway.

[Justin Devonshire]

The most important aspect of MMA is the amount of explosive force you can produce, not just the amount of weight, or just the amount of speed.


To this end, I've found a great strategy is to find the heaviest weight you can explode with for 3-5 reps. By this I mean that each rep should be powerful and should not slow down at any point, but if you went above 5, the 6th rep would start to slow down and possibly stick somewhere during the rep.

Once you've found this weight, perform up to 5-7 sets. Start the first set with around 50% of your estimated 1 Rep Max, and keep adding 5-10kg with each set until you cannot do a set of 3 without your speed slowing.

Do this for no more than 4 compound exercises per session. This will help you get strong, without you going much above approximately 85% of your 1RM.

[sjharvey]

The most important aspect of MMA is the amount of explosive force you can produce, not just the amount of weight, or just the amount of speed.


To this end, I've found a great strategy is to find the heaviest weight you can explode with for 3-5 reps. By this I mean that each rep should be powerful and should not slow down at any point, but if you went above 5, the 6th rep would start to slow down and possibly stick somewhere during the rep.

Once you've found this weight, perform up to 5-7 sets. Start the first set with around 50% of your estimated 1 Rep Max, and keep adding 5-10kg with each set until you cannot do a set of 3 without your speed slowing.

Do this for no more than 4 compound exercises per session. This will help you get strong, without you going much above approximately 85% of your 1RM.

Not to argue because you prob know what you're talking about, but I've read a few times from different sources that lifting a heavy weight, with the intention of lifting it fast and explosively has a similar effect. Even if in reality the bar is moving slowly.

[Justin Devonshire]

Not to argue because you prob know what you're talking about, but I've read a few times from different sources that lifting a heavy weight, with the intention of lifting it fast and explosively has a similar effect. Even if in reality the bar is moving slowly.

I know exactly what you are talking about, and this is something that seems to be undecided among many in the field.

The solution I've provided above would of course be one of many methods that would be needed to be used for prolonged strength gains. After all, the training you used to get to 100kg (as an example) will be different to what you need to do to get to 200kg.

I'm sure the method you've spoken of (intent of explosive movement) certainly works too. Let's look at Force...

Force = M/A (Mass or weight) multiplied by Acceleration (speed)

Therefore, by lifting super heavy weights, regardless of speed we will increase overall force (power). Likewise, by lifting lighter loads extremely fast we can increase force.

However, to produce optimum force we need a decent amount of weight AND a decent amount of speed / acceleration. I believe that the method outlined above fits this requirement very well. The reason I prefer the method of slighly lighter than maximal loads is because this removes any grinding, slow reps.

These slow reps bordering on failure very quickly drain your CNS, thus having a potentially negative effect on the rest of your sets and exercises.

This is my justification, and like I said I know exactly where you are coming from with your point of view. I've weighed up the two option based on my own experience and from what I've learned academically, and I feel I should lean more toward the method I've provided.


But, as they say, the answer to a question of two extemes usualyl lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe we should do a bit of both? I'd usually receommend the above method for about 8 weeks, and then a different mode of stimulus would be required. The method of maximal weight and intent of speed would be a great substitute.

[sjharvey]

I really have come to despise weider publications.

[sjharvey]

I know exactly what you are talking about, and this is something that seems to be undecided among many in the field.

The solution I've provided above would of course be one of many methods that would be needed to be used for prolonged strength gains. After all, the training you used to get to 100kg (as an example) will be different to what you need to do to get to 200kg.

I'm sure the method you've spoken of (intent of explosive movement) certainly works too. Let's look at Force...

Force = M/A (Mass or weight) multiplied by Acceleration (speed)

Therefore, by lifting super heavy weights, regardless of speed we will increase overall force (power). Likewise, by lifting lighter loads extremely fast we can increase force.

However, to produce optimum force we need a decent amount of weight AND a decent amount of speed / acceleration. I believe that the method outlined above fits this requirement very well. The reason I prefer the method of slighly lighter than maximal loads is because this removes any grinding, slow reps.

These slow reps bordering on failure very quickly drain your CNS, thus having a potentially negative effect on the rest of your sets and exercises.

This is my justification, and like I said I know exactly where you are coming from with your point of view. I've weighed up the two option based on my own experience and from what I've learned academically, and I feel I should lean more toward the method I've provided.


But, as they say, the answer to a question of two extemes usualyl lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe we should do a bit of both? I'd usually receommend the above method for about 8 weeks, and then a different mode of stimulus would be required. The method of maximal weight and intent of speed would be a great substitute.

Yeah that does make sense. Sometimes though it's peoples technique that lets them down. I am un coached in what I do so I make it a point to ALWAYS be mindful of my form and how it looks/feels. Never had any serious injury's, Close call once though with dodgy deadliftng technique but I corrected that. Last injury I had and it was three years ago. I was back to where I was in two weeks, but it was all because of technique.

Sorry to go off topic but a heavier weight than you are used to can force you to use bad technique if you are not careful and aware of what you are doing. My point is strength is nothing if your form is bad and you get hurt.

If the person who started this thread is un coached like me then he needs to do a lot of reading related to exercise technique and try to make an effort to do some research about how to achieve what he wants.

[Justin Devonshire]

Sorry to go off topic but a heavier weight than you are used to can force you to use bad technique if you are not careful and aware of what you are doing. My point is strength is nothing if your form is bad and you get hurt.

If the person who started this thread is un coached like me then he needs to do a lot of reading related to exercise technique and try to make an effort to do some research about how to achieve what he wants.

I couldn't agree more.

However there is more to this than just the risk of bad technique and injury. Strength gains are all about managing the amount of stress you put on your CNS, not just during a workout but also through a longer period, such as a week or month.

As I said, the closer you come to muscular failure, the longer your body then needs to recover to be able to produce maximum force again.

Little and often is the key here, which is why I've found sets of 3 with an explosive technique works great. Don't forget this doesn't mean that the weight used is necesarily light (such as the usual "40-55% of 1RM" that some experts usually recommend for power)

The best strength and power coaches have always emphasised that when performing sprints for power, you should stop as soon as you beome fatigued to the point that your speed slows.

I don't see why weight training should be any different.


In fact, I think that the internationally-recognized definition of "intensity" may be flawed. If you look in any NSCA strength and conditioning textbook (or any other related source for that matter) you'll see that they define 'Intensity' as being "percentage of weight used relative to 1RM".

However, I believe we should be looking at Intensity as meaning overall force, as in power output, rather than just weight.

Consider this example:

Another sciency equation is that of true power, which is Power = Force X (times) Distance / (divided by) Time

Imagine you are Bench Pressing, and the distance from start to lockout is 2 feet (thats our distance).

Now you do 100kg for 10 reps. You use an explosive speed (under a second per rep - lets use 0.8 sec per rep as example)

Then you do 150kg for 5 reps - now the bar moves a little more slowly (one second per rep)

You go up to 180kg for 2 - The reps are now slow, and grinding (2 secs per rep)


You finish with one all out set of 200kg for 1 - This takes all your might and takes a good few seconds to lockout (3 seconds)


Now, typical literature would interprate the last set of 200kg as being the most 'Intense' because it is closer to your 1RM weight.

But if we use the Power formula above and look at each set again...

Set 1: 100 (load) x 2 (feet) / 0.8 (time to complete rep) = 250 units of power in each rep.

Set 2: 150 x 2 / 1sec = 300 units of power.

Set 3: 180 x 2 / 2secs = 180 units of power (note that this set actually produced less total power and overload than the last set...)

Set 4: 200 x 2 / 3secs = 133.3 units of power (less again)



So you can see that actually the second set with 150kg produced more overall power than the last all out rep with 200kg, even though you'd be lifting the bar with as much intent as possible.



I hope this makes some sense, sorry to go so technical and sciency. Im not trying to be big-headed or a smart-ass, Im just showing an example that backs up my reasoning for my advice. As I said, in MMA whislt maximal strength definately is vital, the bulk of your programming should be based around maximum force, or explosive power. Its how hard AND how fast you can hit, not just how hard. After all, a super strong punch done with almost no speed is just a push.

[heady]

so to simplify if i lift a heavy weight and i am struggling but still manage to get it up its ok cause it uses ur cns or should i use about 70% of my 1 rep max and lift as fast as i can for 5 reps 5 sets ?

[simonmobiledisco]

Not to argue because you prob know what you're talking about, but I've read a few times from different sources that lifting a heavy weight, with the intention of lifting it fast and explosively has a similar effect. Even if in reality the bar is moving slowly.

From purely a strength perspective, I agree with this whole heartedly.

Every rep you do should be 100% effort. Even if it's a warm up or lighter weight than your work set

[simonmobiledisco]

so to simplify if i lift a heavy weight and i am struggling but still manage to get it up its ok cause it uses ur cns or should i use about 70% of my 1 rep max and lift as fast as i can for 5 reps 5 sets ?


For now, until this doesn't work, do 5 x 5 of the SAME weight. when you do this successfully. increase the weight by a small increment (don't rush this) on the next work out. never do a body part more than twice.

Don't worry about anything else for now.

Think of it this way. Do you think you can lift 1KG more on each of your lifts next week (sure you can).

If you did that every week for a year, you could squat, bench and deadlift. 50KGs more. How much stronger do you think you would be as person if thats the case?

Reality is a little more difficult, especially with bench, but it's achievable if you are patient and work hard enough. (i put 70KG on my Deadlift in 8 months)

[simonmobiledisco]

I couldn't agree more.

However there is more to this than just the risk of bad technique and injury. Strength gains are all about managing the amount of stress you put on your CNS, not just during a workout but also through a longer period, such as a week or month.

As I said, the closer you come to muscular failure, the longer your body then needs to recover to be able to produce maximum force again.

Little and often is the key here, which is why I've found sets of 3 with an explosive technique works great. Don't forget this doesn't mean that the weight used is necesarily light (such as the usual "40-55% of 1RM" that some experts usually recommend for power)

The best strength and power coaches have always emphasised that when performing sprints for power, you should stop as soon as you beome fatigued to the point that your speed slows.

I don't see why weight training should be any different.


In fact, I think that the internationally-recognized definition of "intensity" may be flawed. If you look in any NSCA strength and conditioning textbook (or any other related source for that matter) you'll see that they define 'Intensity' as being "percentage of weight used relative to 1RM".

However, I believe we should be looking at Intensity as meaning overall force, as in power output, rather than just weight.

Consider this example:

Another sciency equation is that of true power, which is Power = Force X (times) Distance / (divided by) Time

Imagine you are Bench Pressing, and the distance from start to lockout is 2 feet (thats our distance).

Now you do 100kg for 10 reps. You use an explosive speed (under a second per rep - lets use 0.8 sec per rep as example)

Then you do 150kg for 5 reps - now the bar moves a little more slowly (one second per rep)

You go up to 180kg for 2 - The reps are now slow, and grinding (2 secs per rep)


You finish with one all out set of 200kg for 1 - This takes all your might and takes a good few seconds to lockout (3 seconds)


Now, typical literature would interprate the last set of 200kg as being the most 'Intense' because it is closer to your 1RM weight.

But if we use the Power formula above and look at each set again...

Set 1: 100 (load) x 2 (feet) / 0.8 (time to complete rep) = 250 units of power in each rep.

Set 2: 150 x 2 / 1sec = 300 units of power.

Set 3: 180 x 2 / 2secs = 180 units of power (note that this set actually produced less total power and overload than the last set...)

Set 4: 200 x 2 / 3secs = 133.3 units of power (less again)



So you can see that actually the second set with 150kg produced more overall power than the last all out rep with 200kg, even though you'd be lifting the bar with as much intent as possible.



I hope this makes some sense, sorry to go so technical and sciency. Im not trying to be big-headed or a smart-ass, Im just showing an example that backs up my reasoning for my advice. As I said, in MMA whislt maximal strength definately is vital, the bulk of your programming should be based around maximum force, or explosive power. Its how hard AND how fast you can hit, not just how hard. After all, a super strong punch done with almost no speed is just a push.

I'm sorry, but this over complicating things, especially for a beginner and Newtonian physics don't quite work the same in Weights room. I'm at work and don't have time to give examples, but for a beginner as this guy seems, i think you are going to confuse him. There is some great info in the for sure and I'm sure you have a lot of info in your brain, but particually helping someone over the net, the best thing is get him a base to work on. What do you think?

One thing i have never seen fail is a beginner gradually increasing their max lifts. The most important foundation you need is to train the CNS before the muscle.

[Justin Devonshire]

I'm sorry, but this over complicating things, especially for a beginner and Newtonian physics don't quite work the same in Weights room. I'm at work and don't have time to give examples, but for a beginner as this guy seems, i think you are going to confuse him. There is some great info in the for sure and I'm sure you have a lot of info in your brain, but particually helping someone over the net, the best thing is get him a base to work on. What do you think?

One thing i have never seen fail is a beginner gradually increasing their max lifts. The most important foundation you need is to train the CNS before the muscle.

Sorry, I tried to put that example as simply as I could, I realised it looked quite technical but its really not that complex, even for a beginner.


You're right, training the CNS as foundation is important, and this is exactly what this will do! Christian Thibaudeau calls it 'Force Ramping'. The method of gradually building up sets with a little more weight until you lose acceleration is a great way to stimulate the higher-threshold fast twitch fibres.

Your max lifts will definately increase by doing this, as you are teaching your body to produce mroe force.

Also, I think for a beginner its more beneficial to be using slightly lighter weights that he has full control of, rather than grinding out maximal weights with awful technique.


I appreciate your points about being a beginner, but I've used this with beginners in the weight room and had no problem. Let me strip it down:

Choose 3 big lifts per session (such as Deadlift, Push Press, Row)

Start with a deadlift. Find an approximate 50% of 1 RM load (it doesnt have to be that accurate). Perform 3 explosive reps (as you said - 100% effort on every rep)

Rest as long as you need to until you feel ready to go again (usually 90 seconds to regain full power).

Add 5-10kg to the bar. Perofrm 3 more reps powerfully.

Rest, add another 5-10kg. Repeat.

Keep going until you notice your speed slows and you cannot maintain explosive speed, or your form breaks down. This usually takes between 5-7 sets.


Then move onto the Push Press and Row (which you can superset for time-efficiency) and repeat the process.

On the next workout, start with 2.5-5kg more as your starting weight on each lift.


As you can see, you still have Progressive Resistance, which is the method you talked about, and this staying explosive and training acceleration rather than reps bordering on failure will be more beneficial for managing the fatigue of your CNS.

[sjharvey]

Sorry, I tried to put that example as simply as I could, I realised it looked quite technical but its really not that complex, even for a beginner.


You're right, training the CNS as foundation is important, and this is exactly what this will do! Christian Thibaudeau calls it 'Force Ramping'. The method of gradually building up sets with a little more weight until you lose acceleration is a great way to stimulate the higher-threshold fast twitch fibres.

Your max lifts will definately increase by doing this, as you are teaching your body to produce mroe force.

Also, I think for a beginner its more beneficial to be using slightly lighter weights that he has full control of, rather than grinding out maximal weights with awful technique.


I appreciate your points about being a beginner, but I've used this with beginners in the weight room and had no problem. Let me strip it down:

Choose 3 big lifts per session (such as Deadlift, Push Press, Row)

Start with a deadlift. Find an approximate 50% of 1 RM load (it doesnt have to be that accurate). Perform 3 explosive reps (as you said - 100% effort on every rep)

Rest as long as you need to until you feel ready to go again (usually 90 seconds to regain full power).

Add 5-10kg to the bar. Perofrm 3 more reps powerfully.

Rest, add another 5-10kg. Repeat.

Keep going until you notice your speed slows and you cannot maintain explosive speed, or your form breaks down. This usually takes between 5-7 sets.


Then move onto the Push Press and Row (which you can superset for time-efficiency) and repeat the process.

On the next workout, start with 2.5-5kg more as your starting weight on each lift.


As you can see, you still have Progressive Resistance, which is the method you talked about, and this staying explosive and training acceleration rather than reps bordering on failure will be more beneficial for managing the fatigue of your CNS.

I'm not a beginner, but I'm not an expert either. Anyway I do understand what you mean. Sometimes after a particularly hard weights session, I get this general feeling of fatigue the next day without any real soreness. Would that be down to my cns?

I have noticed that when I use a weight that I can only manage 1-2 reps that when I use a slightly lighter weight after where I can get 4-6 reps I seem to be able to push myself more with that weight. I know it's not quite what you meant but just trying to show that I do understand to an extent. I never train to failure any more, think I read somewhere that it's always better to leave something left for next time. I know that's very simplified, it was written in a similar way, but I understood the meaning behind it.

Also, quick question about hiit if you don't mind please? On Tuesday I jogged to warm up then did 10 sets of sprints, on a field that was slightly uphill. I rested about 1-3 mins between set, (I might be wrong because I didn't time them) but I did time my sprints.

16-17 seconds each time, even when I thought my power had dropped off the stop watch told otherwise so I went as far as 10 sets because I want to increase my VO2 and my stamina.

The whole session including the warm up took about 45 minutes. I felt fine after (a little tired) so I want to know if you think that was too much? Obviously I will work on getting my rest times down.

P.S. This session happened to be on a soaking wet field, HA it was actually a lot of fun. Good thing I have good balance.

[Justin Devonshire]

Sometimes after a particularly hard weights session, I get this general feeling of fatigue the next day without any real soreness. Would that be down to my cns?
Well obviously its impossible for me to say 'yes' or 'no' but that does sound like the general feeling resulting from CNS fatigue. But, again I couldn't possibly say for definate.


I never train to failure any more, think I read somewhere that it's always better to leave something left for next time. I know that's very simplified, it was written in a similar way, but I understood the meaning behind it.

That is essentially the message that Im saying here. If you push a set to failure, you need to rest a good few minutes until you can go again at full force. If you perform multiple sets to failure in one workout, then it will essentially take more days of recovery until you can train again at maximum capacity. Since strength gains are very neural, you want to train regularly. Little and often.

Bodybuilders will do the opposite, because they seek fatigue. Muscualr fatigue is a goal of thier training. So they train one muscle group once per week, annihalating it with sets and failure reps. Like I said, strength and power is like the opposite, you want to avoid fatigue and train that muscle group frequently.



Also, quick question about hiit if you don't mind please? On Tuesday I jogged to warm up then did 10 sets of sprints, on a field that was slightly uphill. I rested about 1-3 mins between set, (I might be wrong because I didn't time them) but I did time my sprints.

16-17 seconds each time, even when I thought my power had dropped off the stop watch told otherwise so I went as far as 10 sets because I want to increase my VO2 and my stamina.

The whole session including the warm up took about 45 minutes. I felt fine after (a little tired) so I want to know if you think that was too much? Obviously I will work on getting my rest times down.

Its impossible to say if an exercise or session was 'too much' when I don't know how fit you are! It could be too much for one person and not enough for the next, if you get what I mean?

It depends on how the workout fits into the rest of your schedule too. How many other high-intensity days, your calorie intake and recovery levels would also affect this.


Still, 10 sets of sprints are a higher volume than I'd usually recommend. 4 - 6 sprints at 20 seconds each with recovery times based on heart rate levels seem to work well enough. Its my guess that you'd probably get 80% (if not all) the benefit from your sprints from just doing the first 4 or 5 intervals, especiaily if its on an incline.

You can then conserve the energy you would have used for those remaining sprints and put them to use on other exercises.

Another point (and this is just MY opinion, other coaches may have different ideas and thats fine) is that I wouldn't like to spend an entire 45 minute sessino on sprints for stamina. This is because, although they are effective, you need to remember that MMA conditioning should be more focused on localized muscle stamina. This basically means that the muscles worked often such as shoulders, forearms, biceps and upper back muscles also need to build up levels of endurance and tolerance to lactic acid / hydrogen.

After all, your legs may develop a good tolerance to lactic burn, but that won't help your shoulders and other muscles, which will still give out if you have not trained them directly for this purpose.

And yes, before anyone jumps on this, sparring and bag work hleps build localized endurance of upper body muscles, but only does so to the level of intensity experienced in a match. The goal of strength and conditioning is that your training intensity should exceed the level you face in competition. If the training is not at a higher itnensity, you will get less transfer.

So, I'd start adding some complexes (http://realcombatconditioning.com/blog/loaded-endurance-for-mma-%e2%80%93-the-%e2%80%98complex%e2%80%99/) or resistance circuits into that session and cut back on the sprints.

Hope that helps and I haven't rambled to much. I do that from time to time.

[simonmobiledisco]

i agree with the above,

However anecdotal experience: when i was 16-17 i played in the youth team of a successful rugby union team. before we went on tour to south africa we trained twice a week and always finished with this 100m x 7, 80 x7, 60 x 7, 40 x 7 and 20 x 7 in 3 man shuttle sprints. it goes against so much that i have read about, but i had never had so much stamina as the end of that summer. but i wasn't training much in the way of weights of doing other sport at the time.

[sjharvey]

Well obviously its impossible for me to say 'yes' or 'no' but that does sound like the general feeling resulting from CNS fatigue. But, again I couldn't possibly say for definate.



That is essentially the message that Im saying here. If you push a set to failure, you need to rest a good few minutes until you can go again at full force. If you perform multiple sets to failure in one workout, then it will essentially take more days of recovery until you can train again at maximum capacity. Since strength gains are very neural, you want to train regularly. Little and often.

Bodybuilders will do the opposite, because they seek fatigue. Muscualr fatigue is a goal of thier training. So they train one muscle group once per week, annihalating it with sets and failure reps. Like I said, strength and power is like the opposite, you want to avoid fatigue and train that muscle group frequently.




Its impossible to say if an exercise or session was 'too much' when I don't know how fit you are! It could be too much for one person and not enough for the next, if you get what I mean?

It depends on how the workout fits into the rest of your schedule too. How many other high-intensity days, your calorie intake and recovery levels would also affect this.


Still, 10 sets of sprints are a higher volume than I'd usually recommend. 4 - 6 sprints at 20 seconds each with recovery times based on heart rate levels seem to work well enough. Its my guess that you'd probably get 80% (if not all) the benefit from your sprints from just doing the first 4 or 5 intervals, especiaily if its on an incline.

You can then conserve the energy you would have used for those remaining sprints and put them to use on other exercises.

Another point (and this is just MY opinion, other coaches may have different ideas and thats fine) is that I wouldn't like to spend an entire 45 minute sessino on sprints for stamina. This is because, although they are effective, you need to remember that MMA conditioning should be more focused on localized muscle stamina. This basically means that the muscles worked often such as shoulders, forearms, biceps and upper back muscles also need to build up levels of endurance and tolerance to lactic acid / hydrogen.

After all, your legs may develop a good tolerance to lactic burn, but that won't help your shoulders and other muscles, which will still give out if you have not trained them directly for this purpose.

And yes, before anyone jumps on this, sparring and bag work hleps build localized endurance of upper body muscles, but only does so to the level of intensity experienced in a match. The goal of strength and conditioning is that your training intensity should exceed the level you face in competition. If the training is not at a higher itnensity, you will get less transfer.

So, I'd start adding some complexes (http://realcombatconditioning.com/blog/loaded-endurance-for-mma-%e2%80%93-the-%e2%80%98complex%e2%80%99/) or resistance circuits into that session and cut back on the sprints.

Hope that helps and I haven't rambled to much. I do that from time to time.

I agree. I'm using higher sets for the sprints simply in an attempt at improved fitness and a little weight loss. But yeah you're right. I should vary that kind of training more and back down on the sets.