How do you combine MMA with Gym?

[Godders]

Im wondering, most of the fighters have really good builds, looking strong etc.

I wonder how you guys mix it up with training.

Currently i do VT, Thai and BJJ and am doing these 4-7 times a week.

I find that due to excessive limping, hobbling etc etc i generaly feel like complete cack the next day and untill i warm up, generaly stay that way.

I find it near to impossible to train MMA after a good session in the gym blasting my chest (which normaly takes 3-4 days to recover).

My goals are to be lean, fit and strong and hey, bigger guns are always nice

[Rob Hannis]

Ok godders I know you're slack so try this as it works for me. Shedule your weights around your training so they don't clash, ie don't do legs the day before thai, chest the day before vt etc.

In addition try doing the following:

For your given exercise, say bench press, do 5 reps at 100% (ie you couldn't do any more than 5 with that weight and you should need spotting for rep no.5)

Then drop weight to 80-90% of your original weight and do a set of 5 reps. Keep doing 5 reps at this weight with 90 seconds rest until you feel you won't be able to do the full 5 next time and then stop. Keep notes of starting weight, 80% weight and no of sets you manage and try and increase them.

Don't go mad doing loads of exercises for each body part, just stick to the simple ones. This way you'll increase your size, strength and not have any problems with aches.

[Godders]

Ill try that mate

[Ross]

weights 2 days a week, 5 sets of 6 reps

[Godders]

Anyone want to help me design a new scheduale then?

Monday - VT = 20 mins of circuit training - 2 hours
Tuesday - Free (sometimes to BJJ during the day if i find anyone, but i dont mind being fecked for that)
Wednesday - Thaiboxing - Circuit training, skipping etc, pad work, sparring - 1 hour
Thursday - See tuesday
Friday - VT same as monday
Saturday - BJJ
Sunday - Off

My plan is to gain/ retain muscle, lose weight, build up cardio.

But im not going for a fight. So a sorta all year round program i can do without burnout etc.

[Chris Kerr]

is correct.
I would also say that if you are getting pectoral pain, you may be inefficient with the movement of the weights. Is it a bench press fixed weight machine or free weights? Your elbows should never dip below your shoulder height when pressing, as this can cause tears to the muscle. Heh after a hard session on chest press, my pecs feel like they are detatched from my body when I run down stairs etc or bounce! Feels good though, cos I know I have done the graft that's needed...

[Hywel Teague]

godders it sounds as if your'e putting in the hard work alright. maybe what i'd suggest is altering your diet or the intensity of what you're currently doing.

you shouldn't need to add anything to that schedule, after all you're not planning to fight, so i'd keep it fairly similar to wat you got now, and look at what other factors will help achieve your goals.

if your want to lose fat build muscle and your training isn't helping you got to change your diet. post what you eat and we'll see if we can help.

[Godders]

I want to get the gym in there somewhere too lmao.

My diet generaly consists of protein shakes, wholemeal bread, mackrel, tuna, pot noodles (im lazy), wholemeal pasta (with tomoates etc), wholemeal rice )with low fat curry sauce)

And i have the odd garlic bread and nan bread.

What sort of protein carb ration should i be looking for, for the sorta build/ training i do?

( i have rough ideas etc, but im interested to see what other people are doing).

Should i be doing cardio in the morning as well pherhaps on tuesdays and thursdays before i eat? i.e. 20 mins skipping

[Hywel Teague]

pot noodle?????

oh mate you got to avoid these like the plague, an australian survey showed they have the same amount of fat in as a big plate of chips!

as for specific protein/carb ratios, i find this boring and anal!

i try to have one third of my plate protein, and the rest complex carbs or vegetables.

what you really have to look out for is that you don't eat too many carbs- its really easy to over do it, and tell yourself its ok cos they're carbs and they're healthy, but excess carbs just get converted to fat.

rather than do the atkinson method of cutting all carbs, just try and cut one group of carbs (ie, pasta/ potatos). when i stopped eating potatos my weight went down nicely, and when i cut back on pasta too my weight is just where i want and because i don't eat them now i can concentrate of stuffing my face with brown bread which is my favourite food in the world.

[Godders]

feck me...


I was defrosting bread in the toaster to take mackrel (in tomato sauce) with wholemeal bread. When i over did it.

So im now eating it with toast.. and its fecking lovely.

Boo about pot noodles, its one of the few hot foods i can make myself

Im gonna cut down my rice and pasta for a few weeks and check it out. Ive actualy lost quite a bit of weight over the last few years. So im doing something right.

Im just looking for that 6 pack for summer