The hardest part about getting started – is well, getting started.
I guess it’s a good idea to procrastinate a little bit about starting MMA, it can be quite hardgoing, especially if you go to a gym that just throws you in the deep end.
You can get a good base of fitness and technique by doing some training at home first. Don’t get me wrong, you can’t get ‘fight-ready’ or any good at MMA without a training partner, but you can get fit and learn some basic techniques, which will make you feel less of a duck out of proverbial water when it comes to your first class.
Build a base of fitness
At all levels, fights are won and lost according to a fighter’s fitness levels. You can’t be decent at MMA without a decent level of fitness.
Sumo squats are included to help with hip mobility.
According to the SAID principle – Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands, you should do MMA exercises, to get fit for MMA…
Beginner MMA Circuit
Warm up – foam roller, hip mobility drills
Press ups
Sumo Squats
Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross (With 1kg weights if you have them)
Sit Throughs
Chest to Chest Sweep
Triangles
Single Leg Glute Bridges
Sprawls
Russian Deadlift (single leg)
Front Kicks
Side Kicks
Lunges
MMA Home Circuit
Exercise Time/Reps Notes
Press Ups 20 reps
Sumo Squats 20 reps
Boxing, Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross Complete the combination 10 times Use 1kg hand-weights if available
Sit Throughs 10 reps each side Wrestling technique
Chest to Chest Sweep 10 reps each side Jiu Jitsu Guard technique
Triangles 10 reps each side Jiu Jitsu Guard technique
Single Leg Glute Bridges 10 reps on each side Helps build explosive hip-escapes in Jiu Jitsu
Sprawls 5 each side Stand with left leg forwards and compete 5 reps, then do the same with right leg forwards
Single Leg Deadlift 5 each side Use a kettlebell if available
Front Kicks 10 each leg
Side Kicks 10 each leg
Lunges 10 each leg
I made a bit of a video here to explain the techniques in the circuit:
Here’s a video I made earlier:
In the video above, exercises in order are:
- Sit Throughs
- Chest to Chest Sweeps
- Triangles
- Stand Up Technique
Please note that – although these techniques may look a bit rubbish when they’re done solo like this, they are quite effective.
For example, here is a sit-through done whilst rolling/sparring:
and if you go to 25 seconds into this video, you should see me execute a lovely – chest to chest sweep:
Basic MMA Techniques
It will give you a head-start if you become familiar with the following techniques:
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Mount & Mount Escape
Side Control & Side Control Escape
Guard Basics
Submissions –
Guillotine choke from guard
Guillotine choke from standing (and escapes)
Arm triangle and escapes
Wrestling
Double Leg
Single Leg
Over/Under
Double Underhooks
Single Leg counter
Sprawl
Striking
Bas Rutten Workouts
Other
Thai Clinch
Training With Some Basic Equipment
If you have the funds and the space at home, I would invest in:
- Punch Bag
- Chin Up Bar
Download the pdf here:
mma6weekprogDownloadIf you were looking for a more specific strength & Conditioning program for MMA or boxing, please check out my other blog posts:
