MMA – 6 Week Training Program (.pdf Included)

By Geoff Griffiths @mmatraining1980

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:

  1. Sit Throughs
  2. Chest to Chest Sweeps
  3. Triangles
  4. 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:

mma6weekprogDownload

If you were looking for a more specific strength & Conditioning program for MMA or boxing, please check out my other blog posts: