best weight training

[Maxximus]

What do y'all think is the best way to weight train for mixed martial artists? Or do you feel its necessary at all? When i used to lift weights more often I'd notice that it would later make me feel stiff and drained when I do martial arts. Since it so adversely affected my performance, I cut down on the amount of time and intensity I spent on weights. But I also feel that I should keep weight training because not being a big guy, more strength and raw power would be an asset for me, especially in grappling. So i was wondering if anyone had any good ideas on how to best go about weight training and martial arts simultaneously. How should you space out the workouts? How intensely should you lift during a workout? As martial artists, is it better for us to focus on strength or endurance (or a mix of both)? You get the idea...any thoughts?

[YeLLa-TiGeR]

My trainer emphisizes explosive power for strikes. So he puts me on plyometrics with alot of endurance drills. For weights, he paired me up with some big ass Lil Bow Wow look alike. He tells me to come in with him 6 days a week for an hour and a half of hell. I can attest to the stiffness part. I cant even touch my shoulders with my hands.

[Maxximus]

Originally posted by YeLLa-TiGeR
For weights, he paired me up with some big ass Lil Bow Wow look alike.

LOL!! Yeah the stiffness sux, and it also makes you feel like your muscles are out of energy and can barely move when you are sparring or grappling later. The problem for me is that there's no way in hell I could do more than two or three serious weight workouts a week when i'm grappling three times a week and kickboxing four times a week. I get tired and stiff so that when i am grappling my muscle strength exhausts quickly and I just can't get my body to be mobile and fluid. I'll get so stiff that I'll know where I want my body to move or how I want it to shift, but it just won't do it. Then when I'm sparring in the boxing gym I feel so stiff that i feel clumsy when slipping or ducking punches and I can't really move forward and hit smoothly. I really need to find the best way to go about weight training. I don't want to give it up, but I also don't want to do it if it makes me do terribly in MA training.

[YeLLa-TiGeR]

I think eventually your body will get used to it. I dont know though, I'm no expert. Like on the day we did chest for weights, I sat out that night when the class did pushups, my chest was too "pumped" and sore for me to do anything. But I will give it a month, I think my body will eventually get used to it.

Stretching should and will help alot.

[Robbie]

Yeah,I've been working with weights a lot lately,I'm trying to get down to a muscular 240-250.At first it does make you stiff and sore,but after a while I started getting used to it and not getting as sore from the work outs.I also do a lot of stretching usually around 20 minutes before and after every work out,I also drink a lot of water(about 1 gallon a day) and started using creatine.

My work out goes like this...

When I first wake up I always stretch and run the treadmill for cardio.

I usually start my first "Real" workout with a lot of stretching and then about an hour of Kickboxing(including bag work) with some of my training partners.Then I go onto do another 30 minutes of pure wrestling to work takedowns,then another 30 minutes of no gi Bjj.This work out is usually in the afternoon around noon.

In the evening I then grapple for another 30 minutes.The last hour and a half is dedicated to pure weight training.

Sometimes all through out the day I will kickbox or grapple if my training partners are available,but the above workouts are my everyday workout with the exceptions of saturday and sunday.

Just keep with the weight training and you should get used to it,also stretch a lot before and after each workout,and drink plenty of water.Also try using some creatine,I've been using it for a few months and have definitely noticed how much faster I recover from workouts now.

Good luck.

[HardCore BJJ]

Hey,
Also try throwing in some weightless exercises like pullups and pushups. I think pullups are probably the best upper body exercise you could do. Plus, your body gets used to them really quick, and after a few sessions you dont get sore anymore. A good pushup/pullup routine would put on about 5-10 lbs of muscle and really increase your strength. For the plyo's, pick a couple and get used too and good at them. Take like maybe two hard ones like box squats and cone jumps, and throw in a light one like jumping rope. Warm up, do 4 sets of each, do 4 sets of pushups and 4 sets of pullups and you got yourself a good workout to do on off training days, and most importantly your body will adapt to them quickly and you won't be stiff/ sore.

[Maxximus]

You know what guys? The more I think about it the more I beleive that you really have to work in the weight training and increase your power and explosiveness, if you really want to be good. It's hard enough being a welterweight and grappling with some guys huge powerful guys who have lots of wrestling experience. But at the same time, I used to think I was pretty powerful for a guy my size but sometimes I also grapple with guys who are around my size or not much bigger who seem to throw me around and make me feel like they have much more power than I do, even though there's no size difference. Geez, it seems to me that the better and more experienced I get, the more I see that I still have lots to work on and learn.

HardcoreBjj,
Hmmm...I do a good amount of push ups and pull ups, but not in as much of a systemized routine as you've suggested (and not with a whole lot of plyos other than jumping rope). I'll give your routine a try. Thanx for the good input.

Robbie,
More stretching before and after weight workouts has definitely helped. But the large amount of time I am dedicating to grappling and kickboxing during day and night is still making it pretty hard for me to throw in serious weight workouts without burning myself out. I wish I had the kind of energy you do