Muay Thai Weightlifting Routine. Comments appreciated.

[Jordan3i4]

Hi, this is my first post on the forum. I've just taken up Muay Thai training recently. However, I have been weight training for a few months now.

This is my routine for Muay Thai:

Routine #1:

Session A:

Barbell Squat
Barbell Flat Bench
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row

Session B:

Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Military Press
Chin-Ups

Routine #2:

Session A:

Barbell Squat
Barbell Incline Bench
Seated Cable Row

Session B:

Barbell Deadlift
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Chin-Ups

Right now I am doing Routine #2 with the following repitition/sets:

5x5, 3x15, 4x10.

Each workout I rotate from Session A and Session B, and also

the repititions/sets. I figure this is the best way to get some strength training

(5x5), some hypertrophy training (4x10), and some endurance training (3x15).

I will be doing this routine for about 6 weeks, then switching

to Routine #1 with these rep ranges: 6x3, 2x25, 3x12, 5x6.

What do you guys think about this?

[Hardball]

I can't comment unless I know your age, height and weight.

[Jordan3i4]

I'm 19 years old. 5'9 151lbs. Approximately 7% bodyfat.

I'd like to do some amateur fights, probably middleweight (160lbs).

I'm going to bulk up to 155 for now, and decide whether I want to do

light middleweight (154lbs) or middleweight.

[Hardball]

Sounds like you have a good program. Don't forget the stretching and cardio and crunches/core work.

[Jordan3i4]

Yeah, I do plenty of that. I train 3 days per week at a MMA gym, and two 2-hour sessions with my training partner (cousin). I'm going to struggle getting to the gym twice a week I'm sure. I might cut down to 2 days per week at MMA gym, one 2-hour session with my cousin, and 2 days at the gym. I plan to take weekends off though.

[Hardball]

Do something light on the weekends. Don't take it off entirely. Maybe you could do shadow combat or study films on the weekend. Do you own a heavy bag?

[Jordan3i4]

I wish I owned a heavy bag. The closest one to me is at the MMA gym (10 minute drive). Weekends i'm usually nursing a hangover, or studying. I'm trying to take it easy on the drinking though. I probably won't have time to train on weekends, will need to spend my time studying.

[Maxx]

Your programs don't look too bad... Just make sure that as an athlete you stick with basic multi-joint presses (bench press and shoulder presses both with barbells and dumbbells), pulling motions (lat pulls, horizontal rowing motions, vertical rows), and squating motions ( front squat, back squat, lunges, deadlifts, romanian dead lifts, etc.)

Keep your rep range in the following ranges: 4-6 reps for raw strength, 10-12 for muscle growth and 15-25 for toning and anaerobic strength endurance.

within 3 months of a fight start hitting your weight lifting movements such as high pulls, power cleans, clean and jerks and snatches. Use a kettle bell if possible... I got the best results from kettlebell use. Also include some plyometrics. Plyos and weight lifting techniques will develop power and make you more explosive. As a fighter strength doesn't cut it unless you can use it explosively.

[gabbah]

What is the differance between "raw strength" and "muscle growth"?
I train 6 reps for maximum muscle growth (or so I though?).

And as far as I know, when you get up to 10-12 reps you are already a bit on the endurance side... well at least if we're talking about gaining muscle weight?

By the way maxx, what do you think about shadowboxing with weights in your hands? Is it any good for strength/speed? Do you do it?

[Jordan3i4]

Raw strength is the 1-5 rep range. In the lower half of the rep range, you will not gain much muscle size at all, just strength. Training with 5 or 6 reps, you will gain size and strength, but primarily strength. I'd say 10 reps is not endurance, it is still hypertrophy (muscle growth) amount of repititions. Anything over 10 is verging on endurance training. However, the real way to gain muscle size is your diet. You can train with the 6-8 rep range (best for muscle size), but you may never gain any muscle simply because of poor diet, etc. Shadowboxing with weights in hand seems like a good idea to me. I've never done it before though. I don't see how it can hurt. Muhammad Ali used to train underwater for more resistence to improve his speed. Training with weights in hand will accomplish the same thing.

I've switched my routine to a full body routine:

Performed 2 times per week:

Barbell Squat or Deadlift (Rotating each workout)
Dumbbell Incline Bench
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
Dumbbell Shoulder Press

I vary rep ranges this way: 5x5, 3x15, 4x10, where I alternate every

workout.

I chose to change rep ranges a lot, because I want to get the best of everything. Raw strength, muscle growth, and muscular endurance.

I wonder if anyone does something similar, and whether you think it's effective.

[Hardball]

By the way maxx, what do you think about shadowboxing with weights in your hands? Is it any good for strength/speed? Do you do it?

I think a heavy bag and speed bag routine would be much better. I do realize you may not have access to a hb and sp.

[gabbah]

I think a heavy bag and speed bag routine would be much better. I do realize you may not have access to a hb and sp.

Well I already use the heavy bag alot (at my gym), I love it.
When my gym had the speed bag up I used it for hours in a row, until they told me they couldn't take the sound of it anymore, lol. :P

I think you learn some rythm and to relax from the speed bag... but most of it doesn't translate to real sparring like the work you do on a heavy bag. So I find the heavy bag much more useful, what do you think?

Anyway, shadowboxing with weights I could do in between sets while lifting weights perhaps, I dunno...

[gabbah]

Raw strength is the 1-5 rep range. In the lower half of the rep range, you will not gain much muscle size at all, just strength. Training with 5 or 6 reps, you will gain size and strength, but primarily strength. I'd say 10 reps is not endurance, it is still hypertrophy (muscle growth) amount of repititions. Anything over 10 is verging on endurance training.

I see.
Yes diet is the most important thing, I know. You should eat lots of pizza and hamburgers right? j/k

[Jordan3i4]

I'm still struggling to figure out what is a good weight lifting routine

for MMA. I've been training my own way for a while, but every time I read

any articles on weight lifting for MMA, they give different advice. Some people

say low reps, heavy weight; some people say high reps, light weight. I think

there must not be a "perfect" way to train for MMA, and that general functional

lifts such as the squat and deadlift will be most effective for developing core

strength. Abs are also one of the most important bodyparts, as they protect

the vital organs.

[gabbah]

Perhaps low rep if you want to gain weight. But that might make you slower and gas out easier. So I guess it depends on what you need at the moment. If you are happy with your current muscle mass, perhaps you just need low rep.