Power, Endurance or Normal training

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danbo

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I do martial arts (Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu [BJJ] and General striking [MMA]) and i want to increase my muscle mass and stength because it is rubbish at the moment. I've been advised by a few people who each have different opinions, i am wondering which one would be best in my suitation. Ok so a few details about me first.

Age: 18
Weight: 63kg (i need a gain on 6kg in 4 months)
Training: BJJ *3 days, MMA *1 day, Gym *2 days
Fitness: Good

I would say i am a beginner to weight training as i haven't done that much of it. The advise i got is:

Opinion 1: Do endurance training because it will increase my strength and muscle size quite quickly.

Opinion 2: Do power lifting (the Bill Starr 5x5 programme in particular) because it is very effective in increasing core strength and muscle mass. It can also be used to increase muscle mass quicker than usual.

Opinion 3: Do normal training because it concentrates more on building muscles rather than power or endurance.

Thanks
 
Would number 3 be better for long term?

Once i reach the weight i want i am going to do number 1 so i can keep it the same and increase my endurance.

Thanks for your reply.
 
I would focus on a few core exercises for strength and then do a bunch of GPP (general physical preparedness) to get your work capacity up.You can have all the strength and muscles in the world but if you can't keep up with your opponent and put out an explosive effort for the duration of your match, all that size and strength isn't going to do you a bit of good.
 
I would normally agree about the GPP but he can use his MMA and BJJ as his GPP as a sport-specific aspect.

I wouldn't worry to much about endurance training. Here's what you should include in your workouts-
benching, chins, deadlifts, squats, overhead squats, power cleans, power snatches, uni-lateral leg work, and bent over bb rows. It would also be a good idea to work on some ballistic benching, squat jumps (after your strength is up), and The Bear!

To start with, I would do one day of this program-http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459914
And one day of this-http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459657

I would do these two for 3-4 weeks and then start to get creative with your lifting.
 
evolution said:
Overhead squats, power snatches, uni-lateral leg work.
Click to expand...
I've never heard of these exercises, can you give me a quick explanation of each?

p.s. Because of my MMA and BJJ my work capacity is quite high already.

Thanks
 
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Ok lets see if i have these training routines right, as evolution suggested i do.

  • Warmup before both programmes
The "Big Three"

Monday

Weighed Squats
Bench Press
Power Clean

Supplementary Exercise
Squats (50 reps, 2 sets)
Chinups (10 reps, 3 sets)

  • All exercises are 5 reps, 5 sets
  • Increase weight with each set
  • 90 seconds rest between sets
"The Bear"

Wednesday

Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press (from front of shoulders)
Back Squat
Push Press (from behind the shoulders)

  • All exercises are 3 sets, 6 reps
  • 2 minutes rest between sets
 
That's a great overall strength routine. I wish i could do it lol but i have a few old sports injuries.
 
The power snatches-grab an olympic size bar on the outside of the rings (wide grip). Your goal is to get the bar from your knees to over your head. I'll see if I can find a link.

Overhead squats-well, you squat but you are holding the bb over your head with straight arms. I would argue that this is probabally much harder and has more functional carry over than any of the other squats or practically any exercise.

Uni-lateral leg work is simply leg exercises that involve one or mainly one leg at a time such as lunges, split squats, and etc

On your supplementary work-drop the 50 reps, 2 sets...that's more endurance work which you don't need to worry about at the moment. If anything, I would have those as overhead squats or uni-lateral leg work or maybe even some adbominal work.
 
I may not be able to do this routine anyways, my arm is hurting from BJJ yesterday, i never tapped out quick enough when i got an armbar put on me. If it doesn't stop hurting i'm gonna get it check out.

p.s. If you don't know what an armbar is see the image attached (the technique hyper extends the arm to attack the elbow joint)

Edit: With "The Bear" programme is the weight meant to increase with each set or does it stay the same?

Also i may do some HIIT, if i do this as well (on a seperate day) will i be working out too much?
 

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Ahhhh yes, that looks like what I got put into on Saturday and had to tap out. Yeah,get checked out by the doctor. My friend, Chad just got back from a cage fight in Indiana and he can't lift anything due to an arm bar for another 6 weeks....be safe intead of sorry.

More than likely as you fatigue you might have to decrease the weight. If you can increase the weight with each set...go for it. You'll be limited on your weakest lift of the group as to what weight you use but that will change.
 
first of all, opinion #1 endurance training does the opposite of building strength and mass, so stay away from that if you want to get bigger and/or stronger.
I have trained a few MMA fighters (not professionals, just their sport of fun). The thing I recommend most to them is strength training with GPP and some metabolic endurance training with tubing.
Wood chops or snatches (for example) with a 50 pound bag of sand is going to simulate (and therefore thrain for) a throw better than, say, a power clean. Although the traditional lifts will certainly build strength, think about adding some non-traditional exercises. Your sport is constantly moving through 3 planes of motion, not just up and down or forward and back like traditional exercises. So why train only this way?
And for sure add some tubing resistance exercises. Dont remember what a "round" goes in MMA (30sec-2 min?)
Use the tubing to train against a resistance hard and fast for the length of a round or longer. Tubing is great because it allows you to move against resistance in an unlimited amount of directions!
Wes
 
Gymcoch,

I agree with you on the sandbag stuff, but if he's in the gym...then what I linked above will work as a good starting point which is why I said 3-4 weeks and then get creative. The oly lifts will get the body functioning as one unit and then he can start pulling off sandbag snatches, keg throws, tire flips, etc
 
Ok, what are Oly Lifts and what is tubing?

I'm not gonna be doing any of the stuff mentioned in this thread until the doctor tells me that my arm is ok.
 
evolution said:
Good idea on getting the doctor to okay you.

Oly lifts are olympic lifting-clean, jerk, snatch
Click to expand...
I only know the very basic weight lifting terms, so what are olympic lifting-clean, jerk, snatch?
 
If you want to have good endurance and strength I have a good suggestion. You might want to ERG(equip rowing machine) and its on land. Some gyms should have at least one, and they are really helpful. Because it involves using every part of your body esp. your arms. The great thing about ERGs is you can pick how much you want to pull, and has timers on how long your pulling, along with how fast your going. They are really easy to learn how to do, and also helps with carido, if you intrested in improving that. Im on a rowing team and we ERG like 2times a week, but you dont have to row to ERG.
 
Whatever you decide to do, don't forget to train your grip and forearms. Once you both get all sweaty ,(you and your opponent), you can blow your joint locks very easily if you don't have an iron grip around that slippery wrist, ankle, or whatever you are grabbing.

A good variety of training is best for a fighter, since there are so many variables in the ring. All those big exercises mentioned are great, add some twisting core work and lots of stretches.

One thing that I did when I was in competion that helped me more than anything else was 'round training'. Pick one or 2 techniqes and lay into the heavy bag, as hard and as fast as you can while focusing on regular breathing, (never hold your breath), for the full duration of one of your rounds. Repeat this for 3 or 4 rounds using different techniques each time.

If your oppenent is heavily fatigued, and you are not. You will have a huge advantage.
 
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