Three Awesome and Completely Obvious Reasons to Include A Strength Routine in Your MMA Training

3 Reasons You Should Strength Train for MMA

Good information usually helps to clarify things. OK then, let's get real for a minute. Good cardio is important for MMA -we all know that. You can't win a fight if you can't go the distance and your cardio is a HUGE factor in your potential MMA success. But what about strength? How many MMA practitioners work to improve their strength on a consistent basis?

Let's take a look at three awesome reasons why you might actually want to get stronger for MMA.

First off:

Cardio-conditioning is key in MMA success and many fighters will skimp on strength training because they believe it will make them slow and 'muscle-bound.' Not True!

Properly programmed MMA strength training can help increase your cardio-conditioning as well as increase your strength. Additionally, properly programmed MMA-specific resistance training will enhance your balance, co-ordination and even improve your take down skills. And who doesn't want to have better cardio, be more coordinated, be stronger, more dominant and more effective than any opponent they face?

Second:

Stronger fighters are better fighters. Yes, I understand that many believe that getting stronger always means getting bigger and getting bigger will automatically make you jump up a weight class. I know that's what "they say," but it just isn't true. Strength does not always equate with muscle size or weight gain.

There are plenty of ways to greatly improve your strength without gaining an ounce of bodyweight. And in many cases, it is possible to gain muscle while losing the excess bodyfat that is making you slow and limiting your cardio-conditioning.

Third and last:

Properly programmed strength training specifically designed for Mixed Martial Arts athletes will complement both your ground game and your stand up. Getting stronger will relate to stronger striking, a better and more aggressive guard and much, much better take-down abilities.

Your MMA skills will evolve and improve as you continue to get stronger. Again, technique is important, but you can't make it on technique alone. A stronger MMA athlete will be a more competitive and a much more dominant MMA athlete!

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