A very simple way to continuously progress in your MMA workout programs is to vary the forms of progression. Most MMA fighters who use weight training to supplement their MMA workout programs limit themselves to only trying to increase the weight on the bar.
For beginners, this method is very effective for the first couple of months or so. But what you will find happen very quickly is your muscles adapt to this pattern and you'll soon hit a sticking point.
The human body is very good at adapting to patterns, so the more often you shock your body and add a just a slight twist of variety to your workout the more likely you will continue to progress without hitting these sticking points.
You have a few other options to keep progressing in both your strength and conditioning in your MMA workout:
Increasing Number of Reps: Let's say on your last leg workout you performed squats with 275 lbs for 5 sets of 5, and you're not confident if you can handle an increase in weight. Instead of increasing the weight to 280 lbs you can just add an extra rep at the end of each set. So your next workout you squat with 275 for 5 sets of 6.
Increase Number of Sets: Here you are using the same method as above, but you are adding an extra set instead. So your next workout you would squat with 275 lbs for 6 sets of 5.
Decrease Rest Period: Instead of adding reps or sets, here you will decrease the amount of time you take to rest in between your sets. So you would still squat 275 lbs for 5 sets of 5 but instead of resting 60 seconds you rest for 45 seconds in between sets. This is especially ideal for MMA fighters looking to increase their conditioning and endurance as a priority over just an increase in strength.
Partial Reps: This is where you only do partial reps instead of the full range of motion in an exercise. So using the same example above, you would do half squats with 280 lbs for 5 sets of 5 reps.
Once you feel stronger with this increase in weight, you would then do full squats for 5 sets of 5.
So next time you plateau in your MMA workout and you just can't get past a certain weight with a certain exercise, switch over to one of these forms of progression and it will give your muscles the boost it needs to make it over the hump.
For beginners, this method is very effective for the first couple of months or so. But what you will find happen very quickly is your muscles adapt to this pattern and you'll soon hit a sticking point.
The human body is very good at adapting to patterns, so the more often you shock your body and add a just a slight twist of variety to your workout the more likely you will continue to progress without hitting these sticking points.
You have a few other options to keep progressing in both your strength and conditioning in your MMA workout:
Increasing Number of Reps: Let's say on your last leg workout you performed squats with 275 lbs for 5 sets of 5, and you're not confident if you can handle an increase in weight. Instead of increasing the weight to 280 lbs you can just add an extra rep at the end of each set. So your next workout you squat with 275 for 5 sets of 6.
Increase Number of Sets: Here you are using the same method as above, but you are adding an extra set instead. So your next workout you would squat with 275 lbs for 6 sets of 5.
Decrease Rest Period: Instead of adding reps or sets, here you will decrease the amount of time you take to rest in between your sets. So you would still squat 275 lbs for 5 sets of 5 but instead of resting 60 seconds you rest for 45 seconds in between sets. This is especially ideal for MMA fighters looking to increase their conditioning and endurance as a priority over just an increase in strength.
Partial Reps: This is where you only do partial reps instead of the full range of motion in an exercise. So using the same example above, you would do half squats with 280 lbs for 5 sets of 5 reps.
Once you feel stronger with this increase in weight, you would then do full squats for 5 sets of 5.
So next time you plateau in your MMA workout and you just can't get past a certain weight with a certain exercise, switch over to one of these forms of progression and it will give your muscles the boost it needs to make it over the hump.