The MMA workout sessions can be tough and intense, especially if you have a professional trainer as your coach.
This is why it is vital to have all the necessary equipment to condition your body for a good result. A standard MMA gym must have the bells and whistles to turn a rookie student into a strong, flexible, and quick-witted professional.
Working out at home can be a bit out of place if you don’t have all the gears and equipment needed to train with, but that is not to say that you can’t perform an intense MMA workout at home and still get the types of result you would have gotten if you have been to the gym.
There are still many pieces of training you can perform right there in your basement or any other training spot at home. The good thing is that all techniques and training needed to make you strong, flexible, and quick can be done at home if you cannot afford a gym membership.
See also: Best Punching Bag for your Home
As an MMA fighter, your training schedule should condition you into becoming a well-rounded athlete that can fight and last in the ring.
Intense MMA training at home not only helps you work on the different muscle groups in your body within a short time, but you can also make you learn different skill sets to defend yourself against people that are always looking to cause trouble.
In this MMA workout guide, we will show you some ways to get a good MMA workout at home without using equipment that is way too expensive for your budget.
How do I prepare for MMA training?
Working out from home and getting the best out of your training demands three things:
- Space
- Equipment
- Discipline
These three essential requirements are what will make or mare your chances of becoming a successful MMA fighter.
Space: This is important as you will need adequate space to train and practice your techniques. If you have enough space at home, you won’t need to worry about breaking things in your home. For example, you can clear away some unnecessary stuff that occupies the necessary space in your garage or driveway so you can hold your training sessions without any hassle.
Equipment: These are things you need to have at home that as a substitute for what you would have used if you are in the gym. The right equipment is essential for a successful Mixed Martial Art sessions at home.
The most important and determining factor for success is your discipline.
MMA is not for people who randomly come to the gym whenever their body demands (your body is always in the idle mode) MMA training is not for the faint-hearted but dogged discipline to follow regular/everyday training to be successful.
Remember training at home is not the same as when you are in the gym because in the gym you have a trainer who is always pushing and encouraging you to do more whereas at home you need to help yourself to do more which is twice as hard as when you have a trainer.
How many hours a week do I need to do the MMA workout?
Discipline and dedication will take you a long way if you want to be a successful MMA fighter. However, doing the MMA workout at home might seem complicated, but it’s possible to see great results if you follow the regular daily training schedule.
Generally, each workout session shouldn’t be more than 30 minutes since most of your training is repetitive. If you are just starting, you can start with 10 minutes of your time and work your way to 30, 60 or 90 minutes daily
The best way to see the result while training from home is your total dedication to a training schedule and your nutritional balance.
To start your journey as an MMA fighter, here are some MMA workouts you can do at home.
MMA Training Workout Routines
Every training session requires you to warm up your body first before getting into the meat of the exercise. This is a general requirement in every sport. Essentially when you warm up before any exercise or before you start your MMA training, you increase your heart rate and stimulate your muscle fibers, so they get prepared for an intensive training session ahead.
What you need to do for warm-up include a combination of light sprinting and walking. These two routines can be done within a 20-25 meters distance at the minimum to achieve a good result. If you don’t feel like doing any of the two, another great way to warm up your body before any major exercises is to jump the rope.
Rope jumping for about 10-15 minutes can stimulate your body to get prepared for the next intense actions
Shadowboxing
As an MMA fighter, your training techniques must include the shadowboxing dance. Shadowboxing does not only help in warming up the body, but it has a way of bringing out some intensity in your body. The training involves throwing a series of punches, kicks, and strikes at nobody in particular.
The training is meant to turn you into a skilled boxer with the potential to knock down any opponent.
How is it Done?
For a beginner, you can start by throwing strong kicks and punches to the air. It’s always ideal to begin (beginner) with your punches. You can do this by throwing 1,2 punches nonstop for 2-3 rounds then taking 1-2 minutes to rest. You can shadowbox for more than 10 minutes on average to start seeing results.
If you are a professional fighter, you shouldn’t restrict yourself to punches alone, and you need to add all the techniques of punch, kicks, and strike when shadowboxing with a quick round of 5-10 minutes with a 30 minutes break in between sessions.
Heavy Bag Session
This is a vital part of training as an MMA fighter. As the name suggests, the workout involves punching a big heavy bag with kicks and strikes for about 5-10 minutes nonstop with a 30-sec rest to catch your breath.
This exercise is meant to harden you and enhance your fighting ability and also helps your blood circulation to flow correctly, including giving you the flexibility that you will need in a real fight.
However, you need to be sure to tie the heavy bag correctly before hitting it and make sure the bag is gentle on your hand and feet, so you won’t eventually have blisters all over your hands while punching or striking the bag.
See also: Punching Bag Workouts for MMA and Boxing
Jump squats
This is a great way to keep your stamina, especially if you are starting with your MMA workout at home.
Doing jump start can help condition your legs and keep your blood circulation and your heartbeat in check, and if you are a lady and you are looking for that excellent workout that will help your butt come bigger, jump squat is your best bet.
To get the best out of your jump squat, do it for 30-45 seconds with a quick break in between to catch your breath
This is how a jump squat is performed
- Be on standing position with your feet slightly apart
- Do a regular squat but don’t go all the way down so you can feel the intense feeling of strains in your legs
- Then jump up with force
- Land to repeat the process two to three times.
See also: Best Jump Rope for Boxers
Matrix pushups
This type of workout is not the everyday training you see in most homes or gyms because this type requires some unusual twist to make it more effective. They are an ideal workout for men who desire an excellent body shape that gives people the head-turning effect. This workout is great if you want to condition your chest and your torso.
You can also do this workout for about 30-45 seconds with interval breaks.
How to do
- Be in a pushup position
- Lean on one side of your arm and go down in a circular motion
- Push back up with the same arm
- Once you push up, do the same with the other arm in the opposite direction
- Repeat the process 2-3 times.
Wrapping up
Just like every other workout, it’s not in the best interest of any athletes to abruptly end the training session without transitioning back to light training. As an MMA fighter, ending your training session on a high tempo can adversely affect your body.
The consequences might be such that you will likely experience limb crumbs and abdomen stitches, which is not a good sign, especially if you are preparing for a tournament.
The best way to end your training session is to transition from high-intensity workout sessions to a lighter session like jogging, riding a bicycle, or even walking. The winding down training session (light training) should not be more than 10-15 minutes of light walk, jogging, or bicycle ride.
