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In mixed-martial arts, rotational power of the core is crucial to the execution of explosive techniques, whether they be throws, punches, kicks, knees, or escapes. Failing to improve the strength and power of your core in rotational patterns will limit your ability to knockout, slam, or surprise your opponents. The medicine ball is an extremely effective tool for developing your rotational power. First, throwing a medicine ball allows you to put your full effort into the exercise, without slowing it down. Just think of doing a lying medicine ball chest pass and a speed bench press – because you can’t let go of the bar during the bench press, your body has to slow the bar down at the top, limiting your power production. But with the ball, you release it and you use full power through the entire range of motion. So exercises like the side toss and chop toss using a medicine ball will go a long way to developing the knockout power you’ve always wished you had. Side Toss 1. Take a wider than shoulder-width stance with slightly bent knees, holding the ball in front of your navel. 2. Do a quick wind-up and throw the ball straight to the side, keeping your spine as tall and straight as you can. 3. Avoid throwing the ball with your arms, instead, power the movement with your core. Chop Toss 1. Same setup as side toss. 2. Do a quick wind-up up and to one side, bringing the ball over one shoulder and shifting your weight to the same side. 3. Slam the ball into the ground on a diagonal while shifting your weight to the other side. 4. Keep tall and continue to look forward instead of at the ball. Now integrating these two exercises into a circuit will help you develop your power endurance. We’ll add 3 body-weight exercises to the mix to simultaneously develop your power and conditioning, using exercises that will specifically benefit a MMA fighter. 1. 10 Lunge jumps – start in a lunge position, jump as high as possible and switch your feet landing and jumping as quickly as you can. 2. 5 Side tosses each side 3. 10 Squat jumps – start in an athletic stance, jump as high as you can and repeat as fast as you can. 4. 5 Chop tosses each side. 5. 10 Clap push-ups – do the push-ups as explosively as possible and focus on clapping your hands as loud as you can. Rest one minute and repeat for a total of 4 – 8 circuits. For the jumps and pushups, think of the ground as hot coals and your goal is to not burn your feet while always being as explosive as possible. This type of circuit is what a mixed-martial artist needs to excel in the cage or ring. Of course, proper exercise technique will prevent injuries, so if your form gets sloppy, do less reps or take more rest between circuits. For more information   Click Here!

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This article was writen by the world famous strength and conditioning coach Eric Wong

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When you ask the majority of fighters what they do for a warm-up before training, most will say they do some type of stretching, usually for tight areas like the hamstrings and groin. But research shows that a dynamic warm-up is far superior for performance and injury prevention when compared to static stretching. So what exercises should a mixed-martial artist warm-up for optimum performance and injury prevention?

Well, there are a few general criteria that, when included, will result in maximum performance while decreasing the risk of injury.

1) Movements should be included for the muscles that are going to be used during the training session. If you’re doing the warm-up before a strength training session where you’ll be starting off with bench press, you’ll need to warm-up the pecs, triceps, deltoids, serratus anterior, and lats.

2) Movements should work the muscles through a complete range of motion. The dynamic warm-up will increase your mobility if you do all exercises to the end ranges of motion. For example, if you’re doing basic bodyweight squats, you’ll want to squat right down, touching your butt to your heels if you can. Doing so will help to keep your muscles, tendons, and ligaments from tightening up and shortening.

3) Muscle activation exercises should be included for muscles that are commonly inhibited. One muscle group that is often inhibited is the glutes. Because a lot of people have spent so much time sitting on them, they get sleepy and lazy and need to be woken up. If you have inhibited glutes, you may notice during lunges that your knee will cave in (valgus knee). This is a sign of glute weakness/inhibition. To activate the glutes before doing an exercise like lunges, you can do hip extensions. Simply lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, squeeze your butt cheeks together and raise your hips. Hold for 4 seconds, repeat 8 times.

4) The routine should increase the heart-rate, body temperature, and breathing rate gradually to a comfortable level. In order to do this, you’ll have to move quickly from one exercise to the next, which means you want to know exactly what to do before you get started. Like anything, if you fail to plan, then plan to fail. So come up with a routine before you get to the gym.

So in putting this together, you could do something very simple such as:

20 jumping jacks
10 hip extensions
10 squats
10 pushups
10 lunges

Repeat 2 to 3 times and you’ve got yourself a decent warm-up.

Learn the complete program used to help fighters such as Jeff Joslin reach peak levels of fighting fitness just follow the link.

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As promised I will be reviewing self defence and martial art DVD’s and books, the first of which is taken from the huge collection donated by Master Russell Stutely Europe’s leading authority on the use of pressure points in the martial arts.

The first DVD I will be reviewing is titled Balance Points this DVD is available as either a download or as hard copy DVD. The viewing quality of the download version is excellent with no problem playing on full screen.

Now to the fun bit the content, as the title suggests this is about balance points and how by following simple rules you can easily unbalance an opponent whilst keeping your own. The importance of balance in any martial art be it boxing or traditional karate can not be over emphasised. Put simply if your opponent is off balance there punches or kicks carry no real power there accuracy goes out of the window in fact they are in a bad place where with you in balance can hit with full power and accuracy. The principles laid out in this amazing DVD apply to any and all martial arts and when you incorporate these principles into your own style you can not help but improve.

Russell makes learning very easy as each lesson is shown slowly from various viewing angles so that the viewer can get to grips with each lesson very easily. One thing he keeps saying is start light and slow to begin with and as your confidence grows increase the power levels. Obviously letting your training partner know as good training partners are hard to find and you do not want to break any.

I have previously stated that the principles laid out in this DVD can be adapted to any and all martial arts this is because we are talking about the body here and what will unbalance the body it means it is the same for everybody irrespective of style or art.

This is a DVD I heartily recommend to any martial artist beginner or black belt you will be bowled over by the simplicity and effectiveness of the techniques shown.

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