| Recently there has been a huge push in MMA | | | | Stabilizers: Core |
| training workouts to incorporate lifts that you | | | | Setup: Take a stance with the sandbag between |
| normally see performed in the World's Strongest | | | | your feet. Grab the sandbag. |
| Man. Finding a way to add strongman lifts to your | | | | Execution: Lift the sandbag to your thighs and |
| MMA training workouts is the best way to bridge | | | | squat down to rest it on them while you regrip |
| the gap between weight room strength and | | | | reposition the bag (this is known as tabling). From |
| functional strength you can use to your | | | | there squat up with the bag and lift it to one of |
| advantage in the cage. Strongman lifts require full | | | | your shoulders. Lower the bag back to the ground |
| body strength and power and, due to their | | | | and repeat to the other shoulder. This seems like |
| unpredictability build great full body stabilization and | | | | a very vague set of instructions, but this exercise |
| reactive strength. The benefits are numerous so | | | | is really individually specific. Everyone has their |
| start reading and implementing the following lifts | | | | own strategy as to how to lift the bag, but |
| into your MMA training workouts today! | | | | pretty much everyone I work with tables the bag |
| Log Clean | | | | in between the start and finish of the exercise. |
| Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves, Low | | | | How each person gets the bag from the ground |
| Back, Shoulders | | | | to their legs and then from their legs to their |
| Stabilizers: n/a | | | | shoulder is different from person to person so |
| Setup: Grab the handles, lift the log off the ground | | | | experiment with different techniques and see |
| while maintaining a flat back and position it against | | | | which works best for you. Either way this |
| your hips with your knees slightly bent and your | | | | exercise is a killer and develops some serious grip |
| hips driven back. | | | | and back strength. |
| Execution: Drive your hips forward while | | | | MMA Usage: Much like the tire flip, sandbag |
| simultaneously rolling the log up your chest. As the | | | | shouldering is another great way to build functional |
| log reaches the top of your chest drive your | | | | strength for MMA. Not that lifting barbells and |
| elbows up toward the ceiling and stand in an | | | | dumbbells won't build strength that won't apply to |
| upright position with the log resting on the top of | | | | MMA, there's just something about lifting an odd, |
| your chest. Lower the log back to your hips and | | | | unpredictable object that I find really useful for |
| repeat for reps. Never bend at the back in an | | | | fighters. A strong grip and low back are needed in |
| effort to complete a rep that you're struggling | | | | MMA, especially in the clinch and on the ground, so |
| with. This does nothing but put you at risk for | | | | developing strength in these areas will definitely |
| serious injury. | | | | pay off. |
| MMA Usage: The log clean is another great way | | | | Stone |
| to develop powerful triple extension. Because the | | | | Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Low Back |
| weight you'll be using is going to be considerably | | | | Stabilizers: Core, Lats |
| heavier than the med ball during a between the | | | | Setup: Stand with a stone between your feet. |
| leg toss, the speed at which you perform this lift | | | | Lower your chest to the stone and grab around it |
| will be a little slower. As a result, it will not | | | | in an effort to hug it as tightly to your chest as |
| transfer over as well to increasing your striking | | | | possible. |
| speed. However, because of the higher weights | | | | Execution: While keeping the stone tight to your |
| used for the log clean, it will help to train you to | | | | chest, lift it off the ground and table it much like |
| be explosive against large external resistances (ie | | | | you would with a sandbag before you shoulder it. |
| it will help you be more explosive when looking to | | | | Regrip the stone when you have it securely |
| lift/throw an opponent). | | | | tabled and then explode up and drive your hips |
| Tire Flip | | | | forward to lift it onto the box. This takes a lot of |
| Muscles Worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, | | | | getting used to so start light and get some quality |
| Calves, Shoulders, Biceps | | | | reps out before looking to move up. One of the |
| Stabilizers: Core | | | | issues you may run into is the stone slipping out |
| Setup: Take a stance with your feet outside of | | | | of your arms when you go to lift it. There are a |
| your hands. Your feet should be back a little bit | | | | number of tacky/pine tar type products available |
| from the tire at a distance that puts you at an | | | | to help combat this, but by the time you get it on |
| angle when you go to flip it. Your chest and | | | | you and cleaned up you've lost a lot of time. |
| shoulders should be tight against the tire. | | | | Since you're not a professional strongman and |
| Execution: Drive your chest and shoulders into the | | | | your success doesn't depend on whether or not |
| tire as you drive your feet into the ground. Once | | | | you can lift a certain sized stone (although having |
| you have reached maximal extension drive your | | | | the strength to lift heavier stones will certainly |
| knee under the tire as you quickly reposition your | | | | help you in a fight) I just have my fighters chalk |
| hands from an underhand grip to an overhead | | | | their hands and arms to help cut down on the |
| position. Focus on doing this as quickly as possible | | | | slippage that occurs. If you do end up going with |
| otherwise you'll lose momentum and end up | | | | tacky, a mechanic's hand cleaner like Goop works |
| having to battle to get the tire wedged up high | | | | well when looking to clean it off when you're |
| enough on your thigh so you can switch your | | | | done. |
| hand position. Once you have switched your | | | | MMA Usage: The stone lift is very similar to the |
| hands push the tire over. | | | | sandbag shouldering exercise and, as a result, |
| MMA Usage: Tire flipping is a great all around | | | | offers some of the same benefits as the |
| strength builder and is one of the best ways to | | | | sandbag. |
| bridge the gap between traditional weight room | | | | There you go, the top 4 strongman exercises |
| strength and odd object strength. Tire flipping and | | | | that you need to start incorporating into your |
| other strongman exercises develop strength at | | | | MMA training workouts immediately. I work them |
| angles barbells and dumbbells can't and will better | | | | in with my MMA fighters on the 3rd day which |
| prepare you for the many positions you'll face in a | | | | focuses on building full body power and reactive |
| fight. So while I can say specifically this exercise | | | | strength. There are a number of ways to work |
| will help you finish more takedowns, I think it's | | | | them in, and depending on your goals, you may |
| just a great all around strength builder that will | | | | want to put a bigger or smaller emphasis on |
| help you in a number of ways in the cage. | | | | these exercises. But, no matter what, you need |
| Sandbag Shouldering | | | | to start working these into your MMA training |
| Muscles Worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, | | | | workouts in some capacity. |
| Shoulders, Lats, Biceps | | | | |