By JENNIFER PETROSINO
SPEED SQUAT WAvES—WEEKS 1-12 (SATURDAy)
Week 1
• Squat into chains at an inch below parallel: 10x2x50
• Deficit sumo pulls, straight weight 8x2 up to RPE 7 (With the speed pulls I work off RPE and not percents because I have found that, with my deadlift, the integrity of my CNS has a big impact on my pull’s ability to increase, and if I am spending too much time grinding, my pull will stall.
Thus, the RPE allows me to auto-regulate my body and avoid overtraining my CNS—the way going off percents has done in the past).
• Box jumps—20 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x20 band seated abduction
• Sled lunges with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 2
• Squat into chains at an inch below parallel: 10x2x55%
• One-inch conventional block speed pulls—6x3 against bands up to RPE 7 (I hit my block pulls conventional to build up my weakness, and I only go from one inch because it makes the time under tension comparable to the time under tension of a sumo pull from the floor. Thus, I am working the weakness for the same time under tension as my sumo pull since when I pull sumo, the distance is shorter).
• Box jumps—20 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x20 band seated abduction
• Sled lunges with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 3
• Squat into chains at an inch below parallel: 9x2x60%
• Sumo rev kettlebell speed pulls: 10x2 up to RPE 7 (Attach kettlebells to both sides of bar and pull them off when the bar gets below your knee caps. So, this basically overloads the bottom and lightens the top. Then hit the second rep fast straight weight—we started this because I was having trouble pulling max weights off the floor, and it helped me bring my deadlift from 215 pounds to 240 pounds).
• Box jumps—20 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x20 band seated abduction
• Sled lunges with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 4
• Rep effort front squats: 5x5 at RPE 7 (Deload Week)
• Rep effort leg press 3x10
• 3x20 GHR
• 2x20 band seated abduction
• Sled lunges with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 5
• Pause (2 count) speed squats: 10x2x50%
• Deficit sumo pulls straight weight 6x2 up to RPE 7
• Box jumps—20 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x20 band seated abduction
• Sled lunges with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 6
• Pause (2 count) speed squats: 10x2x55%
• One-inch conventional block speed pulls—5x3 against bands up to RPE 7
• Box jumps—20 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x20 band seated abduction
• Sled lunges with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 7
• Pause (2 count) speed squats: 9x2x60%
• Sumo rev kettlebell speed pulls 8x2 RPE 7
• Seated db jumps—15 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x10 single leg reverse hyper
• Sled drags backwards, forwards, and sideways with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 8
• Rep effort front squats: 5x5 at RPE 7 (Deload Week)
• Leg press 3x10
• 3x20 GHR
• 2x20 reverse hyper
• Sled drags backwards, forwards, and sideways with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 9
• Squats into parallel chain: 10x2x50%
• Deficit sumo pulls straight weight 5x2 up to RPE 7
• Seated db jumps—15 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x10 single leg reverse hyper
• Sled drags backwards, forwards, and sideways with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 10
• Squats into parallel chain: 10x2x55%
• Conventional block speed pulls—4x3 against bands up to RPE 7
• Seated db jumps—15 reps total
• 3x6 heavy GHR
• 2x10 single leg reverse hyper
• Sled drags backwards, forwards, and sideways with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes
• Abs
Week 11
• Squats into parallel chain: 9x2x60%
• Straight weight speed pulls 5x1x60
• Sled drags backwards, forwards, and sideways with a plate—continuous for 20 minutes (I kept this in to help me make weight, but if you don’t need to, I would pull this out this week)
• Abs
Week 12
Meet week—work on mobility
SPEED BENCh WAvES—WEEKS 1-12 (MONDAy):
With speed bench, I always went three sets close-grip, three sets thumb from smooth, and three sets index on ring to help work my bench through various grips and account for any weakness. Also, I ran two-week waves on bench verses three-week waves because I found that at the third week, I was getting burned-out and it was just too much for my nervous system to handle. Therefore, I turned the third week into a rep effort day and it helped immensely! Also, as I mentioned before, I was volume crazy—you can really see this on days like DE bench. So please reduce if your volume sensitive!
Week 1
• Speed bench, paused, v. mini band: 9x3x50%
• 3x3x4 board, paused (Use the weight you hope to hit on a third attempt at the meet. You will use this weight for the rest of the weeks on speed bench days regardless of board height, so be realistic when choosing the weight. For me, I picked 110 pounds and ended up hitting a max bench in training of 110 pounds, paused, a week before the meet).
• 3x5 seated military press
• 3x6 heavy dips
• 4x5 cambered bar rows with pause at the top
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 2
• Speed bench, paused, v. mini band: 9x3x55%
• 3x3x4 board paused
• 3x5 seated military press
• 3x6 heavy dips
• 4x5 cambered bar rows with pause at the top
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 3
• Rep effort bench: 2x20 with db
• 2x20 seated military
• 2x20 seated cable row
• 2x20 face pulls
• Abs
Week 4
• Speed bench, paused, straight weight: 9x3x50%
• 3x3x3 board. paused
• 2x5 seated military press
• 2x5 cambered bar rows with pause at the top
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 5
• Speed bench, paused, straight weight: 9x3x55%
• 3x3x3board paused
• 3x5 seated military press
• 3x6 heavy dips
• 4x5 cambered bar rows with pause at the top
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 6
• Rep effort bench: 2x20 with db
• 3x5 seated military press
• 3x6 heavy dips
• 4x5 cambered bar rows with pause at the top
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 7
• Speed bench, paused, v. Chains: 9x3x50%
• 3x3x2 board, paused
• 3x5 seated db military press
• 3x6 barbell extensions
• 4x5 db rows-single arm
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 8
• Speed bench, paused, v. Chains: 9x3x55%
• 3x3x2 board, paused
• 2x5 seated db military press
• 2x5 db rows—single arm
• Abs
Week 9
• Rep effort bench: 2x20 with db
• 3x5 seated db military press
• 3x6 barbell extensions
• 4x5 db rows—single arm
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 10
• Speed bench, paused, on chest v. Bands: 9x3x50%
• 3x3x2 board, paused
• 2x5 seated db military press
• 2x6 barbell extensions
• 3x5 db rows—single arm
• 2x20 band face pulls
• 2x20 band pull aparts
• Abs
Week 11
• Speed bench, paused, on chest v. Bands: 9x3x55%
• 3x3x2 board, paused
• 2x5 db rows—single arm
• Abs
Week 12 Meet week
MAX EFFORT lOWER—WEEKS 1-12 (WEDNESDAy):
On all max effort, please shut it down at an RPE of nine because missing weights is the biggest thing that can hurt your progress and your confidence when it comes to lifting! So please, always leave something in the tank and avoid getting too hyped in training—you don’t want to use the tricks you should be saving for meet day when you are in training! Also, with back down pause work, do your first set at 60 percent of your one-rep max on that day, and then go up from there if you feel it is too light. Finally, and I know that many people will disagree with me on this, I start putting on my knee wraps as far as 12 weeks out. I do this because I feel like it really allows me to get my body used to max weights and teaches me how to really sit back into my wraps so that I can get the most out of them!
Week 1
• One-rep max squat into chains below parallel, then rev mini band single 10 pounds heavier, then 3x3 back down set with a three-second pause in the hole
• SL leg press 4x5
• Heavy GHR 3x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 2
• One-rep max ultra wide squat, then rev mini band single 10 pounds heavier, then 3x3 back down set with a three-second pause in the hole
• SL leg press 4x5
• Heavy GHR 3x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 3
• One-rep max rev band deadlift against monster bands in competition stance, then back down sets without monster bands of 3x3
• SL leg press 4x5
• Heavy GHR 3x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 4
• One-rep max concentric Anderson front squat up to RPE 7—Deload week (Using the concentric lift for max effort allows you to deload the body and the nervous system, but it still allows you to hit heavy weights since concentric is less damaging to the body).
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 5
• One-rep max front squat, then rev mini band single 10 pounds heavier, then 3x3 back down set with a three-second pause in the hole
• SL leg press 4x5
• Heavy GHR 3x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 6
• One-rep max rev mini band squat, then rev monster band single 10 pounds heavier, then 3x3 back down set with a three-second pause in the hole and no bands
• SL leg press 4x5
• Heavy GHR 3x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 7
• One-rep max Olympic squat, then rev mini band single 10 pounds heavier, then 3x3 back down set with a three-second pause in the hole
• Ultra wide belt squat on pit shark 4x5 (If you don’t have a belt squat, just go leg press ultra wide).
• Explosive GHR 3x6 (For the eccentric part, you hold a med ball and when you get to parallel, you drop the ball and fire up un-weighted. Your partner throws you the med ball, and you repeat).
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 8
• One-rep max concentric Anderson back squat from pins or chains up to RPE 7
• Ultra wide belt squat on pit shark 2x20
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Abs
Week 9
• One-rep max deadlift competition stance up to RPE 9, then rev monster band single 10 pounds heavier
• Ultra wide belt squat on pit shark 4x5
• Explosive GHR 3x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 10
• Squat up to second attempt, rev mini band third attempt
• Ultra wide belt squat on pit shark 2x5
• Explosive GHR 2x6
• Reverse hyper 2x20
• Heavy sled drags 20 feet backwards and forwards x 6 trips
• Abs
Week 11
• Squat up to opener, mini rev band second attempt
• Explosive GHR 3x6
• Abs
Week 12 Meet week
Max effort upper—Weeks 1-12 (Friday):
With the back down sets, start at 50 percent and then increase the weight if you feel that you need to. The reason I used sets of five instead of threes (like on squat) is because I found that with my bench, it responds best to the five-rep range. Also, the volume is high because my bench strength is low; thus, I get to a one-rep max much sooner than someone who’s benching in the raw 300s or 400s. If this is you, then I defiantly suggest that you reduce the volume. However, when typing up this program, I wanted to list things exactly as I did them.
Week 1
• One-rep max decline bench, paused and close-grip, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 2x5 close-grip bench
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 Kb extensions paused at head
• 3x6 heavy cable seated row with isometric hold at chest
• Abs
Week 2
• One-rep max incline close-grip bench, paused, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 2x5 close-grip bench
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 Kb extensions paused at head
• 3x6 heavy cable seated row with isometric hold at chest
• Abs
Week 3
• Five-rep max ultra wide grip bench, paused, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 2x5 close-grip bench
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 Kb extensions paused at head
• 3x6 heavy cable seated row with isometric hold at chest
• Abs
Week 4
• Three-rep max top of the head concentric barbell military press seated (Deload week)
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 Kb extensions paused at head
• Abs
Week 5
• One-rep max close-grip bench, paused, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 2x5 close-grip bench
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 Kb extensions paused at head
• 3x6 heavy cable seated row with isometric hold at chest
• Abs
Week 6
• One-rep max competition grip decline bench, paused, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 2x5 close-grip bench
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 Kb extensions paused at head
• 3x6 heavy cable seated row with isometric hold at chest
• Abs
Week 7
• One-rep max competition grip incline bench, paused, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 db extensions with pause at head
• 3x6 chest supported row
• Abs
Week 8
• One-rep max concentric (from puns) bench (Deload week)
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 chest supported row
• Abs
Week 9
• One-rep max floor press, then rev mini band set 10 pounds heavier, then 3x5 three-second paused back down set
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 db extensions with pause at head
• 3x6 chest supported row
• Abs
Week 10
• Paused bench up to second attempt, rev mini band third attempt
• 50 reps total pull-ups (neutral grip, chins, and regular pull-ups)
• 3x6 db extensions with pause at head
• 3x6 chest supported row
• Abs
Week 11
• Paused bench up to opener, rev mini band second attempt
• 2x20 lat pulldown
• -3x6 db extensions with pause at head
• -Abs
Week 12 Meet week
Overall, this training cycle is the one that I have found to be the most successful for myself as a raw lifter.
However, everyone is different and if you choose to follow this program, let it be a loose guideline—not the end all be all. At the end of the day, when undergoing a training program, the most important thing is to listen to your body and adapt the program to what your body is telling you it needs. That means, if it’s feeling burned-out, please back off! Overall, best of luck and I wish you many PRs at the end of these 12 weeks!
Foreword:
Mixed Martial Arts is a very young sport, having held its first professional event a little over 20 years ago. It is only in the last five to six years that it has become a “mainstream” sport in the United States, doing steady business on PPV and acquiring more and more fans. Since MMA is such a young sport, MMA training is still in its infancy, and there is an enormous lack of training knowledge within all levels of the sport. The majority of MMA practitioners, both recreational and professional, lack proper instruction in regards to basic strength training and conditioning. While there are a few excellent coaches that have begun to specialize in strength and conditioning for MMA, there is still an enormous dearth of knowledge and practical experience.
This program is designed for a serious Mixed Martial Arts athlete that is looking to develop balanced strength, explosive power, and improved conditioning. This program is NOT meant to be used as a pre-fight
“peaking program.” Peaking a fighter is a comprehensive process in which all the training variables must be accounted for and the fighter’s recovery abilities must be monitored. Ideally, the athlete using this program is between fights and is taking a dedicated three to four month block of time to improve his athletic qualities of strength and power. This program utilizes some uncommonly used weight lifting movements and places an enormous emphasis on the development of the posterior chain, particularly the glutes, hamstrings, and low back.
MMA Power is divided into two training phases of eight and four weeks, with the option of extending phase I or II based on the needs of the fighter. The workouts are all total body and none should take longer than 60 minutes to complete. A common misconception with MMA training is that fighters shouldn’t lift heavy or that their training should be conditioning-based. This is entirely untrue. MMA fighters are like any other athlete, and a stronger and more powerful athlete delivers a better performance in the cage. MMA fighters are unique in the fact that their sport necessitates strength and conditioning in three different movement levels: 1) on the floor while wrestling or rolling, 2) in close quarters while grappling or in the clinch, 3) at a distance during striking. Fighters can be very well conditioned in one area while being extremely bad at another. While this program will not make a striker a well-conditioned wrestler, it will give him the strength and power to improve at wrestling should he attempt to practice and incorporate it into his training.
MMA Power is designed for strength first, muscle gain second. This program is meant to correct the most common imbalances seen in fighters and increase their functional strength. While a fighter could certainly gain muscle on it, it is not meant to add 25 pounds to someone’s frame and vault them into a new weight class.
Glutes, hamstrings, and low back: These three muscle groups are the holy trinity of explosive power and muscular strength for an MMA athlete. Regardless of size or specialty, a fighter with strong and developed glutes, hamstrings, and low back will have explosivity and strength that others lack. A strong low back will anchor the torso and grant a powerful core. Strong glutes and hamstrings will power punches, kicks, and take downs; grant more power in wrestling and submissions; and give the fighter a strength advantage in the later rounds of a fight. Not having these three muscles groups equally developed and in union with one another will leave the fighter at a competitive disadvantage. These three MUST be strong.
These three groups are often called the lumbo-pelvic complex. While that is certainly very technical, I don’t particularly find it useful in regards to training. When training my fighters, I simply use the short hand acronym: GHL (Glutes-Hamstrings-Lowback). This is easy to remember, and I find it a better teaching tool than the technical terminology.