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Frankensteins

Dynamic Warm Ups

 

The prupose for warming up is to raise the body's core temperature, increasing blood flow, and loosening joints. We never warm up with static stretching, because that will do exactly the opposite.

 

In my early days of training, I kept having a pulled calf muscle every time I ground sparred. So I increased my calf stretch routine. Eventually, I was informed that the stretching may be the cause of the problem, not the solution. I tossed out calf stretches all together, and the problem went away.

So, is stretching bad? Absolutely not!! In fact, holding stretches at the end of a workout can help to lengthen muscles, allowing them to achieve a much greater range of motion. But for a warm up, it's like tugging on a frozen rubber band. Not good. We'll get into static stretches when we discuss cool-downs. For now, however, let's look at some decent warm ups for the aspiring fighter (or pro, or amateure, or anyone looking to learn to punch really hard).

 

What Exactly Is An MMA Warm Up?

 

There are three things to always consider when putting together an MMA warm up routine. It must consist of light exercises which raise the body's core temperature and increase the heart rate, while preparing the body for heavier work, and most of the warm up exercises should directly transfer to actual MMA techniques. This means that we will use boxing footwork drills, ground work drills such as shrimping and sit-outs, and a variety of other movements that help perfect the core techniques used in MMA

In our gym, we usually begin with some basic dynamic warm ups, such as arm circles and hip rotations, leading to some more involving warm ups, such as those shown in the video above. We then proceed with a quarter-mile jog and then walking as the heart rate drops down to a reasonable level. This is then followed by the MMA specific warm ups, which include Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, and Muay Thai drills.

 

It sounds long and drawn out, but this is all completed within 10 minutes, and each part aids in cardio development, leading to better endurance in the cage.

Part 1: Waking Up

Sun Salutation

 

The most popular of all Yoga routines, this simple sequence of movements was traditionally performed at the very moment that the sun was rising over the hills. It is a salute to the sun.

 

It's perfect for starting a training session, because it helps to stimulate the nervous system in a gentle way, while beginning the process of raising the body's core temperature. My personal recommendation is to begin every day with this practice. It will make a difference in your daily life.

Part 2: Jogging

Perform each exercise for no less than 20 seconds. You can perform them for longer if you feel up to it. We try to keep this part fairly short, since you're really just getting the body ready for the next part of the warm up.

Jumping Jacks

Frankensteins

Bear Crawl

Butt Kicks

Squat Kicks

Crab Walk

High Knees

Trunk Twists

Bear Crawl

The first part - Sun Salutation - is used to begin stimulating the nervous system, to help awaken the body to activity. It truly seems to help everyone feel more awake, more alive, and ready for a good work out.

 

The second part of this routine is designed to further raise the body's core temperature, while loosening up the muscles and lubricating the joints. Squat kicks are thrown in there for the simple reason of learning to kick. I have found, through experience as a trainer, that people tend to learn the kicks better when they've already been practicing a front snap kick, and using it as part of a warm up routine for every work out will make it much easier to learn all future kicks and knee strikes. This is because it teaches balance and control in a kicking action, while also developing form and the skill of leading in with the knee, and also full extension of the leg in a kick (a common difficulty, so don't feel embarrassed).

 

Next is part three. In the third part of our warm up routine, we are going to be focusing on MMA related drills. These include drills from Boxing, Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, and Judo. For a solo home work out, using these drills may be all you have for an actual MMA training session. Each of these drills will help you to better your fighting skills by granting you better speed and power in the movements, while hopfully achieving better form (always focus on form). But just to be clear, only through sparring can you really begin to test your skill with these movements. You need that resistance - that challenge from another person - to really build skill in fighting. After all, you won't be fighting a manikin on the street or in the cage.

Part 3: MMA Related Warm Up

This part of the training is divided into two parts. I recommend focusing each training session on different areas of fighting. If you are doing the same thing all the time, it can get rather boring. So focus day one on stand up skills, day two on ground work, and day three on ground and pound.

Jumping Jacks

Frankensteins

Butt Kicks

Squat Kicks

High Knees

Trunk Twists

Here's a routine that will help you get a feel for creating your own. Find a long open area, such as at a rarely-visited park or on a bank, and use it as a track where you can head to the end and back without obstruction. If you have a circular area, then use that accordingly. If no space at all, then some of these can be done in place. For some, you may want to do some of these in a jog down the sidewalk.

Part One: Wake Up

 

  • Sun Salutation

Part Two: Jogging

20 seconds each = 3 minutes

 

  1. Begin jog. Continue for about 20 seconds.

  2. Inside & Outside Shuffle w/ Jumping Jacks.

  3. Inside & Outside Carioca.

  4. Backward Jog.

  5. Skipping.

  6. Butt Kicks.

  7. Back to regular jogging.

At the earlier stages of training, you can reduce the warm up to only the Dynamic Stretching portion. Just remember that the rest of the warm ups help to build cardio, as well.

Part Three: Dynamic Stretching

20 seconds each = 2:40

  1. Arm Circles.

  2. Hip Rotations.

  3. Knee Circles.

  4. Ankle Rolling.

5.  Trunk Twists.

6.  Frankensteins

7.  Walking Calf Stretch

8.  Walking High Knee

Part Four: Grappling Drills

 

  1. Duck Walk (end of mat & back)

  2. Bear Crawl (to the end of mat)

  3. Crab Walk (back from the end of mat)

  4. Leg Circles (20 seconds)

  5. Triangle (20 seconds)

  6. Shrimping (20 seconds)

  7. Sit-Out (20 seconds)

  8. Technical Stand Up (20 seconds)

Part Five: Striking Drills

 

  1. 12-Count (2 minutes, alternating direction)

  2. 1-2 Skip (1 minute)

  3. Squat Kicks (1 minute)

  4. Round Kick w/ Knee Block (1 minute each side)

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