Current professional MMA fighter, Hershel Walker looks like a bodybuilder but claims to never lift weights! Let's face it--he is a genetic freak. He would probably win Mr.Olympia if he put his mind and time into it....
What about combat athletes who want to become more muscular but are not genetically superior?
There is a way to body build without taking away your sport. Combat athletes should focus on maximizing their weight training sessions in 4 to 5 minute intervals/supersets because their sports are predominantly anaerobic.
This would be a great bodybuilding arm workout for a boxer or MMA fighter:
Barbell Curls(5 heavy reps explosive in a 1 to 2 second tempo)
DB Incline curls(12 medium reps slow eccentric/explosive concentric in 2 to 3 second tempo)
Standing DB hammer curls(30 light reps slow continuous tension in 3 to 4 second tempo)
Close grip bench(5 heavy reps explosive 1 to 2 second tempo)
Bench dips(12-15 medium reps 2 to 3 second tempo)
push downs(30 light reps 3 to 4 second tempo)
"All out" punches on speed bag until 5 minutes elapses
Rest 1-2 minutes then continue the same non-stop interval for another 5 minutes then rest 1-2 minutes etc...until 3 or 4 full rounds are completed.
This workout stresses all three muscle fiber types-Type 1A, 2A and 2B.
The Type 2B are the muscle fibers combat athletes love because they are the fast twitch/explosive fibers. They fatigue easily due to scarce mitochondria and capillaries. The main energy pathways of the type 2B are the "ATP and the ATP-CP systems." Adenosine triphosphate is the principal substrate of all muscle cells. When a muscle contracts, ATP is broken down and energy is released along with a phospate bond to form ADP + P . The muscle cell has 4 seconds worth of ATP before it is depleted. After 4 seconds, the muscle cells begin to depend on a biochemical known as creatine phosphate. Creatine phosphate will donate it's phosphate to ADP to create ATP. Again, the muscle cells availability of CP is limited during continuous intense activity. This will last 20 seconds before it is completely depleted. The ATP and CP stores will replenish back to peak levels within minutes after intense exercise is concluded. So the heavy/explosive 5 reps and part of the medium 12 reps set-stresses mainly the Type 2B muscle fibers.
The Type 1A muscle fibers are know as the slow twitch endurance fibers. They do not fatigue easily because they have many mitochondria and capillaries. The Type 2A muscle fibers are in between the Type 1A and Type 2B. Most bodybuilders have predominantly Type 2A muscle fibers. Bodybuilders are known for being stiff and not athletic. Bodybuilders focus on bodybuilding and view any other activity as counterproductive. The Type 2A muscle fibers rely on the "anaerobic lactic acid system." It starts at 20 seconds of continuous activity until it's depleted within 2 minutes. During this system, muscle glycogen is used to replenish ATP and then lactic acid is used as well. After 2 minutes of continuous activity, the Type 1A muscle fibers come into play. Within the Type 1A fiber-the "aerobic energy system" uses oxygen in the mitochondria to break down glucose. This is also known as "aerobic glycolysis." After the glucose levels in the blood, liver and muscle are depleted-fatty acids are used to produce ATP. This could last for several hours of continuous activity. This is why marathon runners can run for 2-4 hours without stopping. The medium 12 rep sets and then the slow continuous tension reps of 30 focus on the Type 2A and the Type 1A muscle fibers....
The bodybuilding arm workout is great because it stresses all three muscle fiber types but it also addresses the punching motion of a combat fighter after fatigue has set in. This works on anaerobic endurance. Anaerobic endurance can easily be measured by counting the punch output after 5 minutes of weights and punches on the speed bag. The object to this game is to improve or maintain the punch output even when the weight workout has become more intense. The heavier the weights-the more likely the Type 2B muscle fibers will adapt to fuse and form Type 2C fibers. This is known as muscle hypertrophy!!!
Here is a great leg workout for MMA fighters:
Squats(5 reps heavy explosive in a 1 to 2 second tempo)
Lunges(12-15 count medium in a 2-3 second tempo)
Leg extensions(30 reps light slow continuous tension in a 3-4 second tempo)
Weighted hyperextensions(5 reps explosive in a 1 to 2 second tempo)
Lying leg curls(12-15 reps medium in a 2-3 second tempo)
Standing calf raises(30-40 reps light slow continuous tension in a 3-4 second tempo)
Non-stop "Muay Thai" Knees until 5 minutes elapses
Rest for 3-5 minutes in between intervals and then continue until 3 to 4 supersets/intervals have been completed. Again, count the knee output and try to maintain or increase it's number. If the output starts to decrease and can't be improved-look into overtraining.
Combat athletes can body build without taking away from their sport if they combine their bodybuilding with sport skills in properly timed intervals....