The Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, is an organization that puts on Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, fights. MMA is a combat sport involving the use of kicking, punching, wrestling and submission holds to mimic a controlled fighting environment. Due to the intensity of competition, UFC athletes need to be well-conditioned and very strong.
Types of Strength
UFC fighters must be proficient in three different types of strength, says former UFC champ Randy Couture. The first is explosive strength, the type of strength used when throwing a kick or punching, or when lifting somebody up for a takedown. Second is static strength, a type of strength that is rare in most sports, but is needed for grappling. Static strength is the strength needed to hold muscles in a contracted position for extended periods of time. Last is muscular endurance, which is needed so that muscles don't fatigue quickly.
Explosive Strength
To build explosive strength, you should do short, quick exercises that involve explosive bursts of energy. The Olympic lifts, so named because they are used in Olympic competition, are perfect for developing explosiveness. These lifts include the snatch and the clean and jerk. Both involve lifting a barbell from the floor to above one's head in a quick motion. UFC champion George St. Pierre is a big proponent of Olympics lifts.
Static Strength
According to Mixed-martial-arts-training.org, the best way to build static strength for UFC competition is by grappling. Spending hours on the mat, gripping on to a competitor in various holds, will build up your static strength. Wrestlers are especially noted for their static strength due to these long sessions holding down opponents. Also do body-weight exercises such as pullups, and hold yourself at the top in a contracted position for at least 30 seconds when you pull yourself up.
Muscular Endurance
UFC fights can be up to 25 minutes in length, so it is important that fighters be able to use their muscles for an extended period of time without fatigue. Couture recommends circuit training to build up this type of conditioning. Circuit training involves doing exercise after exercise with little rest in between. This mimics the athleticism needed during a fight. Couture's circuit training involves a series of squats, bent-over rows, lunges and presses with a minute rest in between each of five sets.
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