MMA or Fight Training

Here is some food for thought

"The punch is characteristically very similiar to other movements (such as benching, throwing a shot, baseball, fencing prick, etc.), but what make it different is that is an unloaded movement. Thus, tension has to generated by the body, surprisingly, not in a rapid manner, but displayed at brief intervals using intense muscular contractions. These intrinsic properties categorize the punch as a true speed-strength movement, which incidently lies between 0-20% of one maximum.

Since maximal strength (80-100%) and speed-strength are not correlated (different neurological regimes), max strength doesn't effect initial muscular tension or max force when the external resistance is low. Speed-strength thus correlates highly with starting strength (20-40%). Thus, starting-strength which is displayed isometrically against an external resistance, is displayed dynamically in an unloaded movement, but barely (100-500 ms of conscious initiation).

I recommend:

1- Training for relative body strength, you don't need hypertrophy. The success of your other regimes depend upon this.

2- Train the appropriate energy systems. Shift that lactate curve to the right (speed-endurance).

3- Train in a relaxed, but heightened state. This will increase your reactionary times as well as your auogenic inhibition (eliminate co-contraction).

4- Train through incorporating different regimes. Use extreme isometrics, SUB-maximal eccentrics, starting strength (20-40%), and maximal speed (0-20%). For example, for starting strength, use suspended chain bench presses with 20-40% of your max for time. For maximal speed, utilize 1-5# DB's, weighted gloves, or mini-bands, in various positions.

5- Continue your DE day. This is acceleration strength (40-60%). Together maximal speed + starting strength + acceleration strength + relative strength = explosive strength.

And remember, your punching success depends upon your speed of execution. In order to be fast, you must train fast"
Tom Myslinski




Now with this in mind, once a sufficient base of max strength is developed, it seems a martial artist should focus more on speed.

So I was thinking of the Canadian Ascending Descending training program (Christian Thibaudeau). it goes like this:

Frequency: 4x/week
2 Upper body days, 2 Lower Body days (1 Ascend, 1 Descend)

Descending
1 Max Effort (85%+)
1 Dynamic Effort (40-60%)
1 Ballistic (20-40%)
1 Plyometric (0-20%)

Ascending
1 Plyo
1 Ballistic
1 DE
1 ME

This will at least maintain max strength, while placing more emphasis in the ranges expounded by Tom in his post.

"starting strength (20-40%), and maximal speed (0-20%) Continue your DE day. This is acceleration strength (40-60%)"

It would probably work well