Three Mistakes In Your Strength Training...
Finally we live in a world where more and more fighters are accepting that strength training can be beneficial for them!
Yes, we still have the old school people kicking around with the ridiculous expressions like "weights make you slow" even though that has been WIDELY disproven... but we are making a shift!
However, as you start hitting your strength training, you NEED to make sure you are doing it effectively, otherwise you are going to fall into that same trap of feeling like it won't benefit you.
So here are the THREE biggest mistakes I see fighters make with strength training!
1) Skipping it...
Although people are seemingly starting to recognize its importance, I often see fighters make the excuse that 'I can't hit my strength training cause I have to hit more skills sessions!"
Although yes, skills training is massively important and you need to be hitting it consistently... think about how much better your skills would translate to fight night if you were;
Because these are the benefits that consistent strength training will provide you...
It doesn't have to be (in fact, shouldn't be) as often as you're hitting your skills sessions, but it NEEDS to be a non negotiable part of your training at least twice a week!
2) Doing too many reps
Don't get me wrong, I am happy to see fighters embracing lifting weights as part of their training... but some of the "workouts" (torture sessions) I see them put themselves through make me cringe and hurt all at the same time..
I understand the mindset "If I hit burn out sets then my endurance will improve!" but that's not the function of strength training... that should be the focus of your conditioning.
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If you're lifting weights and hitting those brutal burn outs, you're not 'building yourself up' you''re just beating yourself down.
Building strength happens generally in the 1-6 rep range, but you can push as high as the 10-12 rep range to really build that muscle density you need to be able to perform well and keep your body healthy. (What rep range makes more sense will depend on a variety of factors)
Keeping your strength work in these ranges, focusing on proper technique, working the right muscle groups will build a stronger foundation that you can build a better athlete on top of.
3) Focusing on weight over technique
This one is perhaps the MOST important! In the mind of any athlete, progress is always on the forefront.
The drive to improve is why you are able to succeed in your sport... but the trouble in the gym is this often leads to athletes trying to lift WAY too much weight in the name of "progress" .
"If the weight on the bar is going up, I'm getting better!"
BUUUUUUT... what you're forgetting is the purpose of the weights you're lifting. It's to make you a better athlete.
So yes, at times that will mean lifting more.. but over anything else that means keeping your lifts TECHNICALLY PROFICIENT!
Make sure you are focused on activating the right muscle groups and building a strong muscular balance from left side to right side and upper to lower body!
As well, during different phases of training, the focus should be more on power output, so as a result you will be lifting less in order to move the weights more explosively to get what you want out of the specific sessions.
So don't get caught up with just lifting more, focus on HOW you're lifting the weights to see the most success!
Hope you got some value from all this! Drop me a comment and tell me what you took away, and don't forget to follow along on instagram @coach+