Octagon battlers like Conor McGregor train movement patterns as much as muscles, because it’s not the size of the guns in the fight, it’s how they fire that wins the battle…
Walk into an MMA training session and you’ll see more than dudes doing press-ups – turning your body into a weapon requires exercises that mimic movements you’ll be doing in the ring. Fighters like Georges St-Pierre are down on record as using suspension trainers to strengthen their cores, while training the muscles to deliver fight-specific moves.
‘TRX Training involves using the body as an integrated system to challenge the entire body in every plane of motion – it requires that you brace and stabilise with your abs, obliques and lower back so you can leverage your own bodyweight as resistance,’ says TRX Master Trainer Matt Gleed. So it’s a safe bet that Conor McGregor is no slouch at this training either – after all everything goes through your core in a fight – lose that strength and you’re done.
To train like a UFC superstar try this workout of six moves, designed by Matt Gleed to train body and mind to deliver perfect technique, opponent-destroying strength and warrior abs…
1. TRX Burpee
The Move It Mimics: High Knee Block
Why It’s Killer: ‘Not just beneficial for high-speed metabolic conditioning; hip mobility, single-leg strength and power, core strength and upper-body explosiveness are all at work,’ says Matt Gleed.
How To Do It:
- Facing away from the anchor, place one foot into the cradles, then stand upright
- In one fluid movement pop down to the floor into a press up, extending the suspended leg out (not touching the floor), then pop back up again and repeat
- Add a hop in at the end of the movement to increase the difficulty If you lose balance then brace your core, look at a fixed point on the wall, and find a rhythm.
2. TRX Clock Pull
The Move It Mimics: Spinning Back Fist
Why It’s Killer: ‘This engages and strengthens the shoulder muscles very effectively. It’s a low impact move that will strengthen your rotator cuff and deltoid muscles.’
How To Do It:
- Face the anchor point, and extend the arms out at shoulder height, walking the feet in so the body is at a 45º angle
- Pull one arm into your chest (row), while the other extends out at an angle
- Repeat, changing the angle of the extended arm (around a clock face) before switching extending arm
- If the straps saw about then maintain tension on them throughout
- Keep shoulders down and back to avoid curving of the shoulders.
3. TRX Clutch Curl
The Move It Mimics: Rear Naked Choke
Why It’s Killer: ‘The grabbing motion puts your upper-body muscles under tension, especially the biceps and deltoids as you grip tightly and pull your body upwards.’
How To Do It:
- Face the anchor with your elbows bent and aligned with your shoulders
- Lower your body down by straightening both arms
- Pull up to return by bringing your knuckles to your chest, keeping your elbows high
- Maintain tension on the straps throughout.
4. TRX Crossing Balance Lunge with Knee Drive
The Move It Mimics: Knee To The Gut
Why It’s Killer: ‘Great for building single-leg strength and core stability by utilising unilateral lower-body movement. The knee drive helps explosiveness and works your hip flexor and hamstrings.’
How To Do It:
- Stand facing the anchor, keep elbows under shoulders and palms facing each other
- Centre your working leg to anchor point and move the other leg back into a lunge, dropping back, knees straight down without touching foot to ground
- Drive up through the front heel, returning leg to starting position
- Keep chest lifted and eyes to the anchor to stop your body falling forward
- If you are reaching your leg at a diagonal, then drive leg toward opposite wall.
5. TRX Power Pull
The Move It Mimics: ‘Superman’ Punch
Why It’s Killer: ‘Challenging but helps develop strong, powerful back and shoulder muscles by forcing you to use a full range of motion to complete the rep – muscles are working hard under tension.’
How To Do It:
- Stand facing the anchor, TRX in single-hand mode, hold onto the handle and with your free hand reach toward the anchor, following the main strap
- Pull back the other arm into a high row, keeping weight in the heels
- Drop the free hand down and back, eyes follow hand, rotating through the core and maintaining body alignment
- Return to the start position, focusing on rotational movement the entire time
- Keep your body straight and chest lifted to avoid breaking at the hips
- Don’t use rotational momentum to pull your body up – pull your shoulder down and back before bringing your body up.
6. TRX Spiderman Press-Up
The Move It Mimics: Low Leg Drive
Why It’s Killer: The instability caused by the TRX increases the difficulty of this move as you engage your core, chest and shoulders. With only one leg in the Suspension Trainer, you’ll even feel a burn in your supporting leg.’
How To Do It:
- Set the TRX in single-loop mode and place one foot in the strap loop
- Get into a press-up position with your free leg suspended next to the one in the straps
- Lower into a press-up and bring your free knee to your elbow. Keep your hips square to the ground throughout the movement
- Drive up out of the push-up and bring your leg back to the starting position
- Don’t allow your hips to drop.
TRX® products, training programmes, education and accessories can be purchased here
WHAT NEXT? Want the inside story on what rising through the UFC ranks teaches you? Then read RISING’s interview with lightweight Kevin Lee, who trains in Floyd Mayweather’s gym.
Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care or recommendations. Please check with your Doctor before embarking on exercise or nutrition regimes for the first time.