fightinthedog

Hi guys,

Stats:
19yo
5ft 4
125lbs

A the moment I am doing weight training on a basic 5x5 program three days per week. I train in MMA once per week and BJJ once per week. I intend on starting doing conditioning workouts a few times per week too.

What kind of conditioning routine should I do? How often? Is training on a 5x5 program adequate to gain the kind of strength I need?

I would really appreciate some advice, thanks.

rich78uk

A 5X5 routine will be good to building overall strength if your using large compound exercises such as squats, bench presses, deadlifts, military presses, bent over rows etc. As well as strength you will need to work on your explosive power and muscular endurance. For muscular enderance try doing a barbell complex, perform a number of exercises back to back without putting the bar down. Try something like this, bent over rows. high pulls, clean and press, squats, alternating lunges, side lunge,stiff legged deadlifts,deadlifts. Aim to do 12-15 reps of each exercise. For explosive power try a mixture of plyometric exercises, olympic lifts such as hang cleans, snatches (exercises where yuo move a large weight around quickly) medicine ball exercises (throwing exercises are great since you can create lots of force without having to worry about decelerating it) such as overhead medicine ball slams or get a large hammer and strike a big tyre. Hope this gives you some ideas.

www.resultsconditioning.com

Swole

125lbs? Shit go eat a cheeseburger or ten.

The first reply gave some good advice as for starting weight training. As for conditioning I'd say the best thing you could do was to stay far away from jogging/long bouts of low intensity cardio and do something really hard for no more than 30 seconds, then do it again, and again, and again.

For example 100 meter sprints. Do one then rest 10-15 seconds then do the next one. It will depend on your current conditioning as to how many you can do and as you get better conditioned you can shorten the rest down to 5 seconds or so.

But don't hold this to just running, you can also do kettle bell swings, sled drags, prowler pushes, and work on a tread sled just to name a few things.

dirtnasty

Going to have to say if you want to condition to properly perform a workout such as described above with sprints, you'll need to do some long runs because to do a proper speed workout you'll need a base of endurance to actually benefit and improve, and you should not being doing anymore that three speed workouts a week. If you do workouts like that everyday, either you will get injured, you will very easily plateau, and you just won't get very far.

In any good speed workout you never stop, for a starter workout after at least 3-4 weeks of decent mileage. A very easy workout, warmup with a couple miles, then get on the track and sprint the straights and a very slow jog on the turns. That would be around a 120m for each sprint the first time i would feel out what your capable of before you push yourself. This is only need so your body gets used to the transitions in speed and adapts to these kinds of workouts, starting with something like this is asking for trouble, most likely without experience you'll make it about two laps if using a track, not being able to gauge your distance capabilities.

Then after you've done that for a couple weeks move into 400m sprints, with 200m rest, then past that 800m sprints with 400m rest. If you get there you can move up to 800m with 200m rest, 1200m 600m rest and continue alternating, your rest should be a very very slow jog so you can gauge your recovery, but its up to you if your allowing yourself to recover or just taking it easy. The reason you shouldn't start with these is because you will not be able to commit to the properly with out a solid foundation with distance.

After a sprint the dumbest thing you can do is just stop, and stand or sit, or bend down and grab your knee's your only making it harder on yourself and your body, or if you use a treadmill never support yourself with your hands it just lazy and done by people who don't belong on a treadmill.

fightinthedog

Thanks guys, all really good responses.

I have my Uni fitness test on Thursday consisting of a bleep test and push/pull/grip strength tests. I'll let you know how I get on. I am aiming to start a conditioning routine after I do the test.

Swole

Actually going for long runs won't prepare you for the sprint workouts. They're totally different energy systems. And it's not a speed workout, it's a conditioning workout.

I really wouldn't even be worried about how far you go if you do sprints, the time factor is more important. I just picked a distance that most can cover in 10-15 seconds. 400 and 800 meter sprints would take far too long. And who cares how many you can do at first? Just make sure you try to push it each time and you'll be fine.

Sorry if the sprinting example was confusing but you could also do it with sleds, kettle bells, a tread sled, or something like the prowler.

Who would you rather fight, a marathon runner or a 100m sprinter?