Conor McGregor: UFC fighter who holds two belts, and the man who brought Floyd back to the ring. So is it like him that you want to train? You already know that his exercise program is not suitable for the fearful.
Sparring and Martial Arts
Let's start with the basics: martial arts training. To train like McGregor, even if the goal is to get fit, and not to take action to win belts, the principles are the same. Whether it's striking, grappling or sparring, each of these techniques counts as conditioning (muscle conditioning) or endurance (endurance) training. If combat sports aren't your thing, you can achieve the same results (without the risk of having a broken nose) by borrowing only the elements you want. Bag training and "boxercise" courses, for example, they will make you reap the rewards of boxing and kickboxing: you will lose weight and strengthen limbs and abdominals, without the need for physical contact.
For martial arts athletes and boxers, sparring is a great way to practice technique, as well as speeding up your beats and testing your strength against your opponent.
If you are not a martial arts athlete, try to imitate the physical effort of sparring as much as you can: that is, with a HIIT workout.
Aerobic / Anaerobic Training
Being a featherweight and lightweight athlete, Conor McGregor has a physique characterized by a minimal percentage of body fat and lack of mass. In weight training, as well as in cardio, it is good to avoid muscle building exercises, which have more to do with size than strength. Focus on body weight and NRT (counter resistance) training, with particular emphasis on cardio training.
You can train just like McGregor by following this 12-week zone training program. known as the FAST conditioning program. It is an aerobic and anaerobic workout, which places emphasis on explosive power and maximum speed and endurance throughout the duration of the workout.
It focuses on cycling, rowing, running and boxing. The training is divided into three categories (green, orange and red zone), with difficulties and results that increase from zone to zone.
Strength Training
You won't have to search social media for long to stumble upon a photo of McGregor training. 9 times out of 10 he performs exercises that only exploit his body weight. We'll take a look at a couple of the higher-rated ones here, which can lead to the same result.
Movement is essential. McGregor often promotes movement-based training, which allows him to achieve greater range and agility in the octagon, as well as strength and muscle conditioning.
Muscle-up These exercises use only natural strength, working the back, biceps, triceps and abdomen, while also developing strength in the wrists and rotator cuff, both of which are of great importance in striking.
Lizard walk YouTube videos will show you exactly how much strength and agility are needed to perform this exercise, working your abs and upper and lower body.
Avoid performing machine weights and stationary movements. This does not apply to repetitions (e.g. muscle-ups, press-ups, crunches), which must be performed in the same way every time. Instead, it means not limiting yourself to a narrow range of movements, such as the bench or shoulder press, which would help develop muscles using a single movement. The best solution is to focus on exercises that allow you to move and work as many muscles as possible simultaneously.
It is for this reason that isolation exercises may not be the best approach, and they risk loading the ligaments.
Instead, think in terms of full coverage, plus one-leg balance exercises. Single leg squats with kettlebells are a good start.
Yoga
Yoga is the foundation for many MMA fighters. It has obvious benefits on movement, balance and stretching.
Nutrition
For a lean and strong body, nutrition is a crucial factor. McGregor himself said during an interview: “I eat good meat (chicken, salmon, some steak), lots of good quality vegetables and some fruit, like bananas… When I train it is important for me to take the right amount. of proteins, which promote muscle growth and recovery, for this reason it integrates with protein shakes. I mostly drink water or coconut water. It's important to stay hydrated: the first thing I do in the morning is to stretch and drink some water. "
So if you think you want to train like him, also make sure you eat the right amount of carbohydrates! Your body needs energy, so don't hold back on oats and sweet potatoes!
Don't forget to include healthy fats in your diet, which will help you with muscle recovery and maintenance.
To conclude we wish both fighters good luck for the great fight!
