Most fighters are the epitome of the human body. Not only do they look incredible, with chiseled muscles, but they also perform on a world-class level. They have the strength and conditioning that some can only dream of, even for other athletes.
When it comes to fighting, you can’t be all endurance or all strength, you have to be able to possess both strength and endurance in a perfect balancing act, or rather a dance, between the two. That’s exactly what makes the fighter physique so impressive – and so popular. Let’s see how you can build a fighter physique: what to eat, how to train, and what results to expect.
What Is a Fighter Physique?
A fighter’s high-intensity training builds an athletic physique with a low body fat percentage, rock-solid core muscles, and defined six-pack abs. Their body isn’t bulky like a bodybuilder’s – it’s lean, athletic and functional, with the perfect balance of strength, endurance and explosiveness. Think broad shoulders, a strong back, defined arms and abs, and legs built for speed rather than size.
How to Eat Like a Fighter
The first thing you will have to do is change things up in the kitchen. In order for your muscles to show, you will have to lose the excess body fat and fighters go through the same regimen when cutting weight for a fight. Their diet plays as big a role in how they look as their training does.
The main difference between fighters and the typical fitness junkie is that many fighters keep it simple instead of obsessively counting their macros. A common approach is about 5 smaller meals a day, with portion sizes and total calories depending on the fighter’s size, weight class and training load. As far as what they eat, most of it is whole foods – mostly vegetables, complex carbs and lean proteins like fish, chicken, eggs and lean beef. Processed foods, sugary drinks and alcohol are kept to a minimum.
The Fighter Physique Workout
Professional fighters often train several hours a day, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Instead, focus on the most efficient exercises and borrow them for your own workout.
Strength Training
For strength, a lot of a fighter’s training is built on calisthenics. Many fighters also lift weights, but they don’t train like bodybuilders – too much bulky muscle would slow them down and tire them out faster. They need both lung and muscle endurance, so much of their strength training is endurance-focused, which means high-rep calisthenics.
Here is what you would do in a circuit:
100-200 pushups
50-100 Pullups
100-200 squats
100 sit-ups
50 leg raises
Do this as a circuit with one-minute breaks, or finish all the reps of one exercise before moving to the next. These numbers are a goal, not a starting point – if you can’t do them yet, split the reps into smaller sets and build up over a few weeks.
All these exercises have a strong focus on the core, because fighters need a strong midsection to throw hard punches and to take them. For you, it will help you in all of your exercises by building explosiveness and giving you more muscle endurance.
This workout will burn calories and build muscle. It’s a perfect mix of cardio and strength training.
Heavy Bag Workout
One of the most fun workouts that you will ever do is a heavy bag. Put on your gloves and punch the bag for 3-minute rounds with 1-minute breaks, for 3 to 5 rounds depending on what you can take. This workout will help develop your core, your lats, your shoulders, and your endurance. You will most likely look like you went for a swim after four rounds because you will be drenched.
Jumping Rope
Many people scoff at jump roping as a kids exercise. In reality, it can burn way more calories than many other forms of cardio – minute for minute, it’s on par with running. It’s one of the most efficient fat burning exercises that you can partake in. Boxers do it because it’s an efficient way to cut weight, it improves footwork and coordination, and it works your shoulders and calves like few other exercises. Just ten minutes of rope jumping can burn well over 120 calories.
Try It for a Month
Nothing works if you don’t try it. Give this workout a shot for 30 days and see how you feel and watch your body change for the better. It will help you improve both in and out of the gym due to the extra endurance. Make sure to get your rest but go at least 5 days a week, in any format. Try it and let us know how your body has changed.
Want to train for performance, not just the look? Here’s how to get in fighting shape with an MMA-style conditioning workout.
- The Total Body Conditioning Workout
- Boxing Calisthenics Workout For Strength And Conditioning
- Military Fitness – The Conditioning Workout and Tests
