Becoming a world-famous MMA artist requires an intense training schedule. Fighters typically train for four hours every day, five days per week, when getting ready for a bout, Men’s Journal reports. Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva, and Mariusz Pudzianowski, in particular, are three of the world’s top MMA fighters who stick to strict and impressive training regimes in order to maintain their size, strength, speed, and endurance.
Brock Lesnar
The longest-reigning WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, is at the top of his game. Brock relies on a combination of diet, exercise, and supplements to maintain his status as a star heavyweight contender. Every day Brock does a heavy weight lifting workout at the gym. However, he knows that having access to equipment is a prerequisite for building a fighter’s body. Brock grew up on a farm without a gym membership and had to resort to creative ways to work out — like running downhill with a 180-pound log carried on his shoulders to build strength and fitness. Today, on top of heavy weight lifting, Brock also fights and does martial arts regularly to tone his body, strengthen muscle, and also target muscles that weight lifting didn’t get. He’s also a fan of cardio — particularly running. Brock focuses on training a different part of his body during each workout. He trains twice daily four times per week. Morning sessions prioritize improving fighting skills, while evening sessions focus on running and weight training. Rest days are also never skipped. It’s essential that Brock gives his body time to rest and recuperate in order to avoid fatigue and injury.
It’s also important to train the neck for heavy lifting. Although often neglected, strengthening the neck helps minimize the risk of injury and pain during training, fighting, and everyday activities. It also helps decrease the risk of developing concussions in combat sports. A neck harness is an affordable and effective strengthening device. It supports the neck and helps you stand or sit with loads heavier than you’d usually be able to handle.
Diet-wise, Brock consumes plenty of calories and protein every day combined with supplements when he’s unable to eat normal meals due to time constraints (however, he doesn’t normally pay strict attention to calories and macros). Advanced creatine formulas and whey protein supplements are also incorporated to help build muscle, boost strength, and aid overall performance. Right after a training session, Brock makes sure to get in at least 30 grams of high-quality protein and complex carbohydrates to restore glycogen levels. Additionally, Brock drinks at least one gallon of water with electrolytes throughout the day.
Anderson Silva
Anderson “The Spider” Silver is a Brazilian-American former UFC Middleweight Champion, and is the record holder for the longest title reign in UFC history — 2,457 days and 16 consecutive victories. Now in his 40s, Anderson is as fast and strong as ever — thanks to his training routine and diet. Anderson commits to working out twice daily (morning and evening) every day with his trainer, Rogerio Camoes, who has a brown belt in jiu-jitsu and a black belt in judo. A minimum of four times a week, Anderson does weight training in two-hour sessions. He also does boxing on some days, along with jiu-jitsu every Friday. He stays motivated by playing upbeat soundtracks to video games and movies as he trains — Spider-Man is one of his favorites. But that’s not all. Anderson also incorporates a routine that involves dodging one or two tennis balls he has a friend throw against a wall. Walking backward is also a skill Anderson is sure to hone — he says having that ability down (or not) can make or break a fight.
When it comes to diet, Anderson typically sticks to what he knows works best: cycling macros, eating protein-heavy for a few days, then focusing on carbs, before eating light meals for several days. Once he achieves his goal weight before a fight, he’ll prioritize getting enough carbs and protein, along with Vitamins D and C. Anderson has also cut sugar out of his diet and keeps his salt intake low — which he says has had the greatest positive impact on his performance. He also drinks enough water throughout the day.
Mariusz Pudzianowski
Mariusz Pudzianowski is a current mixed martial artist and five-time winner of the World’s Strongest Man. He trains twice a day in order to maintain his impressive strength and skill. Specifically, Mariusz has morning grappling sessions, which include wrestling and judo elements, and evening sessions dedicated to 40-minute boxing workouts. His strength training program largely focuses on front squats, squats, overhead lights, and deadlifts. Mariusz also gets plenty of cardio, including a jump rope, running, and joint-friendly swimming to strengthen his stamina and endurance. He also stresses the importance of exceptional form and not pushing yourself too hard, which is the reason for his ability to remain largely injury-free over the years. When training others, Mariusz often recommended lowering weights when necessary in order to maintain good form. In his most challenging, fast-paced workouts, Mariusz benched up to 250kg for front squats, and 20kg for sets. Every session focused on including as many exercises as possible to challenge his skill, fitness, and performance to the max.
Surprisingly, Mariusz doesn’t stick to a strict nutrition plan and admits to eating intuitively whatever he feels like in the moment. In the past, he’s revealed downing 2-3lbs of bacon and 10 eggs for breakfast, and snacking on candy throughout the day for an energy boost. He also enjoys indulging in chocolate and ice cream after workouts to increase his calorie intake and prevent himself from losing weight. Thanks to his hardcore training regime and weight of over 300lbs, Mariusz has a super-fast metabolism, which means junk food is sometimes needed to help him maintain his weight.
Becoming an unbeatable MMA fighter requires determination, dedication, and an intense training regime. Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva, and Mariusz Pudzianowski are excellent examples of the training routines needed to achieve and maintain exceptional size, strength, speed, and endurance.
