John Hathaway is a mixed martial arts fighter. He made his UFC debut by defeating Tom Egan at UFC 93 in Dublin. He is only 22 and has a record of 12 wins, no losses and no draws. He is also my personal trainer.

With such an inspiring story it’s hard not to think ‘well maybe I could do that?’ but the reality is that most people will not become pro fighters. The discipline, dedication and extreme pain tolerance is beyond what most people can endure. So what can we take from this that will benefit us in our everyday life?

“Most people don’t know that the secret to changing the body and burning fat is not more cardio, it is functional high intensity training that focuses on multi-joint, multi-planar and total body training. Any training that mixes energy systems requirements (aerobic and anaerobic etc.) and changes stimuli on the body will get results. Without the right intensity, you will be wasting your time. Training like a mixed martial artist requires that you train with high intensity” (Fields 2009).

Most people would have never experienced what ‘high intensity’ really means to an MMA fighter. I spent my entire first few weeks with John in total disbelief at what he was asking me to do. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he tied me to a parked car and said ‘Right, sprint’! I’ve never been pushed so hard in all my life but after a while I could sit back quite happily with that confident feeling that my fitness levels were soaring and I’d become the strongest I’ve ever been, both mentally and physically.

This is all very well for someone whose job it is to stay fit but is this an effective form of training for the masses? Well, when the results include a decrease in body fat, an increase in muscle strength and efficiency, increased power and endurance and improved flexibility, mobility, agility and balance – give me one person who doesn’t want one, some or all of these results?

As it has been proved to me, to really train like a mixed martial artist, you will probably need to experience a bit of sparring and trust me, this is no play fight with your older brother who holds his hand against your forehead whilst you throw punches into the air, missing him every time. Even a light bit of sparring wearing head gear is crippling to your average fitness enthusiast! So I say, ditch the head gear, ignore your trainer’s threatening attempts to stick you in a fight with another girl and use him as a human punch bag instead. You can take away as much or as little as you want and still benefit from the training.

So this is how I’ve incorporated what I’ve learned into training my clients and these principles are what I strongly agree to be the core requirements when it comes to designing my work outs;

1. Emphasize the core: Most martial arts movement will be inefficient without a strong core that is integrated into a movement skill. A strong core helps connect the upper and lower extremities and helps prevent force leaks.
2. Multi-planar: We have the ability to move straight ahead, go left and right and to rotate. Our training should enhance this ability and emphasize all three planes of motion.
3. Multi-joint: Pick up something off the floor and notice how many joints are moving. Training should emphasize the use of more than one joint to be functional, for example, a lunge rather than a leg extension machine exercise.
4. Ground based: When we train standing up, the transfer to everyday activities is greatest. We have to worry about our core muscles and spinal stabilizers, or we will fall down. If you want to train like a martial artist, then train with at least some part of your body (hands or feet) on the ground.
5. Balance dominated: Multi-directional movement requires balance, which in turn requires not only a strong core but also sufficient skill and coordination.
6. Single limb: Punching and kicking are usually performed one limb at a time. Most of us also perform various tasks throughout the day with only one hand. Try brushing your teeth with two hands, and see how efficient that is. Dumbbell and kettlebell exercises are ideal for single limb training as are body weight exercises such as single leg squats.
7. Alternating limbs: Throwing multiple punch and kick combinations are performed by moving our limbs in an alternating manner. Training in this manner will enhance our natural movement patterns and can improve overall strength, coordination and performance.
8. Activity specific: Understand the needs of the activity and select the best exercises and resistance levels to meet those needs. Try to mimic the general movement patterns, along with some specific movements, to enhance performance. For someone training like a mixed martial artist, learning to hit a punch bag or focus pads would be a good place to start!
9. Speed specific: If you want to be fast, then it is important to train fast. If you are looking for static control, then slower speeds may be more appropriate. If you are going to hit something, you need to do it explosively. Train powerfully to develop power. Plyometric training, Olympic weightlifting, kettlebell training, sprint and agility training can all help improve different elements of speed/power (adapted from Jeff Fields ‘Nine Principles of Athleticism’).

An example of one of my MMA inspired circuits for an individual client might go something like this:

• (5 minutes to complete 15 reps of each – circuit performed 3 times)
• Push up
• Walking dumbbell lunge (15 each side)
• Dumbbell squat to overhead press (standing on Bosu ball)
• Medicine ball v-sit rotations (15 each side)
• Punching with resistance bands (30 punches in each stance)
• Squat, thrust, jumps (burpees)
• Kettlebell swing
• Stability ball lower body twists (15 each side)

If I was preparing a circuit for a group, I might use 30 seconds to 1 minute per station instead and modify exercises for the needs of the group.

This all may sound like a lot of hard work and some may be put off but bear in mind after establishing your current fitness levels and any possible limitations you may have, this type of work out can be modified in intensity, speed and duration to that which is appropriate for you. I believe in building a strong base first, that way you can stay injury free and enjoy the journey.