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At the age of 22, Volkanovski began training in the MMA, but after realizing his passion for the sport, he decided to pursue it further and quickly became a professional counter striker. Popular for being an amazing offensive wrestler with a powerful overhand, he set to compete in several amateur fights as he worked on moving from being a rugby weight player.
Like the various stages an online casino will go through to rank on top charts, Volkanovski started his journey as an amateur at middleweight before going professional. Since then, he’s competed in different MMA organizations in Asia from 2012 to 2016 before partnering with the UFC. Over the years, he’s won titles like the Pacific Xtreme Combat title and the Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight title.
With so much success under his belt, it’s no surprise that many readers like yourself wonder what training MMA fighters like Volkanovski undergo to stay fit and train well enough to reach higher ranks within the profession.
How MMA Fighters Train
Those keen on understanding mixed martial arts are well aware of how brutal MMA is within the world of global sports. The moment fighters like Volkanovski step into the top level’s octagon, they’re well aware of the considerable danger they’re putting themselves in; therefore, a lot of training and preparation is required.
And while most people would think this is mainly about physical strength, preparing for a fight also requires mental training.
Every MMA player and the trainer will have their own regime on how to go about preparing for an MMA fight, but let’s look at fundamentals that most professionals apply within the sport.
Cardio
With every MMA fighter, it’s crucial they spend enough time building endurance and stamina before every competition. Unlike boxers who spend a lot of time on workouts like jogging, MMA fighters spend a lot of their time focusing on high-intensity intervals that help them develop muscle fibers.
So, when you look at UFC light-heavyweight MMA players and champions like Jon Jones and Volkanovski, you’ll find that they focus a lot of their time on treadmills and circuit training that include weights.
Strength
After stamina and endurance, power is the next most important component when it comes to players wanting to become top-quality fighters. So, MMA professionals will work on strengthening their power in the weight room. In addition, they will also undergo gymnastics training.
Usually, MMA fighters will undergo training about two to four days a week, and during this time, they will focus on lifting heavy weights to work on building various parts of the body like their legs, chest, back, and shoulders.
Targeting multiple areas of their body means these different body parts will be placed under stress each time they compete, helping them build core strength in the process.
Technical Training
To make it like a professional and recognized MMA fighter, you must understand that the sport requires a well-rounded and phenomenal skill. This is so that fighters can improve their technique as they work on different areas of the sport.
To do this, they will make a daily effort to spend time drilling, whether it’s through pad work, shadow boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, or muay thai. This will help keep their skill and performance in top condition while working to build an arsenal.
Sparring
No MMA player can use the same frequency of sparring each time they undergo a training regime simply because this will vary between athletes. Since it’s seen as an individual issue, most professionals in the UFC do sparring fairly infrequently.
So while MMA players may roll or undergo some live training in between their fights, it’s unlikely that they will spar until they reach the last ten weeks of camp because of the risk factor involved, as being exposed to heavy blows often during sparring can potentially impact how long an MMA fighter will remain in the sport.
