For Weightlifters/MMA fans...

[Polymath]

What do you think Mark Kerr's weightlifting/strength-training regime looked like?

Huge back, backside, legs, smaller chest than youre used to seeing on guys that size - I'm thinking: squats & deadlifts galore, what else?

[Wilhelm]

Don't forget the tons of steroids and painkillers.

Seriously, look at the guy now when he's off that stuff and you'll wonder how much of his accomplishments are due to chemicals.

[Polymath]

tons of steroids and painkillers...


That seems likely as well...

[Beebs]

It shows him working out some on The Smashing Machine, nothing unusual, the sort of bodybuilding influenced weight training thats finally starting to fall out of favor with most strength coaches.

I know Louie Simmons from Westside Barbell in Columbus had Randleman doing alot dumbell complexes of olympic type movements with just obscenly heavy dumbells for time. Not the usual Westside routine, but very good for a fighter.

[Polymath]

Kerr trained too much like a bodybuilder, as Beebs stated.

really?

I think he was doing PL training; thats what his physique looks like - the guys functional strength was insane, arguably the strongest man in the history of MMA. I dont think he got like that doing bicep curls and, as Royce Gracie said, "drinking milk" :lol:

[Polymath]

btw Vr you might be right - I'm not saying Kerr didn't indulge in some BB style training, but from his strength & physique its obvious he did other stuff as well.

[Donut62]

Kerr trained like a bodybuilder, lots of sets and reps in the 8-12 range. Just because you are squatting and deadlifting doesn't make you a powerlifter. He claims a best squat of 550 and bench of 425.

Anybody who thinks chemicals alone can make you look like that, go run a gram of test and deca a week and get me back to me when you are a 265 pound tower like Kerr was. I won't be hearing from you again.

I know Louie Simmons from Westside Barbell in Columbus had Randleman doing alot dumbell complexes of olympic type movements with just obscenly heavy dumbells for time. Not the usual Westside routine, but very good for a fighter.
Louie used extensive time under tension methods combined with maximal and dynamic strength work. Supposedly, Randleman squatted 600 off a low box while at Westside.

There are a lot of variations for TUT training and I have also spoken to Louie Simmons regarding this method. I asked him about how he trained current Pride fighter, Kevin Randleman. Louie would have him perform a 10 minute round of a 205 lb barbell complex that worked like this:
1. Power clean from ground x 1 rep
2. Hang clean x 1 rep
3. Hang clean and press or jerk x 1 repAfter the 3 rep complex above, Kevin rested 30 seconds and would keep repeating for 10 minutes. This complex represented an explosive bout that may happen during a fight. Notice I said “May happen.” As Coach X has stated, every program has flaws and nothing is perfect. There may or may not be a 30 second explosive bout of action during a fight, who knows! The fight may not even last 30 seconds! This is why I use a variety of TUT rounds such as 5 minute rounds like above, or one exercise for one rep done for 5 minutes such as a burpee, clean, squat & press combo with a barbell, kettlebells or sand bag. We might do this 1 rep combo followed by a 15 second rest period. The 15 second rest period can represent the time where the grappler is in the guard and working for good positioning but not exploding aggressively.

[Polymath]

This is good stuff Donut62, thank you...

[papke26]

The thing about all training for fighting is that the most important thing for the perspective athlete is train thats realy it but of course safely. If you want size weights stamina run flexilbilty strech speed pratice your moves as quick as possible but controlled. If you want a high skill level then pratice the movements required the right way and the skill level cant not increase thats it. I reckon there is a hell of a lot of armchair fighters who dont even train but know how to according to sports sceince and guys who are ufc champs who dont bother to theorise just keep it simple and are top of the sport. Its like marciano he ran exercised drilled his teqnique i dont think he even gave aternative methods much thought. Most fighters have different exercise routines for phsical perfection but all the top ones share a comman thread they run and pratice teqnique and do some form of muscle restance training if you do that hard then you will get as good as your parents traits you inherited in the genetic lottery will allow