Amir Khan full body workout

Khan uses a range of intense full body circuits to help him burn fat, build speed and explosive power and pack on lean muscle. When discussing this workout routine Khan's trainer, Alex Ariza says, "Aim for completeness. It's no good having speed, but no power, or strength and no balance." 

In the following circuit you will use 90% of the muscle in your body as well as working all of the main muscle groups that are needed for any great martial artist and boxer. Perform each of the exercises shown below for 30 seconds, then move straight onto the next exercise, with no gaps in between, rest for 1-2 minutes in between circuits and then go again. You want to repeat this 3-4 times to get the most out of it.

1. Barbell punch - Take a barbell and turn it upright with the top leaning towards you at an angle, punch the bar out in rapid bursts of 5 punches per arm and keep switching arms until the 30 seconds are up. This will mostly work your triceps, shoulders and core.

2. Explosive press ups - Assume a push up position and either perfrom clap push ups or normal push ups but make sure that your hands leave the floor with each rep. To make it harder bring in a step and place one hand on the step, as you explode up from the push up use your abs and legs to completely lift your body off the ground and leap across to the other side of the bench. This will work your chest, shoulders and triceps as well as your core.
check out the video if your unsure -

3. Wall ball squats - Hold a medicine ball in your hands at chest level and squat down and explode up from the squat and throw the medicine ball up in the air like a basketball chest pass. as you catch the ball squat back down and repeat for the 30 seconds. This will work your legs, core and triceps.

4. Static hold - like a plank but with straight arms, this exercise requires an exercise ball. Place your feet on the ball and hold yourself steady with straight arms for the 30 seconds, to make it harder use a bosu as well and place your hands on it. This will aid your balance and core strength.

5. Medicine ball slam - Lift a medicine ball above your head then crunch your abs forwards as you slam the ball into the ground, catch it as it bounces and repeat. This will work your core and shoulders.

6. Farmers walk - lift the heaviest dumbbells you can and walk up and down a 10 metre line as many times as you can in the 30 seconds. This will aid your shoulder and trapesious muscles and help your stability.

MMA workout

Okay so to start things off you want to be getting as many muscle groups involved in a quick but effective warm-up. Try doing press ups for 30 seconds, then sit-ups and star jumps or burpies for 30 seconds each. That should get the blood flowing. Then get a good stretch, particularly your legs and arms. (check out recovery page for effective kickboxing stretching routine)

Part 1- Shadow Boxing: simply practice your moves on an invisible opponent, try using various combinations of kicks and punches to get a full body workout. Do this for 1 set of 3 minutes, and keep it intense.

Part 2 – Skipping: Do this exercise 3 times at 3 minute sessions with 1 minutes rest in between. See the video below for a good way to structure each 3 minute set, to get a great fat burning effect.

Part 3 – Ground and Pound: a fun and effective calorie burner. This 1 minute session allows you to burn fat and take your anger out on the bag whilst practicing your transitions and strikes in a short intense session. Do 4 sets of 1 minute intervals with 30 seconds rest between sets.

Part 4 – Ladder Runs: this is a great footwork and cardio move. Run sideways along the ladder, putting both feet between each rung. Once you reach the end you drop into a press-up position before exploding up and performing an outside foot front kick. Then run back along the ladder and kick with the opposite leg.

Part 5 – Shadow Boxing: For the final 3 minutes you need to do a final round of shadow boxing, try to keep the tempo up and keep alternating your punches and kicks, The more moves you do the higher your metabolism gets as you are recruiting more muscle fibres!

End with some more stretches, again give priority to arms and legs as they are the two main areas you will work in this session. Check out the video for a visual explanation of the workout.

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Explosive press ups

Press ups are one of the most under-rated exercises out there, and yet still one of the most commonly known moves. The press up can be applied in many different forms to target different muscle groups; chest, triceps, shoulders, core and also can be performed at incline/ decline positions to give different results.

 This particular version of the press up will help to boost not only the fast twitch muscle fibres in your chest and triceps, generating your explosive power, but is also a great cardio workout if performed in an interval training style. It really helps with compound moves such as bench press and chest press as well as improving your reflex arch in your triceps for that explosive edge.

I suggest performing the move in 30-45 second intervals for 3 sets with a 30 second break in between sets to get the best out of this training. Check out the video below to see how to do this power boosting move!

MMA fight 12/11/2011

On saturday night I took part in A D-class MMA bout in The British Legion club in Antrim hosted by Marty Walker. I thought you'd like to see some pics of me in action so I've stuck them on below.

Round 1: Touch gloves. Back to your corners, ... fight!

So I came out of the corner and circled round before landing a front kick and low leg roundhouse kick.

After that he shot forward and took me down to the floor but I trapped him in half guard.

After around 40 seconds of grappling he attempted an arm bar, but i was able to get on top and slam him twice breaking the arm bar hold. After that another few punches and kicks were exchanged before the round ended.

                                                        

Round 2:

So second round again I come out looking to land a few low kicks and this time he buckles under the front kick to the stomach. being a heavier guy than me he drops his head as the kick lands and he stumbles forward.

In an attemt to take me down again he shoots forwards but I sprawl and take him down. From the control position I sweep around and get him in the sleeper hold.

After that Its pretty much over, I roll onto my back and finish the submission and he taps out.

                          

Day 13

I have accepted an MMA bout on the 10th of November in The British Legion Gym in Antrim. The fight is a D- class MMA fight, so unfortunately that means no head shots. So the aim of my training will be based mainly on my groundwork and fitness game.

 But I will be posting more information about the fight night and my training for the fight on this blog and under the MMA page above. I will be fighting out of Steelheel MMA club and aim to win.