Four Drills For Superior MMA Core Strength

We still don't have any precise answers despite twenty years of the "core wars." Core training has absolutely divided the strength and conditioning industry. Anyone you talk to definitely has a thought on the topic and their own unique spin. But let's take on the perspective of time and efficiency, since the average MMA fighter can use all the extra time for skills training or recovery.

1. Power Wheel hand walking

Placing the body in an extended position and adding a load has been shown to be the best method for stimulating abdominal strength. In fact, Power Wheel inventor, Jon Hinds, says that research done at USC found hand walking with the Power Wheel to be the best way to train the abdominal region.

This exercise is more difficult than most people imagine, typically if it's performed with a lack of attention to detail. Done properly, the hands walk along the ground without any swaying of the body or rising of the hips. Tension should be maintained through the torso, feet, and lats. Once the hand strikes the ground, the same side lat should pull the body forward.

2. Sandbag get-ups

While many are familiar with dumbbell or kettlebell Turkish get-ups, the sandbag version is unique because the limiting factor isn't shoulder girdle strength or stability. A good sandbag get-up will appear with the opposing leg staying in contact with the ground throughout the get-up portion of the drill and will train the whole body and truly expose the link between the body's core and its extremities.

3. Sledgehammer strikes

There's a lot more there to this lowly movement than first appears. The sledgehammer itself places a great deal of leverage against the core because of its long lever arm. This means that one's center of gravity is constantly changing throughout the movement, making one not only resist but produce movement at the same time. Additionally, sledgehammer striking also places the body into unique extension positions that place the trunk through a full range of motion.

4. Lateral band drills

Adding band resistance from a side direction can place a new demand on old drills like lunges and hand walking. The band pulls on the body in a new direction, and the body has to resist while still moving in a different plane. Trying to maintain the same quality of movement under such stress is a very applicable and real world form of core training.

By adding these exercises to your routine, you'll work your core much more efficiently and quicker than you could only with some of the old stand-bys.