This fight-specific MMA workout from Michael ‘Venom’ Page will develop the explosive power and core strength required for any combat sport.
If you’ve never heard of Michael ‘Venom’ Page, there’s a YouTube video you need to see. Walking into his mixed martial arts debut – in the UCMMA promotion, a level below the UFC – Page looked like a man with dozens of fights under his belt, with a style that’s half Roy Jones Jr, half contemporary dance.
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Then, less than two minutes in, he dropped the big one: a full-rotation 360° tornado kick that sent his opponent to the canvas while Page stood there, unruffled.
It’s more than a stunningly assured debut. It’s basically real-life Tekken. Not surprisingly, Page has been at this game a long time.
“My parents, aunties, uncles, brothers and sisters all study lau gar kung fu,” he says. “And my dad was my instructor, so it’s definitely a family thing. Literally as soon as I’d taken my first couple of steps, my dad was like, ‘Alright son, kick!’”
Having fought 21 times in a storied Bellator MMA career, Page has had to maintain next-level discipline in the gym to stay at the top of his game.
“I do strength and conditioning workouts twice a week during camp, to help build my speed and explosiveness before a fight,” he says.
“The sessions are designed to replicate real fight scenarios. It’s more useful for me to use free weights, perform circuits or add extra weight to bodyweight exercises than it is to sit at a stationary machine pumping iron. In terms of cardio, there’s no better training than just doing MMA sparring.”
Fight-specific MMA Workout to Build Power
“This workout helps to develop speed and power by replicating the kind of movements you perform in an MMA fight,” says Page’s coach, Paul Ivens. “The idea is to get quality reps in.”
- Tuck Jump with Weighted Vest (4 sets | 6 reps)
- Sprawl with Weighted Vest (4 sets | 8 reps)
- Medicine Ball Drive into a Heavy Bag (4 sets | 12 reps)
- Medicine Ball Slam (4 sets | 6 reps)
- Landmine Barbell Punch (3 sets | 15 each arm)
- Weight Plate Hip Rotation (4 sets | 10 reps)
Keep reading for full instructions on how to perform the exercises in this MMA workout.
1. Tuck Jump with Weighted Vest
Sets: 4 | Reps: 6
- Squat, then jump explosively upwards, bringing your knees up towards your chest.
2. Sprawl with Weighted Vest
Sets: 4 | Reps: 8
- Drop to the floor, keeping your chest upright and throwing your hips down and your legs out behind you.
3. Medicine Ball Drive into a Heavy Bag
Sets: 4 | Reps: 12
- Standing above the heavy bag, ‘punch’ the ball into it. Retrieve it for the next try.
4. Medicine Ball Slam
Sets: 4 | Reps: 6
- Lift a medicine ball above your head with two hands and then slam it forcefully into the ground, releasing it shortly before impact.
5. Landmine Barbell Punch
Sets: 3 | Reps: 15 each arm
- Holding the end of a barbell (secured to landmine attachment) in one hand, twist using your hips and core to punch the bar forward.
6. Weight Plate Hip Rotation
Sets: 4 | Reps: 10
- Hold a weight plate in front of your chest, then rotate your torso from side to side.
- Maintain a braced core throughout.
