Whether you are an amateur wrestler who wants to turn pro or you are simply someone who wants to be ready for the worst, there are basic workouts that can help any fighter find form. To train yourself to fight, follow these steps.
Steps
Step 1. Commit to following a rigorous training program
Professional wrestlers train for months before entering the ring; amateur wrestlers should try to do the same, not only to achieve better physical condition, but to perfect basic technique. The three main areas in which to focus your workouts are cardiovascular fitness, core strength, and gaining muscle mass:
- Do some cardiovascular workouts. These workouts are the foundation of combat preparation: fighters not only need excellent stamina, they also need to be able to unleash a quick burst of power at the right moment of a fight. Tired fighters also have a tendency to let their guard down, leaving their weaknesses exposed, and fail to keep the power of attacks high in the final rounds of a fight. To simulate the physical exertion of a match, follow an interval workout; this method is one of the fastest and most effective ways to train your heart.
- Do core exercises. A wrestler generates a lot of his power from his core, which helps the whole body move and work in a coordinated way. Try doing exercises that involve many muscle groups, such as pull-ups, situps, squats, pushups, and lunges.
- Lift the weights. Weight training helps wrestlers to improve strength and increase muscle mass to enhance their attacks. The muscles of the chest, shoulders and arms are of particular importance for upper body oriented fighting styles such as boxing; Do bench presses, dumbbell military presses, side lifts, bicep curls, and triceps presses to build strength in those muscles. Other fighting styles, such as MMA, require greater balance in training; Do lunge squats, hamstring curls, single leg squats, steps, barbell deadlifts, and barbell squats to strengthen glutes, calves and thighs.
Step 2. Eat foods that help you build muscle
In addition to keeping an eye on your intake of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and water to combat workout fatigue and metabolic waste buildup, increase your consumption of healthy protein to build muscle mass.
Step 3. Learn to throw a punch
Start with a simple punch, making sure to train both hands. Once you have mastered the basic punch technique, try more advanced techniques, such as:
- Jab: The jab is a short-range punch usually thrown with the weaker hand that helps keep your opponent away. To maximize the effectiveness of the jab, professional boxers rotate their arm and wrist just before making contact with the opponent.
- Cross: Contrary to the jab, which is pulled straight in front of the body, a cross generates the power from the shoulder and is delivered by the dominant hand in a slightly upward motion.
- Hook: The hook can be thrown to the opponent's head or body - the more exposed of the two - and is often used in combination with other punches. Its main drawback is that it leaves you exposed to counterattacks.
- Upright: The uppercut is an upward stroke that can be pulled with both hands, and is particularly effective at close range.
Step 4. Learn to use combinations
As in chess, single wrestling moves are useless if taken individually; but if they are performed in a reasoned sequence, they can knock down an opponent. Learn not only how to combine the moves of your chosen discipline, but also how to counteract these combinations. In the box, the simplest combination is a jab followed by a straight. For another effective combination you can add a hook (if you are right, the combination would be a left jab, followed by a straight right and a left hook).
Step 5. If you fight with your bare hands, train your knuckles
This will make your nerves less sensitive. Note that some fighting styles (e.g. many traditional martial arts) encourage whole-body sensitivity and do not recommend nerve desensitization.
Step 6. Learn how to block punches
Hitting a punch that redirects an opponent's punch away from you, a technique known as a block, is the easiest way to block a punch. In boxing, there are some more advanced techniques:
- Dodging: If your opponent punches your head, quickly rotate your hips and shoulders.
- Head movement: If your opponent delivers a high blow (such as a hook to the head), bend your legs and then arch your body to avoid the blow.
Step 7. Learn how to take a punch
If you practice boxing, try to block, absorbing the impact with the glove rather than the body.
Step 8. Find a sparring partner
This person will help you prepare for real-world confrontations, work your reflexes, improve hand-eye coordination, and get the right mindset. Make sure you practice with someone who is better than you; you won't be able to improve unless you test your skills.
Step 9. Develop a winning mindset
We often wonder how professional athletes who train hard and have years of experience can suffer sonic defeats. The answer is that competition requires not only physical training but also mental training. To get into the right mindset you will have to train to the point that you know the moves so well, that you can focus your mind on the opponent; listen to music that energizes you when you train; learn to see pain as a necessary step towards victory; view your matches and your victories; above all, learn to love combat.
Advice
- Always try to intimidate your opponent; if he thinks he will lose, it probably will. Grunt, taunt and insult your opponent to gain an advantage.
- Train hard, but not enough to risk injury.
- Always go to the bathroom before a fight (preferably by defecating) to decrease your weight and improve your agility.
- Always stretch before exercising. Injuries will slow down your growth process.
- If your opponent is much bigger than you, use low kicks to hit his knees. He won't be able to fight if he can't stand up.
Warnings
- Do not consider this article an invitation to start a fight. If you bump into someone on the street, your opponent may be more skilled than you, they may be helped by other people, or they may be armed. Never fight unless you have to.
- Be careful not to seriously injure anyone, including yourself. Listen to your body: if you feel pain, take a break.
- If you suspect that you are injured, do not continue a match; your body in those moments is full of adrenaline and you may feel much less pain than the damage you have done to yourself.
