MMA Fighter Talks Cross Training

Hey Biz Z,

First off this info he gave badass and works to make you a machine.

But I did want to touch on something Mike said.
So what do you think about what Mike said about training with weights might have stunted his growth?

I think that young kids should focus on bodyweight movements and learn exploration by just going out and playing.

And their parents should make sure that they are eating healthy in order to make sure they are getting all their nutricion requirements.

Training with weights should be added only when these very young athletes have mastered pullups, pushups, and body weight everything.

Keep rockin Big Z

and wish Mike good luck in his fight.

To me, there really is no other way to develop top notch athletes and maximize the potential of all of your athletes then to train them with a variety of modalities. All of my athletes cross train. When training with weights, we can always go lighter or heavier, but during bodyweight training, it is obvious that we can not lighten the load of our body. This is when it gets trivial for some athletes and coaches, thinking that some movements, like crawls or handstands, may be impossible for much larger athletes. But this is untrue, there are always progressions to every movement to help the athlete master their body, which is imperative for sport. The more movement you can master, with internal and external load, and the more intensely you can push yourself while maintaining proper technique, the more dominant you will be in your chosen sport.

Hi zach, I used to be a street and muay thai fighter but I don’t do that any more. I’m interested in getting martin’s training for warriors. However, I do have some questions about the book.

1) I’m pretty advanced in strength and conditioning and am looking to get a programme that challenges me following jay ferruggia’s triple threat muscle and Joe hashley’s bull strength conditioning. Is martin’s book going to push my fitness and conditioning even further or is it for beginners?

2) is it purely about workouts that I can do in the gym and outside on a track, or are there fighting tutorials/movements that are taught in the book (I do not want those – I’m merely looking for a kickass conditioning programme)

3) can I do these training workouts on my own or are there segments that require partner assistance?

Great stuff Zack, This is my goal to have a gym someday just like Martin Rooney here in NS, Canada for all combat sports and any other that would like to be involved and become the altimate athlete’s that they can be.

Can you do a few more sneak peeks? Maybe another 250 of them

Alberto

I don’t think weights stunt growth, Mike started young, and, nothing wrong with that at all, he was a 2 sport starter at a D1 school in football and track and he’s a pro MMA fighter.

I think height has more to do with genetics.

–z–

matty

you are THE master of crosstraining bro, your videos of your own and your athletes in training are awe inspiring and you build beasts!

you always educate me and inspire me bro!

–z–

Clement – there are some insane workouts in there bro, you will learn a ton from his books and you can def. do them as an advanced trainee

check out his training for warriors push up challenge

–z–

Tom – make that happen bro!

If you’re into the business aspect, make sure you check out http://zacheven-esh.com/business.php

I started lifting to get stronger at a very young age, like 10yrs old. Even before that I was always trying to pick things up or climb trees and stuff.

I used to hear that all the time: lifting weights will stunt your growth.

I am 6’3″ and weigh 235. Have been as heavy as 285.

So, maybe if I had not lifted I would have been 6’7″ and 350lbs.? Ha, ha! I don’t think so!

Height, short or long arms , legs, torso, etc. is all genetic. Same with some guys who merely look at a weight and get huge arms while another guy pumps his arms up 4 days a week and has skinny arms. Yeah you can get bigger, stronger or faster, but alot is genetic.

SO… just pound out the best workouts you can, eat right, get adequate rest: and you will look they way you are going to look.

Part of the “weights stunt your growth” thinking comes from the fact that a lot of smaller guys are trying to “look” bigger and tougher, so they gravitate to lifting weights.

See it in gyms all the time, guys trying to get bigger guns and chest so they “look” big even though they are 5’6″-9″ tall.

So, people see a lot of shorter guys lifting and think “Hum, I bet they stunted their growth from all that lifting.”

Walter