How to get a ripped physique like UFC fighters
UFC fighters are among the most impressive athletes in the sports world. They spend time priming their bodies for combat. While sharpening one's skills through sparring is fundamental to success in MMA, so is matching technique with athleticism.
Mixed martial artists devote a large amount of time to improving their strength, speed, explosiveness and cardio. While not every fighter will possess the natural athletic gifts of genetic outliers like former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero and former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, many work as hard as they possibly can to create a level playing field with foes of superior athletic stock.
Thus, UFC fighters tend to possess exceptional physiques with both the aesthetics and functionality of high-level athletes. This list examines the five ways in which you can attain a similarly well-built physique like a UFC fighter.
#5. Many UFC fighters employ sarcoplasmic hypertrophy-focused training
UFC fighters come in all shapes and sizes. Most, however, possess physiques with a fair amount of muscle mass. To increase the body's muscle mass, a variety of training methods are employed. Among these methods is focusing on the development of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.
Fighters like reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and current UFC welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman exhibit physiques akin to those possessed by bodybuilders. To achieve physiques of that nature, training to increase the body's sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is important.
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy involves increasing glycogen storage in the targeted muscle, increasing its overall volume and size.
Good lord, Kamaru Usman’s pectoral muscles from this angle. 👀 https://t.co/sVDVmFOupJ
To do so, lifting weights at a repetition range of 8-12 in sets of 3-4 is integral. That isn't to say that those interested in acquiring better physiques ought to simply lift any weight they can comfortably move for 8-12 reps. It's fundamental that the muscle group being targeted spends as much time under tension as possible.
Thus, trainees ought to select a weight that requires some difficulty lifting once they've reached the eigth repetition in their set. If one isn't struggling to lift the weight by the eighth rep, the weight is likely too light and does not force the muscle to spend enough time under tension.
Furthermore, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy-training requires resting between 30-90 seconds after every set. However, the less time spent resting between sets, the better.