Can lifting weights and gaining strength make you a better fighter?

[JonathanKent]

Okay, so I have been researching and read that Lifting weights can help with fighting
The main idea is that the more mass and strength you have, the more powerful the impact of your punches/kicks will be, as long as you don't gain too much to the point that you sacrifice speed.

I think powerlifting and endurance lifting can help a lot with fighting, but bodybuilding not so much (due to increase in weight and gassing out quicker)

What do you guys think?

 

[neomage2021]

It definitely can. Most fighters I know at Jackson's do basic powerlifting movements a few times a week. Now they aren't going super heavy but a good base strength will definitely help.
YOu also have to figure in recovery time from heavy lifting workouts for fighters. That's another reason they don't go very heavy but do maintain basic strength training.

 

[j123]

Yes. A regular strength training program, with conditioning on the side will help alot; Esp. at the beginner stage.
Bodybuilding routines (I'm guessing you mean accessory work + hypertrophy) does have a place, but not as the priority. It does help out with muscle imbalances covering all the different groups, and hypertrophy is related to strength. They do go hand in hand, but they're not required for each other. Imo hypertophy rep range is endurance (3-4 sets x 8-12 reps with 60-90 second rest intervals)

Gas tank is heavily reliant on your breathing, you can have the best tank in the world, but if you don't breathe properly aka. you exhale on each action (movement, strike, grind) but don't inhale, you will gas out. No amount of amazing cardio and VO2 max will remedy that.

 

[JonathanKent]

Thanks for the help guys! Will definitely incorporate weight training and see how it goes

 

[TheeFaulted]

I competed in combat sports from 145Lbs to heavyweight. Strength training absolutely helped in my case. I took a few years off wrestling, and when I came back and started working with a college wrestling team, I was much stronger than before, even though I was slower and more rusty at wrestling. I fared much better as a larger and stronger guy. I also performed my best in my boxing career around 215 when I had a 1200+ powerlifting total.

 

[Kiwi Tricker]

Yeah, strength helps. How much it helps depends on the specific sport and degree of strength required vs the degree of strength you already have, but in general it's pretty beneficial. Hypertrophy work can also be of use, if it's incorporated correctly into your overall programme.

 

[JonathanKent]

I competed in combat sports from 145Lbs to heavyweight. Strength training absolutely helped in my case. I took a few years off wrestling, and when I came back and started working with a college wrestling team, I was much stronger than before, even though I was slower and more rusty at wrestling. I fared much better as a larger and stronger guy. I also performed my best in my boxing career around 215 when I had a 1200+ powerlifting total.

1200+ nice!!

 

[KILL KILL]

I don't even see how this is a question.

 

[JonathanKent]

I don't even see how this is a question.

it has a question mark at the end and is asking for an answer??

 

[puppybird]

it has a question mark at the end and is asking for an answer??

That's sounds like a question to me Mike- Kenny Florian

 

[Darwinambrosius]

No, not at all. Pro fighters do strength and conditioning for fun and hire experts to help them because the sport pays so much that they have disposable income for hobbies like this.

 

[bad seed]

I'll let you in on an industry secret- fighters only lift so they can look good at the weigh-ins. We've all seen how cruel mma fans are to dadbods. This sport demands only the TST for our viewing pleasure.

 

[Noodles03]

I recently started doing barbell hip thrust and I notice it helped out a lot with my sprinting for conditioning. So in essence, weight lifting indirectly makes your a better fighter.

 

[JonathanKent]

I'll let you in on an industry secret- fighters only lift so they can look good at the weigh-ins. We've all seen how cruel mma fans are to dadbods. This sport demands only the TST for our viewing pleasure.

makes sense now

 

[DoomPatrol]

Of course being a stronger athlete makes you a better athlete.

Only old-school knuckleheads without any real understanding of current sports science seem to hold onto this belief that strength training is somehow detrimental to striking. The simple fact is that you will be a better fighter the stronger you are to your relative size. The end.

 

[JonathanKent]

Of course being a stronger athlete makes you a better athlete.

Only old-school knuckleheads without any real understanding of current sports science seem to hold onto this belief that strength training is somehow detrimental to striking. The simple fact is that you will be a better fighter the stronger you are to your relative size. The end.

true relative strength