Why Do Some Big MMA Fighters Have No Chests?

[Benoitthegr8]

Telligman?

 

[IceKid]

now let me educate you noobs a little here .. the reason fighters dont have body builders chest is that when the put your hands up so to protect your head from a straight right .. you will not be able to pull your hands close enough due to the mass of your chest .... if you fight a body builder you will 90 precent of the time be able to hammer him with a straight right ... it would simply make your defence worse and your punches crappy and slow ....

when i say this you prolly think HEY what about mike tyson ... but mike dont have big chest either ... just wide .. and big enough for his frame

 

[Jew Jif Shoes]

Bench press is an American enigma. The clean and overhead press used to be in the Olys. Overhead press was the standard for upper body strength until that event was removed from the Olys, and powerlifting took off in USA at the same time (early 70's) The powerlifters adopted bench press for several reasons. Most of the big lifters in the world do cleans and snatches. Powerlifters do the 3 we recognize.

The chest muscles, I believe, are more of a North American-based look at the physical manifestation of power. Much of the rest of the world seems to be more into legs - developed with low squats, and shown in the form of rugby shorts and speedos!

As for fighters - well, funny you picked 3 non-Americans, but, overall, this is something I noticed years ago, too. Wanderlei was super-jacked in his day, and was tight but not huge in the chest, as opposed to what I was used to with every big dude on tv. Bas Rutten, same deal.... chest muscles are not very important to fighting, or much other than becnhing, really. It isn't a functional move, unlike deadlift - which translates to everything. Reminds me - Gustafsson just mentioned his lifting numbers - 540lb deadlift, which is really solid for a tall guy who isn't primarily a lifter. And a 245lb bench - which is basically fuck all.

Not true. Pectorals are pushing muscles and are used in wrestling and grappling in general. Not as much as legs or biceps/triceps, obviously. I'm sure it helps striking as well, mostly with straight punches. And having a strong core is important, and pecs are part of the core. If your core is not comparably strong to your limbs, you will not control them as easily or as coordinated.

 

[hugoooo]

I've always noticed this, because I started to work out before I started to watch MMA fights, so I've always wondered why some of them have big arms, but incredibily small chests.

 

[0vary hugger**]

It's a problem for both the male and female mma fighters.

 

[Nihilism]

Nope, born and raised in America. Live in Connecticut. Marce is just a cool name I heard one time.

CT filled with the gays by any chance?

 

[BJJArsenal]

Not true. Pectorals are pushing muscles and are used in wrestling and grappling in general. Not as much as legs or biceps/triceps, obviously. I'm sure it helps striking as well, mostly with straight punches. And having a strong core is important, and pecs are part of the core. If your core is not comparably strong to your limbs, you will not control them as easily or as coordinated.

In grappling it's rare to have to push your arms out fully like you would with a bench press. Most of the time it's using your hips and frames (elbows and forearms) to create space. You rarely ever push with your arms.

 

[hadji]

genetics, maybe their mothers had a cup.

Lol! Nice one.

 

[Leoooo]

You can also add Carlos Condit, BJ Penn, Gustafson, Diaz bros, Anderson Silva, Pettis, Aldo, KZ, Cerrone, and host of other fighters to that list.

Pettis and Aldo don't have small pecks. Average to above average for their weight..

 

[Jocke]

I can't believe theres a thread about fighters pecs.

Genetics and lifting routine is the answer.

 

[RawHawg]

"I was like, 'I know why he got the tattoo. It was to take everybody's mind off the fact that he has boobs.' You know they kind of hang...when he jumps, they bounce up and down. So I thought, 'Oh, it's a diversion. Look at my dumb tattoo so you can keep your mind off my very feminine chest muscles.’" lol

 

[cevo]

Developed pecks aren't gonna make you a worse fighter, they won't give you any advantage either.

Strength isn't an advantage?

Lol.

 

[Alexandergreat3]

Because they don't even lift, brah!

 

[atxmmafan]

Thiago Alves is chested out for his size. he still got choked out by kampmann who is regular size in the chest. and fitch is lacking too. he lost to fitch..

 

[Charlitos1988]

how about roided Vitor chest?

a Middelweight who won a Heavyweight at 19.

 

[savemgs]

 

[Lethal_Striker]

Tra Telligman only has half of a chest, I dare any MMA fighter to top that!

 

[dangerousD]

Strength needed for the ground game comes from your back and legs, the chest is not as important

 

[ChadWarden]

dat gyno.

 

[finalboss]

Muscles are not indicative of strength.