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I'm trying to get two sessions of MMA a week right after BJJ practice, but not sure how long I can maintain it. For example tonight I rolled an hour in nogi, straight to an hour of gi followed by mma(hour of striking, wrestling and sparring). Not sure how I'm going to wake up for strength tomorrow as it's pretty rough on the body. Probably push it to after work. But I would like to keep training. Thinking I need to cut down percentages on lifts for a while, I'm already doing the bare minimum number of sets. If anyone here who trains I would love to hear how you balance it out with gym training

How many days/wee are you training MMMA/BJJ?

Average 2-3 days/week BJJ with 1-2 of those days mma as well

Tyr0331 wrote:Average 2-3 days/week BJJ with 1-2 of those days mma as well

So basically, you have up to three hours of BJJ/MMA three nights/week, followed by weights in two morning/week? That's a lot. I bet it is hard to get up for the weights those mornings! Of course this is what Fighter is designed to accommodate, and you might do well as you outline using a very friendly training max and doing the minimums. Here are two thoughts: (A) Assuming BJJ/MMA is non-consecutive days, try to put your strength sessions on the mornings before the evening rolling/fighting. That way you will fresh when you hit the weights, and you should be pretty well recovered from lifting by the time you roll that evening. I've had good luck doing this. (B) Look into the very minimalist version of Zulu K. Black outlines in TB 3rd Ed. You could split your strength work into four very minimal, very crisp sessions in the mornings. Those shorter sessions might be less daunting when you are recovering from fighting, or your could get them in very quickly before your BJJ/MMA. Condition right after your weights on your non-rolling days, if you feel like you need that.

Good advice from Jim, and also depending on how you prioritize your activities you could go with a minimalist cluster + Fighter. 2 exercises, a push and a pull/or upper/lower. Throw in some pullups when time & energy permits.

J-Madd wrote:

Tyr0331 wrote:Average 2-3 days/week BJJ with 1-2 of those days mma as well

So basically, you have up to three hours of BJJ/MMA three nights/week, followed by weights in two morning/week? That's a lot. I bet it is hard to get up for the weights those mornings! Of course this is what Fighter is designed to accommodate, and you might do well as you outline using a very friendly training max and doing the minimums. Here are two thoughts: (A) Assuming BJJ/MMA is non-consecutive days, try to put your strength sessions on the mornings before the evening rolling/fighting. That way you will fresh when you hit the weights, and you should be pretty well recovered from lifting by the time you roll that evening. I've had good luck doing this. (B) Look into the very minimalist version of Zulu K. Black outlines in TB 3rd Ed. You could split your strength work into four very minimal, very crisp sessions in the mornings. Those shorter sessions might be less daunting when you are recovering from fighting, or your could get them in very quickly before your BJJ/MMA. Condition right after your weights on your non-rolling days, if you feel like you need that.

Yeah its a constant balancing act especially when you throw all the other factors of life in there. I've been finding myself doing 2 a days more and more often to make sure I can still hit the SE/E days as well every week. This was supposed to be my easy week too but the way my work schedule is with traveling I try to to make sure and hit as much training when I can when it's available

I'll look up the Zulu minimalist program. I just avoided it before since it was 4x/week and figured there was no way I could make that work. But sounds like a minimal lifting program is what I need. Thanks for the advice

K.B. wrote:Good advice from Jim, and also depending on how you prioritize your activities you could go with a minimalist cluster + Fighter. 2 exercises, a push and a pull/or upper/lower. Throw in some pullups when time & energy permits.

So with a fighter minimalist you would just pick four lifts and split them up hit two on one day and two on the other? Basically hitting a lift once a week? Anyone tried this and seen results? Or would this strictly be on the maintenance level

Tyr0331 wrote:

K.B. wrote:Good advice from Jim, and also depending on how you prioritize your activities you could go with a minimalist cluster + Fighter. 2 exercises, a push and a pull/or upper/lower. Throw in some pullups when time & energy permits.

So with a fighter minimalist you would just pick four lifts and split them up hit two on one day and two on the other? Basically hitting a lift once a week? Anyone tried this and seen results? Or would this strictly be on the maintenance level

K.B. might have something different in mind, but I think the idea is doing two lifts twice each week.

J-Madd wrote:

Tyr0331 wrote:

K.B. wrote:Good advice from Jim, and also depending on how you prioritize your activities you could go with a minimalist cluster + Fighter. 2 exercises, a push and a pull/or upper/lower. Throw in some pullups when time & energy permits.

So with a fighter minimalist you would just pick four lifts and split them up hit two on one day and two on the other? Basically hitting a lift once a week? Anyone tried this and seen results? Or would this strictly be on the maintenance level

K.B. might have something different in mind, but I think the idea is doing two lifts twice each week.

Ok that makes more sense. Thanks for the input

Tyr0331 wrote:

K.B. wrote:Good advice from Jim, and also depending on how you prioritize your activities you could go with a minimalist cluster + Fighter. 2 exercises, a push and a pull/or upper/lower. Throw in some pullups when time & energy permits.

So with a fighter minimalist you would just pick four lifts and split them up hit two on one day and two on the other? Basically hitting a lift once a week? Anyone tried this and seen results? Or would this strictly be on the maintenance level

This would be Fighter template with just two exercises. You can get really strong with just two exercises (Russian Bear, PTTP, S&S).

The Zulu minimalist set-up would fit the bill too. I've done this before with excellent results:

Day 1: SQ/MP
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4: SQ/MP
Day 5:
Day 6: DL
Day 7:

Other options:
- DL 2x week on days 2&5.
- DL for only one work set once a week.
- DL for only one work set twice a week
- DL for multiple work sets only once a week
- DL for multiple work sets twice a week
- Vary how many times a week you DL based on how your week goes. Some weeks low volume, others high using the options above