Tag: strength

Dips + Shoulder Mobility | More Pecs when Pressing | Shoulder Flexibility and Punching Power [ASK ERIC]

I’ve been reading through the 1200+ responses to the Shoulder Flexibility Survey I sent out and I’ve come across some great questions that I figured I’d answer in today’s QnA video, such as:

Does shoulder tightness affect punching power? [01:04]

Do exercises like Dips adversely affect shoulder mobility? I seem to have problems with shoulder pain and headaches after doing them. Thanks! [02:56]

How can you limit the involvement of the shoulders in chest presses? [05:42]

No names since the survey was anonymous. 😉

Tons of actionable info in today’s video so make sure you check it out if you want healthy and balanced shoulders.

Eric

If you’ve got a question about training for MMA or martial arts, nutrition, injuries or anything else that you’d like me to answer in a future QnA video, submit it here.

March 6, 2015
Lose Fat w/o Getting Weak | Exercises for Judo | More LBP [ASK ERIC]

In today’s QnA video, I answer the following questions:

1. I’m a judo/bjj athlete. What are some effective ways and principles for developing speed for throws and takedowns?

– Matt Hammond, UK [00:44]

2. I suffer from lower back spasms from time to time. As I write this my back decided to have an episode as I was getting ready for work.

Do you recommend any exercises to help strengthen the back?

I’m starting to think I won’t be able to practice BJJ or kickboxing anymore at my young age of 40 🙂 – Ryan Mangila, US [06:28]

3. I’ve read that using an elliptical machine for cardio hinders flexibility due to not using full range of motion.

Do you agree with that? – James Theros, USA [10:19]

4. I want to lose fat so I am doing alot of circuit training, and some of your cage cardio circuits but I don’t want to get weak while I am doing it. What do you recommend? – Mike M, Canada [13:12]

5. Can I add this the new CAGE Cardio workouts to the MMA Strength and Conditioning workout? – Derek Ng [14:33]

If you’ve got a question about training for MMA or martial arts, nutrition, injuries or anything else that you’d like me to answer in a future QnA video, submit it here.

February 6, 2015
Eggs for High T | Piriformis Release | Glutes [ASK ERIC]

In today’s QnA video, I answer the following questions:

I hate eggs but am trying your recommended T booster diet – is there a substitute?

– Garry Mcdonell, Canada [mm:ss]

I do have a piriformis muscle issue. I was told the exercises you do for that depends on whether the muscle is shortened or lengthened.

Do you have any help?

– Joanne Attwood, Canada [mm:ss]

I went 3 weeks not missing a day but week 4 fell on the holidays and so I’ve slacked off a bit.

But up to this point I have seen tremendous improvement in my hips.

Since I’ve missed a week do you recommend starting from week 1 again or just pick up where I left off?

– Aaron Cropper, US [mm:ss]

What exercises have you found to best strengthen and add flexibility to the gluteal muscles?

I am a physician and I appreciate your explanation based on muscle physiology.

– Ronald Wong, US [mm:ss]

When I sit, I feel real tight in the hip flexor / aDductor area.

I can stand to take the pressure off, but I was curious if you have input on how to stretch/strengthen this specific area as it gets tight almost immediately when I sit.

If there is an area of your HFS program I should focus on to help with this, please point me in the right direction.

– Fletcher Wilson [mm:ss]

If you’ve got a question about training for MMA or martial arts, nutrition, injuries or anything else that you’d like me to answer in a future QnA video, submit it here.

January 23, 2015
Warming Up for Weights

I recently got a question from my man Jose about warming up:

“Hi eric , would you consider working on a heavy bag before hiting the weights a good warm up? And what kind of training the heavy bag is? Power endurance? I like to warm up with the heavy bag so i can train my thai and keep workouts short because i dont have to do that after my work out i just start light and use knees instead kicks so i dont pull everithing while my body its not warm and ready then i just go full when i feel im warm its that ok ? Thanks alot take care.”

So I’ve decided to bring the old “ASK EricWongMMA” videos back:

I also figured I’d post this, which I first posted on my Facebook page, as it’s relevant to the video:

Got any other questions or Comments?

Like these “ASK” videos?

Let me know below.

PEACE

May 10, 2013
Balance Exercises for MMA

I was out for a long walk the other day and where I was by Lake Ontario, which is really close to where I live. It’s one of the 5 Great Lakes as they’re called in North America.

Unfortunately it’s polluted as hell from all the steel companies and other industries that dump their toxic waste into them, but it still looks nice on a sunny day.

Anyway I was walking on the shore and came to a spot where there were those big rocks that they sometimes have near water. As I was jumping from rock to rock, I, for some reason, thought about the fact that barely any fighters (or anyone in the gym) trains their single-leg balance.

Training your single-leg balance will not only improve your performance in the cage, it’ll also help to keep your ankles and knees healthy.

One thing you don’t want to do (unless you’re rehabbing an injury) is focus on standing on unstable things like BOSU balls, discs, or foam rollers. These tools don’t do anything for performance and limit the strength you can build.

You might think they’re great for balance, but the truth is, the ground doesn’t move under you, you move over theground, so it’s a different neuromuscular pattern that doesn’t transfer over to a real life situation.

So what kind of exercises do you want to do?

Check out videos of 3 of them here:

=> Balance Exercises for MMA Training

As I mention in the videos – these are not meant to replace your traditional strength exercises, they’re supplementary.

Train smart,

Eric

April 6, 2009