Fighting Shape: How to Get A Fighter’s Fitness and Physique 

Most fighters are the epitome of a human body. Not only do they look incredible, with chiseled muscles, but they also perform on a world-class level. They have the strength and conditioning that some can only dream of, even for other athletes. When it comes to fighting, you can’t be all endurance or all strength, you have to be able to possess both strength and endurance in a perfect balancing act, or rather a dance, between the two. Let’s see how you can build a fighter physique.

What is a fighter Physique ?

A fighter’s high-intensity training builds an athletic physique with a low body fat percentage, rock-solid core muscles, and defined six-pack abs. Their body is not bulky one like a bodybuilder’s body and it sports the perfect balance of strength, endurance, and explosiveness.

Get a Fighter Physique – Eating Like a Fighter

The first thing you will have to do is change things up in the kitchen. In order for your muscles to show, you will have to lose the excess body fat and fighters go through the same regimen when cutting weight for a fight. It’s definitely much more involved in losing weight than just their training routine.

The only difference between fighters and the typical fitness junkie is that they treat it more simple rather than counting their macros and micros. For the most part, they eat about 5 fist-sized meals, or about 1,500-2,800 calories a day (depending on the weight class the fighter). As far as what they eat, its 70% whole foods, mostly vegetables  and lean proteins like fish and chicken. 

Get a Fighter Physique – The Fighter Workout 

While boxers train about 6-8 hours a day, it doesn’t mean you have to. Instead, you want to focus on the exercises that are most efficient and borrow from their workout. 

Strength Training 

For strength, training boxers stick to calisthenics and very few lift weights. This is because bulky muscles will slow them down and require more oxygen. They have to have both lung and muscle endurance, so their strength training has to be endurance-focused, which means high reps calisthenics. 

Here is what you would do in a circuit. 

100-200 pushups 
50-100 Pullups 
100-200 squats 
100 Situps 
50 Leg Raises

Do this in a circuit with one-minute breaks, or one exercise to completion, followed by the next 

All these workouts have a strong focus on the core because fighters have to be strong in the body in order to have strong punches and to be able to take punches. For you, it will help you in all of your exercises by building explosiveness and giving you more muscle endurance. 

This workout will burn calories and build muscle. It’s a perfect mix of cardio and strength training.

Heavy Bag Workout

One of the most fun workouts that you will ever do is a heavy bag. This requires you to put on gloves and punching the bag for 3 minutes, 1-minute breaks, for 3 to 5 rounds depending on what you can take. This workout will help develop your core, your lats, your shoulders, and your endurance. You will most likely look like you went for a swim after four rounds because you will be drenched. 

Jumping Rope 

Many people scoff at jump roping as a kids exercise. When in reality it can burn way more calories than running per minute. It’s one of the most efficient fat burning exercises that you can partake in. Boxer’s do it because it’s an efficient way to cut weight, it works your shoulders and mostly calves like no other workout there is. Just ten minutes of rope jumping can burn well over 120 calories. 

Try it for a Month 

Nothing works if you don’t try it. Give this workout a shot for 30 days and see how you feel and watch your body change for the better. It will help you improve both in and out of the gym due to the extra endurance. Make sure to get your rest but go at least 5 days a week, in any format. Try it and let us know how your body has changed.