6 MMA exercises for a bikini body

MMA fighters have incredible bodies.

That’s because MMA involves so many techniques that the entire body is worked through a full range of motion.

Arms, legs, belly, butt, core, everything.

If only you could mimic his routine without getting punched in the face!

Well, luckily you can! And you don’t even need to come up with an exercise plan on your own.

I’ve taken the guesswork out and created a bikini body workout plan for you!

lose fat fast

Have you noticed that your dress size has gone up more and more over the years? No good!

Are you tired of unbuttoning your pants after eating? NoMore!

Maybe you’re already fit but looking for a new addition to your current beach body workout. No problem!

You don’t need to have MMA experience, know a roundabout left hook, or aspire to be a fighter to reap the benefits of this routine.

Using the 6 exercises below will put you on the fast track to getting the bikini body you’ve been dreaming of.

Here’s another great thing about this routine: you don’t need to buy any equipment! Which means you can do this exercise at home, outdoors, or at the gym. Use this routine anywhere, anytime!

Hey, I already love this!

Get fit with these 6 MMA exercises

You will do the exercises in blocks of 3 to 1 minute each, and then rest for 1 minute before moving on to the next 3 exercises. Repeat the process until all exercises have been performed 3 times each.

For example:

• Exercise 1 – Perform for 1 minute
• Exercise 2 – Perform for 1 minute
• Exercise 3 – Perform for 1 minute
• Rest – 1 minute
• Exercise 4 – Perform for 1 minute
• Exercise 5 – Perform for 1 minute
• Exercise 6 – Perform for 1 minute
• Rest – 1 minute
• Repeat x 2

As your fitness level improves, increase the duration of each exercise.

If you are a beginner, don’t try too hard at first. Ease into routine.

If you’re adding these exercises to your current workout, incorporate them however you like.

During rest periods do not sit still. Make it an active break.

By “active rest” I mean moving. Do something low-intensity like walk in circles, stretch, or wave your arms. This will keep you focused and your body ready for the next exercise.

During the rest period, take sips of water if you feel thirsty.

I have also included advanced tips. If you’re just starting out, skip these for now. Once the exercises get easy for you, add in the advanced pointe moves to really warm things up.

Clever? Of course you are! Let’s do it!

1) Cross jump

Crossover jumps not only tone your calves and quads, but also strengthen your lung capacity and cardiovascular health. Cross jumps also create the necessary timing and coordination in MMA.

> How to perform cross jumps:

• Lay towels, clothes, or strings in a cross on the floor in front of you. If nothing is available, imagine a cross shape on the ground.
• Stand with your feet an inch apart.
• Jump back and forth, and side to side, across the lines on the balls of your feet. Stay as close to the ground as possible and try to land softly.
• Vary the jump pattern, moving clockwise, counterclockwise, and diagonally.
• Advanced Tip: As you get better at crossover jumps, alternate jumps by 1 foot to increase difficulty.
• Fun facts: An adult human male has an average resting heart rate of about 75 beats per minute, the same rate as an adult sheep.

2) Jump Squats

Jump squats are the ultimate exercise for your glutes and legs. Few things will shape and tone your glutes as well as jump squats. They also increase your explosiveness, which is useful for throwing powerful kicks.

> How to perform jump squats:

• Place your feet shoulder-width apart
• Squat down until your thighs are almost parallel to the ground. Let your arms hang down so that the tips of your fingers touch the floor.
• Jump up, jumping as high as you can with your arms straight above your head and fingers extended. It will seem that you are trying to touch the sky.
• Land on the balls of your feet and lower your body back into a squat position to complete 1 rep. Repeat.
• Try not to let your knees extend past your toes, as this can strain your back.
• Advanced Tip: During the jump, he rotates 180 degrees in the air and lands facing the opposite direction. This will work your core and improve your agility.
• Fun facts: To promote the Sochi Olympics in Russia, Moscow Metro passengers were allowed to pay their fare by successfully completing 30 sit-ups.

3) Shadow box with a jab – cross combo

Throwing punches at an imaginary opponent will tone your arms and shoulders, develop your mental focus, and improve your body awareness. This is a basic exercise for all MMA fighters.

> How to shadow box:

• Stand with your left foot forward, elbows bent in front of your ribs, hands in a “guard” position, hands slightly clenched. (Reverse these directions if you are left-handed)
• Visualize an opponent directly in front of you.
• Jab directly to your imaginary opponent’s chin by extending your left arm forward, turning your palm toward the ground, and then immediately retracting your arm to the guard position.
• Launch a cross with your right arm by rotating your hips counterclockwise, lifting your heel off the ground, extending your right arm forward, and turning your palm toward the ground. Then return the arm to the guard position.
• Repeatedly throw the punches and mix the combo. ie jab/jab/cross, jab/cross/jab
• Move around the room while throwing the punches.
• advanced tip; Throw the jab-cross combo as fast as you can for the full minute without pausing. Say “No” when your arms beg you to stop and say “Hello” to sculpted delts and triceps!
• Fun facts: When asked what he thought of opponent George Foreman in his next fight, Muhammad Ali replied, “I’ve seen George Foreman shadow box and the shadow won!”

4) Bear Tracking

You’re going to feel the burn with this one. Bear steps are effective for working the entire body as a complete unit; exactly what it takes to shoot an opponent and take them down.

> How to crawl:

• Clear a path in the room so nothing gets in your way as you crawl.
• Get on your knees with your hands placed directly below your shoulders and your spine in a neutral position.
• Lift your knees off the ground, rising to the balls of your feet.
• Move your left hand and right leg forward simultaneously. Then move your right hand and left leg forward simultaneously. Repeat this move to perform a bear crawl from one side of the room to the other.
• Don’t let your knees touch the ground as you crawl.
• Advanced tip: Every 10 seconds alternates between bear crawl forward and bear crawl reverse (crawl backwards).
• Fun facts: Because their upper limbs are initially stronger than their lower limbs, polar bear cubs crawl backwards.

5) MMA knee strikes

Throwing MMA knee strikes will strengthen your core, glutes, and cardiovascular endurance. They are used to mix up the striking game and confuse the opponent. They are also an effective defense against takedowns when timed well.

> How to throw MMA knee strikes:

• Stand with your left foot forward, elbows bent in front of your ribs, hands in a “guard” position, hands slightly clenched. (Reverse these directions if you are left-handed)
• Visualize an opponent directly in front of you.
• Take a half step forward with your lead leg. As you go, slightly rotate your lead leg counterclockwise so your foot points to the 11 o’clock position and lands on the balls of your feet. This opens up your hips, giving more power to the punch.
• Drive your back knee up and forward at a 45-degree angle, pointing the toe of your knee toward your opponent, and drive your hips into the punch. Lean back slightly for balance and keep the foot of the kicking leg as close to your butt as possible.
• Bring your knee back the same way it came and return to guard position on the balls of your feet. Repeat the movement for additional knee strikes.
• Every ten knees change your stance and throw knee strikes with the opposite leg.
• Advanced Tip: Alternate stances with each knee strike. Keep good form and stay on the balls of your feet. Make the change of posture as fluid as possible.
• Fun facts: Melchor Menor, a former Muay Thai champion, appeared on the TV show Fight Science and demonstrated a knee strike. The power of the blow was equal to the power of a car crash at 35 mph.

6) burpees

Despite their fun name, burpees are all business. They are often called the king of conditioning exercises, and for good reason! They’ll work all of your major muscle groups, burn calories at lightning speed, and melt fat off your body. Getting good at this will get you through multiple rounds with anyone in the cage.

> How to perform a burpee:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Bring your body into a squat position with your palms flat on the ground
• Quickly push your feet back, while extending your arms. The position will look similar to a push-up with your arms extended.
• Immediately return your feet to a squat position with your palms on the floor.
• Jump up from a squat position, extending your arms above your head. It will look like you are trying to hit the ceiling. This completes 1 repetition of burpee.
• Repeat steps to complete additional burpees.
• Advanced Tip: Add a pushup to the burpee. After lowering yourself down and pushing your feet back, do a push-up, then return to a squat.
• fun fact: Burpees are named after the American physiologist Royal H. Burpee. He created the “Burpee Test” in the 1930s as a simple way to assess physical fitness.

Congratulations, you accomplished the entire routine and are one step closer to your bikini body! Give yourself a pat on the back and think about taking an MMA class. You’ll burn tons of calories, make friends, and learn how to protect yourself if the need arises.

And if you have friends who are looking for a kick ass routine, share this with them!