# How much do you think UFC fighters lift?



## sicc (Mar 4, 2007)

You always hear Rogan say things like "the guy is freakishly strong".

I wonder how much, for example, a guy like St Pierre benches? I always wondered that about fighters. If for no other reason just to have a goal. Like "i want to bench XXXlbs because that's how much XXX fighter benches"


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## rabakill (Apr 22, 2007)

sicc said:


> You always hear Rogan say things like "the guy is freakishly strong".
> 
> I wonder how much, for example, a guy like St Pierre benches? I always wondered that about fighters. If for no other reason just to have a goal. Like "i want to bench XXXlbs because that's how much XXX fighter benches"


Anderson Silva and GSP probably don't lift much more than their own body weight in bench. That's because they base their game around speed and agility, most of their muscles are fast twitch and not for brute strength. Sean Sherk, Rich Franklin, Brock Lesnar and Jeff Monson on the other hand probably lift a lot, then again these guys aren't exactly the fastest strikers out there.


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## vancitypimp (Apr 8, 2007)

Most fighters(especially wrestlers) probably don't lift weights at all. If they do, it would be very light with high reps to build muscle endurance rather than pure strength which will tire you out quicker. That's why you dont see too many body builder types with muscles that have their own muscles fighting since they wouldnt last 2 minutes in a fight before gassing.


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## rabakill (Apr 22, 2007)

vancitypimp said:


> Most fighters(especially wrestlers) probably don't lift weights at all. If they do, it would be very light with high reps to build muscle endurance rather than pure strength which will tire you out quicker. That's why you dont see too many body builder types with muscles that have their own muscles fighting since they wouldnt last 2 minutes in a fight before gassing.


I remember seeing a guy that looked like a bodybuilder once. He used to play on the Calgary Stampeders football team, he was a tank. His forehead got a huge gash on it, must have been 4 inches long, it was disgusting. By the way, I wouldn't equivocate strength with bodybuilding. The strongest guys who are powerlifters generally don't look that jacked.


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## jbritt (Jun 30, 2008)

Bigger guys lift more than the smaller guys. Like sherk compared to florian. But Even though GSP isn't that big he can lift a fair amount. In one of his workouts, he was doing 110lbs dumbbell press. It is all about what the fighter wants to gain, strength or muscle endurance.


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## sicc (Mar 4, 2007)

So lifting less weight with high reps will do what exactly, besides help endurance? Will it make you look better?

I've been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm moving up very good on all my weights, getting at least 2x as strong in the 3months, but I'm not getting bigger or gaining weight. I don't get it ;\


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## dontazo (Feb 29, 2008)

SICC PM 

i wonder how much brock lifts


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## jbritt (Jun 30, 2008)

sicc said:


> So lifting less weight with high reps will do what exactly, besides help endurance? Will it make you look better?
> 
> I've been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm moving up very good on all my weights, getting at least 2x as strong in the 3months, but I'm not getting bigger or gaining weight. I don't get it ;\


If you want to get bigger, you should be lifting heavier weight with lower reps(5-8 reps is good). It is also harder to get bigger and a lot stronger if you aren't a very big guy. If you are scrawny, you won't be getting very big unless you start taking a supplement or something. Getting bigger and gaining weight takes a while(more than 3 months) and it takes a lot of hard work.


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## sicc (Mar 4, 2007)

jbritt said:


> If you want to get bigger, you should be lifting heavier weight with lower reps(5-8 reps is good). It is also harder to get bigger and a lot stronger if you aren't a very big guy. If you are scrawny, you won't be getting very big unless you start taking a supplement or something. Getting bigger and gaining weight takes a while(more than 3 months) and it takes a lot of hard work.


I am small, this is a picture of my last week: http://ioj.com/u/get_file.php?id=293464&file=l_2457eb6bed3a4c688fb3051858f9c0ce.jpg

I am keeping a photo journal for the past 3 months so I can keep track. I def got a tiny bit bigger and I also lost a bunch of fat. I also take protein and creatine. I just thought I'd be bigger by now ;[


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## TheNegation (Jun 11, 2007)

Weightgain is about eating more calories. No reason to think he needs a supplement, though it couldn't hurt.

Tank Abbot and Jimmy Ambriz are the strongest guys I can think of.

Tank Abbott = 600 pound raw bench.

I think this vid speaks for itself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTO2QfZdjO0

Also Houston Alexander has supposedly a like 500lb bench which is ridiculous considering the isn't that big a guy.


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## rdrush (Mar 5, 2007)

rabakill said:


> I remember seeing a guy that looked like a bodybuilder once. He used to play on the Calgary Stampeders football team, he was a tank. His forehead got a huge gash on it, must have been 4 inches long, it was disgusting. By the way, I wouldn't equivocate strength with bodybuilding. The strongest guys who are powerlifters generally don't look that jacked.


That would be Marvin Eastman you are reffering too, and as Joe Rogan said "that cut looked like a goats vagina" on air nonetheless lol.

I bet GSP would be a lot more focused on squats and such instead of upper body for his explosiveness.


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## jbritt (Jun 30, 2008)

sicc said:


> I am small, this is a picture of my last week: http://ioj.com/u/get_file.php?id=293464&file=l_2457eb6bed3a4c688fb3051858f9c0ce.jpg
> 
> I am keeping a photo journal for the past 3 months so I can keep track. I def got a tiny bit bigger and I also lost a bunch of fat. I also take protein and creatine. I just thought I'd be bigger by now ;[


As long as you keep working out, and working out hard(very important)you will see results. It might take a couple more months or even a year to gain more muscle mass, but if you keep at it, you will see results. Make sure you eat right and continue to take your supplements and protein.


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## REiN (Mar 30, 2008)

yeah, expecting big results in a short period of time will always disappoint you. for me i shoot for small goals in the gym and i'm never disappointed. its a process that takes hard work and determination but most importantly, time. you'll get where you wanna be in time, just stay determined


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## dontazo (Feb 29, 2008)

lol u might see ur pic on 4chan ...


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## CornbreadBB (Jul 31, 2008)

Besides for being able to "show off" with your friends, I don't think how much you bench press is relevant.


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## sicc (Mar 4, 2007)

dontazo said:


> lol u might see ur pic on 4chan ...


I was just on /b/ browsing around ;\


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## ESPADA9 (Oct 13, 2006)

sicc said:


> So lifting less weight with high reps will do what exactly, besides help endurance? Will it make you look better?
> 
> I've been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm moving up very good on all my weights, getting at least 2x as strong in the 3months, but I'm not getting bigger or gaining weight. I don't get it ;\


What is your goal? Are you training BJJ or Muay Thai or are you just looking to “get bigger”???

If you’re training and want to get better at BJJ, wrestling or some form of striking I wouldn’t make weight lifting my only means of improving my strength/stamina.

From what I’ve seen from different fighters workouts most fighters don’t do allot of heavy weight lifting as part of their training.
Sure some fighters like say a Phil Baroni like to have a “bodybuilder” physique but most top level fighters only do heavy lifting to build explosive power and not for aesthetics.

Few of the competitive BJJ guys at my school (Gracie-Barra) do much weight lifting knowing that there are other ways of building power/stamina.
Fighters with a wrestling background seem to do some basic heavy lifting like clean and jerk, dead lift, shrugs, etc but you can do some basic calisthenics, medicine ball core work, etc to get good core strength.

I lift but not heavy anymore, I don’t really need to I’m naturally big and at 44 lifting heavy causes more joint damage than I can justify.
I do mostly circuit training with medium weights and medicine ball/calisthenics for core and cardio.

I know in some endurance sports like cycling, athletes choose a time of year when they’re not competing and do heavy weights for about 3 months to build a good power base before they start putting in their base miles and building endurance. I’m not sure if fighters do this, could make sense giving that many fighters have up to 6 months in between fights.


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