BUILD COMBAT CONDITIONING
Forget roadwork: when he’s in training camp, Manuwa does five-minute rounds of this circuit, aiming to get as many reps as possible before the bell. To prepare for UFC main events, he does five rounds a workout, but you should start with three
PULL-UP
Reps 8
Arms straight at the bottom, chest over the bar at the top. Using a bit of knee drive to squeak out some extra reps is OK as you get towards the end of the round. Do eight reps – or about half as many as you can do in one go.
LATERAL SLAM
Reps 8
Pick up a medicine ball, bring it overhead and slam it to the ground
– if you just drop it, you’re only cheating yourself. If you’ve got two balls, set them up 10m apart and shuffle laterally from one to the other between reps (if you’ve only got one, go out and back).
INVERTED ROW
Reps 8
Set up a suspension trainer or pair of gymnastic rings at chest height, then hold them and lean back with straight legs. Pull your elbows behind you, keeping them tight to your body. As the reps get tougher, it’s OK to stand up straighter – conditioning is key.
BATTLE ROPE SLAM
Time 10sec
Finish your circuit with an all-out burst on a set of battle ropes. Make waves as fast as possible, then go straight into your next set of pull-ups. Aim to do as many circuits as possible (at least three) while keeping the intensity high.