Welcome to the Strength Training section of The Islam Makhachev Workout. This programme focuses on compound lifts and functional strength work to build the hip power, grip strength, and full-body control needed for elite-level MMA and grappling dominance.
Table of Contents
🏋️ Strength & Conditioning
This block is built around a four-session strength rotation designed to develop real-world power, explosive hips, stable shoulders, and practical endurance. Every lift has purpose: clean mechanics, steady progression, no wasted movement.
You’ll cycle through two upper-body sessions and two lower-body sessions, each built around different movement patterns to avoid overlap and keep progress balanced.
🦵 Lower Body
These sessions focus on developing the kind of lower-body strength that improves power, movement, and durability in everyday training and sport. You’ll build:
- Explosive hip power.
- Stronger posterior chain.
- Better balance & single-leg stability.
- Smoother movement transitions.
- Improved knee stability.
- Greater lower-body endurance.
These lower days don’t chase pump or aesthetics — they build a base no one can topple.
🥊 Upper Body
Upper sessions here aren’t about aesthetics — they develop useful, real-world strength that improves posture, control, and total-body performance. You’ll build:
- Stronger pressing & pulling.
- Improved grip endurance.
- Better rotational strength.
- More stable shoulders.
- Stronger upper back.
- Better core control under load.
These are functional upper-body days designed to make you stronger, more stable, and harder to tire out — not to fill a mirror pose.
🎯 Strength Sessions Goals — Build Force
- ⚖️ Load: Heavy. Challenging but controlled.
- 🔢 Reps: Low to moderate (3–6, occasionally up to 8).
- ⏱️ Rest: Longer. Full recovery between sets.
- 📌 Rule: If your breathing is the limit, the weight is too light.
🦵🔥 Lower Body A
Deadlift Day (Hips, Posterior Chain, Power)
This day is built around pulling power, hip drive, and strong posterior chain — perfect for shots, scrambles, and grappling leverage.
- Deadlift: 5 x reps.
- Front Squat (DB): 6 x reps each leg.
- Barbell Hip Thrust: 8 x reps.
- DB Step-Ups: 8 x reps each leg.
- Lateral Step-Ups (DBs): 8 x reps each leg.
- Calf Raises (BB): 10–12 x reps.
🦵⚡ Lower Body B
Squat Day (Drive, Leg Endurance, Level Change Strength)
A totally different lower-body profile from Day A — this is about leg drive, quads, and grappling endurance.
- Barbell Back Squat: 5 x reps.
- DB Walking Lunge: 8 x reps each leg.
- Barbell Good Morning: 8 x reps.
- Copenhagen Plank Hold: 20–40 seconds per side.
- Nordic Hamstring Lowering: 5–6 x reps.
- Sissy Squat (Assisted or Weighted): 8–12 reps.
💪🔥 Upper Body A
Push/Pull Power (Pressing + Pulling Strength)
- Barbell Bench Press: 5 x reps.
- Weighted Pull-Ups: 5–6 x reps.
- Barbell Push Press: 5 x reps.
- Barbell Bent-Over Row: 6 reps.
- DB Floor Press: 8 reps.
- Barbell or DB Shrug: 10 reps.
💪⚡ Upper Body B
Grappler Strength (Torso, Shoulder, Grip, Control)
- Standing Barbell Overhead Press: 5 x reps.
- Single-Arm DB Row: 8 x reps each side.
- Incline DB Press: x 6–8 reps.
- Chest-Supported Row (DB/BB): 8 x reps.
- Reverse Fly (DB): 12 x reps.
- Barbell Wrist Curl or Farmer Hold: x 30–45 sec.
📈 5-Week Progression (All Strength Workouts)
- Week 1: 60% 1RM (technique focus).
- Week 2: 65–70% 1RM.
- Week 3: 72–78% 1RM.
- Week 4: 80–85% 1RM.
- Week 5: 85–90% 1RM (peak strength).
This progression captures the power-building phase used in elite fight camps.
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