Whether it’s a hobby or if you’re looking to seriously get into combat sports, strength training is a large component of the exercise needed to achieve your goals. Strength is connected to every other facet of your abilities. It produces speed, agility, and the power involved in every one of your movements.

Sticking With the Basics

Depending on the type of training you are looking for, your routine may vary. Strength training doesn’t always have to be about heavy lifting, although implementing power lifting can be beneficial in combat training. Consistency is the biggest key—targeting the muscle groups or types of training that work best for you, and sticking with it will help produce the best results. Keep it simple: pull-ups, weighted squats with a barbell, shoulder presses, rowing, and dead-lifts can all be useful exercises when trying to build strength within the umbrella of combat-style training.

Creating a Balanced Yet Strenuous Routine

Tips for strength training routines should always include a brief warm-up period. Settle on rep numbers and weights that you feel comfortable with, but which will push you to your own personal limit. Quick bursts of exercise followed by a brief rest period is the current trend when it comes to optimizing workouts. Each week, try to increase your weight limit or reps slightly. Don’t push yourself so that each exercise is a complete struggle to get through. You do want to allow for the eventual burn out, but with the ability to continue to push yourself each week, with 1-2 more reps per set.

Continue to Evolve Your Routine

If you’re serious about strength training to get you combat-sport ready, then be prepared to push yourself. Strength along with conditioning are the two most important aspects of a great routine. Don’t let yourself get complacent—continue to evolve your routine and stick with it to see amazing results!

When Cultivating a Healthy Lifestyle, Don’t Go it Alone

Millions of people are looking to get healthy and in shape but don’t know where to turn. At A4 Fitness, we strive to help drive those looking to achieve a healthier lifestyle in the right direction. However, some aren’t sold on the benefits of a personal trainer and how this person can help you become stronger and more active. Let’s take a look at some of the many benefits associated with personal training:

Personal Accountability, Motivation, and a Credo

That phrase says a lot. While some people excel when exercising solo, many of us need direction and motivation. This is where a personal trainer in Los Angeles can help. Creating a workout schedule and sticking to it can be a challenge when you’re by yourself. With a personal trainer, you have someone there to hold you accountable. Not only will this person ensure you set and stick to your schedule, but she will also help push your body to the next level without overtaxing it.

A personal trainer’s help starts at the very beginning. Creating the right type of exercise routine can be a challenge without the proper knowledge. A personal trainer can also help you determine the ideal daily diet for even greater health.  

Let A4 Be Your Guide to a Fit Future

At A4 Fitness in Los Angeles, West L.A., and Santa Monica, our elite coaches have extensive backgrounds in their individual fields. Our CrossFit coaches have as many as 17 years of personal and group training experience. Additionally, we have trained professional athletes from the NFL to the NBA and even gold medal Olympic athletes. Don’t waste another day without finding out what you need to succeed; let our personal trainers help you reach your full potential today.

Combat sports have come a long way in the past 30 years. For example, your first thought about combat sports probably doesn’t revolve around the “crane kick” from Karate Kid anymore. With millions of people jumping on board this trend, let’s look at some of the most popular forms of combat sports in Los Angeles and around the world. In the long run, choosing the right discipline can leave you with a thrilling and fulfilling exercise routine.

The Right Type of Training Can Make a World of Difference

Looking for improved reflexes and sharper mental acuity? Try boxing. This form of combat sports can give you a sleek physique while providing intense calorie burning and sculpting for your upper body. If you are seeking a stronger lower body and improved balance, you may want to try kickboxing. You can burn up to 25% more calories by using your legs on a punching bag rather than your arms.

On the other hand, if you’re strictly looking to defend yourself, give Brazilian Jiu-jitsu a try. A descendant of Japanese Jiu-jitsu, the Brazilian version allows you defend yourself, even if you are on the ground. It can also be great for building stamina and a strong core.

If you are after the ultimate challenge, maybe it’s time to try MMA. Mixed Martial Arts combine different elements of all the aforementioned combat sports into a dynamic and multi-dimensional discipline. Whether grappling, strategizing your opponent’s weakness, or punching and kicking, MMA can be a tough yet rewarding experience for those who put in the time.

Choosing the right discipline can help target different areas of your body. By researching the benefits before entering into a practice, you can learn what you need to do to prepare, and ultimately maximize your results.

Let A4 Fitness Help You Reach Your Potential

At A4 Fitness, we understand that different methodologies and approaches work best for different people. That’s why we offer a wide array of Mixed Martial Arts classes in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and West L.A. We can help you find the right type of class for your needs, so call today and take your training to a whole new level.

The hottest fighting style around, Mixed Martial Arts is a fighting style worth looking into. Mixed Martial Arts can teach you how to fight and defend yourself if the need should arise. One of the greatest joys of Mixed Martial Arts is the opportunity to challenge yourself, and then test your strength against a sparring partner. And, of course, it’s an excellent workout, as well.

Holistic Approach 

There are other benefits to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) that perhaps you might not know. First of all, there is a strong emphasis on mind-body awareness in MMA. Instructors take the time to make sure that you practice mind-body awareness when training with an opponent. Students are encouraged to meditate, and yoga is a part of your daily training. MMA teaches you not only how to fight, but it teaches you proper breathing and relaxation techniques.

Character Building

Mixed Martial Arts is an excellent way to build your confidence. Often you will be paired with sparring partners who are taller, faster, or stronger: this teaches you to execute your technique as flawlessly as possible to beat them at their own game. When you train with excellent instructors (like our teachers at A4 Fitness), you learn the best techniques for fighting. And your sparring partners themselves will work to show you how to better your fighting abilities along the way. Mixed Martial Arts will build you up and prepare you for different kinds of challenges you’ll face in the outside world.

Unique & Diverse Style

Next on the list of why you should try MMA, it’s different than any other fighting style. It’s not about beating your opponents with punches and kicks, No-Gi Jiu Jitsu is about grappling. And unlike Gi Jiu Jitsu, you don’t need to wear a typical karate gi. This gives you the ability to execute each move in your regular clothes – in case you ever need those moves as self-defense maneuvers in the real world.

Great Fun

Finally, it’s fun! If you’ve never challenged yourself with the sort of fighting you do in MMA, you ought to give it a try. The culture surrounding Mixed Martial Arts is all about community. Other fighters want to see you get better, so that the challenge is real. And they will support you when you are learning new moves. Not to mention your instructors, who are eager to help you grow and improve your technique all along the way.

Here at A4 Fitness, we are proud to offer excellent Mixed Martial Arts classes in Los Angeles. They are plain-clothes classes, often called No-Gi for the lack of a karate-style robe. Our instructors are ready to meet you at the level you are on, and they want to help you exceed your expectations as you reach for your goals. If you are thinking it’s time to try out No-Gi Jiu Jitsu, boxing, or Muay Thai kickboxing , give us a call today to enroll in Mixed Martial Arts classes. 

Getting into exercising is a daunting affair: there are many barriers between you and your fitness goals. When you make the decision to partner with a personal trainer, you help to smooth out the bumps on your road to success. There are a many things you will want to consider as you look for a good personal trainer in Los Angeles, and A4 Fitness is here to help.

1.       Credentials and Accolades.

The first thing you will want to take a look at with a personal trainer is their resume. For example, many of the best boxing trainers have a list of fights they have won. Examine their credentials, and make sure they have merit. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and other certified organizations (like NASM or ACSM) are certified by the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies). The ACE website has a terrific chart to look up certifications, as well.

2.       Methodology.

How does your potential trainer go about helping newbies find success? It’s not just about putting in hours at the gym. The best trainers follow methods that have improved their own workouts, namely “smart practice makes perfect.” Look for a trainer who can recognize mistakes quickly and help to correct them in routines, as well as someone with a long history of teaching exercise techniques.

3.       Coaching Style.

Take a look at your potential trainer’s personality side-by-side with your needs. Some prefer a “cheerleader” type who encourages and assists, while others like to have a “drill sergeant” pushing them to go further. In other words, look at the level of support you want, as well as the degree of your own autonomy.

4.       Training Programs and Progress.

Your potential trainer should be able to outline a clear path to your fitness goals. Inquire as to how they will help you get results and, in your first meeting, feel free to ask for references. That way, you can see how other clients have achieved their fitness goals with the trainer.

5.       Nutrition, Fitness Trends, and Research.

An excellent personal trainer will know a good deal about what’s going on in the fitness world. You should be able to ask them about CrossFit, Paleo diets, Plyometrics, kettle bells, suspension training, YogaFit, Pilates, mind-body training, and the like. The best personal trainers are passionate about what they do – and they continue their education throughout the training process.

6.       Consider all of your options.

There are a lot of trainers out there, and you want to make sure you have the right fit. In other words, don’t just hire the first trainer you meet. Also, there are excellent alternatives to a personal trainer, if the thought of a full-time training at the gym is a little out of your budget. Consider working with semi-private groups at A4 Fitness, or work with a trainer for a limited amount of time at the beginning or the end of your typical workout.

A4 Fitness is dedicated to helping you get to the next level: think of us as your personal training network, and our staff as a team of experts in the fitness world. When you are ready to have some one-on-one training, contact us and we will pair you up with the right kind of personal trainer for your needs. You won’t find better gym on LA’s West Side of LA for personal fitness improvement, so when you want to take that next step, we’re prepared to show you the way.