When we say ‘body of a fighter’, we are not really referring to boxers. Boxers tend to have a higher body fat percentage and more rounded look. Rather, we are talking about martial artists who tend to look highly honed and lean. These are fast and powerful fighters that look healthy and mean.

They also tend to have certain features that are more dominant than others. As well as low body fat, they tend to have large triceps, pecs like armor plating and ripped mid-sections.

How to Develop Speed and Power

The most important principle to keep in mind when looking to transform the body is ‘SAID’. This stands for ‘Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands’.

In other words, the challenges you face the body with will trigger changes that make it better able to cope with those same challenges in future.

Thus, one of the best ways to get a fighters’ body is to hit a punch bag. This is a great way to develop hand-eye coordination, to build muscle in the shoulders, pecs, abs and triceps and to burn fat through ‘concurrent training’ (cardio with added resistance).

To get started, find some combinations and throw these repeatedly until you are too tired to continue. Remember to use your hips and legs to drive the punches forward.

Combine this with lifting heavy weights using compound movements. This will train the entire body in unison while demanding maximum muscle fiber recruitment and coordination from the body.

Diet

On top of the correct training, it is also crucial for a fighter to eat the right diet. This should be a diet that is high in protein to support muscle synthesis, as well as complex carbohydrates and fats to provide a steady supply of energy for training.

As is always the case, simple carbohydrates such as cake and chocolate should be left out – as these provide no benefit for the body while encouraging weight gain!