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TODAY’S TRAINING INSPIRATION:
JEFF MONSON

Today’s Colin Timberlake Training Inspiration is a man who has shown many facets, not only in his mixed martial arts game but in his approach to life.

Much as men like Frank Zane, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu have done a great deal to show that bodybuilders are not necessarily devoid of a well-developed brain, so has Jeff Monson done the same for mixed martial artists. The holder of both bachelors and masters degrees in psychology, Monson has spent as much time exercising his mind as his muscles.

One of the most impressive aspects of Monson’s game and training is that he fights in the heavyweight division (205 to 265 pounds) and does so as one of the shortest competitors in his weight class. At 5′8″, Monson is shorter than many lightweights (145-155 pounds) but with intense (and natural) training, has packed 235 pounds of muscle onto his compact frame, allowing him to compete with the biggest and best in what may be the world’s most demanding sport.

Monson was particularly inspiring in going the distance in a UFC heavyweight title match against 6′8″ and 265-pound champion Tim Sylvia. Despite an enormous height and reach disadvantage to the renowned striker, Monson weathered the storm and refused to be finished.

In addition to being one of the most revered and decorated submission artists in the heavyweight class, having won the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship, the premier grappling event in the world. He was also a Division I wrestler in college and a Pac-10 champion. And, not surprisingly with his submission tournament victories, he also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has won the World Grappling Championships as well.

Among his many notable victories are wins over such MMA luminaries as Ricco Rodriguez, Roy Nelson, Marcio Cruz and Tengiz Tedoradze. He has also gone the distance with Forrest Griffin, Josh Barnett and Chuck Liddell.

HAMMERING THE ANVIL…

You can’t forget the distant parts of your extremities. Today it’s forearms and calves.

TODAY: CALVES (5-5-5) and FOREARMS (5-1-5)

SEATED CALF RAISE (5 sets)
180 x 12
225 x 8
225 x 8
270 x 5
270 x 5 / 225 x 2 / 180 x 2 / 135 x 2

STRAIGHT LEG CALF PRESS (INCLINE LEG PRESS MACHINE) (1 set)
130 x 6

STRAIGHT LEG CALF PRESS (SEATED LEG PRESS MACHINE) (5 sets)
170 x 8
200 x 7
220 x 6
250 x 5
280 x 5

UNDERHAND FOREARM DUMBBELL CURLS (5 sets)
15 x 10
20 x 8
20 x 8
25 x 6
30 x 4

OVERHAND FOREARM DUMBBELL CURLS (5 sets)
15 x 8
15 x 6
15 x 5
20 x 4
20 x 3

TRAINING NOTES

Total Sets (Calves): 11
Total Sets (Forearms): 10

Supersetted Underhand and Overhand Forearm Dumbbell Curls.

A pretty solid and intense workout. Couldn’t have gotten much more out of either body part.

BACK TO Index of Inspirational Role Models for Training

Jeff Monson is probably best known for (1) having the physique and build of a professional bodybuilder and (2) his submission game with respect to mixed martial arts. So people might assume that his training is geared primarily toward mass building and sustained strength for forcing his opponents’ limbs in the wrong direction.

However, in the following video, “The Snowman” shares some of the routine he employs to maintain explosive strength and power in the ring and the cage. Given that he is one of the shortest heavyweights in the game, explosiveness will generally be a requirement if he wants to shoot in on his opponents and attempt to negate their always-present reach advantage.

Enjoy, as one of the world’s premier MMA heavyweights lets you into his gym.