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Delavier's Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy
From powerful blows to explosive kicks, Delavier’s Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy takes you inside the action and impact of one of the world’s most popular, grueling, and challenging sports. Over 230 full-color photos and 120 anatomical illustrations allow you to go inside more than 120 exercises specifically selected for the neuromuscular demands of the sport. You’ll see how muscles interact with surrounding joints and skeletal structures and how variations and sequencing can isolate specific muscles to enhance the full arsenal of combat skills. Delavier’s Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy features an anatomomorphological approach to allow you to choose the most effective exercises for your body type, physical conditioning, and fighting style. From boxing to ground fighting, you’ll enhance your strengths and minimize your weaknesses with more than 20 proven programs. Featuring the latest exercises for injury prevention and foam roller techniques for muscle regeneration, it’s all here and all in the stunning detail that only Frédéric Delavier can provide.
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2013
About the author
Frédéric Delavier
118 books131 followersFrédéric Delavier is a gifted artist with an exceptional knowledge of human anatomy. He studied morphology and anatomy for five years at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and studied dissection for three years at the Paris Faculté de Médecine.
The former editor in chief of the French magazine PowerMag, Delavier is currently a journalist for the French magazine Le Monde du Muscle and a contributor to several other muscle publications, including Men's Health Germany. He is the author of the best-selling Strength Training Anatomy and Women’s Strength Training Anatomy.
Delavier won the French powerlifting title in 1988 and makes annual presentations on the sport applications of biomechanics at conferences in Switzerland. His teaching efforts have earned him the Grand Prix de Techniques et de Pédagogie Sportive. Delavier lives in Paris, France.
The former editor in chief of the French magazine PowerMag, Delavier is currently a journalist for the French magazine Le Monde du Muscle and a contributor to several other muscle publications, including Men's Health Germany. He is the author of the best-selling Strength Training Anatomy and Women’s Strength Training Anatomy.
Delavier won the French powerlifting title in 1988 and makes annual presentations on the sport applications of biomechanics at conferences in Switzerland. His teaching efforts have earned him the Grand Prix de Techniques et de Pédagogie Sportive. Delavier lives in Paris, France.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 22, 2017
This is more a training manual then the usual anatomy books. The pictures are smaller, with a lot more text. The book reads like an extra long fitness magazine. Even the with the 2 or 3 column per page. The books starts with all the basic exercises, and knowledge of muscle groups all beginners will need to progress. I only have 2 negative things to say about this book. The first is I would have liked more exercises and combinations for intermediate to advanced athletes. Second I think some more stretching exercises would have been useful, especially in the injure prevention section. Apart from that the book is a fountain of knowledge, a one stop guide for beginners. A good revision guide for people who have been training for a while. It is a training manual that will keep being pulled off the bookshelf to check something in.
May 31, 2015
I got a copy from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for my review. At first, I didn't think I'd get much out of this book, but it provides so much basic information for beginners that I actually found it to help with my strength training routines. Extremely detailed, but so well organized that you don't feel inundated with information. The formatting is amazing, well laid out with great graphics. The illustrations of various muscles will be invaluable for reference. The suggested routines can be easily tailored depending on your fitness level and goals. If the other Delavier books are even half as good, I'd recommend them all.
November 10, 2014
Delavier's Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy
February 11, 2023
As a general rule, it is time to begin another set if either of the following occurs:
* When your breathing is almost back to
normal
* When you feel that your enthusiasm is
overcoming your fatigue
If your strength decreases abnormally from one set to the next you might have done too many sets, or you might not have taken enough rest time.
Breathing affects your performance:
* Holding your breath lets your muscles
express their full power.
* Exhaling slightly decreases your strength.
* Inhaling seriously weakens your muscles.
Static Stretching means holding the stretch for 10 seconds to 1 minute. The degree of stretch can be from light to strong depending on your goals.
Dynamic stretching means pulling more or less brusquely on a muscle using small, repetitive movements for 10-20 seconds. Dynamic stretching resembles plyometrics because it plays with the stretch-relax cycle (or the elasticity of the muscle). The goal of the small movements is to force the muscle to lengthen
more than it would naturally.
Twisting Crunch: This isolation exercise targets the internal and external obliques as well as the rectus abdominis. WHY FIGHTERS SHOULD DO IT: To make punches stronger by increasing the activation of the abdominal muscles. To get stronger so that you can get out of a hold more easily when pinned on your back
Plank: This isolation exercise works the entire abdominal wall isometrically. WHY FIGHTERS
SHOULD DO IT: To strengthen the abdominal wall and increase your static muscular endurance
Medicine Ball Throw while doing sit-up: This is a compound exercise for the triceps, shoulders, and abdominal wall. WHY FIGHTERS SHOULD DO IT: To make your punches more explosive
Standing Calf Raise: WHY FIGHTERS
SHOULD DO IT: The strength in the calf muscles anchors the legs to the floor and
allows you to strike effectively. The power of strikes thrown with the thigh or knee also depends on the calf being firmly anchored to the floor.
* When your breathing is almost back to
normal
* When you feel that your enthusiasm is
overcoming your fatigue
If your strength decreases abnormally from one set to the next you might have done too many sets, or you might not have taken enough rest time.
Breathing affects your performance:
* Holding your breath lets your muscles
express their full power.
* Exhaling slightly decreases your strength.
* Inhaling seriously weakens your muscles.
Static Stretching means holding the stretch for 10 seconds to 1 minute. The degree of stretch can be from light to strong depending on your goals.
Dynamic stretching means pulling more or less brusquely on a muscle using small, repetitive movements for 10-20 seconds. Dynamic stretching resembles plyometrics because it plays with the stretch-relax cycle (or the elasticity of the muscle). The goal of the small movements is to force the muscle to lengthen
more than it would naturally.
Twisting Crunch: This isolation exercise targets the internal and external obliques as well as the rectus abdominis. WHY FIGHTERS SHOULD DO IT: To make punches stronger by increasing the activation of the abdominal muscles. To get stronger so that you can get out of a hold more easily when pinned on your back
Plank: This isolation exercise works the entire abdominal wall isometrically. WHY FIGHTERS
SHOULD DO IT: To strengthen the abdominal wall and increase your static muscular endurance
Medicine Ball Throw while doing sit-up: This is a compound exercise for the triceps, shoulders, and abdominal wall. WHY FIGHTERS SHOULD DO IT: To make your punches more explosive
Standing Calf Raise: WHY FIGHTERS
SHOULD DO IT: The strength in the calf muscles anchors the legs to the floor and
allows you to strike effectively. The power of strikes thrown with the thigh or knee also depends on the calf being firmly anchored to the floor.
September 30, 2017
The premise of this book is strength training for combat sports as well as general conditioning. It provides good information on what muscles are used in different types of marital arts - from boxing, to kicking, to grappling. The authors provide anatomical illustrations on how each muscle, bone, ligament and tendon works in a fight. Although many people perform strength training for aesthetics, it has become indispensable for mixed martial arts (MMA) because it improves a person's effectiveness in several ways :
1. It makes kicks and strikes more powerful.
2. It develops endurance and resistance during hand to hand combat.
3. It improves the range of motion in any given movements (e.g. punches, kicks and grappling)
4. It creates protective armor that reduces vulnerability in a fight.
5. It prevents overuse injuries. The repetitive nature of violent strikes can cause premature damage to muscles and joints. Strength training helps prevent this trauma so that combat athlete can avoid unnecessary injuries.
The beauty of this book is, it provides over 230 full color photos and 120 anatomical illustrations to help a person choose the most effective exercise for body type, physical conditioning and fighting style. At the end of the book, the author provides seven proven programs:
*Beginning programs for overall strength
*Specialized programs
*Customized programs
*Conditioning circuits
*Customized circuits
*Specialized circuits at home
*Circuits for injury prevention.
Each program divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced categories. I personally do specialized circuits at home. This is a good book for general conditioning and combat specific training.
1. It makes kicks and strikes more powerful.
2. It develops endurance and resistance during hand to hand combat.
3. It improves the range of motion in any given movements (e.g. punches, kicks and grappling)
4. It creates protective armor that reduces vulnerability in a fight.
5. It prevents overuse injuries. The repetitive nature of violent strikes can cause premature damage to muscles and joints. Strength training helps prevent this trauma so that combat athlete can avoid unnecessary injuries.
The beauty of this book is, it provides over 230 full color photos and 120 anatomical illustrations to help a person choose the most effective exercise for body type, physical conditioning and fighting style. At the end of the book, the author provides seven proven programs:
*Beginning programs for overall strength
*Specialized programs
*Customized programs
*Conditioning circuits
*Customized circuits
*Specialized circuits at home
*Circuits for injury prevention.
Each program divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced categories. I personally do specialized circuits at home. This is a good book for general conditioning and combat specific training.
June 9, 2023
Very good
November 28, 2013
I received this book for free as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
This is the second work by Delavier, and the third from the publisher, Human Kinetics, that I have received through Early Reviewers. This probably makes sense. I have been strength-training since I was thirteen, I studied taekwondo from fourteen through twenty-one, and I have been into CrossFit for almost five years. I suppose I am an ideal reviewer, although I see myself as an interested layman rather than an expert.
Much of what I said about Strength Training Anatomy II applies here: the pictures are the best part of the book, illustrating muscles in a realistic style much like the Bodyworlds exhibit. Overall, the book seems solid, and I would consider it useful if I needed to design my own strength and conditioning program. I even learned a few things reading this book, which muscles are recruited in which moves, and the physiology of relaxing during a strike for maximum acceleration.
I was critical of Strength Training Anatomy II because I felt that the book concentrated too heavily on hypertrophy. Seeing this book, I feel some of what I said is unfair. The other book is about bodybuilding, which has become the sport of building size and weight primarily, and strength only comes as a side-effect of those things. This book has specific recommendations for increasing strength, power, speed, and endurance, which are separate domains of fitness. This work is tailored to its subject, and I suppose the other books Delavier have written are also similarly tailored.
I do still think it is prudent to investigate your options regarding workouts. Delavier has a definite point of view, and things he is cool towards may be the foundation of effective strength and conditioning programs. I'm skeptical of the things he says about squats, for example, but this is a subject of intense controversy. I don't know anyone in the world of fitness who wants to cause injury, but there is plenty of disagreement about the best way to prevent it. This is a good book, and worth your time if you need basics on what exercises do what, and basic programs to get you started.
This is the second work by Delavier, and the third from the publisher, Human Kinetics, that I have received through Early Reviewers. This probably makes sense. I have been strength-training since I was thirteen, I studied taekwondo from fourteen through twenty-one, and I have been into CrossFit for almost five years. I suppose I am an ideal reviewer, although I see myself as an interested layman rather than an expert.
Much of what I said about Strength Training Anatomy II applies here: the pictures are the best part of the book, illustrating muscles in a realistic style much like the Bodyworlds exhibit. Overall, the book seems solid, and I would consider it useful if I needed to design my own strength and conditioning program. I even learned a few things reading this book, which muscles are recruited in which moves, and the physiology of relaxing during a strike for maximum acceleration.
I was critical of Strength Training Anatomy II because I felt that the book concentrated too heavily on hypertrophy. Seeing this book, I feel some of what I said is unfair. The other book is about bodybuilding, which has become the sport of building size and weight primarily, and strength only comes as a side-effect of those things. This book has specific recommendations for increasing strength, power, speed, and endurance, which are separate domains of fitness. This work is tailored to its subject, and I suppose the other books Delavier have written are also similarly tailored.
I do still think it is prudent to investigate your options regarding workouts. Delavier has a definite point of view, and things he is cool towards may be the foundation of effective strength and conditioning programs. I'm skeptical of the things he says about squats, for example, but this is a subject of intense controversy. I don't know anyone in the world of fitness who wants to cause injury, but there is plenty of disagreement about the best way to prevent it. This is a good book, and worth your time if you need basics on what exercises do what, and basic programs to get you started.
December 14, 2013
Updated review:
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway! Thanks!
Giving this 5 stars
As an artist, med school student and a person who just started up taking Krav Maga classes I was thrilled to get this!
The illustrations and diagrams are wonderful and I love the layout of the book. It doesn't just give you a list of exercises/work-outs, but tells you how and why to do them. It describes which muscles work during the specific exercises, how to make them more effective, and the intensity/intervals at which you should do them.
I recommend this not only to people who are interested in mixed martial arts, but to anyone that would like to learn a bit more about different techniques that can increase your strength and endurance. Also, its just simply an awesome book :)
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway! Thanks!
Giving this 5 stars
As an artist, med school student and a person who just started up taking Krav Maga classes I was thrilled to get this!
The illustrations and diagrams are wonderful and I love the layout of the book. It doesn't just give you a list of exercises/work-outs, but tells you how and why to do them. It describes which muscles work during the specific exercises, how to make them more effective, and the intensity/intervals at which you should do them.
I recommend this not only to people who are interested in mixed martial arts, but to anyone that would like to learn a bit more about different techniques that can increase your strength and endurance. Also, its just simply an awesome book :)
August 9, 2016
I received this book through First Reads.
This book includes exercises for strength and flexibility with a strong focus on training safely. The illustrations and extra hints make this book stand out from others in the genre. I also liked that both male and female athletes were represented in a strong way. There are specialized training programs in the back of the book that combine the different exercises for specific purposes. There are strength increasing, injury prevention, home circuit, and many other programs recommended. This makes the book highly customizable to the individual athlete. A great MMA resource for increasing strength and flexibility while reducing injury.
This book includes exercises for strength and flexibility with a strong focus on training safely. The illustrations and extra hints make this book stand out from others in the genre. I also liked that both male and female athletes were represented in a strong way. There are specialized training programs in the back of the book that combine the different exercises for specific purposes. There are strength increasing, injury prevention, home circuit, and many other programs recommended. This makes the book highly customizable to the individual athlete. A great MMA resource for increasing strength and flexibility while reducing injury.
July 23, 2016
This book is very well-written and provides a combination of goal-based exercise programs and illustrations. Even without being involved in MMA, it's a great book to gain appreciation and understanding of the training involved.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews