Need ideas to supplement my MMA

Hi everyone-

I am new to the fitness section of OH but so glad to be lurking here for a few days now.  I have a question and I am hoping all you great fitness gurus can give me some ideas.

I currently do one hour of tae kwon do three days a week - it includes some cardio and strength as I do forms, work with weapons, and run or do obstacle courses.  On Friday nights I attend a MMA (mixed martial arts class) where we circuit train and then we do hand to hand combat with gear on for 2 minute rounds.  I think I am getting good workouts but am afraid I need to step it up a bit to keep the weight coming off.  Any good ideas on what I should supplement with? I was thinking running but I live in New England and the weather is crappy .  Open to any and all ideas - ps don't belong to a gym but have free weights and a weight bench at home.

Thanks in advance for the help...

The best exercise is the one you do consistently.  Exercise isn't what gets the weight off, really, but it's important for the long haul and to stay healthy.  It's best to do the things you like to do that will be a part of your lifelong habits.

If you have something you're just DYING to do, then that's what I'd supplement with.  Otherwise, all it does is give a negative attitude about exercise.

As far as the crappy weather goes, it's much safer to walk briskly than to begin a running program in the winter, but if that's something you'd really like to do, try to find a running group in your area.

Just my nickel's worth.

Linn

I agree...if you enjoy the MMA and Tae Kwon Do...do it!  That is a great workout.  I was a collegiate wrestler and I KNOW how hard it can be!  If you feel like you aren't getting a good workout, step it up!  Go more intense with your punches and kicks.  Work on the heavy bag a lot.  The heavy bag is one of the greatest cardio workouts there is.  Keep up the good work!

HELLO!!!

I'm a first-degree black belt in taekwondo through ATA.  I did it for 3 years (stopped 2 yrs ago) & for the past 3 months I've been doing Brazillian jiu jitsu.  I loved taekwondo & it is a damn good workout, especially when you get up there in the # of moves for one form with higher colored belts & so on.  Then, there was the "warming" up with push-ups & sit-ups, along with whatever weird stuff (like rapid fire round kicks)  that they came up with.  I decided not to go back to taekwondo after realizing that most fights end up on the ground & it's just not nearly as effective if you butt lands up on the ground, which is why I went with jiu jitsu when I decided to get back into martial arts.  I think MMA is downright scary & not for me!  But, you go!!!  I sparred a lot in taekwondo with gear on, but we were always taught to "pull back" - your kick or strike - right before it landed . . . I don't know if that's how MMA is, but it looks a little brutal . . .

OK, enough rambling about AWESOME martial arts

In my dojo, they also offer combat conditioning classes & we mostly focus on using kettle bell weights for upper body stuff & weights + squats for lower body strength.  We also ususally do 10 minutes of yoga-style stretching for flexibility, which most dojos don't focus on enough, in my opinion.  My vote?  The weight training with some flexibility focus will build your strength, endurance, & flexibility - all good things in & of themselves + they'll help your martial arts.

Lisey-

Thanks for the weight training idea - I was really thinking about starting that and maybe some yoga because I do want to improve my flexibility so I can get my kicks higher.  ATA is really starting to focus on being "FIT" so they are starting to include alot of cardio and circuit training to get more like a lean mean fighting machine.  I really want to be a black belt so that is definitely my goal.  I am currently on my green testing for purple in two weeks.  My form In Wha one has over 50 moves in it so it keeps you going - I can even work up a sweat doing a form. 
I love MMA - I wear shin gaurds, gloves, headgear and a mouth piece.  I want to protect my face so I keep my hands up and throw alot of kicks.  We only spar for two minutes in MMA and we work on pulling up so as to not hurt the other person similar to Taekwondo sparring but you can punch to the head.  What is Jiu Jitsu like?