Michael Chandler’s Training Routine Shows He's Built for a UFC White House Spot
Michael Chandler is hopeful that he'll be returning to the octagon on the UFC fight card at the White House this summer. And if you heard how he trains, you'd understand why fans are so eager to watch him compete. Chandler, former Bellator champion and UFC lightweight, turns 40 this spring, but that doesn't mean his fight preparation is letting up.
In a recent interview with Men's Journal on behalf of Phorm Energy, Chandler shared a glimpse into what his training and nutrition look like when preparing for a fight and cutting weight. Plus, he dishes all the supplements he loves (spoiler: big creatine guy).
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Weekly Training Routine
When people think of UFC fights, bloody punches may instantly come to mind. But Chandler explains that elite MMA training is anything but one-dimensional in that regard. He trains with Jeremy Holt, a strength coach known for his work with NFL players, allowing Chandler to be a more well-rounded athlete.
"I want to be explosive and fast and all of the different attributes that all the other sports require, too," he says.
During the week, Chandler trains two to three times a day, Monday through Friday. Mornings start with team sessions around 10 a.m., focused on sparring, grappling, wrestling, and other drills. Evenings are more individualized, working with coaches on striking, grappling, or strength and conditioning work. On days with a third session, the work is usually lighter, focused on maintenance or weight management. The demand is necessary, especially when he's cutting from around 185 pounds to 155.
c/o Phorm Energy
Strength Workouts
Most of Chandler's conditioning comes from his nonstop MMA training. But twice a week, he does strength training workouts. He loves full-body sessions because it mirrors the full-body demands of fighting.
"We always want to focus on creating the most explosive, dangerous guy that can show up in the octagon that night, right?" he says. "So you think speed, power, athleticism—you think being able to move fast forward and back, side to side, reaction time."
Sessions start with a dynamic warm-up emphasizing hip, knee, back, and shoulder-opening movements. Chandler says hip health is a priority, given how many athletes develop chronic hip issues later in their careers. Hurdle step-overs are a staple in the warm-up routine for doing exactly that.
From there, he moves straight into contrast training, combining heavy lifts with explosive power exercises. For the upper body, this might look like a heavy bench press paired with med ball slams.
"This morning, we did back squats coupled with box jumps," he explains. "So we did something slower and heavier, loaded up the body, loaded up those muscles, and then went straight into five or six box jumps. No weight, just fast."
Diet and Nutrition
Nutrition is a major focus as Chandler works his way down to fight weight. Protein and fats take priority while carbohydrates stay relatively low. He typically eats around 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day, which is certainly steep if you read all the training he does with that. Luckily, each meal clocks around 40 to 50 grams of protein.
He usually fasts in the morning and breaks his fast after his first workout. Prior to his second workout, he'll have a second meal. Before bed, he might have a snack depending on where his weight is, which is typically nuts or another clean, protein-dense snack.
Supplements
Supplements are an important part of Chandler's preparation. His daily supplement stack includes protein shakes, creatine, fish oil, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, multivitamins, and beta-alanine.
"I just make sure I've got all of my vitamins and minerals, 'cause if I'm not healthy or I get sick—if my immune system isn't firing at a high rate of pace—then everything goes downhill after that," he says.
Chandler hits closer to 20 grams of creatine a day, which many experts have started recommending for brain-boosting benefits. For caffeine, he relies on Phorm Energy drinks for a clean caffeine fix, and for protein, he loves their Ice Cream Cookie-flavored whey protein.
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