On Sunday in Melbourne, Robert Whittaker threw caution to the wind in what was one of the wildest opening rounds in UFC history resulting in him getting his sixth win a row by inflicting a brutal TKO to opponent Derek Brunson.
Whittaker was actually on the receiving end of most of the punishment early on in the bout, but came back strongly late in the first to inflict what would end up being the killer blows. With his opponent wobbled from consecutive right hands, Whittaker unleashed a scathing head kick which sent Brunson straight to the mat.
There’s no denying it: this guy means business. Sunday’s brutal performance sent a message to every contender in the middleweight division that he’s only just begun and is coming for them.
But Whittaker didn’t just happen to fall upon this success. He trains his ass off day-in day-out, with getting beaten up all part of the job.
Whittaker follows a program drawn up by exercise physiologist Justin Lang at Live Athletic in Sydney. According to Lang, the progressive program combines flexibility, gymnastic and barbell strength training, and aims to build unrestricted movement while inoculating against injury.
“Any system is limited by its weakest point,” says Lang, “so whatever the weakest capacity in Rob’s body, we find it and we strengthen it.” Below are six movements Whittaker typically tackles in a session – use them to build an unbreakable body.
