UFC fighters Mike Dolce and Hector Lombard show how the world's toughest men stay in shape

IT'S the brutal, gruelling work-out that humbles even the world's fittest athletes. But the rewards are amazing. Now you can find if you're up to it.

EVER wondered exactly what it takes for elite fighters to stay in shape?

Chances are you're probably thinking it involves a bit of weights, some diet techniques and lots of sweat.

And while it no doubt does mean all of those things to a certain extent, the truth is it involves gruelling, demanding and tough workouts, as well as truck loads of discipline.

There's a good reason UFC fighters are among the world's fittest and toughest men and women with diet and exercise regimines we simply baulk at.

But the truth is while most of us will never be elite fighters, training and eating like one is not as hard as you think.

I was invited to train alongside Australian UFC fighter Hector Lombard and UFCFIT founder Mike Dolce at Australia's first UFC gym, in Sydney's Alexandria, to see what it was all about.

Already an avid cyclist and regular gym user naturally I was sceptical what UFCFIT would do for me, but I would soon find out.

As I passed the octagon in the middle of the gym, I was both secretly relived and disappointed I wouldn't be training in the cage.

UFC Founder Mike Dolce shows participants what they need to do to survive in the octagon.

Equally, I was surprised by the many other women sweating it out beside me on the main gym floor.

Dolce said UFCFIT wasn't just designed with elite fighters in mind, but offered people of all fitness ages and ranges the potential to be "one per cent better every time."

As I began a series of high intensity body moves including front kicks, punches, squat kicks and exhausting sit ups, I began to see what he meant.

From the war- up until the very end I struggled to keep up with Docle and Lombard, but in a strange way it made it fun as the competitive part of me wanted to keep up.

Beginning with a warm-up we moved onto a series of three rounds, each with four exercises repeated twice.

And as Dolce egged everyone in the room on, the energy grew as the exercises became more intense and exhausting.

Dolce and Lombard barely broke a sweat while the rest of us huffed and puffed with red faces, as we performed a series of jumps, punches and moves.

By the end I was already sore. And today I'm in a world of pain. But as Dolce points out that's not a bad thing - just a sign the body is working muscles it might not be used to.

The UFC FIT founder and UFC trainer, who this week launched his diet and exercise regimine in Australia, uses the same techniques and workouts to whip the world's fittest athletes into shape.

His regimein involves eating every two to four hours using whole foods and working out between 23 and 47 minutes a day.

The full-body intensity training is based on the same methods theses athletes use to prepare for fights in the octagon and incorporates techniques from Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Karate, Judo.

I know I'll never be as fit as these fighters but maybe after doing Dolce's 12 week challenge, I might just be ready for that cage after all.

Continue the conversation via Twitter @newscomauHQ | @DebKillalea | @TheDolceDiet

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