
Eating Improvements
“Dieting has been a constant battle for me,” Rothwell told UFC.com. “But for the past two years, eating better has become a lifestyle, and I’ve been working hard to get my body at its optimum level.”
That's included weeding out foods with artificial colors and sweeteners, and not just doubling down when there's a fight on the horizon.

One reason Rothwell’s body has responded so favorably to a cleaner diet, says Andy Hennebelle, NASM-CPT, CSCS, USAW, a TRX Ripped trainer at the UFC Gym in Corona, Calif., is because natural foods aren’t as taxing for his body to absorb.
“Preservatives and processed foods don’t digest as well as whole foods,” Hennebelle says. “When we can provide our body with natural substances that it can recognize, our body has a better chance of utilizing those food sources properly.”
Circuit Training

“There’s a set distance you have to meet, and you get a one-minute rest in between each station,” he added. “It never gets easier because each station is a sprint.”
“With other types of conditioning, I don’t see if it’s improving my MMA as much as it should. And some of my past conditioning has even hindered it,” he said. “But pushing my cardio has pushed my training. I spar with big and small guys, and in the later rounds, those smaller guys are the ones who push you. But when I’m pushing them, or guys are taking rounds off and I’m doing every one, I can see my conditioning is getting fixed.”
Writing it Down
With someone recording his times, Rothwell says the tangible evidence regarding his improvements has been as rewarding as it’s been motivating.

As Rothwell closes in on his showdown with Vera, he’s also tweaked his training.
“I’m naturally strong, but my goal is to be strong all the way through the fight,” he said. “The circuit training I’ve been doing is a whole-body workout that’s all about endurance.”

Try for Yourself
Here’s an example of Rothwell’s training circuits:
Circuit #1 (sets of 10, three times through)
* Pull-ups
* Box jumps
* Dips
* Curl and press (a movement that mimics an underhook and shrugging someone off of you)

* Pull-up variations
* Single-leg straddling box jumps
* Standing shoulder press with kettlebells
* Medicine ball side-to-side push-ups (place one hand on a medicine ball, descend, explode up, and switch sides)
Circuit #3 (sets of 10, three times through)
* Inverted Rows (back to the floor, heels on a Swiss ball, grab a 45-pound bar, pull yourself up)
* Kettlebell swings
* Single-leg box squats (knee thrust when you squat)
* Feet elevated on a Swiss ball, push-up, and put your chest to the floor on the descent
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