McGregor’s training principles are slightly different from the others, who doesn’t believe in a strict monotonous routine. He likes to listen to his body and go with the flow. “I wake up, I drink water, I stretch, I begin to loosen up, and then I continue moving throughout the day,” he says. “I’ll hit the gym or whatever I feel like at that particular time, or I’ll take a class of taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, yoga, or capoeira. Sometimes, I’ll box. Variety is the best way. For me, regimen doesn’t work.”
So although he doesn’t have a fixed workout routine, but this is what is general work out looks like:
Conor McGregor’s Workout Routine
Workout 1: Flexibility and Dynamic Stretching
Muay Thai Knees
Stand in a fighting stance. Step through with your back leg, driving your knee upward as you push your hips forward. Repeat the same with your opposite leg.
Shoulder Rotations
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your arms up and rotate them forward and backward.
Leg Swings
Face a wall, and place both palms flat against it. Rotate your hips as you swing your leg outward to get a good stretch on each leg.
Hip Circles
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your hands on your hips. Push your hips forward and circle for the allocated time in both directions.
Neck Bridge
Lie on your back with the soles of both feet touching the floor and your knees bent at 90 degrees. Lift your heel off the floor and push back gently until your head and toes are the only points of contact with the ground. Hold, then relax and repeat.
Do each of these exercises for one minute.
Workout 2: Static Stretching
Back Roll
Sit on the floor with your legs slightly bent in front of you. Roll back until your toes touch the ground and you’re in an inverted position.
Sit-Through Abdominal Stretch
Lie on your stomach with your palms in line with your armpits. Breathe in, and push your upper body up as you breathe out. Your legs should be flat and the part of your back should be curved.
Sit-Back Shoulder Stretch
Begin on your knees. Sit back toward your feet and stretch your arms forward as far as you can. Your face should be near the ground.
Lying Leg Stretch
Lie flat on your back with one knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Rest your other leg against it. Pull your knee toward your chest to flex your knee, hip and hamstring.
Seated Butterfly
Sit on the floor with the soles of both feet together. Hold your feet and gently push down on your knees with your elbows to stretch your groin.
Duck Walk
Sit down from a staggered squat. Your back foot should be on the ball with your butt resting on your heel. Your front foot is placed flat in front of you and is used to initiate the motion. Pull yourself using your hamstrings, and transition from the ball of your foot to the flat of it.
Benefit: decreases patella-femoral stress (knee pain).
Horse Walk
Start in a low, wide stance with your knees bent. Twist your heels out as far as they can go. From there, shift your weight to each side by bending one knee as you step forward in your wide stance and straighten your other leg.
Benefit: develops groin and hip strength.
Lizard Walk
Start in a high push-up position. Move one hand and the opposite foot forward. With your leg bent to the side and off the ground, do a push-up. After the push-up, move your opposite limbs in the same way and repeat to advance forward.
Benefit: improves core control and hip mobility.
Ostrich Walk
From the standing position, lower yourself to a touch-toes position. While bouncing up, move one foot forward, keeping both knees firmly locked. Pull yourself using your abs, and as you bounce upwards, move your other foot forward. Remember to reach the floor as you go.
Do these for 30 seconds each.
Workout 3: Bodyweight Circuit
Muscle-Up
Works: abs, biceps, middle back, shoulders, traps, triceps
Use a pair of rings, initiate a pull-up by pulling your elbows down to your sides. As you reach the top position of the pull-up, pull the rings to your armpits as you roll your shoulders forward, allowing your elbows to move straight back behind you. Maintain control and extend through the elbows to complete the movement.
Push-Up
Works: shoulders, triceps
Lie prone and hold your torso up at arm’s length. Lower yourself until your chest touches the floor, breathe out, and press your upper body up while squeezing your chest. Pinch your chest at the top, and then lower yourself again.
Pull-Up
Works: biceps, back, traps
Grab a horizontal bar with an overhand grip. Create a slight curve in your back, and pull your upper chest to the bar. Keep your legs crossed and slightly bent. Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the movement, and then slowly lower yourself.
Air Squat
Works: glutes, hamstrings
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Start the movement by flexing your hips & knees and sitting back. Keep your head and chest up, and push your knees out. Go as deep as you can, then quickly reverse the motion until you return to the starting position.
Do 5 sets of each exercise for one minute. Try to beat your reps each time.
Conor McGregor’s Diet Plan
He likes to focus on eating healthy nutritious food. He likes to have as much variety as he can in his meals. And like any boxer should, he makes sure he gets his proteins.
Pre Breakfast
- Large glass of water
- Black coffee or herbal tea.
Followed by 30 minutes slow jogging, jump rope or stretching.
Breakfast
- Two poached eggs
- A slice of smoked salmon on one or two slices of wholegrain toast, spread with smashed avocado served with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes on the side.
Mid Morning
- Mixed Berries
- Handful of almonds
- Small pot of full cream or yogurt, with cinnamon
Lunch
- Beef salad with potatoes
- Variety of nutrious vegetables
- Dark chocolate for dessert
He likes his vegetables sprinkled with sunflower and pumpkin seeds and extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil.
Mid-Afternoon (pre-training)
- A glass of milk
During training
- Lots of water, preferably infused water for extra nutrients.
- Sports drinks
After training
- Whey or pea protein
- Milk
- Fruits
Evening Meal
- Cod with lemon, herbs and olives
- Roast vegetables with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
- Wild or wholegrain rice
Late night before bed
- A cup of rooibos
- Peppermint tea
- A glass of water
