UFC Champion Jon Jones Shows Off 'Grown Man Strength' in His Heavyweight Training

From Men's Health

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones may not have competed in over a year since his February 2020 win against Dominick Reyes, but he is still working steadily towards making his heavyweight debut in the octogon. In a video shared to social media on Wednesday, Jones offered a glimpse at how he's building additional size while training for heavyweight status, and demonstrated his newfound "grown man strength" by performing a set of five Zercher squats.

"Mark my words eventually I will have that belt around my waist," he wrote in a follow-up tweet. "There's no rush. I'll just keep building my body, I'll focus on doing all the right things outside of the octagon, and hopefully one day the company will see more value in me."

"The Zercher squat is a very advanced squat in many ways," says Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel C.S.C.S. "You hold the barbell in the crooks of your elbows (which can be painful for some people), and by keeping it there, you really challenge your core, and your mid-back muscles to keep you stable as you squat down."

"Start light on this squat variation because it takes some getting used to," he adds. "You'll have more pressure from the weight to keep your chest up as you squat. This isn't a squat to play with if you're new to squatting. instead, start with goblet squats, then progress to front squats."

Pro-tip: If you're trying the Zercher squat yourself, wear long sleeves or a sweatshirt while you do it. The skin around your inner elbows will thank you.

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