Mike Dolce discusses launch of at-home fitness program, UFC FIT

The UFC will soon release its first at-home fitness and nutrition program, the Mike Dolce-designed UFC FIT regimen, which is currently available for pre-order and ships to North American consumers on May 15.

The 12-week FIT (Full-body Intensity Training) program, which retails for $119.99, includes 12 different MMA-inspired exercise DVDs, as well as a 132-page lifestyle and nutrition manual based on the tenets of Dolce’s famed Dolce Diet.

“What I do is about health, and it’s about happiness,” Dolce told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “It’s about goal-setting and achieving. That’s what we did with UFC FIT.”

Dolce, a former bodybuilding enthusiast, also fought 15 times as a professional MMA fighter and was a contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter 7,” where eventual semifinalist Jesse Taylor eliminated him from the tournament. However, he’s best known in the industry these days as a nutrition expert who has directed numerous UFC fighters, including Chael Sonnen, Johny Hendricks, Michael Bisping, Vitor Belfort, Thiago Alves and Gray Maynard, among others.

Dolce said when UFC officials contacted him to develop an at-home fitness system, he leaned on his experience with those clients to lay out both exercise and dietary plans. And while the exercises are purely non-contact in nature, Dolce said MMA fans will instantly recognize the role the sport plays in the physical activities.

“This is a non-contact version of real-life UFC techniques – techniques that are seen in the octagon,” Dolce said. “Now not every technique is meant to deliver a devastating knockout punch, but it’s meant to isolate and target the muscles and the movements that are integral to effectively using that technique in the octagon.

“I’m going to teach you the perfect way to throw an elbow with a muay Thai knee, but I’m also doing it so I can fully activate the core. We can work the calf, the hamstring, the glute in the process with no aspiration of ever having that contact. But many of the exercises are taken right out of the training camps. Some are inspired by famous UFC techniques, like a Superman punch. Now we’re not throwing this technique and punching at the TV. But it’s a lunge, and it’s a shoulder and arm motion. That’s where I think we really stand above the other systems out there: It’s true techniques. It’s based on effective results with the athletes, but it’s modified for the in-home use that everybody can use.”

The training regimen is divided into four three-week segments, with a new routine introduced each week. Additionally, the nutritional segment offers sample meal plans, recipes and grocery lists.

“UFC FIT is the treasure map,” Dolce said. “It’s the winning lottery ticket. Now it’s there. People just need to get their hands on it and utilize it. Take the steps. Play the numbers. It’s there. It’s done. It’s a given. I just want people to use it and experience it because I know as soon as people start to use it, it’s going to catch on fire.

“This is passion project for me to be involved in UFC FIT, and I truly believe this project, this program, is going to change the world. There are 7 billion people on this planet, and they can all benefit directly from the UFC FIT lifestyle, whether it’s the exercise, whether it’s the meal plans, the lifestyle or just the mindset, the positive motivation behind UFC FIT. I’m really excited about it.”

UFC FIT is currently available for pre-order at www.ufcfit.com.

(Pictured: Mike Dolce)