UFC Star Michelle Waterson-Gomez in Workout Gear Does Dips: “It’s a Struggle”

UFC Star Michelle Waterson-Gomez doesn’t need extra plates when she’s doing dips at the gym—something she makes fun of in an Instagram post. Waterson-Gomez, 38, shared a video of herself wearing black leggings and a gray t-shirt, doing an upper body workout with the text “When you got a built in weighted… 😅” written over the video. “It’s a struggle lol 😆,” she captioned the post. “Relatable 😅🫠,” a fan commented. Here’s how the MMA star trains, eats, and lives her fittest fighter life.

1. Drills, Boxing, and Tabata

Waterson-Gomez says when it comes to training, nothing is more important than drills. “I also like shadow boxing which is like fighting an imaginary opponent,” she told Women Fitness. “Shadow boxing allows you to fix your mistakes and make your movement smooth so that it becomes second nature. Doing bag work is also a good workout routine. It allows me to work on my power and footwork. One of my favorite things to do to improve my stamina are tabatas. 20 seconds high intensity, 10 seconds rest, seven times, then rest for one min in between sets. Do it three times. This is a very short but very effective way to build your explosive muscles.”

2. Training Diet

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Waterson-Gomez is strict with her diet when she’s training to fight. “I stay very hydrated, and eat very clean,” she told Women Fitness. “I try to stay away from processed, fried foods. Towards the end of my camp I stick to leaner meats and lots of green veggies.”

3. Fighting Beauty

Waterson-Gomez refuses to be boxed in by stereotypes of what a fighter should look like. "When I talk to people that have no idea that I fight, their first thing they say is, "Really, you fight? You don't look like a fighter,'" she told PeopleStyle. “I'm like, 'Well, what are fighters supposed to look like?' Some of us like to wear makeup, the red lips, the sexy black dress [too]."

4. Shaped by Martial Arts

Waterson-Gomez says martial arts has shaped who she is today and she couldn’t be more grateful. “It gave me a voice when I was too afraid to speak,” she told Numéro Netherlands. “It gave me the courage to take action when I was petrified with fear. There have been so many times throughout my life when Ifelt lost or stuck, and I leaned on my training as a martial artist to help guide me. Martial arts taught me to be humble, patient, persistent and driven.”

5. Love For Julie Kedzie and Holly Holm

Waterson-Gomez is inspired by and has great respect for fellow fighters Julie Kedzie and Holly Holm. “These ladies inspire me in more ways than one,” she told Women Fitness. “Outside of being amazing people, they carry the spirit of true warriors and I have learned so much from them. I have sweat, bled, cried and celebrated with these two and I would do anything for them.”