May 27 2010

Be Like Atlas!

Category: Boxing,Injury Prevention,Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Striking/Stand-up,Uncategorized — Rob @ 7:19 PM

The other day I reviewed a product called The Rotator.  It is an excellent tool to help prevent injury in the shoulders as well as to aid in the recovery of shoulder injuries.  As we all know the shoulder strength and flexibility is vital in combat sports like MMA, jiu-jitsu and boxing.  So how can we develop stronger shoulder’s.  I am going to give you a couple of exercise that will give you some strong shoulders.  Instead of just giving you some of the normal exercise that will just isolate the shoulder muscle I am going to give you a set of exercises that will not only work your shoulders but your quads and hamstrings.  As usual I will add a visual so you can see what the exercises look like, I know I work best with a visual as well as description.  With all these exercise start with just the bar as it can be taxing on the shoulder. As you get stronger add more weight.

The first exercise I want to discuss is the overhead press with a squat.  Start with the bar on your across you back as if you are going to squat, with your hands in a snatch grip.  As you lower yourself in the squat position you want to press the bar at the same time over your head.  At first it may be “hard” to do both movements at once but I know you will get it.  I like to stand with my feet a little wider in the squat more like a powerlifter to really get at those hamstrings.

The next exercise is the overhead squat.  In the same position as the overhead squat with a press and starting with the snatch grip, press the bar overhead and hold it there for the entire set.  You will now drop down and squat while holding the bar overhead.

The last exercise is and overhead press with a lunge.  You can do these stationary and alternate legs or you can find a stretch of the gym where you can walk and get at least eight reps in.  You will begin by pressing the bar overhead with the snatch grip.  You will then proceed to lunge forward alternating legs.

We can use these exercise for building strength and a conditioning protocol as well.  For strength gains do the following:

Overhead Press and Squat

4 sets 6-8 reps

Overhead Squat

4 sets 6-8 reps

Overhead Lunge

4 sets 6-8 reps

For Conditioning: (Using light weight)

Complete a  set of Overhead Presses and Squats for 8 reps followed by Overhead Squats for 8 reps followed by Overhead Lunges for  reps.  Do not rest in between

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May 25 2010

The Rotator: Strengthen Your Shoulder!

Category: Injury Prevention,Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Striking/Stand-up,Uncategorized,Wrestling — Rob @ 8:22 PM

In any combat sport be it MMA, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo, boxing and kickboxing, shoulder strength and flexibility are essential.  Internal and external rotation of the shoulder is important in throwing, pulling, pushing or even punching an opponent.  Many combat athletes have a tendency of injuring their shoulders.  Constant wear and tear leads to overuse and puts a combat athlete at risk.  Strength and conditioning coaches should give some attention to not only strengthening the shoulder but also making it more flexible, you know the shoulder locks in jiu-jitsu could hurt.

Recently I had the honor of trying out a product that works on the two aspects mentioned above. The Rotator, which was created by Scott Kay and produced by Joint Mechanix LLC, is an excellent product that helps with shoulder strengthening and flexibility.

Along with The Rotator, I received instructions on how to set it up, a sheet with different exercises that can be performed with The Rotator the Strong-Arm band and the Velcro strap to perform the different exercises shown.  Another thing that came with the Rotator was a DVD that gives us some great information on the shoulder joint and external and internal rotation exercises.  (Side note: check out the blooper segment)

After taking it out and playing with it for a few minutes I knew instantly that this product would be of beneficial use to not only combat athletes but people in general. So I gave The Rotator a solid run for the last four weeks or so. I used the Rotator 4-5 times a week.  I did the basic internal and external exercises that are shown on the video and on the sheet that came with The Rotator.  Majority of the exercise were very easy to figure out especially with the use of the pictures and video.  There were one or two that at first I had trouble getting the position right but I found the groove.

Before the four-week period was up I found that The Rotator was working well for me. During my Thai Boxing training my shoulders felt stronger and I was able to do the conditioning drills at a higher pace.  On the grappling mat I found my flexibility had improved in my shoulder especially when people were attacking my shoulder for different submissions.  I also found it useful in the weight room as well.  With the snatching and overhead pressing it has helped improved my training sessions in the gym.  I am going to continue using The Rotator to help my shoulder flexibility and strength out.

So if you are a combat athlete or you just want to strengthen your shoulder and make it more flexible definitely go get yourself a Rotator.  Your shoulders will thank you.  Below is the video of the introduction, which is found on the DVD that comes with your purchase of The Rotator. Come check out the site just click here http://therotater.com/wp/

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May 19 2010

Karate Kid and MMA!

Category: Jiu-Jitsu,Mental Training,MMA,Power Training,Strength Training,Uncategorized,Wrestling — Rob @ 6:48 PM

Many of you know that the new Karate Kid movie will be out this week in theaters. Yeah it will probably suck. That being said, I had the privilege of watching the original. While sitting there all nice and comfy on my couch, I had to rewind a few parts because of what Mr. Miyagi was saying to Danielson.
There are some important messages that can be taken from this movie especially if you train in any combat sport. The one I want to talk about in this post is when Daniel is at the tournament and he Mr. Miyagi looks him in the face and tells him…



Danielson, remember you defense, points come sound bite

Concentration, focus and power are key essentials in being a great fighter. Let’s break down these components for combat sports such as MMA, jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling. First off concentration and focus can be looked at as one in the same. Both concentration and focus are keys to not only martial arts but also life in general. If you are not able to concentrate or focus in life you will not be able to perform to the best of your ability. The same goes in martial arts and in the weight room. Life can be crazy at times and lead us to not be able to concentrate. Or focus on the tasks at hand. When you reach the place where you train be it your school or your even your garage or basement, once you walk through that door you need to forget about every thing else that is going on, focus and concentrate on what needs to be done. If the task is jiu-jitsu then concentrate on that, if you are in the weight room then concentrate on what needs to get done there. Many people bring their problems to the mat and it can effect their training sessions immensely. This can lead to poor performance not only in practice but in competition as well. Many times in combat sports concentration and focus are the keys to victory or defeat. If you want victory then you must learn how to find your concentration and focus and leave all else at the door. Check out my post on The “Secrets of Focus”, http://combattrainer.com/2010/03/29/the-secrets-of-focus/, they will help your performance in the weight-room. The other component Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel is power. Power as we all know is one of the most important physical attributes to have in sport and in sports like MMA and jiu-jitsu it’s no different. Power is the rate of doing work but in sports terms how fast you can use your strength. Examples of power how fast you throw a kick or punch, or how fast you can takedown an opponent. What I have found in my training and in training other athletes if you lack concentration and focus, your power will also suffer as well. These three components are dependent on each other. There have been many times where I have lost my focus while doing a power clean or a snatch and missed the lift as a result. If a martial artist does not concentrate or focus then their ability to land a kick or a takedown will be lowered.
Martial artists should train these three components. A martial artist that can use all three components will find themselves at the top of their game not only in a fight or competition but in life as well. As a little present I am going to leave you with a video from the Karate Kid and the song “You’re the Best”. This will get you pumped to Train Hard! Enjoy and remember “Concentrate, Focus, Power”…

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May 17 2010

Usain Bolt v.s. George St. Pierre Part Two:

Category: Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Speed,Uncategorized,Wrestling — Rob @ 7:39 PM

Ok so in my last post I showed you two pictures, one of Usain Bolt the World’s Fastest Man and one of George St. Pierre, who has the world’s fastest takedown in MMA. I spoke about how speed training can transfer over well into developing a faster takedown because of the positions a fighter is in is similar to the positions sprinters are in at the start of the race.
The phase of speed training that I am going to focus on is the acceleration phase. Acceleration means going from standing still or close to standing still to your maximum speed in the shortest amount of time. When a sprinter is in the acceleration position he or she wants to be at a forty-five degree angle when they come out of the blocks. The same can be said for a fighter as he or she goes in for a takedown. They end up in a forty-five to sixty degree angle as they shoot in. You want to make sure to focus on driving the knee forward when doing all acceleration drills. Both types of athletes end up in full extension at the ankle, knee and hips.
Below are three basic acceleration drills. The first is the Wall Drill. The Wall Drill can be done by using a wall, the side of your house a chained linked fence. Stand with your hands against the wall and your body at a forty-five degree angle. When you begin the movement you start with one-leg up. You then drive the other leg up,driving your knee through high. Remember to keep your toes pointed up.
The next drill is the Falling Start. Stand with your hands at your side. Fall forward until you are about to lose your balance. As you lose your balance start to drive your knee forward and sprint. This drill will also place you in that forty-five degree angle that is necessary to improve your speed.
Finally the last drill is the Get-Up Start. This is one of my favorite and it’s very basic. It really puts you in the position you need to be in. Start off by laying down on the ground. Pop up to your feet as fast as you can driving your knee forward and staying in that acceleration position for as long as possible.
These basic drills will help strengthen the positions you will need to be in as you take an opponent down in wrestling, jiu-jitsu or MMA. Remember fighters are athletes and in athletics or sports speed wins. The same goes for a fighter, a faster fighter equals a better fighter and in the case of GSP an unstoppable fighter.

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May 11 2010

Usain Bolt v.s. George St. Pierre Part One:

Category: Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Power Training,Speed,Strength Training,Uncategorized,Wrestling — Rob @ 6:39 PM

We all know that speed is a necessity in all sports. In MMA speed is essential. Takedowns are one aspect of MMA, jiu-jitsu or wrestling that speed will kill your opponent. The more speed you have in your takedown the more likely you will be able complete a takedown. So where does speed training come into play in developing a fast takedown?
Let’s start by taking a look at two pictures and look at the position of these two elite athletes.

The first picture is of the World’s Fastest Man Usain Bolt as he leaves the blocks at the beginning of the 100M dash. Bolt will stay in this accelerated position for as long as possible making him run faster. He has work on drills that has helped him maintain that position. When he explodes out of the blocks he is producing incredible amounts of force from the blocks which in turn increase his speed.


The second is of George St. Pierre in the middle of a double leg takedown. He said to have the best takedowns in the sport of MMA, and he is generating the same type of force Bolt does when he initiates the takedown. If you look at both pictures you will see that both athletes are in full extension, meaning that their hips, knees and ankles are fully extended. If you can improve a fighter’s acceleration you will improve their takedown.
Essentially what you want to do is to improve your fighter’s ability to generate force. It is imperative to have your fighter develop strength and be able to transfer that strength into power. If an athlete is unable to transfer their strength into power then it is useless. That being said there are a few acceleration drills you can have your fighters do in order to help improve the speed. A faster fighter is a better fighter.
When we talk about the acceleration position we want to place our fighter at a forty-five degree angle. When they explode off the mat you want them to achieve triple extension just like a sprinter out of the blocks. This full extension and production of force will make your fighters takedowns unstoppable. Look for Part Two as I will show you some drills that will help with putting your fighter in the right position. Till next time, Train Hard, Train Smart!


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May 09 2010

MMA Team Strength and Conditioning!

Category: Conditioning,Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Power Training,Strength Training,Uncategorized — Rob @ 7:13 PM

Recently I have been looking into how to motivate fighters even more during strength training.  I know that fighting be it jiu-jitsu or MMA, is an individual sport but you need a good tam around you to help take you to the next levels and be successful.  The same can be said for training a fighter during a strength and conditioning session.

When I first started training fighters, I conducted a conditioning class at the school I trained at.  These conditioning sessions were very tough and pushed the fighters to their limits.  But I found one thing that worked really well during those conditioning sessions.  The guys that participated pushed each other to finish the circuits and helped each other to continue till the end of the total session.

So I have found that working with a group of fighters has worked well with motivation and encouragement to finish training sessions.  Now I am looking at some other things team training can do for fighters and their strength and conditioning sessions.  What I came up with is the one thing that fighters love to do and what is that one thing?  That is to compete.  Competition is at the heart of any sport and that includes all combat sports like jiu-jitsu and MMA.

So how can we as strength coaches use competition to enhance our training sessions with our fighters?   I am going to steal something from team sports strength and conditioning programs, especially on the college level.  Many college teams in the off-season use team competition in the weight room to push their players and get them working hard during those off-season training sessions.  The first step is to get a small group of fighters together.  That is going to be the biggest hurdle to overcome but once you have them the rest is cakewalk.

What you want to do is set up teams of fighters.  These teams will compete with each other in strength sessions and conditioning session’s.  This team competition will push the fighters to go beyond their limits.  Essentially as a coach you want to set up a program that promotes competition.  For strength session’s teams will compete to see which team lifts the most weight in the exercises chosen.  As far as conditioning, session’s can be set up as races with teams with the best times win.  You can turn both these strength sessions and conditioning sessions into a little season.   At the end of the season the winning team wins a championship.  So who said that combat sports had to be an individual competition?  Theses types of competitions among teammates will improve their competitive nature and also make strength and conditioning sessions more fun.

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May 04 2010

World Championships, Here We Come!

Category: Agility,Jiu-Jitsu,Power Training,Quickness,Speed,Strength Training,Uncategorized — Rob @ 9:59 PM

As of Monday we are four weeks out from the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championships or the Mundials in Long Beach, CA. Training Camp has started for Jess and Monday was our first session of the four-week cycle.  Since she has not been able to maintain a solid strength and conditioning program because of all the tournaments I am still using the same program I wrote up for her a few weeks ago.  I am also going to be adding a speed, agility and quickness day to her training.  We are going to turn her into super athlete.

The program I am using for Jess is based off the Canadian Ascending-Descending method.  To save time in the weight room I have changed it up a bit to get in out.  This program is perfect for Jess as it trains all different types of strength and power.  As you will see below I have combined both upper and lower body sessions together.  Day one we start heavy with the legs, deadlifting combined with explosive movement for the upper body.  The program descends into explosive movements for the lower body and heavier movements for the upper body.  Day two we reverse the order of exercises. As we start with heavier loads for the upper body and move our way down to more explosive movements and vice versa for the lower body movements.  As the program moves on the volume and loads increase during week two and three and then she deloads week four.  Here is the sample of day one and two of week one.

WEEK ONE/DAY ONE

1. Deadlift 4 sets 7 reps 75%-82%of max deadlift

1a. Depth Push-ups 4 sets 5 reps Bodyweight

2. Power Clean 4 sets 6 reps Be Explosive

2a. Medicine Ball Pass 4 sets 10 reps 10%-15% of max bench

3. Jump Squat 4 sets 10 reps 10%-15% of max squat

3a. Push Press 4 sets 6 reps Explosive

4. Broad Jumps 4 sets 5 reps Bodyweight

4a. Dumbbell Bench Press 4 sets 7 reps 75%-82% of max bench press

For Week One Day Two all we are doing is reversing the order in which we do the session.  So we will start with the Dumbbell Bench Press and move our way down to Depth push-ups and from Broad Jumps to the Deadlift.

Watch out World Championships, Jess is coming to get you!!

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May 03 2010

Gymnastics and MMA?

Category: Conditioning,MMA,Strength Training,Uncategorized — Rob @ 4:53 PM

In my You Tube adventures over the weekend I ran into this pretty cool video by world-class strength and conditioning coach Martin Rooney. If you don’t know who Martin Rooney is you should without a doubt pick up some of his books such as: “Train to Win”, “Training for Warriors” and his new book which should be a good one, “Ultimate Warrior Workouts”. He trains some of the best MMA fighters in the world. The first seminar I ever attended as a personal trainer back then was being co-hosted by Rooney. That seminar was the “Training to Win” seminar. It set me on the path to become a strength and conditioning coach. From that time on I have learned a lot from Rooney’s training techniques and philosophies. If you train fighters or any athlete you should look into Rooney’s methods of training to help guide you as a strength and conditioning coach.
In this video Rooney talks about some of the research he has been doing on kinesthetic awareness.. Basically kinesthetic awareness is being able to coordinate your body’s motion and awareness of where your body is in that moment and space. He shows us three gymnastic moves that will help improve our kinesthetic awareness. The three exercises he shows us are the cartwheel, the round off and the handstand. Sometimes we get caught up with the latest technology or new equipment in the strength and conditioning field, but many times going back to old school methods delivers just as good as results if not better.  So check out the video below and don’t forget to Train Hard, Train Smart!



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