When it comes to training for MMA, fighters seem to only want to get there strength and conditioning in during fight camp.  For most fighters, training camp usually starts eight weeks out from the fight.  This is the time when majority of the fighters turn it up in the weight room.  The fact of the matter is that combat athletes should be doing their training in the weight room year round.

If a fighter just focuses on getting stronger in the weeks leading up to a fight they will not become stronger in the long run.  Every time they start a new training camp that fighter will have regain the strength he or she had lost in their time off from the gym.

Coming out of a fight, a combat athlete will take a few days to a couple weeks off from training.  Many just stop training in the weight room altogether until the next fight comes around.  This is what starts to happen once a fighter stops their strength and conditioning work.  Around two weeks after stopping, there is a reduction in strength and after thirty days the fighters strength will begin to diminish even more.  As far as anaerobic endurance that will start to show a bigger decrease after around two weeks. 

The concern is not so much about the anaerobic work for that will get done as the athlete continues to train on the mats and in the ring.  Through the technical training and the rolling and sparring the athlete will maintain a decent level of conditioning.  The problem lies more with the combat athletes strength training.  Like I said above the athlete will stop training in the weight room for the most part and lose what they had gained during the training camp.  Starting from square one every time a fight nears does not improve the fighter.  The recommendation here is for the fighter to train year round to not only maintain their strength but also to get stronger.  A solid strength-training program year round will be beneficial when fight time approaches.  A fighter will not have to focus in training camp on regaining the strength they had lost but rather will be able to build upon the strength and power they had gained prior to the start of the training camp.  An improvement of strength over time will also help with improvement in conditioning.

As the strength and conditioning coach there is also a benefit of knowing how long it takes for an athlete to start losing their strength gains.  If the coach knows that the athlete will see a decrease in strength at around two weeks they will be able to better plan the training cycle.  A coach can time out the cycles so the last of the heavier training sessions can be around two weeks out.  The important thing here is the coach must also know their fighter and the performances they have been having throughout the training camp.

Maintaining a solid strength and conditioning program even when you are not fighting will go a long way in improving yourself as a MMA fighter.

Grip and hand strength can often be an overlooked skill in MMA training.  From the observer, there may be many other components or athletic reasons that a fighter may win or lose a fight but more often then not, grip strength will never be mentioned.  It is a disservice to an MMA fighter’s career to overlook grip strength.

Grip strength is the applied by the hand to pull on or suspend from objects it is also used by strength athletes, referring to the muscular power and force that they can generate with their hands.

In MMA fighting your hands are the first point of contact to your opponent.  Having a good grip will help while in the clinch as well as submissions.  Grappling is the perfect example of where grip strength comes into play to either act as a turning point of the fight for or against your favor.

There are simple activities to add to your preexisting training that will grant you countless improvements in hand and wrist and finger.

-Pull-ups using a gee looped over the bar or oversized pull-up handles

-Hammer work

-Simple plate rotation exercises

-Squeezing a simple spring clamp

-Farmers walks using two or three fingers with plates

-Climbing wall activities

Do not allow this small body part to lose a big fight. The hands are not to be taken for granted during training and should be strengthened like any other body part to avoid injury and weakness.

With all the training that goes into MMA sometimes it is hard to keep track of the progress you are making.  This is where journal keeping comes into play.  Journal writing is not for little girls anymore.

Keeping a journal for strength training progress is a basic coaching tool that has been often overlooked and seldom talked about.  That  Jiu-jitsu practitioners keeping journals of what they learned in training classes should be of no surprise when record keeping and statistics are a part of so many competitive sports.

When I speak of keeping a journal I am not just talking about keeping a record of what you learned in class.  A journal should be of your experiences in training, weaknesses, strengths, mental impressions, triumphs and failures on the matt as well as your plan for your next trainings.  Note how those moves worked for you in training, how you felt during a training session, if you have done back to back training session did you feel fatigued?  If you train at different hours, when do you feel your best?

Keeping a journal helps enhance your training experience.  When looking back at your journal you should look for the things that worked for you and the things that hindered you.   Always look for the mistakes you have made and your specific plans to improve upon them. Write down your weaknesses and then a few months later go back and see if you have improved upon them or neglected them.  Writing them down will help reinforce your need to work on them.

Go out and purchase yourself a small notebook that you can carry around and a pen.  Start writing down everything that you experience in training and watch how your development  become elevated.  Your weaknesses will become strengths and your MMA game will improve dramatically by just having a more complete knowledge of yourself.

Grip strength is a very important aspect when training for MMA or any other type of combat sports.  I have heard many combat athletes talk about how their grips are weak.  One area of concern is in the sport of jiu-jitsu when using the gi.  If you are a practitioner of gi jiu-jitsu then you know very well the importance of having a good grip.  Your grip strength and endurance can save you from your opponent passing your guard or worse submitting you.

So how can we can increase our grip for combat sports? You have seen my oversized pull-up handle video, which have helped with my grip strength.  Another great way is by doing Farmers Walks.  Basically a Farmers Walk is carrying heavy weight by your and walking with it.  They do make Farmer Walk handles, which you can load lot’s of weight on.  You can also use a trap bar, which can be found in any commercial gym as well as dumbbells or kettlebells.  One thing I have found that has really increased my grip strength is the use of regular 45 pound plates found in pretty much all gyms.  If they don’t have forty-five pound plates at your gym just stop reading this article thanks.

Here is what I like to do with the forty-five pound plates.  Grab them in each hand using your fingertips.  Start with four fingers as you get stronger start reducing the amount of fingers that you use.  I then take the plates for a ride.  I like to go for about 100yards, once I reach the 100 yard mark I drop the plates and take a brief rest no more that one-minute.  Usually around the fifty-yard mark you start to feel the burn as you get closer to the hundred yard mark you will notice how you pick up the pace of your walk just to get it over with.  Do a couple of sets of these.  If your grip is weaker than you thought grab 25’s or 35’s depending on your level of fitness.  Soon enough people will be talking about your firm handshake and you will take your fight game to a new level.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

Last summer I posted some videos of training on the beach and how it can help you with your MMA training. From sprinting on the beach to training in the water the benefits are great. Hey if Daniel Son did it in the karate kid and it helped him win why not you? Training at the beach can help with your balance and your strength.
Sprinting on sand for instance helps with strengthening your ankles. Because the sand is an unstable as you take each stride your foot and ankle need to adjust to the different levels of the sand. This instability leads to stronger ankles and less injury for a fighter.
I have not done this for the past couple of UFC events but with UFC 130 on the horizon this Saturday, I have gone out to find video of some of the fighters on the card training. One I came across is one of the main event contestants Matt Hamill as he trains in the ocean to begin his preparation for Quinton Rampage Jackson. As you will see in the video Hamill is wrestling in the water with his trainer. This type of training is pretty unique and helps a fighter become stronger. Just going in the ocean to have fun can be tiring try wrestling around as the waves hit you. You will see how it not only tests your balance but your strength as well.
So as summer approaches head to the beach and get some training in. Throw a kettlebell in the trunk and have a blast as you get a tan. I am sure the ladies will think it’s hot. Just remember the sun tan lotion.
Train Hard! Train Smart!

Mainstream? Yes MMA has gone mainstream if you have not figured it out by now.  With the growth of the sport also comes many new participants are joining the ranks in the amateur circuit.  Now we all know that MMA training is tough and if you are a serious amateur it is very time consuming.

For the most part if you are serious about getting a career started in the cage you will have to make an investment in yourself.  Yes you will have to spend some money on quality MMA training but you will also have to make an investment in your time.  Unlike the majority of the pro fighters out there amateurs also have full time jobs that take up their time.  Add this on top of the countless hours of training in jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing and muay Thai it can leave an athlete wanting to quit.

I am in the middle of a training camp with Jessica Richer for her upcoming MMA debut this Saturday, May 14th.  Jessica is an amateur fighter that has the full time job and is still able to pursue her dream of fighting.  With that being said in a few months I am going to put out a manual detailing the training of Jessica.  This manual will help guide amateurs in their training and other life commitments.  The manual will serve as a detailed guide to help amateur fighters out there reach their potential and be a successful fighter.  The manual will also come with a DVD that will have Jessica’s strength and conditioning sessions as well as the program that I wrote for her.  If you are serious about a career in fighting then you will want to get your hands on this.  Here at Combat Trainer I strive to help everyone achieve his or her goals!  Those that want will, those that don’t, won’t.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

When it comes to strength and conditioning training in MMA many people are always looking for the best way to be conditioned for a fight.  There are so many conditioning protocols out there that will help, from bodyweight circuits to sprinting.  Both of the conditioning tools as mentioned above are free and who does not like free ways to train and get well conditioned as a fighter?

So here is another great way that you can train for free and get a great conditioning session in.  Now all of us have a high school around us.  Get in your car drive to the local high school.  Walk out to the main field and look up at the stadium stairs.  Running up and down the stadium stairs is a great way to work on your conditioning.

This is a simple but effective way.  The stadium stairs will work on your conditioning but will increase your muscle endurance in your legs as well as develop power in the lower body. Fighters have used running the stadium stairs for years to train.  So the other day while training I decided to take the stadium stairs and add a little spice to them.  Instead of just running up them I decided that it would be a great idea to bring my two twenty-five kettlebells for the ride.  We all know you need good grip strength for MMA, and walking up and down stadium stairs with two kettlebell will definitely help with the grip training.  I can tell you my forearms were on fire.  So if you want to add a little spice to your stadium stairs add some weight to it.  Dumbbells, kettlebells , a weighted vest can all help add some extra strength and conditioning to your basic run up the stairs.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

Rob DeCillis CSCS