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.

It is easy to find direction in your training when you are awaiting a moment in the near future when you will be fighting your next MMA opponent.  A great challenge to any athlete, MMA fighters included is to make every single training session saturated with purpose, a fight nearing or not.

Training sessions for athletes and MMA fighters are an optimum time to actively train both your mind and body for upcoming challenges.  If you are approaching training as one separate from the other then you are doing a disservice to both your mind and body.  Mental hardiness as well as physical toughness is built in training.  Without a purpose training can get lackadaisical, unfocused and in turn less effective to prepare an MMA fighter.

Deciding an achievement focus for your training session is a good way to keep your MMA session focused and goal driven.  Every workout then becomes a way to reach success and address weakness.  You must decide what your training achievement focus is and what will spell success for your workout.   The achievement is up to the fighter, the person being trained and their corner to decide.

Finding a purpose for your training in MMA will also allow you to take full advantage of all of your resources.  With purpose for your sessions you can focus on the different schools of training that make up your support training system.  This is also the time to see if you are neglecting one facet of your training over another hence allowing you to prepare to add more of what you have been lacking.

Many times what we do most in our own training sessions will be what we are best at.  This broadens the gap between our strengths and weaknesses.  Our weak points will stay weak and our strong points will flourish until the weak negatively impacts overall performance.  Making the purpose of a training session to identify your weaknesses and then making the purpose of following sessions to address such downfall areas will do wonders for your MMA performance.  There is no option but to tackle what may be a weakness if you plan to.  You just stick to your purpose daily.

Just as an Army plans for combat, so should the MMA fighter be training for their own challenges.  There is no room for misdirection in training when you have a challenge to meet. Plan a purpose for training every time you train.  Do not waste your own precious time nor energy both physically or mentally with undirected training sessions.  You will find that the purpose driven training session will leave you feeling more efficient, accomplished, well trained and mentally focused.

There are not many times in the life of an adult that can send your anticipation wheeling like a child awaiting Christmas or a visit to your favorite theme park.  When you are lucky enough to recapture these feelings of excitement as a “grown up” you would be a fool not to jump at the chance, or in this case, jump squat at the chance.  Visiting Martin Rooney and taking part in the Training for Warriors Level 1 Instructor Course was just this type of experience for this fitness professional.

Upon entering the Parisi Speed School location in Paramus New Jersey you are immediately in training awe.  The facility itself is impressive beyond most people’s training dreams and a feeling of wanting more is palpable.  Within minutes will be some of the most impressive motivational as well as physical teaching and mentoring possibly in existence.

Martin has an amazing presence that makes you want to share both his belief in physical and mental fitness as well as pushes you to question the things that you have been sold by the fitness industry.  It becomes obvious the difference between a job and a calling to this man, if it was just a job he would push you to think what he thinks, when it is a calling as he has he drives you to find your own meaning and place amongst greatness in the field.

When you enter a Training for Warriors Certification you will also find yourself amongst like minded people from places as far as Spain and Canada who have very purposefully landed in front of this man to gather all he has to know as well as challenge themselves physically.  Personal Trainers, Army Rangers, Law Enforcement, and champions meeting in one location with intentions to absorb as much as possible.

The information both shared and experienced hands on is priceless.  There is more given and received in two days at the TFW Certification Seminar than in most month long courses, including physical challenges that your body will not soon forget.  No secrets kept, no fitness miracles just hard work and result oriented training, common sense and a willingness to question “why”?

Martin’s methods of evaluating client’s physical weaknesses are practical and vital to good training.  The TFW concepts on addressing these weaknesses in “prehab” as well as  warmup components are helpful and can instantly be added to your personal as well as your client training sessions.  Martin explains the place new and popular workout gadgets have in a program and when the good old basics of fitness should be relied upon.  Sprints, barbell complexes, and multiple challenges are explained to keep clients physically challenged and mentally engaged.

Be willing to release the Warrior Within, enter Rooney’s world with an open mind, a hunger to change both yours and the lives of others and not just physically.

Periodization for MMA Training:

It is of no surprise that to get stronger and accomplish physical feats in MMA Training that one must work hard.  A more difficult concept to accept is that although there is a time and a place for spontaneous physical activity in MMA training and “seizing  the workout moment”, in order to see consistent growth one must plan a route to get there, this is referred to as Periodization.

What is periodization for MMA training?

Periodization is the structuring or cycling of your MMA training in a particular order to achieve certain goals.  Your goal may be to accomplish something in a certain time period, lasting all rounds,  going a certain distance, reaching a personal max.  Each of these things are reachable goals if you have a plan to reach them.Periodization is beneficial to athletes and people involved in MMA training for a variety of reasons.  Periodization will assist in avoiding getting stuck in plateaus, you can plan to change your training regimen to avoid slumps and boredom. Having a plan for your MMA training will also guard against overtraining.  When you plan your training there must also be a plan for a deload or resting period of a day or week, depending on how you are training.  Avoiding overtraining is essential because during deload is when you will reap the gains from your  MMA training program.  It also allows for life to occur while training, giving balance between training and other obligations.

There are many types of periodization depending on your MMA training focus.   In most cases the trainee will chose linear and non linear also known as undulating. Many programs begin with linear. Linear simply means that you should start out light in load. Use a light load and a low number of repetitions (reps) and sets. Over a period of weeks increase the weight, number of reps, and sets of your exercise routine. Not making these changes in weight and reps are the biggest mistakes I’ve seen people make in their MMA training. They join, and start out light which is good. But they never progress. If you are trying to firm or build muscles with one set ten pounds and you don’t see any results, doing one set with ten pounds for years won’t do anything for you. You will have to progress to a more intense exercise routine and heavier load. Unfortunately, even linear periodization will stop working for you eventually. When this happens it’s time to introduce undulating periodization to your MMA training routine.

Undulation by definition means to go back and forth. Your body will inevitably adjust to the stress of MMA training, that you are putting it through, in order to make more gains then you must shock your body.  In non linear you do this by a planned variation of weight, reps and time.  You can go between these two phases for a lifetime of  MMA training.

Not planning your workouts is like planning to stay stagnant in your training.  Plan well, plan ahead and plan to succeed.

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

—-Muhammad Ali

Professional athletes from those who participate in MMA training to marathon runners train hard, that is no surprise to the majority of people.  Professional athletes also take the time and use their good sense to recover and listen to their bodies.

MMA Training Recovery Methods:

There are many different methods to recovery, use some of them or all of them but find a method that will allow you too adequately recover and your body and mind to repair.  Some of these methods fuel your body, some ease your pains, others refresh your mind and will help keep you focused on your goal, to be the best, most fine tuned athlete that you can be.

MMA Training Recovery Method 1:

Foam rolling, stick rolling, ice baths interval hot and cold showering, sleep, food, hydration, recovery days, deload weeks and are all methods of recovery often used in MMA training camps professional and even high school athletes for the simple fact that many of them are free and all of them work.

Foam rolling and stick rolling is also referred as Self-myofascial release or active release techniques.  These massage tools are used when a muscle stretches near the point of injury. Foam rolling stimulates the muscle and works it so the athlete can work in a more complete range of motion without the muscles shutting down from over working. Also, massage techniques are helpful in fixing soft tissue adhesion and dissipating scar tissue build up as well. Foam rollers are relatively cheep as id pvc pipe and wooden sticks, all three of these will do the job.

MMA Training Recovery Method 2:

Ice baths are a jolting yet priceless addition to a recovery schedule.  With intense exercise also comes small micro traumas that occur, tiny tears in muscle fibers.  Ice baths constrict blood vessels to flush waste products like lactic acid from the muscles.  The decreasing of metabolic activity and slowing the swelling and tissue breakdown is also an added benefit of ice bathing.  Lastly, the rewarming process increases blood flow speeds, circulation and faster healing time.

MMA Training Recovery Method 3:

Rest and sleep has always been an essential part of training. Building recovery time into any training program is important because this is the time that the body adapts to the stresses of exercise and true physical growth is made.  Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues.

MMA Training Recovery Method 4:

Food should not be overlooked as a recovery tool.  Working your body to its physical best and then feeding it the man made worst is a disservice and insult to your body and hard work.  After training meals should be balanced with proteins to feed your body, veggies to refuel your vitamins and nutrients and healthy complex carbs to replenish the energy you just expended.  Protein shakes and post workout drinks can also assist in this aspect.

MMA Training Recovery Method 5:

Hydration as a recovery tool should also be of no surprise.  Warding off dehydration before during and after training is vital to recovery and performance.  Simple body functioning relies on H2O to work correctly at all times.

Importance of Recovery in MMA Training:

Building recovery time into any training program is essential because it is during this time that the body adapts to the stress of exercises and builds muscle. Recovery allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. Exercise causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown and the depletion of energy stores on top of as fluid loss.  Recovery time allows these stores to be replenished and allows tissue repair to occur. Without time to repair and replenish, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise instead of building up.  Short term recovery occurs in the hours following a workout as well as time inbetween sets.  Deloading or long term recovery can span a week or longer depending on the exercises and training intensity that you are undergoing.

So, training is not only what you do, but can sometimes be the work you do after you think you are done, or even doing nothing, for a scheduled period of time.  So, in MMA training, remember to train hard, train smart and recover correctly!

UFC Live on Versus is this Sunday and with a pretty good card to boot. Since I have not written for the site recently, this week I will feature some of the fighters MMA strength and conditioning training. The first person I will feature is Matt Mitrione. Mitrione takes on Christian Morecraft in a heavyweight battle. This TUF alum has really made a name for himself and is proving he belongs in the UFC. With each fight he has you see great improvement in his game.
In the video below produced by none other that Mitrione you will see how explosive this combat athlete really is. His strength coach combines plyometric hurdle hops with the twenty yard shuttle. Using track hurdles you see lower body explosiveness out Mitrione as he jumps over six hurdles. These hurdle hops help Mitrione generate force off the ground. Being able to generate alot of force of the ground will help combat athletes become more powerful strikers and help them have explosive takedowns. As soon as he finishes the hops he sprints to a set of three cones for the 20 yard shuttle. the 20 yard shuttle helps all kinds of athletes with their agility.
Separately these two exercise are great, when combined it adds a little conditioning element to it. My recommendation is to not go out and try this short combo of movements but to train them separately. work on your power using the hurdles but remember in order to do the hurdles you need to develop some kind of strength. As for the agility make sure when performing agility drills to get ample rest in between sets. They are agility drills intended to work on your agility not your conditioning.

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!

By Cat Rivera:

Back pain is indeed no joke!  I, for the majority of my life lived with memories of my own mother laid out flat on her back, unable to enjoy the holidays or even after work standing due to a back injury she acquired when we were hit directly in the middle of our Dodge Ram on the way to school when I was in the third grade.  I remember her grimacing in pain with the smallest of movements and paralyzed in fear that any form of exercise or free mobility would result in her not being able to move her legs.

During a Rugby game in my senior year at Oswego state I suffered a very bad back injury in a scrum down and at that moment I realized the debilitating pain that my mother must have been undergoing all those years. I also, for the first time was introduced to the fear of pain.  How suddenly all of my movements were being recorded by my twinges and stabbing pains to the point where breathing hurt.  From that moment on, my slipped L3 disc and I had a hate, fing hate relationship.

Countless chiropractors, missed workdays, weight gain and countless fear induced, half assed training sessions later, I met the deadlift. It was just in time too, running, sleeping and sitting all threw my back out, carrying the weight of my own breasts hurt by the midmorning. My hips were becoming misaligned the and one leg was slightly longer than the other due to compression of the disc on one side. It was routine training session that changed the movement of my life.

I remember the stern talking too and the playful yet direct banter concerning bending my arms mid lift that I received from Combat Trainer after our first few sessions of DL’s.  The fear of hurting my back was hurting my back. As the weeks went on and my weight increased as did my confidence and form while lifting I realized one day that my back no longer hurt me I could stand and twist and tighten my abs without twinges of pain.

I had to know the science behind my newly found freedom to take my body back from pain. After much research, here are my findings.  The Deadlift is one of the most important exercises you can ever do because it works all your muscles under heavy weight.  It is an essential component of any, strength and conditioning routine.  The DL rears its beneficial head in Olympic lifting, strong man competitions, MMA training and as an overall sign of general strength.

Experiencing  backpain during a DL it is a sign that you are doing it wrong.  First, you must see the DL as more of a pushing motion instead of a pulling one.  You are pushing through your heels, pushing your hips forward and squeezing your glutes as hard as possible.  Be sure to not round your lower back because that will stress your spine. Straight back! Chest up and upper body natural. Pull in a big chest breath and keep everything tight.  Hold the bar close to your body, arms straight and there ya go.

Mastering the proper DL technique will give you a stronger back, teach you the proper way to lift things from the floor and can illuminate back pain for good.

MMA strength and conditioning training is very important for all fighters

As UFC 130 rolls around Saturday night the importance of MMA strength and conditioning will be seen. One of the fights on the main card is Rick Story taking on Thiago Alves. In an effort to bring you the best in MMA strength and conditioning training, I found a few videos of Story training in the past for upcoming fights. In this segment of MMA strength and conditioning training Story’s coaches incorporate the use of dumbbells in his training.
Dumbbells are a great tool for fighters. Even though the trend is going towards the use of kettlebells, fighters should not forget about the importance of dumbbells in their training. In the two videos below you will see Story use the dumbbells in a complex fashion. You will notice as completes different exercises without putting the dumbbells down.
This type of complexes can be used as a warmup or if the combat athlete increases the intensity it can also be used as a way to condition. Whatever the case may be, when training coaches should use all the tools at their disposal to get the results that their fighters need.
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!