Apr 06 2011

Slosh Pipe Carries for MMA Training

Category: Conditioning,MMA,Strength Training,Uncategorized — Rob @ 8:50 PM

Balance and core strength in the sport of MMA is essential in having some success.  Being strong in these area will enable a fighter to place himself in many positions and feel strong in them. When an opponent has a hold of your leg and is driving you into the cage to get the takedown and is unable to get you to the mat is a great feeling and can deflate an opponent’s morale.

A few weeks ago you saw me post a video of Phil Davis using a mini-slosh pipe to train for his fights.  It was mini because the slosh pipe that you will see in the video below is 9 feet long.  You want a fun way to train that will strengthen your body all around then get yourself to the local hardware store buy yourself some PVC and make yourself a slosh pipe.

General guidelines for a slosh pipe are; 4-6 inch diameter PVC pipe 9 feet in length.  Now this weighs alone around twenty pounds.  Here is the kicker to the slosh pipe though and what will get your core strong as hell.  Add thirty pounds of water in it or fill it about 1/3.  The water sloshing around in there is what gives its name, slosh pipe.

Below is the carry you can perform with the slosh pipe.  Now picking the pipe up can be a chore in of itself.  Once you get it up place it in your arms as if you are going to perform a Zercher Squat.  Once you have it settled, well if that ever happens begin to walk with the pipe.  As you will see the water will move along the entire pipe forcing you to contract your muscles just to keep it from falling.  Carry the slosh pipe for as long as you can.  Sometimes you will be able to walk longer and sometimes the pipe just takes control.  Just keep working on it and watch, as your balance and core strength will improve dramatically.

So as you can see with minimal equipment you can get a great strength and conditioning session in.  There are more slosh pipe videos to come.  Start with this basic movement and add some fun into your training.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

Rob DeCillis CSCS

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Mar 30 2011

Prowler Pushing

Category: Conditioning,MMA,Power Training,Strength Training,Strongman,Uncategorized — Rob @ 9:44 PM

Looking for a great way to become the best-conditioned MMA fighter that you can be?  Then do yourself a favor and get yourself a Prowler.  I have pushed a Prowler in the past at places that I have worked or in training with friends.  So I made it my mission before the winter was up to get my hands on one for my fighters and of course myself.  Lucky for me I was able to land a “Prowler” now I have the quotes around it because it is not the exact Prowler that many know about.  This one is a replica but works just the same.  But when you can get something that looks almost the same and works just the same for $150 cheaper then hell yeah it’s a good price.

Anyway a Prowler is a big sled.  You have seen many people pushing cars before, well this works just as good.  A Prowler will do a couple of things that will help you as a fighter.  When you sprint with the Prowler while adding weight to it you will feel like you just ran several 400m sprints.  After using the Prowler you will notice how quickly your conditioning level rises.

Another benefit for fighters that the Prowler brings is the ability to develop lower body power.  Just like dragging a sled behind you will help with lower leg drive so will the Prowler.  As you push it you will be driving with your hips, glutes and hamstrings, all muscle that help develop power in your punches and explosive takedowns.  These benefits alone are worth the price of a Prowler.  No I don’t make any money selling Prowlers but I believe it is one of the best pieces of equipment out there.

Here is a quick circuit you can use with the Prowler.  Load the Prowler up heavy weight in this case I started with about 150 lbs on the Prowler.  I pushed the Prowler down one way unloaded 90 lbs and pushed it back the other way.  In this video you will see that I go to unload the 25 lb plates but as I started I felt it would take to long so I decided to scratch that idea and head back the other way.

So if you are looking to invest a great piece of equipment go get yourself a Prowler and enjoy the training.

Train Hard! Train Smart

Rob DeCillis CSCS

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Mar 25 2011

Phil Davis Core MMA Training

Category: Conditioning,MMA,Power Training,Speed,Strength Training,UFC,Uncategorized — Rob @ 10:18 PM

UFC Fight Night Live is tomorrow night and in the main event will pit Antonio Rogerio Nogueira going up against Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis.  While waiting in line at the UFC expo in Boston I had the pleasure of meeting Davis’ father and had the opportunity to talk to him for about an hour.  Somewhere in the United States Davis’ dad will be watching his son fight wearing his Combat Trainer tee shirt.

You could really say that I am connected to Mr. Wonderful for I had the chance to interview his strength and conditioning coach, Doug Balzarini, a few months ago as well.  So you know who I will be rooting for in the main event. Searching for training footage, I came across Davis training with what is known as a Slosh Pipe.  Now this Slosh Pipe is a mini version of the normal Slosh Pipe that would serve as a great training tool.

I first came across a Slosh Pipe when I met a training partner of mine and I also read about them in an article written by Dan John.  A typical Slosh Pipe is about nine feet long and four to six inches in diameter.  You fill the pipe, which by the way is PVC pipe, fill it up with about 30-40 pounds of water.  Now cap both ends of the PVC and then start walking with it, pressing it overhead, think of something to do with it and I am sure that it will be challenging with the water sloshing around.

In the video below you will see Davis using a mini version of the Slosh Pipe to work on his rotational power.  As you know having explosive rotational power can be very beneficial in MMA and in sports in general.  It will help with punching power, your takedowns and other aspects of MMA.  So if you looking for a cheap way to get strong look to get to a hardware store and make yourself a Slosh Pipe.
Train Hard! Train Smart!
Rob DeCillis CSCS

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Mar 19 2011

Shogun MMA Training

Category: Conditioning,MMA,Power Training,Strength Training,UFC — Rob @ 1:26 PM

Maurico Shogun Rua takes on Jon Jones at UFC 128. In previous articles on the sight I showed some of the training that Jon Jones performs in preparation for a fight. In this video segment we are going to take a look at the how Shogun prepared for his fight against Chuck Liddell.
The first part of the video is what I am most concerned with as it shows some of his strength and conditioning routine to prepare for a fight.
In the first minute and forty five seconds we see Shogun performing lots of plyometrics. Plyometrics, also known as shock training to some helps an athlete develop power. Pretty much the athlete learns how to move their body fast through a series of exercises. This is key especially in combat sports like MMA. Being able to use your body and develop power with it is essential for striking, takedown and defense. In the video Shogun uses some weighted plyometrics as well as those performed with his own body.
For someone that is just starting out, learning how to perform plyometrics is important. Learning how to absorb the shock is a key to not injuring yourself. So before you just go ahead an follow what Shogun is doing, learn some of the basic plyometrics, like the vertical jump or broad jump. Learn how to absorb the shock and then move on to adding more difficult movements.
Train Hard! Train Smart!
Rob DeCillis (CSCS)

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Mar 16 2011

Kurt Pellegrino MMA Training

Category: Agility,MMA,Power Training,Quickness,reaction time,Speed,Strength Training,Strongman,UFC,Uncategorized — Rob @ 9:43 PM

UFC 128 is coming your way on Saturday night. Mauricio Shogun Rua is taking on one of the most exciting young fighters in the MMA world Jon Jones. The card is stacked once again with some really exciting fights. If you are new to site, first welcome and enjoy, you will notice that the week leading up to a fight I will search out the fighters on the cards performing their strength and conditioning routine. This helps those that are new to the sport or trying to learn new ways to train to get stronger and in better condition. Just a word to the wise. Some of the routines you see are designed as part of a program. This is not the only type of training that the fighters perform. So it is wise to do some research on strength and conditioning or ask a professional like myself.
In this video you will see Kurt Pellegrino and Miguel Torres performing a five minute conditioning circuit. Pellegrino, who is taking on Glieson Tibau has a great strength and conditioning coach in Jon Chaimberg. The five minutes mimics the time in a round. The circuit consists of many different exercises. You will see sprints, plyometrics as well as medicine ball work and bodyweight exercises. The circuit is designed to raise the athletes heart rate the way that it would in an actual fight. This is a real tough workout so if you do give it a try make sure you work up to five minutes. Meaning maybe instead of doing it for five minutes the first time you try do a similar circuit but start at three minutes. Watch within a week or two you will be rocking and rolling at five minutes.
Train Hard! Train Smart!

Rob DeCillis (CSCS)

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Mar 13 2011

The Jab in MMA

Category: Boxing,MMA,muay Thai,Quickness,reaction time,UFC,Uncategorized,Wrestling — Rob @ 7:17 PM

As MMA grows the evolution of boxing in the sport has also evolved.  With the rise of wrestlers in the sport and the chances of getting taken down as a stand-up fighter is very likely.  A lot of kickboxer and muay Thai fighters games has been negated because of the strong likelihood of getting taken down.  Because of this we have seen boxing become one of the most effective ways to end fights.  With the size of the gloves it is easier than in a boxing match to knock someone out.

Wilson Pitts, Combat Trainer boxing expert, developed a great video on how to effectively use the jab in MMA.  Before he shows us this great technique for the use of the jab, he gives a brief history lesson on how George Benton trained his boxers to use the jab.  Having a love for history, I loved watching this short piece and I picked up a lot of pointers on using the jab in my training.

The technique Wilson shows will help you slow down an opponent that likes to shoot and help you keep your distance to prevent it.  So check out this great tutorial by Wilson Pitts, one of the best boxing trainers.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

By Wilson Pitts:

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Mar 10 2011

Deadlift! Deadlift! Deadlift!

Category: Injury Prevention,Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Strength Training,Strongman,Uncategorized — Rob @ 9:47 PM

Life is full of so many choices, should I get my coffee at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks, should I shave Sunday night or Monday morning and the list goes on and on.  When it comes to training there are also a slew of exercises that we can choose from to help us achieve our goals.  But if I had to make a choice between exercises as to which one I would use to get strong I would choose to deadlift.

So why would I choose to deadlift over all other exercises. First off the deadlift kicks ass and is fun.  Now let’s get into some quality reasons. The deadlift is a great exercise to help train and make the posterior chain stronger.  In combat sports or any sport for that matter the posterior chain is of utmost importance for optimal performance.

The deadlift works on improving strength in your hamstrings, and glutes having a strong posterior chain will help in combat sports when trying to take an opponent down or picking an opponent up.  We all know why having strong glutes and hamstrings will help your performance but a strong back is also essential when involved in sporting events.  Along with strong glutes the deadlift will also increase the strength in your back.

In combat sports a strong back is key, as many movements during a fight require you to pull an opponent. If you are pulling some heavy deadlifts in training you will see how much easier it will be to pull your opponent all over the mat or cage. Having a strong posterior chain will help in combat sports when trying to take an opponent down or picking an opponent up.

Deadlifts will also increase your grip strength.  In my own training I have seen my grips improve dramatically especially in jiu-jitsu gi training and in the clinch.  Deadlifting has given me a strong grip, which has save me from submission plenty of times on the jiu-jitsu mats.

Deadlifting can also reduce the risk of injury.  By adding deadlifts into your programs you will be doing your body a favor by keeping it injury free.  Deadlifts can also help with the rehabilitation of IT Band injuries, which are common in many athletes.  If you use sprinting in your training you can run into an IT Band issue.

If you are looking to improve your performance in the field of battle then you need to really start to deadlift.  If I had to pick one exercise to do for the rest of my life I would make the choice of deadlifting.  Below I will give you two videos that you should watch if you want to improve your technique on the deadlift.

Rob DeCillis (CSCS)

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Mar 06 2011

Leg Strength for MMA

Category: MMA,Strength Training,Uncategorized — Rob @ 8:26 PM

When we take a look at the simple mechanics of fighting we will notice that there are many moments in which you find yourself on one foot.  From using your footwork to circle around an opponent or trying to keep your balance on one leg when being taken down, having single- leg strength is important.  This concept is very easy to not only see but understand as well.  So it is easy to say that when we fight that you will need to have good balance and strength on one leg at a time.  Single leg training is very important in increase muscle strength.  The reason behind this is that more muscles are being used when you perform a movement.

There are several movements that I use with my combat athletes that really help develop that strength and balance that is needed when they fight.  The Bulgarian Split Squat is one of those movements that are used to help my athletes increase their strength, balance and increase flexibility in their legs.

I will show you a few ways to do this exercise.  The first one is the split squat with just your bodyweight.  This is for someone doing the movement for the first time.  It will help them get the feeling in their muscle of how the movement should be performed.  The next one is loading the body, now you will see two variations on this one.  You can either grab a set of dumbbells or use a barbell to perform this loaded split squat.  The last variation that you will see is holding weight in just one arm and performing the movement.  This will work on developing better balance and is harder than the previous variations.  In the video you will see me doing the movement with a kettlebell but it can also be done with a dumbbell as well.

At first the movement may seem strange and even difficult for some but as you get better with the movement pattern you will see how much better your balance will be and how much stronger your legs will be.  So give these variations a try and increase your leg strength.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

Rob DeCillis (CSCS)

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Feb 07 2011

Guard Sled Pulls

Category: Jiu-Jitsu,MMA,Power Training,Strength Training,Strongman,Uncategorized — Rob @ 7:59 PM

The ability to pull an opponent in during a fight is an important skill to have in combat sports such as MMA and jiu-jitsu.  If you have ever seen one of my training programs you will notice that pull-ups are a staple for my fighters.  Using all different types of grips to work the many different pulling angles a fighter may see in a fight.  Pull-ups are the king of all pulling exercises.  I can already hear the whining out of some about how you can’t do that many.  Get up on a bar and do some damn pull-ups and get out as many as you can.  I still have trouble with pull-ups.

But this post is not about the pull-up but rather increasing your pulling strength in general.  On many post in the past you have seen me pulling a sled or running with it attached to me.  Sleds are a valuable tool I you have access to one and if you don’t go out and buy one.  You know they are good when you see some the chain sporting good stores carrying them.

The sled increases strength and explosive power depending on the movement that you do with it.  If running with the sled like I mentioned above, a fighter will develop explosive leg drive which can lead to faster takedowns and more powerful punches and kicks.

So while training Jessica Richer for the Abu Dhabi qualifying tournament we came up with a different way to use the sled to help improve pulling strength from the guard.  Now I am sure I did not invent it nor will I claim I did but I have never seen anyone pull sleds in this fashion.

So if you are looking for sport-specific training and looking to improve your guard try these three variations of the sled pull to increase pulling strength and power.   There are three variations the first is with the heals on the ground, this is the easier of the two.  The second is what we called the open guard pull, which was difficult, and finally the third was the pull from the closed guard.  So if you own a sled give these a try.

Train Hard! Train Smart!

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Feb 03 2011

Jon Jones Deadlifting

Category: MMA,Strength Training,Strongman,UFC — Rob @ 8:40 PM

The other day I posted a couple of videos of Jon Jones training. Jones is a great athlete and is well on his way to becoming champion one day. But before he can become champ he needs to defeat another great athlete in Ryan Bader at UFC 126.
In this video Jones is performing one the best strength training exercises, the deadlift. The deadlift is a great movement that will work on improving strength in your hamstrings, glutes and lower back. I have all my fighters and even the average clients perform deadlifts. Deadlifts can help with picking up opponents off the ground, can increase both punching and kicking power and help with a fighters takedowns.
In the video below you will see Jones performing the deadlift. Now what I love about this video is the proper technique Jones uses on the lift as well as the fact that he re-sets after each rep. The deadlift is a tough exercise and with heavy weight it can really tax the body. Re-setting after each rep of the deadlift will ensure proper technique in the lift and will reduce the risk of injury.
So if you are looking to add deadlifting to your training mix take a look at this video for the proper way to do it. Is it by far perfect? No, but Jones does show some really good technique. Add deadlifts to your training and you will see your strength improve greatly.

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