THE BEST OF THE BEST
STRENGTH –
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ENDURANCE– DURABILITY
The OFFICIAL OFF ICIAL BLACK MARKET Guide Gui de To To Strength Training for MMA
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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION The Best Mixed Martial Arts Training Interview Ever! Strength Training For Fighters -15 Random Thoughts STRENGTH Strength Training for the MMA Fighter The Kettlebell Solution For MMA Strength And Conditioning CONDITIONING Conditioning for the MMA Fighter: Is Traditional Aerobic Training Necessary? Conditioning for MMA, Part-2: Training the Energy Pathways High Octane Cardio - Train like a man, not a rodent! MENTAL TRAINING Beating the Jitters Fighting Through Fatigue
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INTRODUCTION
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The Best Mixed Martial Arts Training Interview Ever!
What happens when you put 3 of the top MMA strength coaches in the same room? I don’t know either. But when you email them a list of questions, you get some amazing answers. I’d like to introduce to you Alwyn Cosgrove, Joe Dowdell, and Martin Rooney, the 3 best strength coaches in North America when it comes to training Martial Artists (in addition to the thousands of other athletes that they train). If you are at all serious about improving your athletic performance (in any sport), losing fat, or improving your nutrition and training, you must pick up Alwyn and Martin’s training books. Let’s find out a little bit more about each coach.
Alwyn Cosgrove: Personally I have a Fourth Degree Black Belt and had National, European and World Titles over five different weights in my career. I was fourteen when I got my first degree black belt and started competing in the men’s division. It was competition that got me interested in sports science – which led to my going to college and ultimately my career as a sports training consultant today. I began training other martial artists in 89/90 when I was still competing and had good success. Currently I have trained the entire gamut of martial athlete – from the rookie to several national champions, five world champions and a Commonwealth Games Gold medalist. I own and operate a training facility in Santa Clarita California and have authored an e-book on “Secrets of Martial Arts Conditioning” available at www.alwyncosgrove.com.
Joe Dowdell: I began studying both Tae Kwon Do and freestyle wrestling during high school. While in college, I was training at a place called Waering’s Gym in Virginia Beach, VA where I began to box. After college, I moved to Paris, France for work and began studying Muay Thai at a place called RD Sporting Club. Today, I still enjoy kickboxing and I continue to incorporate it into my weekly training regimen. As for my practical experience with working with MMA fighters and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners -- I conduct all of my instruction at my facility in NYC called Peak Performance (www.peakperformancenyc.com). Several of the fighters that I have worked with or consulted with on their strength & conditioning programs, include Colin O’Rourke (Team Renzo Gracie), Rolles Gracie Jr. (Team Renzo Gracie), Igor Gracie (Team Renzo Gracie), as well as several other Renzo Gracie students. Martin Rooney: WWW.NLPF.NET
I have been lucky to be working with many of the top MMA and Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners in the world for the last 5 years (Renzo Gracie, Ricardo Almeida, Rodrigo Gracie, Sean Alvarez, Roger Gracie, and many others). I have set up everything from their physical training, to nutrition, to strategic development, to even help corner them at events such as Pride, UFC, and the ADCC world grappling championships all over the world. I currently am on the editorial counsel for Gracie Magazine in Brazil and write all of their training columns. I am also a 2 stripe blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and am currently training wrestling and Muay Thai as well. All of the last 5 years of experience have led to my newest book “ Training for Warriors: the Team Renzo Gracie Workout” Workout ” which can be purchased at www.elitefts.com. The book is what I consider one of the most comprehensive training books for MMA. I have spent the last 2 years writing it, and it contains everything our team has done from physical training, to weight cutting and diet, to pre-fight warm-ups and strategic preparation. We are lucky to be training at the 30,000 square foot Parisi Speed School. This state-of-the-art facility boasts everything a fighter could dream of for training.
CB: Everyone has very impressive credentials. You guys are definitely the top guys for MMA training. Let’s talk about the athletes. What are the physical characteristics of a top MMA fighter? How much muscle do the top fighters need? JD: First of all, physical characteristics can vary from fighter to fighter based on their genetic physical attributes (i.e., limb length) as well as their dominant style of fighting (i.e., grappler, striker, etc.). But, usually, the top fighters excel in several of the following areas: Strength Speed Power Endurance Quickness Agility Flexibility That being said, I think the real key is to figure out which area or areas that your fighter is weak in and then improve his or her ability’s in those areas while maintaining their strengths in the other areas. The really top fighters also exhibit really high levels of relative strength for their desired weight class. So, rather than looking at it from the perspective of how much muscle does a top fighter need, I think it’s most important to look at their relative strength. Furthermore, an increase in muscle mass could ultimately move that individual to higher weight class--where they may no longer be able to dominate their WWW.NLPF.NET
opponent.
MR: Obviously, if you asked me to just list the most important characteristic, that would be impossible, but a few is easier. A top fighter today should possess anaerobic endurance, strength, speed, power, and flexibility. Interestingly, many of the top fighters have different amounts of different styles of fighting technique (striker, grappler, or wrestler) so there is no physical characteristic that I feel is most important. For instance, a fighter can be weaker than another, but have better technique which makes him look stronger. Or a fighter can be less flexible than another and still successful. I do believe that anaerobic endurance is at the base of my ideal fighter. Strength, speed and power all disappear when a fighter is dead tired. There is no muscle mass amount required to be a top fighter. There are many muscular fighters that are successful (Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Ken Shamrock) and then many less muscular as well (Pete Williams, Sakuraba, Royce Gracie). Interestingly, the fighters I just listed in the less muscular category beat the fighters in the more muscular. What I will say is that top fighters need enough muscle mass to be strong for their weight and need to have a highly efficient nervous system. Hypertrophy is not the key as many would suspect, strength is.
AC: Speed. Power. Flexibility. Strength. Lactate Tolerance. And the ability to develop high levels of these while keeping bodyweight low! Really they have to have it all. To step into a ring against another fighter who is equally skilled is like preparing to go to war. One chink in your armor can make the difference. They need to have explosive power and speed to attack and defend effectively; they need to be able to have the physical “armor” to withstand attacks. And they need to have the physical and mental endurance to continue to withstand and deliver punishment over several rounds! Muscle mass is a function of the athlete’s need for this physical armor, and their need for strength with respect to their weight class. Basically the more muscle the better within the weight.
CB: Describe the strength training portion of a fighter’s program. What type, how much, what exercises to avoid, and when in their schedule is strength training performed?
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MR: I perform some form of strength training all year long at the Parisi Speed School with the fighters. I have been lucky that my fighters are consistent and we usually do physical training 3-4 times per week. Depending on where certain fighters are physically at is going to determine what I do with them. Since each is on a different level, each is working on different things. For the most part, easy rules of thumb for my training are that we do general heavier work and eccentric training further out from a fight, and move to light faster, more specific movements as the fight approaches. We avoid super heavy work and eccentrics to prevent the trauma and subsequent soreness that follows.
AC: Typically I only use ground based lifts (deadlifts, cleans etc). I have a great photo of Tito Ortiz in full triple extension – exactly what the Olympic lifts develop. Who says the Olympic lifts don’t transfer to sport?! We tend to use a lot of offset lifts (i.e. loading in one arm, DB snatches, etc.) to better simulate the lack of balance in a fight. Prior to any weight training we use bodyweight exercises – a fighter has no business using loads if he (or she) cannot stabilize and control their own bodyweight. And as far as the lower body goes – a fighter spends so much time in a split stance or on one leg we use a LOT of unilateral work. As far as typical weaknesses – every ATHLETE I have ever worked with needs more posterior chain work. Fighters are no exception. The other main thing to look at is that most training programs take place in the sagittal plane. Fighting takes place in all three planes – but particularly the transverse plane. So a training program needs to have frontal plane and transverse plane exercises in addition to sagittal plane exercises. I avoid isolation exercises unless there is a clear reason to do so (imbalance, injury etc). We periodize the training according to upcoming events – increasing intensity but backing off on volume AND frequency as we approach fight night.
JD: Strength training should be performed all year round with the exception of several weeks of active rest built into the fighter’s yearly training WWW.NLPF.NET
schedule. I will vary the type, duration, frequency, intensity and volume of training depending on the following situations: 1) The amount of sport-specific training the fighter is performing. 2) The number of Energy System Development sessions they are performing during the training phase. 3) Their ability to recover from workout to workout, particularly on multiple training sessions in a day. As they get closer to a fight, I will decrease their volume & frequency of strength training, but will maintain &/or slightly increase their intensity. As a rule of thumb, I don’t believe that there is such a thing as a good exercise or a bad exercise. Rather, I look at exercise prescription from the perspective that one chooses a particular exercise at a particular time in the training cycle either appropriately or inappropriately. Furthermore, when choosing exercises, we must always evaluate whether the benefits of the exercise outweigh the risks.
CB: How can a fighter develop a stronger punch and kick? AC: Two main methods: By training the core in the transverse plane (all kicks and punches are a result or powerful ROTATION – they are not linear), and by training the ability for the antagonists to decelerate the limb. If you cannot safely decelerate a movement – your body will not allow you to accelerate the movement. So training forced eccentric loading (lunges, landing from jumps, etc.) and strengthening the antagonists are keys. We also do a lot of release work (dropping and catching a DB at speed) that I picked up from Jay Schroeder’s work.
JD: I find that a fighter can usually develop a stronger kick &/or punch if they improve their core strength. In particular, they usually need to improve their strength and stability in the transverse and frontal planes. At my facility, I have a high speed-low inertia device that I will have my athletes perform exercises such as a Reverse Wood Chop, Resisted Hip Flexion, etc. By utilizing this apparatus, they can safely explode into the movement without having to deal with a flying weight stack. I also like to utilize medicine ball drills because they allow the athlete the ability to release the apparatus as well as force them to learn how to decelerate an object.
MR: WWW.NLPF.NET
First off, I would say get a great coach and practice your technique. When I began training Muay Thai, I found out I was a 200 pound guy punching and kicking with the power of a 140 pound expert fighter. Even though I was more physically powerful than these guys that were much less strong, they just had impeccable technique. So first learn the technique inside and out. After your technique is awesome, then build strength and speed in specific areas. The hips and legs are the most important for both powerful kicks and punches followed by the core. This is where we spend most of our time training, when the athletes are not focused on technique. We perform a lot of squats, deadlifts and single leg movements. Heavy bar lunge walks are a killer in this area. CB: How do you improve a fighter’s fitness with intervals, cardio, sprints, and other creative methods? What works? What doesn’t work? JD: First of all, you need to look at the breakdown of the fight. How many rounds is the fight? How many minutes per round? Will there be an additional round in the event of a draw? How many fights will they have in a single night? Etc. Once you have this information, you can determine the appropriate work to rest intervals for your fighter. Generally speaking, I will utilize many different methods of training (and tools) including the following: • Sprints • Hill Sprinting • Stadium/Stair Sprinting • Rowing • Rope Skipping • Sled Dragging • Farmer ’s Walk Walk • Super Yoke • Circuit Training Again, it really goes back to what they need and what energy system they are weak in. For example, do we need to improve the capacity of their Anaerobic Lactate System or do we need to improve the power of their Anaerobic Alactate System?
MR: This is probably our most dreaded aspect to train. Our workouts have become legendary in the fight community. Over the years we have done sprint work, high speed treadmill work, stadium stairs, extended sled pulls, advanced weight circuits, kettlebells, sandbag lifts and WWW.NLPF.NET
drags, isometric sessions, obstacle courses, and many others. At first, I tried to be too specific, working kicking, punching and ground work into the training. I have had better results (and less injuries) keeping them separate. My advice would be to leave the physical training and fight technique apart. I have found that sprints mixed with Olympic lifts for my advanced athletes have been great. The 20-minute straight sled pulls are also a mental challenge. Overall, the key is to have everything mapped out, but add great variation to the training to keep the fighters excited and keep it interesting.
AC: Interval sprints, sled dragging, circuits – anything that trains the fighter to tolerate maximal effort work and lactate build up will work. We use DB matrix work, combination lifts, complexes, bodyweight circuits, and speed ladder drills, all to take the heart rates through the roof and tolerate the lactate. Ideally the more specific the energy system work the better, so doing bag work, pad and shield drills etc in an interval manner is usually a more effective tool than running or cycling. Always have the fighters wear a mouthpiece when doing any endurance work – you’ll be wearing it in a fight and it does restrict air flow somewhat – so you have to prepare for that. It’s also important for fighters to learn to keep their mouths closed, and breathe through their nose as much as possible – an open jaw is a lot easier to break than a closed one! One more thing that most trainers won’t think of is training muscular endurance and in particular isometric work. In a MMA match, submissions and defending submissions are often completely isometric. What doesn’t work? Anything that is just aerobic in nature – anything that’s long slow distance type of work really doesn’t help. The sport is too fast and too intense.
CB: What are key factors for injury prevention in MMA fighters? MR: Make sure the athletes are not overtraining. These guys are still in the mindset of more is better. I have had to bring my athletes down from 3 different training sessions per day where they had nothing they were specifically working on to sometimes one a day and making sure they WWW.NLPF.NET
were getting the right rest and recovery. Make sure that your athletes plan their workouts and know what they are trying to achieve each session. Just rolling or sparring is not enough. Instead of getting better, you just get beat up. By recording all past workouts and really knowing your fighters you will be able to monitor this and shut them down if you have to. The beating they take is unreal, you need to know when you are doing too much. The simplest way you will know your fighters are overtraining is that they will tell you. If they complain of soreness, being banged up from previous sparring, being tired, or not up for the training, you need to back off. We also look at heart rate pre session with our guys and record everything.
AC: Again the ability to decelerate a limb is paramount so training eccentrically, and training the antagonists is a key factor. FUNCTIONAL flexibility (my term – relating to range of motion WITH strength in the range) is important.
JD: Make sure that your fighters perform strength training exercises in multiple planes of movement. They should also perform exercises at varying speeds of movement. In addition, make sure to incorporate exercises that target the following areas: 1) Rotator Cuff {especially the Teres Minor & Infraspinatus musculature) 2) Neck 3) Lower Back
CB: Describe the abdominal/core training component of MMA programs. Do fighters need to do thousands of repetitions? AC: We do as much core work on the feet as possible (barbell contact twists, cable work, chops and lifts, med ball rotations and throws) before going to the floor. Recently I’ve been experimenting with some of the kettlebell lifts with my fighters and have had excellent results. I do use the Swiss ball quite a bit for core work (jackknifes and pikes in addition to crunches and twists) and we almost always use external loading, rarely exceeding ten reps per set. If you can do thousands of reps, the exercise is too easy for you. In fact if you can do more than 20 reps I’d suggest the exercise is too easy. We normally finish with prone vacuums and side planks for time. WWW.NLPF.NET
JD: I like the following exercises for increasing the strength and power of the Posterior Chain: 1. Reverse Hyperextensions 2. Glute-Ham Raises 3. Caber Toss with a Medicine Ball 4. Kettlebell Swings (Single Arm and Double Arm) 5. Good Mornings 6. Westside Style Cable Pull Through I like the following exercises for increasing the strength and power of the Abdominals: 1) Swiss Ball Crunches with Medicine Ball Toss 2) Cable Wood Chops 3) Reverse Cable Wood Chops 4) Russian Twists 5) Turkish Get Ups with a Kettlebell 6) Kettlebell Windmills 7) Super Yoke 8) Asymmetrical Loaded Farmer’s Walk I feel that for the most part, individuals should utilize fewer repetitions (less than 20 reps), higher intensities and with moderate to explosive tempos. In addition, I would also incorporate some muscular endurance work for the core--especially some isometric work. In particular, I would vary the length of the isometric holds by utilizing15, 30, 45 and 60 sec. holds at varying joint angles. As for training the muscular endurance capabilities of the core, I would employ many of the above exercises, but I would just increase the number of repetitions performed in a set.
MR: The Core is of course, a key in my training. Not just for fighting, but any athletic endeavor. We do a ton of med ball work, reverse hypers, deadlifts, partner body weight lifts, and a lot of stability work. Most people just work tons of reps of only certain exercises, but not enough movements. We work in all planes of movement to make sure that we are developing complete fighters. The core training section in my book WWW.NLPF.NET
developmental – we start warm-ups with slower movements and ranges of motion and work through until we are moving through maximum range at maximum speed. The whole point is to prepare for the session and the demands it is going to place on the body. I always like the hips and lower back to be well warmed up, but everything else will vary according to the planned workout.
CB: What’s the biggest myth in MMA fighter preparation? MR: I think the biggest myth is that many fighters out there think they can get ready in a few weeks for a fight. MMA is a rough gig. These guys may not know they are fighting or who they are fighting until a few weeks before the event. I have watched so many fighters come into fights out of shape as a result and lost. Just like cramming for a test in school, cramming for a fight is not going to give you the best results. If you want to fight big time, you need to be training all year. If not, you should look for another way to punish yourself.
AC: Probably the early morning long distance run and the weights will slow you down stuff that’s typical with ALL sports. There’s also a misconception that because of the ‘street’ or ‘thug’ image that MMA has, that these fighters are not intelligent conditioned athletes. If most sport coaches had their athletes develop the conditioning levels of fighters – they’d be extremely happy. I’d add also that because the martial arts are thousands of years old, people think that your training program should be too. Science has shown us better ways to train.
JD: There are many myths in preparing a fighter for a mixed martial arts competition. The first one that sticks out in my mind is that some people still believe that lifting weights will make you less flexible. The reality is that resistance training through the entire range of motion will actually increase an individual’s strength and stability throughout the entire range of motion. On a side note: Increasing flexibility without a corresponding increase in the individual’s strength in the newly acquired ROM will actually WWW.NLPF.NET
promote joint instability and thereby increase the likelihood of injury.
CB: Let’s not forget about female athletes. What special considerations do you take into account when training females for MMA? AC: Females tend to have weaker posterior chains and in particular upper backs, and exhibit excessive thoracic curves and forward head posture (having breasts will offset COG and wearing high heels). So our corrective stage programs address this. They also tend to have short, tight hip flexors. However, the training to correct these imbalances is the same as if they were male, and the other training remains the same. We also try to get a little more aggression out of females. Society has made this a negative trait for a woman but we try to encourage it.
JD: Females tend to be more flexible than men, which often creates more instability around their joints. Also, because females have a greater “Q angle”, they tend to have a greater incidence of improper force distribution through their lower kinetic chain. Therefore, it is important to increase the strength and stability around their hip, knee and ankle joints. Women tend to be weaker in their upper extremity due to a lack of loading which is usually the result of a fear of looking to muscular. As a result, they tend to have weak upper and lower backs as well, which once again can lead to lead to a greater incidence of injury due to improper force distribution through the Spine.
MR: I just trained Celita Schutz for the last Olympics in judo, and I have to say that she changed the way that I thought about female combat athletes. Although she is a 3 time Olympian and one of the best judokas in the world, she proved that women can be incredibly strong, fast, technical and mentally tough with the proper training. I have also worked with jiu jitsu women that also used their flexibility to their advantage. In terms of training, I often have to start more on the base because unlike many of their male counterparts, the females are not usually strength training. Common areas of weakness are the hips and low back. Once we have added this component though, I have been able to work a similar training regime with the girls. (Just less weight on certain activities, of course). Interestingly, Celita trained with many of the high level guys and topped them in a number of activities.
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CB: Any final comments? JD: I just want to say thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be involved in this Q & A. It looks like I am going to be opening Peak Performance LA within the next 6 to 12 months so I’ll let you know. Also, my web site is www.peakperformancenyc.com.
MR: Thanks for having me in for this interview. It was my pleasure to share some of the lessons my team and I have learned over the last few years. I hope the information helped some people out there to take their game to the next level. Please check out my new book Training for Warriors: The Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts Workout at elitefts.com and let me know what you think.
AC: Alwyn Cosgrove is the author of “Secrets “ Secrets of Martial Arts Conditioning” Conditioning ” available from: www.alwyncosgrove.com.
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Strength Training For Fighters - 15 Random Thoughts By Ross Enamait - Published in 2006
First Things First
Several years ago, I provided a brief overview of strength training for boxers. It was a basic summary, which was unfortunately misquoted and often misinterpreted. Due to the continued confusion, I have created this article to address several important topics. There are those who continue to despise the thought of strength training for competitive fighters. This article will shed light on this often-debated topic. The material presented herein is not specific to any fighting style. The focus of this article is strength training for the combat athlete. Let’s now proceed to 15 random thoughts…
1. Strength Training Notice how this article is entitled strength training and not weight training. There is a difference between these two phrases. Strength training involves the use of resistance exercise in the pursuit of increased strength. Resistance can come from several sources such as bodyweight (ex. pull-ups), free weights, medicine balls, odd-objects (ex. sandbags), and resistance bands. Each tool is simply a means to an end. No tool will guarantee results. No tool is better or worse than another. Each tool offers value if used correctly. Many old-school trainers frown upon free weights, yet encourage bodyweight exercise. This is an illogical mindset however, as each form of training can produce similar results. Free weights are not better or worse than bodyweight exercise. There are many fighters who swear by free weights, while others prefer traditional methods such as bodyweight exercise. There have been successful fighters from both sides of the fence. To deny this fact is a demonstration of nothing more than ignorance. The tool is simply a means to an end.
2. Strength Training Is NOT Bodybuilding
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Many old school trainers cringe at the thought of weight lifting, as their interpretation of this phrase is akin to bodybuilding. The phrase weight lifting causes one to automatically envision large, muscle-bound bodybuilders. Let’s get one thing clear… A fighter has no business following a bodybuilding routine. Bodybuilding emphasizes aesthetics. The activity involves posing various muscle groups for a panel of judges. There is no concern for athletic qualities such as speed, power, and endurance. An athlete trains for function. A fighter will not gain points on the judge’s scorecard by crafting a symmetrical pair of pectoral muscles. To compare strength training for a fighter to bodybuilding is like comparing a fresh orange to an artificial apple. Please note that this is not a knock against bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is simply not the ideal strength regimen for a competitive fighter.
3. What Is Strength?
Many critics of strength training for fighters do not understand the numerous strength qualities that exist. Strength is commonly described as the ability to exert a force against a resistance. This simple definition is not enough however. We must instead examine more specific strength qualities. Maximal Strength – Maximal strength is defined as the amount of force that one can exert under voluntary effort. Max-strength is developed by lifting heavy loads, or through bodyweight methods such as isometrics and the use of strenuous rep-for-rep movements. Explosive Strength – Explosive strength is defined as the ability to express significant tension in minimal time. Vladimir Zatsiorsky, highly regarded sport biomechanist and former strength and conditioning consultant for the Soviet Union Olympic teams, has stated specifically that: “The ability to produce maximal forces in minimal time is called explosive strength. Strong people do not necessarily possess explosive strength.” (1) Clearly, the development of one strength quality (ex. max-strength) does not guarantee the development of another (ex. explosive strength). WWW.NLPF.NET
This information may come as a surprise to many athletes who focus all of their strength work to one specific strength quality (ex. the athlete who only lifts heavy loads to development maximal strength). Explosive strength is a critical strength quality for all competitive athletes. Speed Strength – Speed strength is defined as the ability to quickly execute an unloaded movement or a movement against a relatively small external resistance. For example, working with a punch-out drill against the heavy bag would equate to the execution of a relatively small external resistance, as the weight of the glove is insignificant. For more information regarding punch-out drills, please refer to the link below: Intensifying The Heavy Bag Speed strength is also very important for fighters. Unfortunately, many athletes train improperly, hence sacrifice this strength quality. For example, world-renowned sport scientist Yuri Verkhoshansky and colleagues established that: “Excessive maximum strength training can impair speed-strength and technical skill in boxers.” (2) Strength Endurance – Strength endurance is defined as the ability to effectively maintain muscular functioning under work conditions of long duration. Strength endurance is a vital strength quality for any combat athlete. Power and speed are useless without the stamina necessary to apply these physical attributes throughout the contest. And contrary to the opinion of many, free weights can be effectively used to enhance a fighter’s endurance. For example, this routine offers a high-speed conditioning challenge, ideal for any combat athlete.
4. Multifaceted Competition
Combat sporting events are multifaceted in nature. One must be well-rounded in terms of his strength preparation. It is not enough to develop one strength quality at the expense of all others. A fighter requires a unique blend of each strength quality.
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5. Basic Anatomy and Physiology
After reading that excess max-strength can impair speed strength, you may initially assume that heavy weight lifting is harmful for fighters. This is not true however. Many old school trainers believe heavy weights will lead to excess bulk and reduced speed. This is a myth. Although excessive development of max-strength can pose problems, this strength quality is still important (if trained in moderation). To understand the relevance of maximal strength training, it is important to first understand how the body functions. Once you understand the body, there is no disputing the relevance of maximal strength training. For starters, muscle fibers are grouped into motor units. A motor unit contains hundreds of muscle fibers and one nerve, which delivers a signal to the muscle fibers. All of the muscle fibers contained within the motor unit are of the same type (fast twitch or slow twitch). When a signal is passed for the motor unit to contract, all of the fibers within that motor unit will contract. When training for power development, we must target the fast twitch muscle fibers. Unfortunately, not all motor units are activated at once. Low intensity exercise does not activate the fast twitch muscle fibers. If the exercise does not stimulate a fast twitch motor unit, the muscle fibers contained within the unit will not adapt to the training. Essentially, if the motor unit is not recruited, no response occurs. Thus, if you only lift very light loads, you will not adequately target the fast twitch muscle fibers. When lifting heavy loads (training maximal strength), a high percentage of motor units are activated. During such intense loads, fast twitch motor units are recruited. For this reason, maximal strength training is considered the superior method for improving both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination. So, while excessive max-strength training can lead to problems, this strength quality must not be ignored. Through proper program design, max-strength training can be used to enhance the power potential of any athlete (ie. improve your ability to recruit, hence utilize your fast twitch muscle fibers).
6. What About Speed?
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Many will read of heavy weight training and falsely assume that such methods will negatively influence speed. One common myth suggests that heavy weight training will lead to unnecessary bulk, which consequently will reduce range of motion and speed development. This is completely untrue. Consider a powerful football player who sprints 40 yards in less than 5 seconds. Clearly, weight training does not influence his speed. What about the 100 meter sprinter who covers this distance in less than 10 seconds? Weight training does not influence his speed potential either. When you understand how the body functions, you will quickly realize that a strength program designed to enhance the efficiency of the fast twitch muscle fibers will not harm speed potential. On the contrary, the right program can assist with speed production. As stated in perhaps the best translated Russian text from Yuri Verkhoshansky, Special Strength Training – A Practical Manual For Coaches: “When effective methodology is used, exercises with resistance promote not only an increase in movement speed but also perfection of coordination, motor reaction, quickness and frequency of movements, the ability to relax muscles, development of local muscular endurance and an increase in maximal anaerobic capacity.” (3)
7. What About Flexibility?
Another common myth related to strength training deals with flexibility and range of motion. Many trainers believe that free weights will compromise flexibility. This is completely untrue. A proper strength program will enhance range of motion. To those who disagree, I ask you to perform this simple experiment. Perform an overhead squat and you will see just how much flexibility can be developed with proper exercise selection. See the link below for a demonstration of the overhead squat. Overhead Squat Olympic lifters also offer a perfect example of power and flexibility. The two competitive Olympic lifts (Snatch and Clean-and-Jerk) demand these two physical attributes. The individuals engaged in Olympic weight lifting are amongst the most powerful athletes in the world. These men and women do not possess the muscle-bound physiques seen in bodybuilding. These individuals are powerful, flexible, and extremely WWW.NLPF.NET
athletic. For another example, look at the flexibility of a gymnast. These athletes possess tremendous strength, yet remain as flexible as any athlete in the world. Clearly, the strength work of these gymnasts has not compromised their range of motion. There is no disputing the fact that strength can be developed without harming range of motion and flexibility.
8. What About Bulk?
Many coaches steer clear of strength training for fear that the work will lead to unnecessary mass gains. After all, combat athletes compete in specific weight classes. Why would an athlete wish to gain mass if they are already struggling to make weight (as many do)? Once again, strength training will not lead to mass if the athlete utilizes the correct program, while also paying careful attention to his nutritional intake. The food that you consume is the real cause of weight gain (or loss). The following quote from the definitive Supertraining text will shed light on this subject: “Strength is not primarily a function of muscle size, but one of the appropriate muscles powerfully contracted by effective nervous stimulation.” (4) If you wish to gain strength, you must target the nervous system. This can be effectively done without weight gain. We can revert back to the Olympic weight lifter for another perfect example. These athletes compete within specific weight classes. They are able to gain strength without gaining weight. The nervous system is the true indicator of strength, not bulky muscles.
9. No Guarantees
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As stated earlier (but worth repeating), the development of one strength quality does not ensure the development of another. Distinct strength properties are often unrelated. One can possess tremendous strength in one form (ex. max-strength), while lacking in other areas (ex. speedstrength). The lesson to be learned is very simple. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket. A complete athlete must follow a complete plan. Each strength quality must be considered in the creation of the program.
10. Stop Searching For The Magic Plan
If I had a nickel for every email that started with the following line, I’d be a rich man: “Ross, I’m a fighter. How should I lift weights? How many sets and reps?” The individuals who write such emails are searching for one magic plan. It is as if there is one strength workout, hidden to the masses, which should be followed by all combat athletes. No such plan exists, and no such plan will ever exist. Different athletes have different needs. Different athletes have different strengths and weaknesses. Just because two athletes compete in the same sport does not mean that these two individuals should work with the exact plan. Consider a naturally powerful, explosive puncher. He is very strong on the inside, possesses tremendous power, but often runs out of gas. This fighter is in need of improved strength endurance, along with more time spent conditioning the two anaerobic energy systems (Glycolytic and ATP-PC). ATP-PC). Now consider the pure boxer, who can box effectively on the outside, but is easily muscled around against the ropes. He is unable to handle the pressure of an aggressive inside fighter. He lacks the strength to get out of (and avoid) these situations. This fighter has much different needs from the previously referenced individual. Clearly, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to strength training. In addition, many strength programs are designed for experienced (well developed) athletes, who are already familiar with strength training. A sample plan may suggest training with 90% of your one-rep max to effectively develop maximal strength. But what happens when a fighter, with no prior strength training experience attempts such a workout? He is asking for injury. He is not structurally prepared for the intensity of such a heavy load. He must first work with less intense loading to develop a strong foundation (ex. prepare the tendons, WWW.NLPF.NET
Consider an automobile engine for a real world example. If you allow your car to overheat every time that you drive, you will eventually blow the engine. You cannot drive full speed all the time without wear and tear on the engine. This simple analogy also applies to the body. Train for strength improvements, not failure.
12. A Supplement, Not a Replacement As mentioned before, but worth repeating, strength training is a small supplement to a much more diverse training program. Much of a fighter’s time must be spent training for his specific event. Examples include sparring, hitting the bag, working one-on-one with your coach, partner drills, conditioning workouts, etc. The strength workouts are just a small piece of the puzzle. Most fighters do not need more than 2 to 3 brief strength workouts per week. Once again, the focus is always quality over quantity. 13. Forget The Tool
Many trainers despise free weight training, yet preach the importance of bodyweight exercise. Others consider bodyweight exercise limited and ineffective, thus limit their training arsenal to weighted resistance work. Do not fall into this narrow minded trap. Remain open to new ideas and new training modalities. Many fighters have excelled with nothing more than bodyweight exercise. Others have successfully implemented free weight training. What does this tell us? The answer is simple. Both methods can prove beneficial if used properly. Consider the recent bout between Bernard Hopkins and Antonio Tarver. Bernard’s performance clearly illustrated the potential of a properly designed strength program. Bernard Hopkins moved up 15 pounds to face Tarver at light heavyweight. Despite the added mass, Bernard was a stronger and more active fighter than he had been in recent bouts. His newfound physique did not impede his performance. Archaic statements such as, “Weights will hinder endurance” or “Weights will hinder speed” were put to rest by Bernhard Hopkins. His dominant performance on national television has debunked all of the myths that strength training cannot be successfully implemented into a fighter’s training program.
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14. “Weights Are Bad”
I often heard trainers of the fight game suggest that weights are bad. But what constitutes a weight? Does swinging a weighted sledgehammer for a conditioning drill count as weight training? Do inclined sit-ups with added weight count as weight training? How about pull-ups while wearing a weighted vest? Where do we draw the line? The lesson to be learned is simple. Don’t become hung up on the tool (free weights) or lack of a tool (bodyweight). Target specific objectives and choose the most appropriate and readily available methods. For example, one may use plyometric pushups to develop explosive strength in the upper body. Another athlete may use free weights via the dynamic effort (ie. lifting a nonmaximal load with the highest attainable speed). Each movement will enhance the explosive strength of the athlete. Don’t waste time arguing over which method is right and which is wrong. Incorporate variety into your plan. One of my favorite quotes comes from Louie Simmons (6), from the famed Westside Barbell Club. In his words: “When lifters repeatedly use the same simple method of training to raise their strength level, they will eventually stall. Like the scholar who must utilize many sources of information to achieve a higher level of knowledge, the lifter must incorporate new and more difficult exercises to raise their standards.” Learn from these words. Do not focus on one exercise or methodology. Incorporate variety into your strength program to elicit the greatest (long term) results.
15. Bodyweight Exercise Is Excellent
Let it be known that bodyweight exercise can be used to effectively develop EACH strength quality. Although much of this article has referenced free weights, many world champions became world champions without ever touching a free weight. Do not allow anyone to convince you that bodyweight exercise is ineffective. Bodyweight exercise can be made as difficult and effective as WWW.NLPF.NET
any other method of training. A simple display of gymnastics is living proof of this statement. There are bodyweight movements ideal for conditioning, explosive strength, and max-strength. Once again, the modality that you choose is simply a means to an end.
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Potential Problems With Strength Training
Thus far, we’ve established that strength training can be useful. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There are several potential problems associated with strength training. Many athletes become obsessed with weight room numbers. They focus too much attention towards the weight room. Rather than improving as a fighter, their focus shifts towards improving as a weight lifter. They become more interested in lifting 10 more pounds, as opposed to throwing 10 more punches per round. You will not learn how to fight in the weight room. You will not earn any points with the judges by boasting of an impressive bench press. No matter what you do in training, it must contribute to your improvement as an athlete. If your strength program does not offer specific results, it is not worth your time and energy. Remember, the goal of any combat sport is to defeat your opponent, not to lift the greatest load in the weight room.
Summary
With proper program design, strength training can be a valuable addition to a combat athlete’s training plan. Below, I have listed a few useful tips (certainly not a definitive list): Train the body as a unit, not a collection of small pieces Focus most of your time around compound movements Develop a strong core WWW.NLPF.NET
Incorporate variety into your strength program Do not limit yourself to one modality Target multiple strength qualities Steer clear of failure when training for pure strength Never sacrifice skill and conditioning for strength work Focus on quality over quantity Keep strength workouts brief, 2 to 3 days per week As a trainer, one must tailor strength workouts to the needs of the athlete. Each athlete steps up to the plate with a different skill set. For this reason, the job of the trainer is to identify areas in need of improvement, and then customize the workout specific to THESE needs, rather than conforming to a generic model. If such a model existed, there would be no need for strength and conditioning specialists. Athletes would all follow the exact plan. Such a generic plan does not exist, so do not force such a model on your athletes. They deserve better...
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Works Cited
1.) Zatsiorsky, Zatsi orsky, V.M., V.M., (1995). Science and Practice of Strength Training . Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. 2.) Verkhoshansky, Y.V. (1986) Fundamentals of Special Strength-Training in Sport. Sportivny Press, Livonia, MI. (Original work published in 1977, Moscow, Russia: Fizkultura i Spovt). 3.) Verkhoshansky, Y.V. (2006) Special Strength Training – A Practical Manual For Coaches. Ultimate Athlete Concepts, Michigan, USA. 4.) Siff, M.C. (2003). Supertraining Supertraining,, 6th Edition. Supertraining Institute. Denver, CO. 5.) Bompa, T., Di Pasquale, M., & Cornacchia, L. (2003) Serious Strength Training, Training , 2nd Edition, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. 6.) Simmons, L. (2003) The Conjugate Method, http://www.westside-barbell.com. WWW.NLPF.NET
About the Author - Ross Enamait is an innovative athlete and trainer, whose training style is among the most intense that you will find. Ross is committed to excellence and advancements in high performance conditioning and functional strength development. He has a sincere interest in helping today's athlete in their quest for greatness. Ross has authored several training manuals, and is available for private training in the New England area. You may contact him directly at
[email protected]
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STRENGTH
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Strength Training for the MMA Fighter by Mark Ginther
(First appeared in Full Contact Fighter magazine, 12/01)
Part-1: Common Errors
Most athletes and fighters these days understand that strength training is an important part of their training regimen and no longer believe that lifting weights will make them slow or muscle bound. However, few take a rational or scientific approach to strength training, training by "instinct" or using methods that are either outdated or inappropriate for the competitive fighter.
Probably the most common error is relying on weight training programs influenced by, by, or taken directly from bodybuilding magazines. I know of two prominent MMA fighters whose (supposed) routines were published in bodybuilding magazines, and were virtually identical to something the pro bodybuilder would use. Training in this manner is not without its merits, (moving up in weight; general strength, etc,) but done exclusively, over a long period of time, can result in decreased performance in the ri ng and even lead to injury. At the very least, such training is less than optimal.
Another common error is to train the agonist at the expense of the antagonistic muscle group. An example of this would be doing leg extensions to improve one's round kick. As the quadriceps (agonist) get stronger in relation to the hamstrings, (antagonist) the hamstrings, which stops and retracts the kick will not be strong enough to handle the power of the stronger quadriceps, and will contract earlier to compensate, thus decreasing the speed and power of the kick.
An additional mistake is over reliance on machines, believing that the machines greater isolation of the muscle is superior. This is incorrect because in the real world muscles never act in isolation, depending on the movement some will act as prime movers, while others will fixate and stabilize the movement. A judoka who is stronger on machine chest press than another, but has weak fixaters and stabilizers, will likely WWW.NLPF.NET
Therefore, variety variet y in training is of essential importance. A systematic approach to training, in which long term goals, say, say, over a one year period, are met by first reaching a series of integrated short term goals is most productive, and is the basis of a training concept known as periodization. There has been a lot of discussion of periodization, periodization , and it has often been made to seem unnecessarily complicated. But, as Australian Strength Coach, Ian King points out: "Periodization is simply planning of training." In this way training, can be broken down into manageable components, (often referred to as macro-, meso- and microcycles) with the recognition that peak performance cannot be maintained throughout each stage; building in planned recovery sections and ensuring that peaking occurs at the planned time. By having different phases with different goals and training protocol, specific attributes, such as power and endurance, that if trained for simultaneously would be mutually exclusive, can be achieved over a training period, while minimizing overtraining and the potential for injury.
Before starting on a training program many factors should be taken into consideration: The athletes goal, training history, specific strengths and weaknesses, recovery ability, other forms of training engaged in (i.e. technical and tactical), time before a competition, and many other factors will determine what is the best course to be followed and what methods need to be employed to bring about the desired effect.
References:
Staley C, Special Topics in Martial Arts Conditioning, Myo-Dynamics 1996. Poliquin C, Charles Poliquin Audiotape Interview III, Mile High Publishing 1996. Zatsiorsky V, Science and Practice of Strength Training, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1995 Bloomfield, J. et al. al. Applied Anatomy & Biomechanics in Sport. Cambridge, Cambridge, Mass: Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1994. 136 Staley C, Quality Strength for Human Athletic Performance: A Guide to Speed Strength Training, Mesomorphosis.com 1998. Hartmann J. & Tunnemann H., Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports. Toronto, Ontario: Sports Books Publisher. 1995 WWW.NLPF.NET
Chu D, Power & Strength, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1996 Bompa T, Periodization Training for Sports, Sports , Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1999 King I, How to Write Strength Training Programs: A Practical Guide, Toowong, Qld, KSI, 1999 Fleck S. & Kraemer W., Periodization Breakthrough, New York, NY: Advanced Research Press 1996 About the author: Mark Ginther has over 20 years experience in sports, martial arts, and strength training. trainin g. He has worked with numerous athletes including Michael Hawkins (formerly of the Boston Celtics), as well as several pro and amateur boxers. In 1999 he became the Strength & Conditioning Coach for AMC Kickboxing & Pankration.
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The Double Kettlebell Clean and Push Press If you ignore the rest of this article and only focus on this exercise you will go a long way to getting a lot out of kettlebell training. This is a full body exercise that teaches your body how to work as one unit. It is not as technical as the clean and jerk and is relatively easy to learn. If you have ever done a military press than you have probably done a push press. 99% of the clips I see for the military press on youtube.com are in fact push presses in which you use the legs to help drive the weight overhead. The Double Clean and Push Press is a combination of two kettlebell exercises. The Double Clean and the Double Push Press. Lets cover the clean first. Double Kettlebell Clean Place two kettlebell between your feet aligned with your toes. Sit back as if you are trying to sit in a chair behind you and grab the kettlebells. Looking at the floor slighting in front, swing the kettlebells between your legs as if you are trying to pass a football behind you. Quickly reverse the direction and drive through with your hips, pop your pelvis up and drive the kettlebells to the rack position (Nope, the rack position is not referring to the ring girl’s chest). The rack position is where the bells are resting against your upper body below chin level. Performance Tips ·
Focus on getting your hands around the kettlebells rather then letting the kettlebells flip over your hands and bang your wrists.
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Breathe into your stomach as you drive the kettlbells to the rack
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Stand up straight at the end of the move. Your legs should be locked out.
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Hold the bells in tight and close to the body at the top.
Breathe out as you swing the bells between your legs Now lets cover the push press portion of the lift Double Kettlebell Push Press Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive WWW.NLPF.NET
the kettlebells overhead. Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and the back to the starting position. Stay loose upon cleaning the kettlebells and when you squat down a few inches to power up the leg drive. Performance Tips ·
Push the kettlebells off of your upper body.
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Do not squat down too far.
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Breathe in as your lower the weights and breathe out forcefully as you push press the kettlebells overhead.
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Look straight ahead or slightly up when driving the bells off of the rack position. One-Arm Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing is a great exercise for developing explosive hamstrings and when done in high reps incredible cardio and muscular endurance. Best of all it is pretty easy to learn and apply safely. It has many of the benefits of the kettlebell snatch without the technical demands of the snatch. No doubt the snatch is worth your time to learn, but the swing is the best exercise to put into play immediately while you work on snatches for down the road. Performance Place one kettlebell between your feet. Push your butt back and bend your knees slightly to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat and look down or at the floor slightly ahead. Swing the kettlebell between your legs forcefully as if you are passing a football to someone behind you. Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips explosively taking the kettlebell straight out. Let the kettlebell swing back between your legs and repeat. Switch arms with each set. Remember that the swing is primarily a hamstring exercise and that is where all of the power is generated from. It is not a front raise so do not use a crush grip on the kettlebell and keep the arm loose. Double Swing The Double Swing is one of the most powerful ballistic drills that you can use with kettlebells. There is no way to muscle up two heavy kettlebells. You have to have powerful hamstrings to make double swings happen. On the Double Swing you are going to focus on driving through with the hips as fast and as powerful as possible. Do not worry how high the bells get. In fact, they should not get higher then chest level. Keep the tension and focus on the hamstrings. A large percentage of the lower body explosive power comes from the hamstrings. Keep WWW.NLPF.NET
that in mind when doing Double Swings. If your lower back gets sore then you are not doing the exercise correctly. Performance Tips Place two kettlebells between your feet. While you will most likely have to take a wider stance than you would when doing a regular onearm swing, do not stand too wide. The wider you stand the less hip drive you will have. Only stand as wide as you need to in order to comfortably place two kettlebells between your feet. Push back with your butt and bend your knees to get into the starting position. Make sure that your back is flat and look down or slightly in front. Swing the kettlebells between your legs forcefully. Quickly reverse the direction and drive though with your hips taking the kettlebells forward. Let the kettlebells swing back between your legs and repeat. Double Kettlebell Squat Shrug This is a great exercise for developing full body explosive power. You start the power with the lower body and transfer it into the upper body in each repetition. The best part about this exercise is that it is not technically demanding and fairly easy to learn. It does not require the technique of the clean or snatch, yet has many of the benefits. It is also a tremendous trap developer and strengthener. Performance. Place a kettlebell on the outside of each foot. Squat down and pick then up as if they are two suitcases. Keep your eyes forward and arch your back in the starting position. Stand up quickly and drive through with the hips and get airborne on each rep. As you get off the floor, push your chest out and pull your shoulders up and try to pinch your shoulder blades together. Let your shoulders go back in the socket as you land back on the ground. Full Body Attack This is an incredible exercise that will teach you how to use your body as one unit and build explosive power from the ground up. It is particularly beneficial for combat athletes. Often in a fight you have to get from the floor to your feet explosively against the resistance of an opponent. That is exactly what you are doing with the "Full Body Attack." Performance Place two kettlebells shoulder width apart on the ground. Get into the top position of the pushup with both hands on the kettlebells. Jump forward explosively while holding onto the kettlebells. Now you are in the starting position of the clean. Clean both kettlebells and drive through with the hip flexors rapidly. WWW.NLPF.NET
Your elbows should be tucked in and in line with your stomach at the top of the movement. Bend you knees slightly, reverse the motion quickly and drive the kettlebells overhead. Now reverse the motion and do another rep. For the purpose of building speed and explosive strength, keep the rep range to no more than three. Focus on moving as quickly and as explosively as possible while maintaining solid form. Full Body Defense In addition to learning how to go from the ground to your feet explosively, a combat athlete needs to be able to go from the feet to the ground rapidly as well to avoid takedowns. That is precisely what the "Full Body Defense" will assist you with. Performance Start the exercise by cleaning two kettlebells to your shoulders. Push your pelvis up at the top of the clean so that that you can press your elbows against your stomach and keep the kettlebells tucked in. Take the kettlebells to the floor so that you are in the starting position of a double clean. Now jump back while still holding onto the kettlebells and arch your back. When executed properly, you will look like you are doing a yoga stretch or end position of a Hindu Pushup. Immediately jump back into the clean position, clean the kettlebells, and then proceed with another rep. Alternating Kettlebell Renegade Row This is an outstanding drill that I picked up from my friend Coach John Davies, author of “Mastery On The Gridiron.” In addition to being an excellent exercise for your upper back and lats, the Renegade Row is a killer core exercise and a great chest exercise. Yes, even the chest is worked with the Renegade row. How is this possible? The chest is activated tremendously to stabilize the body for rowing with the Renegade Row. Don’t be surprised if you notice that your pecs are sorer than your lats the next day after doing Renegade Rows. Because you are off balance with the Renegade Row, the abdominal muscles are also worked tremendously to maintain balance. There are not too many upper body muscles that the Renegade Row does not work. Performance Get into the top position of the pushup holding on to two kettlebells that are less than shoulder width apart. Take a shoulder width stance and push one kettlebell into the floor forcefully while you pull the other kettlebell in the working arm. Hold the kettlebell in the working arm in the top position for a second and then lower the kettlebell under control back to the floor. Switch arms after each repetition. Performance Tips WWW.NLPF.NET
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Push the kettlebell of the non-working arm into the floor with as much force as possible.
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Breathe in as you pull one kettlebell and out as you lower the kettlebell.
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Flex your butt and stomach stomach for added stability
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Flex the lat of the working arm before pulling each kettlebell off of the floor.
Take a wider stance to make the exercise easier and a closer stance to make the exercise harder. The Kettlebell Guard Attack This is an exercise that suits perfectly the needs of MMA fighters and grapplers. Sports in which you often end up on you’re back called the guard and have to fight off an opponent in the mount position. Learning how to be strong and powerful out of the guard position is a valuable skill. The Guard Attack will help build explosive strength from the guard position. It is also great for building strong and a powerful chest, strong triceps, strong shoulders, and impressive core strength. Performance Lie on the floor and position two kettlebells on the floor next to your shoulders. Use two arms to get the bell on the weaker side into place on your chest. While holding on to the bell on your chest, pull the other bell towards your other pec and get it into the starting position on your chest. Lets use the right arm to illustrate the performance of the Guard Attack. Press with your right hand and use your right foot to shift your weight to the left. As you lower the bell, press with the left hand and use your left foot to shift your weight to the right. Use maximum speed when doing this drill. You want to be fast and explosive in the guard position. Sample Kettlebell Training Program For MMA Monday And Thursday (Circuit Training for strength endurance) Double Kettlebell Clean and Push Press 10 reps Double Kettlebell Squat Shrug 10 reps
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Guard Attack 10 reps each side Alternating Renegade Row 10 reps each side Full Body Attack or Full Body Defense 10 reps Double Swing 10 reps Take 30-second breaks between each exercise and 60-second breaks at the end of each round. Do five rounds per workout I recommend that beginners do five reps per exercise and take one-minute breaks between each exercise and round. Add a rep to each exercise each week until you are up to 10 reps per exercise. Work on getting the breaks down to zero in between each exercise and in between each round. Do this by shaving ten seconds off each break per week until there are no breaks at all. If you get to this point with a relatively heavy set of kettlebells you will be a machine to say the least. Tuesday and Friday (High Octane Cardio for muscular endurance and cardio) Ten rounds of Squat Thrust 30 reps One-arm Kettlebell Swing 15 reps each side A round is one set of squat thrusts and one-arm kettlebell swings down back to back. In case you do not know what a squat thrust is it is a bodyweight exercise in which you squat down, get into the top position of a pushup, and then get back to the standing position. Beginners can take on-minute breaks in between each round. Shave ten seconds off each successive workout until you can do ten rounds with no breaks. Once you are there you will never have to blame lack of cardio for losing a fight. Wrap-up There you have it an array of killer kettlebell exercises to get you in shape and a sample program to get into action right away. Depending on what else you have going on with regards to training, life, and individual restoration you will most likely have to modify the program to fit your situation. If four workouts is too much, start with two workouts per week or reduce the rounds and go from there. For more information on kettlebell competitions and how the Russians experts use kettlebells, check out the following sites: WWW.NLPF.NET
www.ikff.net www.americankettlebellclub.com About The Author: Mike Mahler is a strength coach and a certified kettlebell instructor based in Santa Monica, California. For more information on Mike's new DVD "Mahler's Aggressive Strength For The Mixed Martial Arts", go to http://www.mikemahler.com/store/
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CONDITIONING
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Before designing an effective conditioning program one first needs to determine the importance of endurance, particularly in combination with the other biomotor abilities: strength, and speed. And then establish how much of that endurance is derived from aerobic metabolism, and how much from anaerobic metabolism. For an intensive loading period of 3-5 minutes duration, roughly half of the energy is supplied supplied by anaerobic metabolism and half from aerobic metabolism. Since this is the typical length for a round, one might conclude that 50-percent of one's training should be aerobic, but this assumes that the entire 5-minutes is spent at a constant rate of energy expenditure. In reality the tempo of a fight changes, and energy expenditure varies greatly. gre atly. To determine how much of your energy comes from aerobic metabolism, consider how much time in a given round is spent exerting less than 50-percent of maximum muscular effort.
For the typical fighter (and this will vary depending on style) the dominant energy systems are anaerobic alactic (ATP-PC), anaerobic glycolytic and aerobic, and the limiting factors will be power-endurance (high degree of power applied repeatedly) and medium to long-term muscular endurance. This would suggest that developing anaerobic endurance should be the primary focus of a fighter's conditioning. In fact, there are several compelling reasons that over emphasis of aerobic conditioning should be avoided:
1. Aerobic training stresses the slow-twitch endurance muscle fibers, rather than the fast-twitch, speed/power fibers. Consider the vertical jump ability of elite endurance athletes. These athletes often have mere 4 to 6 inch vertical jumps.
2. According to a recent study muscle necrosis (tissue death) and inflammation can be observed in the calves of marathon runners 7 days after a race.
3. According to Dr. Marc Breehl, a leading anesthesiologist specializing in cardiac surgery, the enlarged hearts of aerobic athletes are weaker, not stronger than those with anaerobic backgrounds.
Does this mean that one should forego aerobic training altogether? There is no clear consensus among the experts, though many do advocate WWW.NLPF.NET
Neuroscientists have known for half a century that if you stimulate a neural pathway and the outcome is positive, that action will be easier in the future. (Hebbian rule) in practice Olympic weightlifters and powerlifters, when training for strength, do not regularly train to muscular failure, stopping a few reps short. If one is able to lift a given weight for 5-reps, he would only perform 3-reps. It shouldn't be a question of doing as much of a given exercise as you possibly can, but doing enough to elicit the proper physical adaptation.
The same principle applies to training for endurance. Since a fighter will often often need to fight until exhaustion, (and beyond) training to exhaustion is sometimes warranted, but consistently training to exhaustion will promote sloppy technique, overtax the body's ability to recover, and lead to overtraining. The nervous system will remember the last movement performed, so it is important to finish strong, and sharp. Continually increasing the number of solid strikes per round is more productive than throwing round after round of punches or kicks that are little more than pushes.
Putting it all together. In my previous article, Strength Training for the MMA Fighter, I discussed the concept of planned variations in training know as periodization, which should encompass all training, not just strength training. This is important because when strength and endurance training are done concurrently, it is difficult difficult for the body to adapt simultaneously to the conflicting demands. The solution is to conduct sequential strength and endurance programs, focusing first on strength, then on endurance, as it is less efficient to proceed in reverse. While focusing on a given motor ability, ability, maintenance training can retain the motor ability that is not dominant during a given training cycle.
References: Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M., Science and Practice of Strength Training, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1995 Fleck S. & Kraemer W., Designing Resistance Training Programs Second Edition, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1997 Hartmann J. & Tunnemann H., Fitness and Strength Training for All Sports , Toronto, Toronto, and Ontario: Sports Books Publisher. Publisher. 1995 Bompa, Tudor O., Periodization Training for Sports, Sports , Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1999 Hess, Christopher D., Less Aerobic Training Means Greater Kicking Power Myo Dynamics, 1997 WWW.NLPF.NET
Staley C, Re-examining the Value of Aerobic Exercise Myo Dynamics, 1996 Siff, MC., Endurance Paradox Ariel's Cyber Sport Quarterly Sanders, Michael S. & Antonio Jose Strength and Conditioning for the Submission Fighter National Strength & Conditioning Journal, Vol. 21 1999 Tsatsouline, Pavel, Power to the People, People , St. Paul, Dragon Door Publications, 2000
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Conditioning for MMA, Part-2: Training the Energy Pathways by Mark Ginther
(First appeared in Full Contact Fighter magazine, 10-11/02)
When preparing for a major competition fighters will often start relatively out of shape, and over a period of 2-3 months gradually increase the volume and intensity of training. By the time they are ready for competition, they are on the verge of being overtrained. Following the event, they’ll often take some time off, and end up back at the same starting point when preparing for the next next competition. Other fighters try to maintain peak condition year round are chronically overtrained, often prone to injury and illness.
Ideally fitness levels should increase from one period of competition to the next. Obviously, unlimited linear gains would be impossible, and peaks are always surrounded by valleys, but the trend should be towards improvement, not merely regaining or maintaining existing levels of conditioning.
There are two main energy pathways, aerobic and anaerobic, which can be subcategorized into: The phosphate system (ATP-PC), which supplies intense energy, but for no longer than 15-20 seconds continually. The lactic acid (glycolysis) system, supplies energy for events of up to 1.5-2 minutes uninterrupted, and glycogen burned in the presence of oxygen for events that are longer than 2 minutes. These times assume the event/activity is uninterrupted, and cyclical in nature, not stop-and-go.
MMA, like most sports encompasses all of the energy systems, and the amount that each contributes depends greatly on the individual’s fighting style, and the number and duration of the rounds. Likewise, the amount of training time devoted to enhancing each of the energy systems will vary depending on the upcoming event, and the individual’s given strengths and weaknesses, and even the fighting style of his opponent.
Many fighters employ methods for training these various systems, however few give much thought to the specific adaptations these methods WWW.NLPF.NET
will develop. More problematic is the fact that most fighters use endurance-training endurance-traini ng methods may train the correct energy pathways, but are not specific enough in dynamic structure to have much carryover to the ring. Renowned Canadian Strength Coach Charles Poliquin writes: The most important is that if the ultimate goal is the development of endurance, training has to be done in the specific motor units. In other words, a judoka [or other grappler] can do as many running sprints as they want, it will have respectively very little transfer on competing on the judo mat. To properly develop the various systems, highly specific work like shadow boxing, bag/pad work, and sparring must be given priority, and to be able to control precisely which energy system to target, the work/rest intervals must be carefully manipulated. The method of using round/rest intervals that are either longer or shorter than that of the event can be quite useful.
One of the systems that is often a weakness is the phosphate system, which is important for being able to repeat explosive, high speed/intensity speed/intensit y movements like throws. Fighters who, after the first round or two, are unable to strike explosively, explosively, just pushing at their opponents, need to increase phosphagen stores in the muscles. Running sprints, as often prescribed, will help increase ATP-PC ATP-PC in the legs, but not the torso and arms.
Drills to develop the phosphate system should be of 4-15 seconds in length, performed at over 95% maximum speed, with long recovery intervals. If recovery isn’t adequate, the body will not have time to replenish creatine phosphate, and will use anaerobic glycosis instead. This will cause the accumulation of lactic acid and cause a reduction of speed.
For sparring practice, with the focus on improving the phosphate system, keep the duration of rounds shorter than the in the event, the rest intervals longer, and the total number of rounds performed higher.
The system that probably gets the greatest amount of use in a given fight is glycolytic/lactic acid system. The buildup of lactic acid caused by this process can cause nausea, burning pain in the muscles, and energy inhibiting acidosis. Fighters that can tolerate the pain of acidosis, the effects of lactic acid buildup, will perform better. Increasing the ability to buffer, increase removal of lactate from the working working muscles, and increasing pain tolerance, both physically and psychologically, is the goal of lactic acid training.
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drills, and free sparring. The late preparatory period, and the early competitive period would be the best times for training specific energy systems, employing work/rest intervals longer or shorter than in actual competition.
With the approach of competition, the focus would be on training that is as close to the actual event as possible, with free sparring being the priority, and the work rest intervals the same as in the actual competition. Since the body recovers from fatigue more quickly than it loses fitness, a tapering period in which training volume is scaled back one week to ten days before the fight is vital to facilitate recovery from accumulated fatigue.
The most important thing when devising a conditioning routine is to honestly assess your weaknesses. weaknesses. Because of the specificity of conditioning, many grapplers tire quickly when forced to do stand up, and likewise, many strikers are quickly exhausted when fighting on the ground. Plan your training around your weak areas, and strengthen them; don’t simply do what you’ve you’ve always done, or what others have done. People often find that a previously neglected area, once trained in earnest, responds remarkably well, and rather than a weakness, becomes a newfound strength.
References: Bompa T, Periodization: The Theory and Methodology of Training 4th Edition, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1999 King I, Winning & Losing: Lessons from 15 Years of Physically Preparing the Elite Athlete 2nd Edition, Toowong, Qld, KSI, 2002 Poliquin C, Ask the Guru charlespoliquin.net 6/28-7/25 2002 Zatsiorsky V, Science and Practice of Strength Training, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1995 Fleck S. & Kraemer W., Designing Resistance Training Programs Second Edition, Champagne IL, Human Kinetics, 1997
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High Octane Cardio Train like a man, not a rodent! by Mike Mahler
No More Hamster Cardio! I gotta' tell you, I hate doing cardio. There's nothing more boring to me than sitting on an exercise bike, going up and down on a Stairmaster, or running on a treadmill. I sometimes drive by a gym in Santa Monica and see dozens of people on the latest and greatest cardio machines, staring at the television and looking like caged hamsters running on treadmills. In addition to wondering how they can bear it, I always wonder why people in Santa Monica would choose to do cardio in a gym when they could run on the beach or in the woods and take advantage of the beautiful weather! Fortunately, there are other options for those who are bored with traditional cardio routines and want more intensity and satisfaction out of their workouts. The alternative is what I call High Octane Cardio (HOC).
Hit the Road! The first form of HOC I want to explain is called roadwork. A lot of boxers and mixed martial arts fighters still use this tried and true form of conditioning to prepare for fighting. It works several different energy systems in the same workout and it's not for the faint of heart! Roadwork is basically a combination of jogging and calisthenics. Here's how it works: jog for about 100 yards and then drop and do fifty pushups. Get back up and run another 100 to 200 yards and then stop and do 100 bodyweight squats. Again, run another 100 to 200 yards and then drop and do 50 sit-ups. Believe me, this workout is a lot harder than it sounds and even if you're an experienced runner, you'll find it challenging. Regardless, I found an even more effective way to maximize the benefits of roadwork. Take two dumbbells to a running track and place one dumbbell on each side of the track. Each time you jog past a dumbbell, stop and do an exercise. For example, you could stop and do ten onearm dumbbell swings with each arm and then continue to run. When you get to the next dumbbell, stop and do ten clean and push presses. Then when you get to the next dumbbell, do ten dumbbell squats. Once you've done four full laps you'll be exhausted. If you're not, then get a heavier dumbbell or run four more laps! In addition to building an incredible level of muscular endurance and mental toughness, you'll burn fat like crazy. In fact, if you need to burn fat as fast as possible, WWW.NLPF.NET
try doing roadwork three times a week for five weeks. You'll be amazed. Beat the Bag! The next form of HOC is a heavy bag and dumbbell combo. Kick and punch a heavy bag for one minute, take a one minute break, and then do an exercise such as one-arm dumbbell snatches. After you're done with that, do another one minute round on the heavy bag and repeat. When you can do ten rounds of this routine, you'll be a lean, mean fighting machine! Doing an exercise such as dumbbell snatches in between each round will give new meaning to the phrase mental toughness. Try doing this combination one or two times per week to start. Work up to three times a week if you really want results as soon as possible.
Skip it! Finally, the last form of High Octane Cardio involves a dumbbell and a jump rope. Try jump roping with ballistic weight lifting exercises between rounds. Jump rope for one minute and then do ten dumbbell clean and jerks. Jump rope for another minute and then stop and do ten dumbbell snatches and so forth until you've done ten rounds of both. In addition to improving coordination, you'll get an incredible cardio workout that's way too hard to be boring. If you're like me and you suck at jump roping, work on it for a while by itself until you become fairly proficient. Once you feel confident, give the jump rope/dumbbell cocktail a shot. (By the way, for a great jump roping video, check out Buddy Lee’s at www.jumpropeinstitute.com.)
Anti-Rodent Routines Here are some sample programs to try out. If you're unfamiliar with any of the exercises listed below, just type the name of the exercise into the search engine and you'll find pics and full descriptions. Roadwork Beginner First pass (of dumbbell): 10 one-arm dumbbell swings with each arm
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Second pass: 50 sit-ups Third pass: 10 one-arm clean and jerks with each arm Fourth pass: 50 bodyweight squats
Intermediate First pass: 20 dumbbell snatches with each arm Second pass: 100 bodyweight squats Third pass: 15 clean and push presses with each arm Fourth pass: 50 sit-ups
Advanced First pass: 10 one-arm dumbbell swings with each arm Second pass: 50 sit-ups Third pass: 10 one-arm clean and jerks with each arm Fourth pass: 50 pushups Fifth pass: 20 dumbbell snatches with each arm Sixth pass: 100 bodyweight squats Seventh pass: 15 clean and push presses with each arm
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Eighth pass: 50 sit-ups
Heavy Bag/Dumbbell Combo Beginner One minute heavy bag round 10 one-arm dumbbell snatches with each arm One minute heavy bag round 50 sit-ups One minute heavy bag round 10 dumbbell swings One minute heavy bag round 50 bodyweight squats
Intermediate Same as above, only extend the heavy bag rounds to two minutes.
Advanced Same as above, only extend the heavy bag rounds to three minutes. You can also add reps to the other exercises.
Jump Rope/Dumbbell Cocktail Beginner One minute of rope jumping WWW.NLPF.NET
10 on-arm dumbbell snatches with each arm One minute of rope jumping 10 one-arm dumbbell clean and push presses One minute of rope jumping 10 one-arm dumbbell swings One minute of rope jumping 10 dumbbell squats
Intermediate Same as above, only with two minute rounds of rope jumping.
Advanced Same as above, only with three minute rounds of rope jumping.
Tips There are several ways you can incorporate these workouts into your current regimen. 1) You could do one HOC workout per week to gradually work into it. 2) You could cut back in the weightroom and do two HOC workouts per week. This would be kind of a half-and-half program in which your progress in the weight room would slow down and your conditioning would improve gradually. 3) You could do HOC three times a week and hit the weight room one to two times a week. This option would really be for those who want to lose as much fat as possible in the least amount of time. It's also a good option for those that compete in mixed martial arts or some other combat sport. WWW.NLPF.NET
Unlike other cardio programs in which you tend to lose muscle, High Octane Cardio incorporates weights so you won't suffer the same negative effects. Feel free to pick your own dumbbell or weight exercises, but be smart and don't pick exercises such as the Turkish get-up or the bent press which require a great deal of concentration and coordination. You'll be so pooped you could drop something heavy on your head, causing children and mean people to point and laugh. Also, pick weights that are much lighter than what you use when you're fresh. If you can do 10 one-arm dumbbell snatches with a 90 pound dumbbell when you're fresh, then start with a 50 pound dumbbell for your first few HOC workouts and gradually increase the weight. Now, get out of your comfort zone and leave the exercise bikes and Stairmasters to the hamsters at your gym who like to read the Wall Street Journal in between sets of Smith machine bench presses. Give High Octane Cardio a shot and watch the fat melt away!
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MENTAL TRAINING TRAINING
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Fatigue can be a formidable opponent, but with a smart conditioning plan, confidence, and pre-competition preparation, you can keep your mind and body infused with positive energy to prevail in the battle. Dr. Randy Borum is Professor in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences at the University of South Florida. As a behavioral scientist and Board-Certified Forensic Psychologist, he has authored/ co-authored more than 120 professional publications, including "Psychology of Terrorism". His work has served the law enforcement, intelligence and defense communities. For more than a decade, Dr. Borum was a Senior Consultant to the U.S. Secret Service researching threat assessment and protective intelligence. He has previously served as a sworn police officer, and recently served on the Defense Science Board Task Force on Understanding Human Dynamics. Dr. Borum has been an Anti-Terrorism (SLATT) instructor since 1999, and has taught at the FBI Academy, FLETC, and in the Special Operations community. He serves now on the Advisory Boards for the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and DIA and on the United Nations' Roster of Experts in Terrorism. Dr. Borum is a Past-President of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and currently serves on the editorial boards of the American Intelligence Journal; Behavioral Sciences & the Law and Red Team Journal (online).
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COMPILED BY RAHSAAN KIMBROW Rahsaan Kimbrow, an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, a USA Weightlifting Club Coach, a Certified CrossFit Trainer and Certified San Shou Instructor, specializes in Strength and Conditioning emphasizing Speed and Agility for Combat Sports, Team Sports, and programs designed for general health, wellness and improved body composition. He is available for one-on-one personal and small group training sessions. For more information, contact him at
[email protected] or click HERE to request more information.
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