In today’s article, MMA conditioning expert Eric Wong answers our readers’ questions on conditioning and strength training methods for MMA and combat sports.
If you like what you read here, be sure to check out the link to the special offer Eric came up with just for my readers and newsletter subscribers… the link is included at the end of the article. Just remember that the offer will end at midnight Friday, so check it out immediately if you like what Eric has to say about conditioning for combat sports.
- M.M.
A good conditioning program will complement your martial arts skills development... not detract from it.
Q: Joints appear to be the first thing that really “go” as we get older. I can personally attest to the difficulties in training for MMA when you’ve got knees and elbows that have reached retirement age before the rest of you.
I’ve learned that “hurdler’s stretches” are horrible for knees in sports involving kicking. Are there other traditional stretches that are NOT good for MMA? What would be included in a GOOD MMA warm-up/cool-down?
A: Stretches that are bad for anyone in general are stretches that stress joints as much or more than muscles.
Examples of other bad stretches would be traditional toe touches where you round your back trying to touch your toes. This results in stress to the discs in the low back, which can lead to a disc herniation or bulging disc, which then causes low back pain.
Other stretches that are not good are any stretches that torque the knee, like the hurdler’s stretch. An alternative to the hurdler’s stretch for targeting the piriformis and outer hip muscles is what I call the Figure 4 stretch, or you can just search for ‘piriformis stretch’ and you’ll find it.
In terms of what’s a good MMA warm-up/cool down, the best warm-up improves joint mobility, soft tissue quality, and incorporates dynamic mobility exercises such as leg swings, lunge and reaches, and squat-to-stands. It’s impossible to share all of the details here, as there are over 30 such exercises that I use with my fighters. I outline everything in detail my Advanced MMA Power Training system.
Q: Other than running & doing sprints, what can a fighter training for an m.m.a. event do to increase his/her cardio for maximum performance;so that their body doesn’t quit on them in the middle of a fight?
A: I’ve got a FREE workout called the Crazy 8’s Bodyweight Circuits that you can download by CLICKING HERE. This program will help you improve your MMA specific cardio.
Q: If you are a striker, how much B.J.J., Wrestling, Judo, or for that matter grappling should you know in order to compete in an m.m.a. event?
A: You should know as much as you need to keep the fight standing and/or get back to your feet if you do get to the ground. This will all depend on your opponent – if you’ve got a fight lined up, you’ve got to know how good he is and what it will take to keep the fight where you want it.
Q: In regards to over all conditioning & cardio training,how much harder is it to train your body to be ready for an m.m.a. event, vs. only a striking event, vs. only a grappling event?
A: I wouldn’t say it’s any harder or easier, just different. For either events, you’ve only got so much training time available, and when you are training, you’ve got to be giving everything you’ve got. But the exact exercise choices, programs, and methods used will change based on the need. For example, strikers don’t need as much maximal strength as grapplers or mixed-martial artists.
Q: I have noticed that Americans use a lot of conditioning NOT involving martial arts movements. (Rich Franklin, etc…) Eric uses many very good conditioning exercises and it will get you in great shape, but shouldn’t you push your conditioning with martial arts movements themselves? (kicking bags, etc…) Then you got fighters who when they are tired will do stuff like Machida, Anderson Silva. They get tired by mostly sparring and variations of their techniques. I have no doubt about the efficiency of Wong`s conditioning system but isn’t the second one better as a fighter?
A: You don’t have to choose one or the other, as they complement each other, and you can and should do BOTH for maximum results. The thing with strength and conditioning is that it maximizes your potential to execute your MMA skills with full power or maximum endurance.
When you spar and train your MMA skills, that’s where you take this physical potential and turn it into specific power and endurance. If you NEVER do strength and conditioning, your physical potential will quickly plateau, as it is difficult to properly train your body to take it to the next level.
For example, an important quality to develop strength in is your pulling muscles, which you do using chin ups, rows, and even bicep curls. Being strong in your pulling muscles means you’ll be strong locking guys up in clinches, finishing submissions like chokes, etc.
But if you only train doing clinches and chokes, you won’t be able to add extra resistance to take your muscles to the next level, like you can with rows, chinups, etc. When you increase the strength and endurance in these muscles then you go to choke someone out, they’ll definitely notice!
Q: I was interested in training some of my friends in this way, but am running out of training methods. I’ve used kettlebells, tires and medicine balls etc. What other training methods can I use t condition the body?
A: I see this a lot – it’s not so much about the tools, but it’s about the programs and strategies used to achieve a certain goal. You may have the strongest, most powerful kick in the world, but if you don’t know when to use it properly, it’s completely useless! Strength and conditioning is all about choosing the right parameters, at the right time, to achieve the desired effect.
Here’s another example – many fighters think that because a workout is hard, it’s effective. But you could compare my Crazy 8’s Bodyweight Circuit to a workout that’s all about getting 500 pushups as fast as possible. The pushup workout will be much, much harder and your arms will feel like jello, but it’s not nearly as effective for MMA fighters.
Based on your tools of choice, you can use them many ways. Medicine balls are some of my favorite tools for MMA. You can use them to train pure power, by doing sets of 6-8 reps with complete rest, which would be around 1.5-2 minutes between sets.
This may not seem like it’s doing anything but it’s developing your Anaerobic Alactic energy system and nervous system to develop maximum power. Then when you want to develop endurance, you go to shorter rest periods and longer sets.
I don’t promote ‘hardcore’ training and have pictures of kettlebells, tires, and sledgehammers all over my websites because it gives fighters and coaches the wrong idea. The effectiveness of MMA strength and conditioning lies in the program, not the tools.
Q: What exercise would you recommend to become more explosive? Faster?
A: Again, this goes to my previous answer.
There is no magical exercise that improves explosiveness, it must be developed through a progressive training program where different qualities build on each other. In order to be explosive, you must first have a good level of general strength in basic movements like Bench presses, Deadlifts, Squats, Lunges, and Rows.
Then, you can train using lower rep ranges to develop maximal strength. You can then train using high velocity / low-load exercises using body weight exercises like Jumps or Clap push ups.
In my programs, everything is periodized based on a fight – so the goal of the entire program (which can last 8, 12, or 16 weeks) is to maximize explosiveness and endurance for the fight, so you can be as powerful in the 3rd round as you are in the 1st.
I will not give you a simple answer because it gives you the wrong idea about what it takes to develop your physical abilities as a mixed-martial artist. Just remember – there is no magic exercise or tool – the key is in the program.
Q: I just need a clarification about the street fighting, I am a black belt I am very good in sparring and kicks and fighting skills in karate dojo, and I am practicing street fight also in the dojo, but when I go to real street fighting I am getting shivering and I can’t touch the opponent. I don’t know why? Please give me a suggestion to change this in street fight situation.
A: OK, so hopefully this is purely self-defense because from the sounds of it you’re not going out there picking fights so maybe I can help you with this one…
The key is in your mental preparation. You’re getting all nervous because you’ve never encountered this situation before. Use the visualization techniques picturing the situation and picturing yourself being relaxed. You can’t execute your techniques when you’re nervous. So if you can relax, you’ll be fine.
Also, if you start to get that feeling, change your breathing – breathe slower and deeper and it will help to keep you calm.
Q: I have mostly kids in my class and I cant get them past 10 push ups without stopping… any suggestions on getting them to work harder at it?
A: First of all, don’t force them to do Push ups beyond what they can do in good form. Good form consists of a solid, bridge like body and full range of motion. Any less than good form and you’re encouraging poor posture and poor movement patterns. So you can teach them to stop when they lose their form.
Next, there are 2 limiting factors to the number of Push ups kids can do – their upper body strength and their core strength. Upper body strength will be improved through progressive training.
It’s tough to do in a group setting, but you can start off doing multiple sets with proper rest in between. Do 2 sets, then progress to 3, 4, 5, etc. Rest 1 minute between sets, and always tell them to stop if their form falters, or stop them yourself.
Then, develop their core strength using basic exercises like planks, side planks, etc. These exercises are far better than crunches as they train the core for stability, which is what the core is designed for and is specific to improving Push ups.
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If you liked what you read here, and you’d like to get more information on Eric’s methods for getting never-ending cardio and explosive knockout power – all while spending less time on conditioning than you ever thought possible – then CLICK HERE to get the amazing deal Eric has put together exclusively for my readers and newsletter subscribers. The offer ends midnight Friday, so if you’re interested at all in Eric’s training methods, go check it out now.
If anyone were qualified to write the definitive guide to mma conditioning, it’d have to be Eric. The guy has impeccable credentials, and a track record of helping athletes get in tip top shape for the ring.
(By the way, Eric recently sent me a copy of his book to review, and I was very impressed. Head and shoulders above most of the stuff I’ve read on the topic. If you fight or train fighters, I’d suggest it as a solid resource.)
Here’s How To Get Your MMA Strength And Conditioning Questions Answered…
All you have to do is click the link at the end of this article. Post your questions as a comment (try to be as specific as possible – it’ll help us address your questions) and I’ll forward your questions to Eric.
After we’ve collected all your questions on conditioning and workouts for MMA fighters and martial athletes, I’ll publish your questions along with Eric’s responses in a future blog post.
Just be sure to post your questions by Thursday, October 15th at midnight – that’s so we can get Eric to answer your questions in time to post the answers sometime next week!
I really enjoy grappling. While I don’t consider myself even to be an advanced student of grappling, I really enjoy the training and conditioning it provides. And, without a doubt good grappling skills are essential to being a well-rounded martial artist.
Grappling is a lot of fun... and the great thing is there are tons of great resources available these days for learning more about the grappling arts.
While good local grappling instruction has become easier to find over the last five or ten years, some of you may not live close to a good grappling school.
And even if you do, I can tell you from experience that without understanding the principles and strategies that underlie good grappling technique, you can flounder for years at the same skill level… even when under the supervision of a knowledgeable instructor.
More Opportunities Than Ever To Get Top-Notch Grappling Instruction
The great thing is that there are some really phenomenal grappling instructors right here in the U.S. that have chosen to share their hard-earned knowledge with the public via DVDs, online content, books, and seminars.
In no particular order, here’s a short-list of four American grappling coaches that offer really top-quality grappling resources and information for instructors and school owners:
Stephan Kesting
I happened across an ad for Stephan’s DVDs a while back, ordered one, and was highly impressed with both the quality and the content of the material. More recently, I subscribed to receive his Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program, which I believe is the best free jiu-jitsu program for beginners I’ve ever seen.
In fact, his free books and DVDs are better than some of the grappling resources I’ve paid for in the past…
Stephan has a way of breaking down the basic concepts in a way that makes it easy to see the entire game of grappling, and how different pieces fit together. Stephan is also giving away a free grappling DVD right now, in order to promote his new online grappling concepts course (I don’t think he’s going to be offering it for much longer, so if you want the free DVD go get it now.)
David Meyer
David Meyer and his Aussie business partner John Will created one of the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu curricula designed to help martial arts instructors learn and teach BJJ. Although the course has been around for quite some time, the material is still relevant as a valuable resource for any school owner who would like to teach jiu-jitsu in their schools.
More an informal association than a draconian organization, their BJJ America affiliate program offers support and guidance for instructors who are sincerely interested in offering a legitimate grappling program in their schools. And although the DVDs and manuals aren’t cheap, their association fees are very reasonable (almost non-existent, in my opinion) and they are very easy to work with.
Roy Harris
It is my personal opinion that Roy Harris is the best-kept secret among American jiu-jitsu coaches and technicians. I have yet to meet anyone who combines the same degree of technical skill and overall intellectual depth as Mr. Harris. He turns out some of the most highly technical and physically precise jiu jitsu practitioners that I’ve had the privilege to witness.
Erik is the guy MMA pros turn to when they need to know how to grapple for the cage and ring. One of the most highly respected grappling coaches in the United States, his knowledge of the grappling game and MMA makes him a highly sought after coach and trainer for both pro and up and coming amateur fighters.
You can find out more about Erik Paulson (and check out photos and videos of his new training center) at http://erikpaulson.com/.
In Closing
I know there are many, many more great grappling coaches here in the U.S., but please note that I chose to list the instructors above based on my own personal positive experiences with their DVDs and instruction.
At any rate, I hope that the above list may serve as a good starting point for those of you who may be just starting to add grappling to your repertoire, and also for those of you who are more experienced but are looking for new learning experiences.
Sparring can be an enjoyable experience... if students are introduced to it properly
So, last Saturday I decided to do some boxing and kickboxing sparring, after many long months of laying off any hard training or sparring (joint issues – trying to let them heal). So, I’ve been feeling good and decided to get back in the ring for a few rounds…
Oh, it was fun – I missed sparring a lot – but boy, was it also frustrating.
My timing was off, I was stuttering my footwork, I couldn’t seem to put any decent combinations together, and I was covering up when I should have been moving.
Now, I know within a few more sparring sessions I’ll have shaken all the rust off and 90% of that will pass – but it’s sure as heck frustrating to feel like you’re starting all over again when you step in the ring after a long layoff.
You see, skills and attributes deteriorate quickly when they’re not used regularly. I’d say attributes deteriorate faster, and I’ve read that just three weeks of no training can result in diminished “wind”. Certainly, I’ve noticed that my reaction time diminishes significantly within a month of training solo exclusively.
And that’s why you need to do “live” training in your classes.
What The Heck Is “Live” Training?
I believe the term was first coined by Bruce Lee, but I first became aware of the concept after seeing Paul Vunak’s materials. A lot of his training methods seemed to involve taking specific skills sets and performing them with a partner who was really trying to score on you, or prevent you from scoring.
And that’s what “aliveness” equates to – live training that is unrehearsed and non-patterned, where two or more practitioners are seeking equal or opposing objectives in real time.
Later, I would see the same types of training emphasized by other instructors, most notably Burt Richardson. Burt’s materials emphasize a lot of live training with progressive resistance. Really good stuff.
Now, if you’re a practitioner of the grappling arts, this is nothing new to you. Judo, jiu jitsu, wrestling, sambo – these are all arts that are practiced in real time sparring on a regular basis. Grappling lends itself well to this type of resistance training, especially styles that emphasize submission over high-impact throws.
But in the striking arts, many times we tend to keep our training in pre-arranged patterns with little if any resistance from our partners. Not that it’s all bad or good to practice prearranged patterns – such drills can teach you certain attributes and skills that are beneficial. But if that’s all you practice, I’d say you’re missing out on some of the most enjoyable and rewarding training you can do.
But, If You Over-Do It…
If this is the only training experience you offer your students, your school won't be around very long...
One thing I’d like to point out is that no matter how tough they are, nobody joins a martial arts class to have the snot beaten out of them every day. And while it’s true that some contact training is a necessity (at some point, you need to learn empirically that you can take a hit), constant hard-contact training is not necessary. In fact, it’s counter-productive.
Acute injuries are injuries that occur instantly. We all know that acute injuries can run the gamut from a nasty bump or bruise to broken bones and torn ligaments. But chronic injuries are the ones that sneak up on you, and are generally the outcome you get from repeated trauma to soft tissues over time.
Sure, you can take some bumps and come back for more – the human body is an amazing thing. But, the body also needs time to heal. Every bruise, bump, and tweak you get in sparring results in some form of micro-trauma to your body’s soft tissues. Without adequate rest to heal, over time these micro-traumas accumulate… and eventually they can lead to macro-traumas, otherwise known as…
Yep, acute injuries.
And Here’s The Million Dollar Question
So, the question is – how do we practice striking skills in real time without over-training and taxing the body beyond its limits?
One answer has traditionally been controlled contact sparring. The problem is that beginners don’t have much control, which means that as soon as they are pressured they either start swinging for the fences or they freeze up.
This leads to sparring being a negative experience for many students, and is also the reason why many people drop out of training. What to do, what to do…
The answer, as a few savvy instructors have discovered, is to progressively introduce sparring through skills and attributes training that is done “live” under controlled conditions.
Live Training Builds Real Skills Fast – And It’s Fun!
Now, the great thing about this sort of training is that it’s fun for students to do. The pressure is off because you’re removing most of the risk of injury (or the fear of injury). It can be made into a game, and once the student is free to enjoy the process, learning often occurs at an accelerated pace.
Once I started doing more of this type of training in my adult classes, I began noticing that my students were gaining usable skills much more rapidly. Not only that, my adult attendance and retention improved, and my adult enrollment increased.
Suddenly I’d tapped into something I’d known all along but could only produce artificially and not spontaneously – that when students have fun, they stay longer, come to class more often, and tell their friends.
We have our next certification seminar coming up on October 17th and 18th in Houston, Texas. If you’d like more information on how you can offer this program in your school and community, click this link then call us at (888) 315-8331 and we’ll provide you with complete details on how you can get started.
Until next time,
Michael Massie, National Director of Operations
The Self Defense Black Belt Program™ and Fighting Fit™ Fitness Boot Camps
One of the all-time biggest challenges instructors share with me is:
“Mike, how do I get more adult students?”
In recent years, the answer you’ve been hearing is, “Add MMA classes to your school.” Well, I agree – MMA classes will attract more adults in your school… mostly consisting of young, broke types who will gladly spend $80 on an Affliction t-shirt and then tell you they don’t have money for tuition this month.
Personally, I like MMA and I like working with young adults, too – so the pros sort of outweigh the cons in my mind with the MMA market. But, there’s another huge issue that no one has brought up when it comes to MMA filling the void in your adult enrollment…
The Real Truth About Filling Your School With MMA Students
While the FAN BASE of mixed martial arts is undeniably huge, the actual percentage of the population who is really interested in DOING MMA is not that large a slice of the population.
As I said above, they are mostly young (say, 16 – 34) and looking for a harder and more physical type of training. Despite what you may have been told – statistically, that’s not a whole lot of people.
(And I know there are some large MMA schools out there. But, those are generally going to fall into the category of gyms where pros train that are located in large, densely populated metropolitan areas… you aren’t going to find many large no-name gyms in small towns.)
Things I’ve Learned From Teaching MMA
Look, I try to test everything I can (within the bounds of ethics), because if someone says something works, then I want to know about it. So, I offered MMA in my school for over two years.
Here’s what I found:
The real market for MMA only accounts for a small percentage of the overall adult population. (If you think I’m off on this, ask yourself why Dana White isn’t rolling out MMA schools across the country.)
Most adults want to do some of the MMA training (and it’s fun to do when performed safely), but they don’t want to do hard contact sparring or high impact grappling all the time. (Fact: Women make up 50% of the population. Fact: Many women would like to learn practical self-defense skills. Fact: It is socially unacceptable for a woman to show up to work with a black eye and bruises up and down her arms. Fact: More guys than will admit feel the exact same way…)
The young guys who show up looking for MMA training DO want hard contact and high impact grappling (at least, the ones who stick around after the first week, right?).
So, what do you think happens when one of your young MMA students tees off on Sally Soccer Mom or Ted Executive? Yep, you lose them – for good!
But, softening up your MMA class is a disservice to your MMA students…
And, you know that you need to attract the MAJORITY of the adult market to have a really strong adult enrollment in your school…
So what are you supposed to do?
Here’s The Answer I Came Up With…
The answer is to offer what most adults really want when they walk into a martial arts school: Fitness and Reality Based Self-Defense.
In case you haven’t heard, at last weekend’s seminar in Austin we introduced and taught two new adult programs…
Both programs are based on research and field testing I did in my own school during the recent recession, and after three years of research and field testing, and a year of preparation, we’re launching these programs and making them available to martial arts school owners starting in early September.
But, you get to hear about them first on this blog – I’ll be posting more info on the Fighting Fit program next week, but today I’d like to focus on the SDBBP…
Here’s a “teaser” video to give you a peak at what we did at the seminar on August 14th – 16th in Austin:
The Big Question You May Be Asking
I know many of you will be asking, “Why a self-defense program? And, doesn’t this compete with what we already do?”
In answering this, first I’d like to point out that this program is designed to attract people into your school who would NEVER consider doing a regular martial arts program, for whatever reason.
Now, I’m not going to go into a long discussion about why most adults aren’t interested in what I call “culturally-influenced” martial arts…
But I will say that “culturally-influenced” arts are really only for a niche market – which is why the typical market penetration for martial arts schools is only around 1.5% of the local population.
People don’t call your school and say, “Yes, I’m calling because I’d like to be steeped in the martial traditions of a foreign culture.”
Uh-uh. They call and say, “I’d like to learn how to protect myself… I want to learn self-defense.”
The draw is learning self defense, which is why realistic self-defense programs have a widespread appeal with the majority of the adult population… not just a small segment. Everyone is a potential customer when you teach realistic self-defense. Everyone.
Protected Territories
Also, I’d like to mention the fact that we’re providing school owners with protected territories. The idea is to give you an edge over your competitors, by having something no one else in your area has.
Complements Your Existing Programs
Third, the program is designed to complement what you already do. At the first Instructor Seminar, we had instructors from every walk and background… and they all said that the program was brilliant in it’s simplicity and that it could easily be implemented in their schools.
There are several ways to implement this curriculum:
It can be taught as a stand-alone adult program.
It can be taught as a self-defense component to an existing program.
It can be taught in small group classes and private lessons.
It can be taught as an add-on program for your BBC, Leadership, and Master’s students.
Obviously, the most profitable way is teaching it as a stand-alone program. But, I understand that different schools have different needs… so I created it to be versatile.
Offers Fast Results – A Major Draw For Self Defense Students
Fourth, it allows you to offer a short-term solution for the every day citizen who wants to learn self-defense now. While the core program has 3 full years of material (laid out in easy to follow and implement weekly lesson plans for each level), the Level I curriculum can be learned in 3-4 months.
The Invisible Adult Market = The Ones Your Never Hear From
The fact is, there are many people who want to learn self defense, but they don’t want to spend a lot of time doing it.
So, the SDBBP allows you to attract that market… and hopefully you’ll also get many of them to stick around for a year or more. And, some of them may even decide to do your other programs as well.
That means you get students you’d never be able to attract with your current programs, and you can feed those students into your core programs as time goes on.
Besides that, the material is a blast… the instructors who saw and worked it were raving about it (check out these videos to hear it in their own words).
It’s Effective
And, finally, it works. When I first started working this material with my students, I had two adults on two separate occasions who had to use it… after only a few months of training and with no prior experience.
In both cases, they came out of their scrapes safe and sound. Now, I’m not saying this is some ultimate martial art – it’s not. But it is a darned solid martial-arts-based self-defense curriculum that is focused on what works for the majority of people.
Interested In Finding Out More?
Our next Instructor Certification Seminar will be held on October 17th and 18th in Tomball, Texas at Champions Combat Arts, 12034 Spring Cypress Rd., Tomball, TX 77379.
I’ll explain more about the fitness program in coming blog posts.
For now, suffice it to say that it will allow you to make karate camp money without the karate camp overhead, time commitment, or hassles… more on that next week.
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