| More often than not, most MMA fighters enter | | | | components to their top physical conditioning are |
| the ring with pretty much the same skill set. It's | | | | strength, explosive power, extreme endurance, |
| the athlete with the superior conditioning that will | | | | speed, agility, flexibility, balance, and mental |
| win time after time, hands down. Having excellent | | | | sharpness. |
| ground fighting technique or stand-up skills doesn't | | | | It's an exciting time to be a fitness trainer |
| really matter if you totally "gas out" in the first | | | | strength and conditioning coach and have the |
| round. To be successful you have to spend just | | | | opportunity to work with amateur and |
| as much time on your "strength and conditioning" | | | | professional mixed martial arts athletes. MMA has |
| program as you do sharpening your fighting skills. | | | | opened the door to the development and practice |
| Over recent years it's very apparent that the bar | | | | of new, innovative training methods as well as the |
| has been raised and fighters now need all the | | | | use of old school and time tested training |
| components in place to achieve Mixed Martial Arts | | | | methods with new twists. |
| success. I was personally involved with the first | | | | Quality MMA training equals creativity and the only |
| two Ultimate Fighting Championships and I've seen | | | | limitation is the imagination and creativity of the |
| first hand how the sport has progressed from it's | | | | trainer. A quality trainer will be able to keep his |
| birth to current times. You can no longer just rely | | | | fighter training hard, challenged and engaged all |
| on your fighting skills or your size; you have to | | | | while honing his fighting skills and increasing his |
| enter the MMA arena in the best physical and | | | | over-all conditioning. The use of new school |
| mental condition humanly possible. | | | | methods such as suspension training, like the TRX |
| There was a short time in early UFC history | | | | system, Plyometric exercise and Metabolic training |
| when a lot of fighters (not all) were just "big | | | | are all excellent methods to get your athlete on |
| guys, bar room brawler types" and they were | | | | the fast track to extreme fitness. But lets not |
| able to muscle and push their way to victory- | | | | overlook some tried and true old school methods |
| often not a pretty sight in regard to having any | | | | like traditional weight training or unconventional old |
| real world- class skills. Not true with the fighters | | | | school exercise like tractor tire flipping and |
| of today! During this time it was obvious that | | | | pushing, deep sand sprints, sledge hammer |
| physical conditioning wasn't always at the top of | | | | cropping and body weight exercises like push-up |
| their training program. Fighter were often gasping | | | | and pulls ups. |
| for air minutes into the fight. | | | | A well thought out, properly designed program will |
| Now, UFC competitors are some of the most | | | | get the fighter in top world-class shape and give |
| highly conditioned athletes in the sports world. | | | | him/her the ulltimate advantage in the ring. There |
| They are cardio giants that are faster, stronger, | | | | is an old saying my Karate Sensei told me that I |
| more agile, more focused and more | | | | have never forgotten, "The more sweat that |
| knowledgeable. They are true professional | | | | flows in training, the less blood will flow in battle." |
| athletes in every sense. As a direct result of | | | | There is a lot of truth to that one and that's the |
| these very talented athletes (fighters) raising the | | | | basic point I am trying to make in writing this |
| fitness bar, one of the greatest sports | | | | article. |
| competitions of all time is finally getting the | | | | A highly conditioned, well-prepared fighter will be a |
| recognition the sport and competitors truly | | | | victorious fighter. Extreme physical conditioning will |
| deserve. | | | | give the fighter a powerful confidence and mental |
| Today's MMA competitors are operating at new | | | | sharpness. He will be able to focus on fighting and |
| levels never thought possible in the past. They not | | | | not worry about gassin' out and trying to stay |
| only have diverse fighting skills, their physical | | | | alive. |
| conditioning is superior. Some of the key | | | | |