Building the Engine is an 8-week customized conditioning program that will get you in the best shape of your life. Over the last 10 years, Mike has been working with some of the best combat athletes in New England. His e-book, Building the Engine, is the culmination of that work. In this episode of the … Read More
Many strength coaches and sports coaches have missed the boat on the idea that power development is very different than conditioning. Let’s emphasize that. Power development is not conditioning. Simply put, power is strength strength applied quickly. In this episode Brett and Mike discuss: The do’s and don’ts of power development Programming strategies for power development … Read More
In this episode, Mike speaks with Devan McConnell, the Director of Performance Science and Reconditioning with the New Jersey Devils and former Head of Hockey Performance and Sports Science at the University of Massuchusetts. Mike and Devan talk about energy system development. This episode is a fantastic combination of sport science, empirical evidence and trial … Read More
I started BJJ about four months ago. After training for a month I posted the article, White Belt Strength Coach so I figured it was time for a white belt strength coach 4 month update. After four months of BJJ, I’ve learned quite a bit and changed quite a bit as far as training programs for … Read More
Energy system development is a hot topic these days. I spent the last few years researching and applying various protocols and paid specific attention to energy system development for MMA fighters. For this post, I won’t delve too much into what exactly alactic training is. If you want to start with a description of alactic training … Read More
It’s been awhile since I’ve written. Life has gotten (even more) crazy, but it’s no excuse. I’ve been spending a ton of time writing training programs, looking back at old training programs and researching new ways to improve the performance of my athletes. Today I’m going to share with you what I believe are the biggest … Read More
Armor building is a term I first heard from Dan John. In case you you haven’t heard of him, he’s kind of a big deal. Dan is a seasoned coach and he’s made some amazing contributions to the strength and conditioning community. Here is Dan’s article on armor building. I suggest you read it! http://www.t-nation.com/training/armor-building … Read More
Your time is limited. Spend your time wisely. Fighters need it all. Strength Strength Endurance Power Mobility Flexibility Alactic conditioning Lactic Conditioning Aerobic conditioning Grip strength Core work On top of everything listed above, you CANNOT forget about all of the skill work fighters should/need to be doing at their MMA gyms! Before, I continue, lets … Read More
To be honest, I’ve never really been a big fan of circuit training. Sure, it has its place, but if you are simply picking 5-6 exercises and performing them in a :30 on, :30 off fashion, you’re probably missing the boat. Will you be tired if you exercise this way? Yes, you will. If you … Read More
Over the last few years, I’ve experimented with hundreds of drills, tried various types of equipment and spent hours researching the best ways to condition my fighters. When I look back through my programming, I see a pattern. There are a handful of tools that I always use with my fighters. There’s a ton of … Read More