I grew up in a fairly small town. My friends and I played outside every day until our parents yelled our names across the neighborhood to get home for dinner. We pretty much all did cub scouts and boy scouts. I couldn’t tell you exactly who was in my den, but I do remember having … Read More
Lets imagine this scenario for a minute. Two fighters are in the cage ready for battle. They have equal skill, reach and training background. Fighter #1 doesn’t strength train much, isn’t very strong and doesn’t do any extra conditioning besides sparring. Fighter #2 can deadlift more than 2x bodyweight, he can perform strict pull-ups with 50+ … Read More
I have been away in beautiful North Conway, NH teaching a StrongFirst Kettlebell User Course so today I’m reposting a slightly edited post from the Skill of Strength blog…it’s worth mentioning again! Thats me, no really 😉 I have been lifting weights since I was 14. I have been a strength coach for almost 10 … Read More
There are times in a fighter’s career when dropping a weight class is vital to his success. It doesn’t usually happen right away, but hints start getting dropped during conversation between coaches and teammates. You start hearing things like “he’s a big 45er” or “ I think he can make 125. Regardless of the reason … Read More
It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to understand why running is not for everyone. Instead of getting into that…let’s just assume you move well, you’re a fighter and you want to get ready for a fight. What’s the simplest (not easiest) perfect conditioning exercise for MMA that will get you ready for your next fight? … Read More
Qualify. Pattern. Grind. Practice/train. When it comes to exercise selection, you would think that common sense would go a long way. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Let me start with this. If an athlete is constantly getting injured due to workouts with his/her strength coach, the athlete should fire the coach immediately. Strength coaches should help you … Read More
If you know anything about contact sports, you probably agree that having a strong mid-section is not a terrible thing. Core strength is a must in MMA and coaches and athletes all agree that your core cannot be too strong. Here are my favorite core training exercises for fighters. These specific drills are high-tension drills. Be careful … Read More
What’s your goal? What qualities are you trying to improve? Do you have smart progressions in your programs? What about de-loads? In my humble opinion, you should have a sound logical reason for everything you do. Remember, success leaves clues and it’s not necessary to re-invent the strength and conditioning wheel. If you read a … Read More
Do not be tense, just be ready, not thinking but not dreaming, not being set but being flexible. It is being “wholly” and quietly alive, aware and alert, ready for whatever may come. -Bruce Lee Just like strength, relaxation is a skill. It’s a vital skill that is vastly overlooked in the strength and conditioning … Read More
A few fighters and Strength Coaches have asked me the following question recently. “What are the best “bang for your buck” exercises for fighters. My answer(s) are always the same: Grip work Core work Posterior chain strength I realize these answers are pretty vague, but these types of exercises are vital for fighters looking to improve their fight game. … Read More