WHAT CAN YOU BENCH, DUDE? For high school athletes bench press is king. It’s what separates the alpha male from the rest of lifters in the gym. If you want to talk about deadlift or squat records you can go play with the rest of the betas getting tangled up in the resistance bands. I … 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
You just finished a fight…what’s next? What changes will you make? Do you have strength and conditioning game plan? Should you jump into the same old routine? Are you planning to start another strength cycle? Is your goal conditioning-based? What qualities are you trying to develop? If you are planning on fighting in another 12 … Read More
I am a big fan of simple. It’s taken me over 10 years to figure out that the most effective strength training programs are the often the least complex. Either I am a slow learner, I am stubborn, or I am just not the brightest bulb on the tree, but I’ve finally figured out that simple … Read More
When I hear people talk about improving their cardiovascular shape I can’t help, but shake my head. Here’s why. There is nothing wrong with ‘better cardio,’ but what does that really mean and what does that mean when it comes to training fighters? Fighters have very specific needs when it comes to conditioning, but I honestly believe that … Read More
Every time you watch a fight on television, you will hear similar phrases from the commentators. He was a D-1 wrestler but needs some work on his stand up. He gassed out early in his last fight, lets see how he looks tonight. To the average person this may sound normal MMA small talk, but … Read More
Evaluation/Assessment I am not a fighter. I am not your MMA coach. I don’t pretend to know every nuance of the sport. The MMA world needs clarity when it comes to strength and conditioning and hopefully I can help. It amazes me that fighters can have a wrestling, boxing, BJJ, and Muay Thai coach, yet … Read More
MMA might be the most physically demanding sport in the world. The best athletes are explosive, strong, agile, resilient, consistent and incredibly dedicated. Even if a fighter has all of these qualities, it’s still easy for him to obtain poor information when prepping for a fight. It might not be the fighter’s fault; often times, he’s just … Read More
More than just heavy lifting… The weight room is a relatively simple space. Fill a room with heavy things like barbells, plates, dumbells and kettlebells. Add some benches to sit or lay on and you have yourself the “bones” of a weight room. However, just like with a person, there is much more to a … Read More
MMA might be the most physically demanding sport in the world. The best athletes are explosive, strong, agile, resilient, consistent and incredibly dedicated. Even if a fighter has all of these qualities, it’s still easy for him to obtain poor information when prepping for a fight. It might not be the fighter’s fault; often times, … Read More