Issue 096

December 2012

Rethink your S&C approach

Paul McVeigh

Pro fighter & sports scientist

TUF 14 cast member Paul McVeigh is a sports scientist and coach. He’s also one of the leading bantamweight fighters in Europe.

Over the years my philosophy has changed on how conditioning fits into the mixed martial artists programming. Up until recently I felt the combat sports athletes got all the conditioning they would ever need from practicing their sport. I believed that adding additional high-intensity training on top of an already packed schedule would rapidly lead to athletes burning out and cursing my name for all eternity. My thinking was that if the athlete had energy to train their time would be best spent practicing their sport and getting the specific conditioning and technical benefits this brought.

After many years of coaching hundreds of athletes my stance has started to shift. Many athletes have a skill-set or style that does not tax their energy systems when they spar. The conditioning of athletes with great footwork is often touted by MMA commentators, but this is not necessarily the case. Those with poor footwork tend to have to stand in front of an opponent and fight and get stuck on the cage much easier. Both of these scenarios require much more energy than staying on your toes and moving in and out of range. Take home point is this: if you don’t want to gas during a fight get great at movement.

For guys with amazing footwork, as well as great counter fighters, sometimes sparring by itself does not tax the energy systems enough to really develop top-level conditioning. Being great on your feet is wonderful, but if your opponent can drag you into a high-paced slugfest via sheer tenacity you will be grateful that you spent the time developing your energy systems.

Regardless of your style, having a means of conditioning training that does not involve body contact is beneficial. No matter how disgusting your conditioning program is, you will look forward to that session where you are not being kicked in the face, slammed into a wall or having your joints bent the wrong way.

Even with heavy, intense sparring there is still that element of control, the place where you want to stay so that no technical mistakes are made. Non-contact conditioning sessions allow you to really open up and push your limits. Effort is the deciding factor in these sessions. You really do get out what you put in. No other physical quality is subject to effort the way conditioning is.

If your conditioning sessions are done in a team setting you will also develop a great camaraderie with your fellow masochists. Knowing that people have suffered with you and have your back can be a big help when competition time comes round.

I still feel that sparring is the most important aspect of MMA conditioning and these sessions should be your most important in the lead up to a fight. However once-a-week conditioning sessions have their place and are an excellent tool for athletic development.

The Rules of Conditioning: Technique is everything

No matter how tempting it is, never sacrifice technique for intensity. If it looks bad it almost certainly is bad. This extends to exercise selection. If you have no idea how to dead lift trying to add power cleans into a circuit is madness. Every exercise that is used in your conditioning program must have been mastered in a strength training context. Make sure that you can squat well before you start rocking out speed squats for timed sets. 

I would even go as far as adding sprinting to this. Be good at sprinting before trying to condition with sprints. Most people get that you have to learn how to lift weights before lifting weights but few people think about sprint training in the same way. Spend a few sessions with a track coach and get them to fix your sprint mechanics and you will run faster and look better while doing so. 

Progression

If you aren’t getting better at something, what was the point of working like a maniac? Make sure you record everything: your reps, sets, maximum heart rate, heart rate recovery, heart rate variability (if you have the technology), rate of perceived exertion or anything that will let you see progression over time.

Having solid empirical evidence that you are improving will keep you training longer and harder than going through the motions. Come fight time you know you will be the super-athletic beast you wanted to be because the numbers do not lie.

Warm-up

Just do it. Diving into a high intensity conditioning session without preparing your body is a recipe for an unproductive session. Your warm-up should be tailored to your work out. If your session involves sprinting ensure you get some hip mobility, glute activation and sprint mechanics work in.

Keep it short

Your conditioning sessions shouldn’t take very long to complete. Remember, you’ll only ever be fighting for a maximum of 25 minutes. Longer workouts will lead to pacing. It’s not uncommon for my guys to have warm-ups, conditioning and stretching done within 30 minutes.