Issue 063

June 2010

MMA is a blend of fighting and the arts. Art speaks to the skill acquisition and thought processes, or philosophies of movement and the entire training process. There has to be precision and science in every punch, kick and throw, and the same should be true in the physical conditioning component of your training. By Steve Cotter.

Physical conditioning has never been more important to the fighter as it is now. With the rapid development of MMA, the merging of martial arts and competitive athletics, mixed martial athletes are paying greater attention to, and putting more emphasis on, the development of world-class functional fitness.  

Is there a ‘right’ way or a ‘best’ way for MMA fighters to train? This article is going take the complexity out of the process.

This article presents a Strength-Power-Endurance (SPE) protocol and suggests it as the most practical and effective conditioning program for MMA athletes. Knowing that it is not possible to cover the entire range of strength and conditioning in one article, or even many articles, I provide a sample exercise template that you can follow. To speak proverbially, my goal is to teach you how to fish, rather than feed you fish. 

The four qualities to look for in a strength and conditioning program for MMA are:

• Comprehensive
• Efficient
• Integrated
• Pacing

Comprehensive

Great fighters can do many things well, and a great training program can also accomplish many things at once. The program should involve the whole body because fighting involves the whole body. The feet and legs, back and core, and shoulders, arms and hands should all be involved in the basic techniques.  

Efficient

Efficiency is the ratio of energy delivered (work done) to the energy needed (work required) to perform the task. In other words, quality of time spent. It is not practical to dedicate appropriate time to multiple programs or templates. Most of your time should be in the dedicated practice of your skills. Skill practice sessions are the building blocks of your success.

Integrated

Integrated refers to all parts of the system being brought together to form a whole – integrated movement, integrated mind and body. The movements flow, the mind and the body work together; flawless technique, concentration and body and mind synergy – there is the skill and the fluid strength that marks a great martial artist.  

Pacing

This means breathing, rhythm, tempo, timing and never losing control. Training out of control is not acceptable any more than fighting out of control. Keep the right pace and set your correct rhythm. A fight will include periods of full intensity followed by periods of less intensity, and can turn from a relative resting state to an explosive burst of activity in an instant.  

This should be reflected in your conditioning work.  It is vital to be able to rest while working – this is the significance of pacing within a set and pacing within a fight. Recovering while under duress and under fire might be the difference between survival and victory.  

A good program that addresses the four qualities must aim to enhance the physical attributes: strength, aerobic endurance, muscular endurance and power.  

Which of these physical attributes is the most important for the MMA athlete to develop as part of his strength and conditioning program – strength, endurance, or power? The answer is all of them!

All of these physical attributes are important for the MMA fighter to develop. If you are fit yet lack explosive bursts of energy, will you be effective against bigger, stronger or equally fit opponents? If you are strong but less skilful and not as fast, can you use your strength to dominate an opponent you can’t hit and can’t catch? If you have speed and power but can’t finish in the first few rounds, will you be able to last the distance? Unless you are highly trained in all aspects, there is a chink in your conditioning armor and eventually it will be exposed.  

Emphasizing strength or power or endurance at the exclusion of the others leads to an imbalanced, one-dimensional conditioning program. If strength, power and endurance are treated as separate entities and trained separately, the program will lack efficiency and cohesion. By doing too many different things, you will tend to become over-trained and under-developed in every facet. Focus on a few things done well, rather than doing many things less than optimally. 

The application of this SPE protocol is adaptable to many tools, such as barbells, dumbbells, sandbags, ropes, calisthenics, gymnastics and more. I prefer to use kettlebells as they are well suited for this type of training goal and are designed with high repetition ballistics in mind, which will help develop advanced work-capacity.  

A word about specificity

I suggest that the term ‘sports specific’ is overplayed because there is no substitute for the practice of the sport. Sports specific skill is the skill of the sport. If you want to be a great fighter you have to fight. Be wise not to be distracted by fancy moves that ‘simulate’ punches, kicks or throws. To be sports specific, choose whole-body conditioners and train them while simulating the specific energy-system of the sport.  

For a competitive MMA athlete, look at the demands of your competition. You typically fight up to five rounds of five minutes, with one minute's rest between rounds. You can simulate these energy demands in your strength and conditioning by working at a high intensity for the full duration with a short rest in between rounds. By working in the pacing and holding your technique for specific durations and rounds you are well equipped, on a conditioning basis, to give your very best effort come fight time. 

Now that I have presented the rationale for emphasizing an SPE program for your MMA conditioning, I will give you a simple example of how to do this using kettlebells. You can utilize any tool or technique that incorporates the four qualities of comprehensive, efficient, integrated and pacing.

The Workout

Select two kettlebells at a weight that you can handle for up to five minutes at a time. Go through each of the five exercises for one minute each. Rest one minute then repeat the cycle again, this time switching hands.  

One-arm clean and jerk

Clean the kettlebell to chest, jerk or push-press the kettlebell overhead then drop the bell back down to swing behind you. Repeat.  

One-arm snatch

Allow the kettlebell to swing behind you; extend the hips as you pull the kettlebell up. Lock out overhead into the snatch.  

Front squat (two kettlebells) 

Clean two kettlebells to your chest; keep in rack position and squat down fully.  

Thruster (two kettlebells)

With two kettlebells, squat down into a front squat then stand up rapidly and use the momentum from your legs to lock out the kettlebells overhead.  

Hand-to-hand swing 

Let go of the kettlebell at the top of each swing and change hands. Switch hands each rep.  

Work up to five or more rounds of five minutes and try to reduce the rest periods slightly over time. You will have to develop pacing in order to get through the sets. The first goal is to finish the time. Once you can finish the time the second goal is to go faster, more reps per minute. Finally, the third goal is to complete the cycle with a heavier weight. Repeat the process – if you stick with the program you will eventually be able to finish the circuit with a heavy weight at a fast pace, which means you develop a much higher work capacity and an ultimate SPE training program. 

The SPE facet of traditional kettlebell lifting is the perfect complement to the demands of MMA athletes as part of a comprehensive, integrated strength and conditioning programme.

Go to www.IKFF.net for more information on Steve and his training methods.