Issue 057
December 2009
In many sports, a role exists that oversees the whole training process. These roles are often referred to as ‘performance managers’ or ‘directors of performance’. In sports such as rugby and football, this position is often (but not always) taken by an experienced strength and conditioning coach.
Training Needs
Below are the physical and technical considerations that need to be addressed when planning for a fight.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Power: a) Explosive Strength
b) Peak Power
c) Power Endurance
Flexibility / Mobility: a) Static
b) Dynamic
Injury Prevention / Rehabilitation
Nutrition: a) Macronutrients
b) Micronutrients
c) Supplements
Work Capacity: a) Aerobic Conditioning
b) Anaerobic Conditioning
Speed
Strength: a) Max
b) Relative
c) Functional Hypertrophy
d) Muscular Endurance
Although a thorough understanding of the technical requirements of the sport are vital, it is the strength and conditioning coach’s experience of periodization, monitoring, testing and programming that lends itself to fulfilling.this role successfully.
The key tasks for a performance manager (for either an MMA team or an individual fighter) is to create a balanced, periodized training plan. The nature of MMA means that there are many facets that need to be addressed in a training week. These are not just from a physical perspective, but from a technical and psychological viewpoint too. Failure to achieve the right balance can result in overtraining and sub-optimal performance.
Another major consideration for a holistic program is to address with the athletes the psychological aspects of fighting, but this is a very specific area, and should be dealt with by an experienced, qualified sports psychologist.
In order to fit all the requirements into a training week and ensure fighters are at peak physical, technical and emotional levels come fight night, training needs to be blocked into units that lead to a peak. Putting the pieces of the training jigsaw together is a complex process and requires input from all the coaches and fighters involved. Below is a basic outline of the considerations that should be adhered to when designing a training schedule.
PHASE 1: Foundation Phase
(Ten weeks or more from the fight – this is effectively during the off-season)
Physical Qualities
This period should be dedicated to developing qualities such as strength, rehab and non-specific conditioning – peak power and fight conditioning are not priorities. This allows for the more precise training later on. Strength sessions should also be based around basic, foundation-type work. Some mistake this time as an opportunity to use GPP (general preparatory phase) training. This is often misplaced work. More appropriate sessions would be focused on high-threshold motor unit recruitment via ‘biggest bang for your buck’ exercises (such as full squats, deadlifts, pressing and pulling variations). Conditioning training should be very general, with a high variety of methods.
Technical Qualities
Phase 1 is an ideal time to split training between working the most basic fundamentals and getting up to speed with the latest technical developments. Relearning and refining the basics is important, and trying out new material keeps training interesting and helps a fighter’s game evolve. Once training enters the later phases opponents will be known, so training both these aspects can be hard to fit in. The duration of technical sessions can afford to be longer and intensities lower. This phase lends itself to higher levels of technical input from coaches as there are less time constraints and pressure. It is key that a fighter’s weaknesses are worked on in this phase.
Below is an example of how a week could be structured in Phase 1.
PHASE 2: Camp Begins
(10–4 weeks out from fight)
Physical Qualities
A quality over quantity approach should be taken with the physical training during this phase. Strength and power can be addressed simultaneously via complex training, meaning strength levels can continue to improve as power is introduced. When working with Dan Hardy in the preparation for UFC 95, super-setting full back squats with 110cm hurdle jumps allowed us to train both physical qualities at the same time. Conditioning methods should become more fight-specific, possibly interspersed with non-specific pre-fatiguing exercises.
Technical Qualities
At this time the opponent is known and a game plan has been formulated, so this phase becomes a split between training that is specific to the upcoming fight and bringing performance in all areas up to a high level. Addressing weaknesses, hard sparring and pressure drills become the mainstay of the program in order to create the best athlete possible, and this will be mixed with lighter technique and sparring sessions where the game plan is explored and refined (with more reference being made to fighting the specific opposition).
Below is an example of how a week could be structured in Phase 2
Phase 3: ‘Peaking’
(4–0 weeks out from fight)
Physical Qualities
With the less than three weeks of training left, the priority now is to get into fighting shape and use all the physiological gains made in the previous phases to enter the arena in as close to prime shape as possible. Power and rate-of-force development is the priority at this stage. Increased intensity of sessions is vital with the volume remaining low, to avoid accumulated fatigue. The use of lighter weights at a higher velocity also helps to create the feeling of being ‘sharp’, and can impact the psyche of the fighters.
Technical Qualities
Hard training sessions still feature heavily up until a week out, but will often be drill specific and gradually become less frequent, as game-plan walk throughs, mental imagery and worst-case scenario training become a major part of the program. Live sparring and drills (where training partners emulate the upcoming opponent) will also yield great results and boost confidence at this stage. Technique training close to fight time will have limited effect, as the cognitive requirement to improve is too great when there is so much else going on at this time.
Below is an example of how a week could be structured in Phase 3.
In summary, ‘blocking’ or periodization can improve the focus and quality of training. However, the real skill is knowing how and when to push harder or back off to maximize the program. This can only be done by developing a trusting relationship between coach and fighter. Often fighters cannot ‘self-regulate’ the durations and intensities of training. Because they are so emotionally involved in the training process they refuse to be outworked, or thought of as being lazy. This is where a performance manager can help by limiting misdirected work. Misdirected work will only lead to frustration and disappointment and should be avoided at all costs. If it can’t be justified, then why is it in the program?
Ollie Richardson is strength and conditioning coach for the Roughhouse MMA fighters Dan Hardy, Jimmy Wallhead, Andre Winner and Paul Daley. Special thanks to Nathan Leverton, head coach at Leicester Shootfighters (www.leicestershootfighters.co.uk) for the input in the technical sections. For more information go to www.fighterstrength.com
