The reason champs like Frankie Edgar refuse to give up is because they're used to breaking through pain barriers. Now Martin Rooney brings a workout that will put your 'heart' to the test.

Frankie Edgar’s comeback performance against Gray Maynard at UFC 136 has to be his career masterstroke.

Before his TKO victory in the fourth round, Frankie again found himself in grave trouble in the first. When others might fold like a lawn chair, the wobbled and bloodied Edgar instead found a hidden reserve of strength and battled back for the win. With this victory, Frankie cemented himself as the lightweight champion and definitively stamped his name on the history of the sport. What is most intriguing about his performance is how this indisputable win by 'The Answer' leaves us with a number of questions...

Any fan of the sport knows that technique and conditioning are critical for success in MMA. In addition to these characteristics, Edgar exposed the world to the nebulous quality of 'heart.'

So what exactly is heart? Where does it come from?

Is it innate or something that you can develop? Some believe you either have it or you don’t. I believe, however, that Frankie Edgar’s performances have shown us that it is possession of this illusive quality that forces us to call some people champion.

Of the articles I have written, this is the first I write about a fighter with which I've spent many hours in training, travel and candid conversation.

I have learned first-hand that Frankie is a rare breed. When you travel with him, you had better be ready to take the stairs.

There are no elevators or escalators for this guy. I've met many 'hard workers' in MMA, yet what I believe separates Frankie from other fighters is that he is a hard worker with a positive attitude and a heart that is too big to fit in most people’s chest.

What I mean is that he is so driven and determined that giving up is long gone as a possible option. 

One of Frankie’s secrets is relative body strength. Although many can say he is not big enough for the division, his combination of physical strength, technique and heart are the key. I believe every one of these characteristics can be developed, with hard work and consistent practice. Every day there is another piece of equipment out there claiming to be “the secret” to fat loss and strength gain.

Before you worry about using weights or equipment, every MMA practitioner should recognize it is important to understand the most important piece of equipment to master first is his or her own body.

If you are weak for your weight, it will take too much energy to move around. Without relative strength you will lack the speed and power of movement necessary to succeed on the mats. 

ENTER TABATAS

A form of bodyweight training that has recently become popular is known as Tabata training. The Tabata, like many forms of training out there today, is something that has morphed from its original form as a result of the power of the internet.

Izumi Tabata was a researcher looking for forms of training that could produce results in very short periods of time. As he studied different training methods, he discovered that when test subjects (that were elite-level speed skaters) pedaled at maximum intensity on a resistance cycle for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest for eight total sets, they produced excellent results in terms of fat loss and cardiac benefit. 

The publishing of these results coupled with the reach of the internet created interest in this study. Since people either did not have a resistance bike or just like to be different, Tabatas using just about any exercise at any intensity for 20 seconds began to be used, with the same 10-second rest period for eight total sets.

So, the original name stuck, but the '20 seconds on and 10 off' of an exercise is the only thing that has remained constant in this style of training. The challenge is that many of the forms used today may not produce the promised results since they lack the intensity of the original study. 

In the Training For Warriors system, we stick with the original 20 seconds on and 10 off, but only use complex exercises at maximal intensity. By using exercises that require a large amount of output you are best able to burn fat and build both strength and heart.  

WORKOUT: THE FULL-BODY TABATA

This Tabata works every area of the body and is an excellent choice when both time and equipment are scarce.

To perform this Tabata, you perform as many repetitions as possible for exercise number one for 20 seconds, and then rest 10 seconds before performing as many reps as you can of exercise number two.

Then you perform number three and four in the same manner and then repeat all four exercises one more time, for a total of four minutes. 

If you want to increase the challenge (and develop more heart), you can rest two minutes and repeat another set!

1: Groiner

Begin in the push-up position with the back straight. Bring one foot up outside one hand while keeping the hips low. Alternate the feet to complete the exercise.

2: Mountain Climber 

Begin in the push-up position with the back straight. Bring one foot up inside of the hands while keeping the hips low. Alternate feet to complete the exercise.

3: Single-Leg Hop-Ups

Begin in the push-up position with only one foot on the ground. Hop the foot up in between the hands. Return the foot back to the original position and repeat.

4: Sprawl

Begin standing in a good wrestling position with the elbows in and the hands out front. Drop to the ground while kicking the feet backward and landing on the hands. After the hips contact the ground, jump back up to the original position.

Martin Rooney has played a pivotal role in shaping UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar into an extreme cardio machine.

Whenever Edgar needs an intense workout to push his gas tank and strength training to the limits, he often hits Rooney's Training For Warriors gym in New Jersey.