Transcription
5 Top Strength and Conditioning Drills forMMA Fighters and Combat AthletesFight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
Attention all combat athletes,Mixed martial arts is probably one of the most demanding sports in the world.Not only do you need a variety of skill sets, but you also have to develop a massive gas tank, toensure that you can perform for up to FIVE, five minute rounds.For those of you that compete, you know exactly what I'm talking about.Gassing out during competition can turn a black belt into a white belt in no time, so the goal ofthis article is to share some of the top conditioning drills that help our fighters prepare forUFC, Bellator, ADCC and more.These drills are great for stand up fighters, wrestlers, jiu jitsu athletes and everyone inbetween. As you know, someone can be very fast and efficient on their feet, but can collapseunder the pressure of a good ground fighter. The exact opposite is true as well. Manywrestlers and jiu jitsu practitioners are inefficient on their feet. The ground master doesn'thave the endurance to throw strikes, and move constantly.No one should ever lose a fight because they are out of shape, period.So below, you are going to read and view a few of our favorite drills that help our athletesperform at their best.Find us online:Facebook - Fight Camp Conditioning FanpageTwitter - @FCConditioningInstagram - @fightcampconditioningYoutube - Fight Camp Conditioning ChannelFight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
1. Tazmanian DevilI learned this drill from John Brookfield. While it may look very simple, do not let the simplicityfool you. This is probably my favorite conditioning drill for stand up fighters. You can use alarge beach towel, blanket or moving blanket. Obviously, the heavier the blanket, the morechallenging it will be.You start by grabbing the towel/blanket by two corners, then simply shake the towel as hardand fast as you possibly can. Next you start to move you feet. Circle, spin, shuffle and move inevery direction. Hint: think of a squirrel trapped in a small room. The faster your hands andfeet move, the better.Done correctly, this will wipe most people out in less than 30 seconds. You can use this drill ina variety of ways. You can do a variety of interval splits, as part of a larger metabolic circuit orFight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
you can train for time and work your way up to 5 minute rounds. It all depends on what youare trying to accomplish that day.2. Heavy Rope PullsWhen a fight goes to the ground, the ability to control your opponent is paramount. To do thiseffectively, you must have a strong grip, powerful pulling muscles, strong shoulders and theability to maintain pressure over time. This pulling series is one of my favorite drill to developstrength and endurance for ground fighters.We use a 100 foot, 2" thick rope that is wrapped around an anchor post. From there, yousimply pull the rope in a variety of positions until it reaches the end. Then slide over to theother side and continue. It is basically a 'never ending' rope pull.Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
You can sit on your butt and pull over yourshoulder, face sideways and pull acrossyour body, plank (facing the post) and pull,plank (facing away, *shown above) andpull out, or basically any position you canimagine.This is great for ground fighters, wrestlersand jiu jitsu practitioners to developmassive upper body strength andendurance.3. Hill SprintsSprinting is a basic human movementpattern. We were designed to run. Whilesprinting on a track, at the beach or in apark is great--running uphill is better.Here's why: Sprinting up hills works yourentire body, builds muscle, taxes yourcardio respiratory system, and expandsyour gas tank. I've also noticed that it is much easier on your joints than running on a flatsurface. Bottom line: running up hills makes you stronger, tougher and more resilient.Jerry Rice ran a two-mile hill by his house almost every day of his career. His ability to outlastthe competition became a legend and players feared working out with him. Walter Peytonalso ran a short hill by his house outside Chicago, and despite his size, was an absolutemonster on the football field. We have learned from these guys and started implementing hillsprints with our athletes, and the results have been incredible.We vary the workouts depending on the day and goal of the session. Some days might be a45sec-1minute climb, while other days are 8-12sec bursts up the hill. We've even startedadding a variety of exercises in combination with the hills sprints to tax the body in new ways.Bottom line is this: Find a hill, run to the top, walk back down and repeat. You will expandyour gas tank, develop powerful legs, and build dominant hips. Your next opponent won'tknow what hit them.Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
4. Partner BattlingRopes w/ LateralShuffleBattling rope exercises are an incredibleway to build endurance in your arms andshoulders. Perfect for boxers, muaythai, and basically anyone that throwstheir hands during a fight.This partner drill uses two 50' ropeslaced together, allowing two athletes tomove, compete and work together.Once the ropes are looped together,each athlete grabs their two ends, startsmaking waves while shuffling laterallyback and forth.By adding the lateral motion, itchallenges the entire body, taxing the cardio respiratory system in a big way. You can do thisdrill for repetitions, various distances, time or make it a competition between athletes. Themovements closely resemble stand-up fighting, and challenge the body under tension.Remember, the key to this type of drill is making sure the athlete is moving as fast as possible(hands AND feet). It is easy for them to go 70% and look like they are working hard, but halfassed efforts will produce half-assed results.PS.this drill can be done solo, with a single rope anchored at the midpoint, but I like using thepartner drill, because of the competitive aspect.Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
5. Heavy CarriesPicking someone up, holding them againstthe cage and maintaining pressure during afight is exhausting work. Not only is it hardon your muscles, but it also compresses yourchest, making it hard to breathe.Have you ever fought hard for a takedown ormaintained pressure against the cage?Exhausting, right?Carrying heavy objects builds strengththroughout your entire system. Your gripstrength, back, hips, legs, shoulders and coreall get taxed during these exercises.You can carry heavy bags, dumbells, sandbags, kettlebells, barbells, other people andjust about anything else that you can think of.The weight can be overhead, on yourshoulders, in front of you, or at your sides.Bottom line is to pick something heavy up,maintain good posture and walk with it fordistance. You can use this solo or as part of ametabolic circuit, depending on your goal forthat day.This will build strength head-to-toe and, moreimportantly, it's the type of strength that youwill need to apply on the mat and in the cage.Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
BONUS!6. Sled WorkPush it, pull it, drag it.Sled have been used by football players for years to develop explosivepower off the line. MMA fighters can use this knowledge to build strength, speed, power andendurance that translates into the cage.If you've used the sled before, then you already know how taxing these tools can be. Reveredby most strength coaches, sleds can be used in a variety of ways for many different purposes.For simplicity sake, think of it this way: Sleds are very similar to driving hard for a takedown.As we all know, takedowns can be exhausting work, so utilizing a fast sled drive can help anathlete build the strength and endurance necessary for this style of fighting.We typically use light to medium loads for short (5-10yard) bursts of effort. This effort isrepeated or used as part of a larger metabolic circuit to get the desired effect.Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
DISCLAIMER: These drills are simply a piece of a much larger program. A powerful piece forsure, but a top strength and conditioning program will address many other areas. To stay upto date on the latest and greatest, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and onour website.For more information about Fight Camp Conditioning:Visit our websiteFight Camp Conditioning WebsiteFollow us on FacebookFight Camp Conditioning PageHit us up on Twitter@FCConditioningCheck us out on Instagram@fightcampconditioningWatch us on YoutubeFCC Youtube ChannelOur goal is to provide you with the top strength andconditioning information available and to help youdominate the competition. MMA is a demanding sportthat requires strength, speed, power and endurance tosucceed. Fight Camp Conditioning is committed tohelping you fight harder, perform longer, stay healthyand perform at your very best.Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf.
Fight Camp Conditioning is a product of Innovative Results, which reserves rights to all content within this pdf. you can train for time and work your way up to 5 minute rounds. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish that day. 2. Heavy Rope Pulls. When a fight goes to the ground, the ability to control your opponent is paramount. To do this
