The MMA conditioning revolution
By Kevin Kearns
Martial artists are some the most
disciplined athletes you will find. Initially, the UFC was more about which
style is better. As the sport evolved, fighters realized that they had to
have both a standup game and a ground game to succeed. In today’s MMA arena,
a new revolution is talking place.
It is no longer a matter of being a BJJ black belt, a
pro Muay Thai fighter, or an NCAA wrestling champ to succeed. The
competitive edge comes to those who have deep conditioning plans that detail how to train all year round.
The outcome of many fights is now coming down to who
has the most gas left in the tank. This concept is prevalent in many
other sports as well. Besides the physical edge, if an athlete is
fresh - the mind is clearer, reactions quicker and balance is better.
Whether you are fighting professionally, or just want your
next BJJ belt, or want to train injury free, you need to stay in shape even
when you’re not on the mat. The following details a training process and
areas a conditioning program should address:
The process:
1. Movement Evaluation of the fighter or trainee.
2. Evaluation of physical strengths and weaknesses.
3. Evaluation of current nutritional intake.
4. In-depth analysis of current performance.
5. Identifying specific performance needs and goals.
6. Detailed outline of conditioning program modules.
7. Coordination of programming time table with other
professionals
8. Implementation of conditioning and nutrition.
9. Post event evaluation.
10. Sports psychology analysis
The conditioning falls into
these categories.
1. Cardiovascular endurance
2. Explosive strength
3. Muscular endurance and strength
4. Functional strength
5. Sport specific flexibility
6.
Nutrient timing
Kevin Kearns is the strength
and conditioning coach for Kenny Florian. Kevin has been involved in
martial arts for 27 years. Visit
BurnwithKearns.com
