Morris County NJ  Strength And Conditioning  For  MMA

By Jose Fuentes/C.S.P.S./CN/CSN/CPT

You thought you trained hard after your last boxing match, or, BJJ class. You are busting your ass and can’t blow more than 3 upper cuts in less than 10 secs while sparring?. Or even worse, you can’t use speed properly to pass your opponent’s guard. You seem to train and train but the speed factor is not there?. Speed power for mma, doesn’t need heavy lifting. Speed power for mma is all about conditioning, using proper energy systems within your training cycles.

Here is why, your local Jiu jitsu center will not hire a certified strength and conditioning coach to teach you the right exercises for speed, and/or, teach you the science behind it. Nor your boxing gym. You have to figure yourself that one out!. Or, hire  out of your own pocket a certified strength coach. With ample knowledge in speed and quickness. Velocity for any sport is an art, and, until few years ago everyone thought of going to the gym, bench pressing, squatting, dead lifting,  and go back to their muay thai classes. WRONG!. You must understand that you are not a bodybuilder, powerlifter or a football player. You use fast twitch fibers while fighting, however, the energy system predominant to this, is called ‘ATP  (adenosine thriposhate)and CP (Creatine Phosphate) systems. Produced for short bouts of energy. From there systems like anaerobic glycolisis, and, anaerobic alactic system, may derived and be used as well.  Keep always in mind when training, that you are not doing long distance running or playing basketball, non stop. Quick spurs of few seconds each, is what your body is accustomed. With little rest and few or long sets depend the variety of training, you have at your disposal.

Follow these 6 dogmatic rules to improve your MMA’s speed, strength and conditioning :

1-Train your body in a clock timing’ style not reps style. Use exercises, that will allow you to time yourself, like the grasshopper jump on my video. I prefer 30 seconds to 1 minute.This will not only increase your quickness, but will help you develop more resistance and endurance.

2-Use floor exercises as much as possible. If you want to become a fighter, all the jiu jitsu in the world won’t help you, unless you are conditioning properly. Using the fast twitch fibers from major muscles, while on the floor, and mimicking some of the actions while fighting. Will allow your body to reach its pinnacle while fighting. Use bands, yoga balls, light vests, and everything possible to develop speed and power. Again. Use some of the exercises in my video.

3- Strengthen your back as much as possible. Some of the exercises that your sensei will give you are not the most helpful, healthy exercises for low back health, or even worse low back problems. These instructors are not physical therapists, nor strength coaches. So you must do your due diligence if want to stay on the game for a long haul!. Follow these 3 exercises to strengthen your low back while off the dojo!.

1-Bird dogs. In the position of the first picture, bring elbow to knee 20 times each, I like the idea of holding a dumbell, but is totally optional. This exercise will help you train you core in 2 divided segments. Strengthening important muscles around the low back region with a load divided. Which is extremely important since we always, try to escape by hip and back shifting while on the floor and our opponent’s body on top of us.

2-SCORPIONS. This is an undersight exercise. You can develop, a more elastic joint in your lower back, by adding this exercise into your routine. Get up faster. Shift weigh quicker, increase core power. Give it a try. Do about 20 to 30 reps in sets of 2.   Try to elevate your legs by using a short

bench, while bringing your knee in to the opposite side. For extra abdominal power.

3-Golf lifters. You are constantly, pulling, pushing, dragging  while on the floor, stressing your low back ligaments is an overstatement.Try to strengthen your low back muscles with this great exercise golfers use for their back to stay in optimal condition.

Start with your feet together and end as shown in picture. 20 times per side 3 sets.

4-Work on your Posture. There is nothing that bothers me more, than falling on my ass, while rolling with blue belts while as a white belt. Once I started to be aware of my posture, everything change. You need posture to position yourself on top, to get up the floor, to become a better grappler, and much more. Don’t neglect that factor. In MMA posture is king!. These 3 exercises are my old time favorites for posture.!

a)Stand up close to a wall and keep your body straight with your lower back and buttocks touching wall as well as upper and middle back. Stay on that position for 1 minute.

b)Stand up on bosu as shown on picture in a perfectly straight position for 2 to 3 minutes.

c) Sit on a yoga ball straight while reading and watching tv.

These exercises will gradually make you aware of your posture, till it becomes second nature.

5-Stop lifting like a bodybuilder!. Are you benching at the gym  325 lbs and can’t pass a 150 lbs opponent’s guard?. Well; welcome to the club of  the MMA gym egomaniacs. The heavier your training goes, the slower your game becomes!. Look at the Diaz brothers in MMA. Do they look big to you?. Or Triple G. In boxing,  Does he look Jacked to you? SPEED, SPEED, SPEED!. You either have it or not. Follow these multi joint exercises, I have on my video, and start somewhere, Pay attention to form, Be patient and  don’t forget to breathe.!

6-I see how much information is coming up these days of anaerobic alactic system. I believe is important to know that this system derives form ATP-CP systems which is discussed already. This system will allow you to improve your VO2 levels(volume of oxygen consumption per sec) as well as increased speed. You need to train with sets of 10-14 secs and then stop for 2 minutes or more. I think is a great component to anyone’s conditioning, but I wouldn’t put my MMA athletes entirely on this system. Short bouts of energy where you are not using a lot of oxygen, is what this system is largely use for. And is great. BUT, so is swimming and oxygen mask training.

To your health!

Jose Fuentes/C.S.P.S./CN

Check our Strength And Conditioning Page For MMA In Northern NJ

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