How to finally solve your conditioning problem

I've read through many posts here and would like to offer some general conditioning advice that is sorely needed in the MMA community and on this forum. I am a Strength & Conditioning Coach and have worked with many high level fighters over the last 5 years (probably more than just about every other strength coach out there),

I'd like to help many of you who are frustrated with your conditioning by offering one simple piece of advice that will change the way you think about conditioning.

If you want to turn yourself into a cardio machine you must STOP following generic programs listed on this forum and figure out what is the exact cause of your lack of conditioning in the first place! The ability to be explosive and powerful over the course of several grueling rounds is the result of many different conditioning pieces.

How much energy you produce is the result of many things such as how much oxygen you can take in, how much blood your cardiovascular system can deliver to your muscles, how efficiently your muscles can use oxygen, how much energy substrate you have stored, how well developed your nervous system is, etc.

The question you need to figure out is which of these systems is the weak link in your conditioning chain. Are you gassing because your heart isn't delivering enough oxygen to your muscles, or because your muscles are poorly developed to use the oxygen, etc.?

There can be several different reasons why you gas but only by figuring out what the exact cause is and training specifically to fix it will you be able to solve your conditioning problem and be the type of fighter that is feared as the fight wears on.

The type of conditioning work that you need depends on the type of development you lack. This the same as in fighting. If you are great on the ground but terrible standing, it's a no brainer that you need to spend time training your stand up. The same principle of working on your weaknesses applies to conditioning as well.

Stop following generic conditioning programs and start figuring out why you are gassing in the first place then create a program to fix your specific problem.

Hope this helps.

Joel Jamieson, CSCS

 

Good advice but how do I workout which part of my conditioning is the weak link?

 

yeah smart advice, only problem is we not experts would have to hire u or other experts to find the weak link

 

great advice and seems to make good sense but as said above how would someone without a similar level of knowledge to yourself work out what is the weak link?

 

While i agree the points that you are making i don't feel specifically addressing one issue is the correct course of action for many of the people that frequent this site. If they are at an elite level and have developed all their systems then it would obviously be the correct time to focus on that one or two aspects that limit their performance.

The average person can and will benefit from a generalized program IMO just because of the simple fact that every system has room to improve. Same as someone trying to be a bodybuilder, sure isolation works for a pro or someone in need of fine tuning but for the normal guy it's not the best use of time. Stick with what hits the most untill your need requires you focus on bringing up something that's lagging. Obviously the example doesn't hold 100% true, but the general point is the same

 

How do I find out what I'm lacking in?

 

Go for a run. What burns out first, legs or lungs?

That's a very simplified look at it, but you get my meaning.

 

i dont know how u guys get such videos lol

 

thus makes alot of sense, first build up to a level then when u arnt gaining much adress the TS statement

 

The post was directed towards fighters who have a problem with their conditioning, not just general beginners who are just getting into training. While I would agree that there is a time and a place for "generalized" training, if there is something wrong with your conditioning leve and it's not what it could be, then obviously there is a specific problem or problems that needs to be addressed.

The point of my advice is that generalized conditioning programs rarely address the specific needs of the indidviudual. Also, it is often the case that there is more than one specific area that needs improvement. Just because I'm advocating targeted training doesn't mean I'm only suggesting to train only one aspect of conditioning.

Most fighters and athletes in general certainly have more than one area in need of improvement, but the whole idea of periodization and progression is that they need to be trained in the proper sequence for optimal development.

This is the exact same principle as develping your fighting skills.When you're a beginner you will improve by training everything, but as you progress you need to start identifying what you need to work on the most and focus your training around those things. I don't know any coach who would advocate training nothing but general MMA all the time

Most fighters are simply not aware that conditioning is a puzzle that comes from many pieces and in order to maximize your conditioning you have to know how to identify what the pieces are, and which ones are the weakest. This is the same thing as breaking down MMA into different pieces like Muay Thai, Grappling, Kickboxing, etc. and training them in pieces.

You don't have to hire me to understand how to figure out where your weakest links are, but you need to understand more about how the body produces energy. There are a lot of simple tests you can do looking at your heart rates during activity and rest, muscular strength and endurance abilities, etc.

When you know what the norms are and the ranges a fighter should be in, it then becomes easy to identify where you are lacking the most and where your weak links in the conditioning chain are. I've worked with many fighters over the years and have developed standards for a variety of tests that will tell you precisely where your weak links are.

I'll post more on this later.

 

TS when you make a first post on a web site, especially if you're critical of the stickies that long time members here have worked hard to put together; maybe you ought to break the ice with laid back posts first and establish youreself. Otherwise you come off as:

Main Entry: overbearing
Function: adjective
Date: 1614
1 a: tending to overwhelm : overpowering b: decisively important : dominant
2: harshly and haughtily arrogant
synonyms see proud

 

EZA i don't think anyone was disagreeing for what you say nor does it seem that you don't agree with what i said. This is a forum not a one on one S&C session so there are going to be limits on what can be discussed practically.

There is a welth of information on everything from periodization to different workout ideas, all are usefull but it's down to the individual user to take this information and no pun intended run with it. Forums are for discussion and idea's where people are free to help themselves and apply it to their training to help better their performance, if you's like to show people a way to help indentify these weaknesses and correct them that's great.

 

I would also add that not sounding like a condescending douche will get you a lot farther than sounding like...well, a condescending douche.

"I am a Strength & Conditioning Coach and have worked with many high level fighters over the last 5 years (probably more than just about every other strength coach out there)"
Translation: "I'm pretty much a big deal.

 

So i need to figure out what my weakness is and make it better.....thanx for the tips. LOL

 

My sandbags, sledge hammers, and burpees are doing just fine.

 

Assuming that I have a conditioning problem is pretty presumptious as well. I've gotten out of conditioning exactly what I put into it which is what I expected. I'm allways looking to improve not fix something that some dude who has never even met me said is broke.

I mean think about it. Guy comes on here challenging everything, which is fine, but he's saying were naive while at the same time expecting to convince us to think his way based on a few paragraphs written on a forum board. TS needs to go on Rosstraining, read all of Ross' stuff, learn how challenging convential wisdom is really done, then come back here and try again.

 

I was just trying to be helpful and offer an alternative view to the usual "let's do 1000 reps of some bodyweight exercise" and some tabata sprints approach to mma conditioning. I was not planning on doing this in a single post, but rather hoped it would stimulate discussion and questions. Apparently everybody on this forum seems to have conditioning all figured out.

 

In order to receive anything one must first empty one's cup.

It seems that the TS's cup is full, however. Of balls.