***MMA Conditioning Article***

[John L Sullivan]

Low intensity cardio does have a place in MMA training but long distance runs do not. If you want some active recovery from your more intense interval work, then you should be skipping to work on calf endurance and footwork or doing some light, low intensity rolling. As long as what you're doing translates over to your sport. It's called the principle of specificity and it's pretty much talked about in the very first chapter of any strength and conditioning text you'll ever read.

5/5 minute circuits with 1 minute rest done 3 times a week. (compound, multi-joint supersets) and select exercises that mimic the demands of MMA.

1 hour of low-to-medium intensity rolling another 3-4 times a week.

5-7 rounds of padwork done 3-4 times a week.

Add in all your sparring sessions etc.

Don't waste your time jogging for an hour. Your time and energy can be spent doing more productive things.

On non-interval days, you can return to the traditional form of roadwork, such as a 2 to 4 mile run. The longer runs are still important, as they enable your body to endure the harder interval work. These sessions will also be run at a brisk pace. When you train, you must train hard, or do not train at all. Most boxers should be able to maintain a 6 or 7-minute per mile pace, depending on the distance of the run. I like to see all fighters run 2-miles in 12 minutes or less. This is a good measure of fitness.

-Ross, who knows more than you do.

 

[mschatz]

I haven't :icon_chee

I remember from on a conditioning thread where I said about contacting a admin if your lsd runs were less then 6 miles :icon_chee

Youre still a jerk :icon_cry2

 

[L1l3v1l]

People who think their LSD runs arent intense enough need to run faster during their LSD runs.

Note: This is not a sarcastic comment.

Doesn't LSD stands for Long, Slow Distance? Wouldn't running faster/harder defeat the point of LSD running?

Maybe "slow" is relative but are 6 minute miles really slow for people (as Ross said boxers should do)?

 

[mschatz]

Note: This is not a sarcastic comment.

Doesn't LSD stands for Long, Slow Distance? Wouldn't running faster/harder defeat the point of LSD running?

Maybe "slow" is relative but are 6 minute miles really slow for people (as Ross said boxers should do)?

I always took the "slow" to mean not sprinting. I think you should be running at the fastest pace that you can maintain for the 3, 4 or 10 miles that you are doing.

 

[Jalukas]

I think that LSD exercises should only be done if your sport emphasizes endurance more than power (ex. cross-country). But running a few miles at a pace that is JUST sustainable would probably be good for MMA because it increases endurance and does not sacrifice strength.

 

[Sawadee99]

On non-interval days, you can return to the traditional form of roadwork, such as a 2 to 4 mile run. The longer runs are still important, as they enable your body to endure the harder interval work. These sessions will also be run at a brisk pace. When you train, you must train hard, or do not train at all. Most boxers should be able to maintain a 6 or 7-minute per mile pace, depending on the distance of the run. I like to see all fighters run 2-miles in 12 minutes or less. This is a good measure of fitness.

-Ross, who knows more than you do.

What's with the "Ross, who knows more than you do." sig?

Do you know anything about me or my qualifications? I train people for a living and have been doing so for the past 7 years.

Relating to my previous post, on "non-interval days", I stated that an MMA fighter is better off skipping, doing some light-medium intensity rolling, padwork and sparring - you know, things that still offer cardiovascular benefit yet translate well to MMA performance. How is that even being disputed? It's common sense.

As for your recommendation of a 2-4 mile run, well, a 2 mile run is not considered to be that long of a distance. As you stated, 12 minutes is the performance standard.
The article states, and i quote..

"Training the cardiovascular system specifically for mixed martial arts goes beyond simply jogging for an hour a day." .. and it DOES.

While I suppose a fighter could benefit from running 12-25 minutes, that run should be performed at a relatively high intensity to get the most from it. NOT at a "brisk pace" as you put it as fighting is NOT performed at a "brisk pace".

Put a marathon runner in a submission grappling class and he's gonna fatigue relatively fast. The training demand is so different. Low intensity training does not prepare the body for the accumulation of lactic acid that occurs when training at a high intensity. On the opposite end of the spectrum, repeated intervals with minimal rest DOES train the aerobic system.

Low intensity/Long distance = aerobic benefits.
High Intensity/Repeated Bouts/Short Rest = aerobic AND anaerobic benefits.

MMA fighters have soo much to train, striking, takedowns, grappling, strength etc..
When putting together a routine for an MMA fighter, there's is no way I would include a low intensity, 1 hour run. U can make much better use of your time.

 

[Sawadee99]

I think that LSD exercises should only be done if your sport emphasizes endurance more than power (ex. cross-country). But running a few miles at a pace that is JUST sustainable would probably be good for MMA because it increases endurance and does not sacrifice strength.

AGREED

 

[John L Sullivan]

What's with the "Ross, who knows more than you do." sig?

Do you know anything about me or my qualifications? I train people for a living and have been doing so for the past 7 years.

Relating to my previous post, on "non-interval days", I stated that an MMA fighter is better off skipping, doing some light-medium intensity rolling, padwork and sparring - you know, things that still offer cardiovascular benefit yet translate well to MMA performance. How is that even being disputed? It's common sense.

As for your recommendation of a 2-4 mile run, well, a 2 mile run is not considered to be that long of a distance. As you stated, 12 minutes is the performance standard.
The article states, and i quote..

"Training the cardiovascular system specifically for mixed martial arts goes beyond simply jogging for an hour a day." .. and it DOES.

While I suppose a fighter could benefit from running 12-25 minutes, that run should be performed at a relatively high intensity to get the most from it. NOT at a "brisk pace" as you put it as fighting is NOT performed at a "brisk pace".

Put a marathon runner in a submission grappling class and he's gonna fatigue relatively fast. The training demand is so different. Low intensity training does not prepare the body for the accumulation of lactic acid that occurs when training at a high intensity. On the opposite end of the spectrum, repeated intervals with minimal rest DOES train the aerobic system.

Low intensity/Long distance = aerobic benefits.
High Intensity/Repeated Bouts/Short Rest = aerobic AND anaerobic benefits.

MMA fighters have soo much to train, striking, takedowns, grappling, strength etc..
When putting together a routine for an MMA fighter, there's is no way I would include a low intensity, 1 hour run. U can make much better use of your time.

If you click on the quote you'll see I didn't say that. Ross Enamait did.

RossTraining - Bridging The Gap Between Ordinary and Extraordinary

I put that Ross knows more than you do because he does.

 

[JRT6]

I got of all Ross' books and am active on his forum, his view on LSD is not what you are trying to paint with that article Ross wrote 6 years ago.

 

[indigoluxe]

Anyone that disses LSD, go google Arthur Lydiard. He recommended 90+ minute runs that actually INCREASE YOUR LACTIC ACID THRESHOLD. Crazy, I know.

 

[JRT6]

Anyone that disses LSD, go google Arthur Lydiard. He recommended 90+ minute runs that actually INCREASE YOUR LACTIC ACID THRESHOLD. Crazy, I know.

What is the time or onset difference of hitting the latic acid threshold in a 100% effort from the get go between someone who only HIIT conditiions as opposed to LSD?

 

[John L Sullivan]

I got of all Ross' books and am active on his forum, his view on LSD is not what you are trying to paint with that article Ross wrote 6 years ago.

I'm sorry; I obviously mislead everyone with a direct quote from an article he wrote and a link where they could find it on his Web site.

 

[indigoluxe]

"It is necessary to understand that, while the object of training is to develop your anaerobic capacity to exercise, this can only be done in relation to your oxygen uptake level and capacity to exercise aerobically. In other words, it is necessary to run as many miles or kilometers as you possibly can at economic or aerobic speeds to lift your oxygen uptake to your highest possible level as the foundation upon which to base your anaerobic or speed training."

Godamn, THAT is interesting..

 

[Sawadee99]

"It is necessary to understand that, while the object of training is to develop your anaerobic capacity to exercise, this can only be done in relation to your oxygen uptake level and capacity to exercise aerobically. In other words, it is necessary to run as many miles or kilometers as you possibly can at economic or aerobic speeds to lift your oxygen uptake to your highest possible level as the foundation upon which to base your anaerobic or speed training."

Godamn, THAT is interesting..

What are you quoting from? I'd like to research it further..

 

[Ian Coe]

What's with the "Ross, who knows more than you do." sig?

Do you know anything about me or my qualifications? I train people for a living and have been doing so for the past 7 years.

Relating to my previous post, on "non-interval days", I stated that an MMA fighter is better off skipping, doing some light-medium intensity rolling, padwork and sparring - you know, things that still offer cardiovascular benefit yet translate well to MMA performance. How is that even being disputed? It's common sense.

As for your recommendation of a 2-4 mile run, well, a 2 mile run is not considered to be that long of a distance. As you stated, 12 minutes is the performance standard.
The article states, and i quote..

"Training the cardiovascular system specifically for mixed martial arts goes beyond simply jogging for an hour a day." .. and it DOES.

While I suppose a fighter could benefit from running 12-25 minutes, that run should be performed at a relatively high intensity to get the most from it. NOT at a "brisk pace" as you put it as fighting is NOT performed at a "brisk pace".

Put a marathon runner in a submission grappling class and he's gonna fatigue relatively fast. The training demand is so different. Low intensity training does not prepare the body for the accumulation of lactic acid that occurs when training at a high intensity. On the opposite end of the spectrum, repeated intervals with minimal rest DOES train the aerobic system.

Low intensity/Long distance = aerobic benefits.
High Intensity/Repeated Bouts/Short Rest = aerobic AND anaerobic benefits.

MMA fighters have soo much to train, striking, takedowns, grappling, strength etc..
When putting together a routine for an MMA fighter, there's is no way I would include a low intensity, 1 hour run. U can make much better use of your time.

I must ask

You train people for a living.
Whom do you train? What demographic of socitey, athletes, professionals, recreational exercisers, people trying to lose weight?

To the thread as a whole

I'll chime in and say 20-30 min runs are the ones I HATE the most. I start off hard and end up harder. The last 5+ minutes are a struggle to breath and keep going with the lactic pain in my legs.
Now some people might see 20-30 min as sd as in steady work, which it is (because I'm not sprinting on and off ala HIIT), but I dare anyone to say its 'easy' or not going to cross over to fighting ability.

I think people are getting confused and hung up on the l of the lsd. Just because its long doesn't means its as easy of as jog. People who want to fight should never fucking jog and I don't think anyone here does. They should run run run until they can't anymore, then jog as rest then run run run somemore. Obviously you can't run as fast doing 10 miles as 3 miles if you hope to sustain it, but funnily enough ,y personal input on that is that you should try and when you can't run anymore, you should jog until you can.


My input

 

[indigoluxe]

What are you quoting from? I'd like to research it further..

Arthur Lydiard's

It's amazing stuff

 

[JRT6]

I'm sorry; I obviously mislead everyone with a direct quote from an article he wrote and a link where they could find it on his Web site.

Ok maybe I was too subtle. You found a six year old quote and used in a context that no longer totally reperesents what Ross's believes in 2008. Instead of just looking for the quick out just to prove your right you should have read Ross' current body of work. The hint to this might have been everyone else referencing Ross from his articles and books that are much more currernt on his views.

 

[mschatz]

I must ask

You train people for a living.
Whom do you train? What demographic of socitey, athletes, professionals, recreational exercisers, people trying to lose weight?

To the thread as a whole

I'll chime in and say 20-30 min runs are the ones I HATE the most. I start off hard and end up harder. The last 5+ minutes are a struggle to breath and keep going with the lactic pain in my legs.
Now some people might see 20-30 min as sd as in steady work, which it is (because I'm not sprinting on and off ala HIIT), but I dare anyone to say its 'easy' or not going to cross over to fighting ability.

I think people are getting confused and hung up on the l of the lsd. Just because its long doesn't means its as easy of as jog. People who want to fight should never fucking jog and I don't think anyone here does. They should run run run until they can't anymore, then jog as rest then run run run somemore. Obviously you can't run as fast doing 10 miles as 3 miles if you hope to sustain it, but funnily enough ,y personal input on that is that you should try and when you can't run anymore, you should jog until you can.


My input

I agree with Ian...although it pains me to say.

 

[Ian Coe]

I agree with Ian...although it pains me to say.

which part

it's all good


*goes off and lsd's down to shops*


don't look at me like that, they're 2.5 miles away :redface:

 

[mschatz]

which part

it's all good


*goes off and lsd's down to shops*


don't look at me like that, they're 2.5 miles away :redface:

The part about people getting hung up on the "L" part of "LSD."

2.5 miles is far...:redface: