The triathlete myth.

[frye666]

You're pretty retarded dude, I don't know how else to tell you. For boxing, or MMA, the best way to train cardio is running, cycling, and swimming. You add in some jumping rope and you got legs for days. Ever wonder why every boxer in the history of boxing runs? Add in some jiu jitsu and you got the Diaz bros.

Perfect example. You have no clue what it takes to be in MMA shape.

 

[Lonestar73]

I'm pretty sure being a top level competitor in a triathlon gives you an advantage in an exhausting sport. Common sense not you're strong suit is it?

 

[traitmanz]

 

[Burning Hammer]

Perfect example. You have no clue what it takes to be in MMA shape.

I'm a former fighter, but okay kiddo.

 

[RNC&Poke]

Training for a triathalon > playing touch-butt in the park. Results don't lie.

 

[scorpipede]

Competing in those events would improve a person's shape and conditioning regardless of which sport they play.

The only myth here is that Nate was actually on a yacht in Cabo and not training for a triathlon.

right. They'd be at 'x' level conditioning when entering a fight camp. Makes sense to me. Not to TS, I guess.

 

[deltapapha]

one misconception about cardio is that a strong triathlon conditioned heart = not gassing in a fight. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you put a non swimming triathlete in a pool and have him do 20 freestyle laps, he will probably feel like passing out from exhaustion afterward. I used to cycle a lot, like 20 to 30 miles every other day at a brisk pace and one of the things that I always found odd was that I could jump on my bike and bolt 10 miles without getting gassed at all, and then the next day go visit my friend who lived 3 flights of stairs up and getting to his door winded as frick. The muscle groups used to climb stairs apparent were just different enough from cycling that it caused me to gas even though long distance rides didn't.

 

[cino]

You're pretty retarded dude, I don't know how else to tell you. For boxing, or MMA, the best way to train cardio is running, cycling, and swimming. You add in some jumping rope and you got legs for days. Ever wonder why every boxer in the history of boxing runs? Add in some jiu jitsu and you got the Diaz bros.

That's not true at all man. Running gives you a baseline general cardio, but it doesn't give you sport-specific cardio that's required in mma. You don't get fighting cardio just from running. Cardio for grappling comes from putting in time on the mats. Cardio for striking comes from hitting the pads/bags.

And also fighting is not purely cardiovascular, it's a lot of pushing/pulling/lifting i.e muscular endurance, more stuff that running won't help you with.

 

[ions82]

Base fitness and endurance training do more than just "improve cardio." It helps improve all systems of the body. The trick is finding the right balance. With MMA requiring so many different forms of training, it would be easy to push the body too far. Nonetheless, stating that such training does little to improve MMA-related performance is pretty obtuse. Cross-training can be very effective.

Has anyone here that is training for MMA ever had their VO2 max uptake and lactic acid threshold tested? Perhaps done some 30-120 second power intervals amidst a two-hour workout? There are plenty of ways to effectively train for fight-level intensity while running/biking/swimming/nordic skiing/etc...

 

[frye666]

Base fitness and endurance training do more than just "improve cardio." It helps improve all systems of the body. The trick is finding the right balance. With MMA requiring so many different forms of training, it would be easy to push the body too far. Nonetheless, stating that such training does little to improve MMA-related performance is pretty obtuse. Cross-training can be very effective.

This is true. The training of course helps. What I meant was the general statement made over and over on these boards for years about how Nick and Nate never tire in a fight. They do triathlons!

Well, no. They do a hell of a lot more than that.

 

[deltapapha]

Base fitness and endurance training do more than just "improve cardio." It helps improve all systems of the body. The trick is finding the right balance. With MMA requiring so many different forms of training, it would be easy to push the body too far. Nonetheless, stating that such training does little to improve MMA-related performance is pretty obtuse. Cross-training can be very effective.

true but put a distance runner on the mat and have start wrestling around for about 15 minutes, if he's not used to it he'll start sucking wind like an asthmatic.

 

[luv24nic8]

Having good cardio will save you in mma. Training triathlons helps train your aerobic energy system. Mma utilizes both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Nate will still be aerobic, while his opponent has gone anaerobic. Nates competition will get tired faster. Anytime you train your body to use its aerobic system as long as possible before it goes anaerobic, you have a huge advantage. Its endurance training. Triathlons happen to be endurance sport, which Nate and and Nick both do. But they would probably have the same efficient aerobic systems if they did long hikes consistently in the mountains. But it would be impossible to be good at mma by training only aerobic.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

but Nate said he wasn't in training for a triathlon he was relaxing on a beach.

Seems the best way to fight Conor is to just roll off the couch or lawn chair. The two short notice fighters have done better than the guys with training camps.

 

[Lanshire]

It defintiely helps. There's a reason road work is still a staple of pro boxers and many martial artists. It's not the only important aspect of conditioning, and other things could be done instead, but it's still effective.

 

[campbecc]

Seems the best way to fight Conor is to just roll off the couch or lawn chair. The two short notice fighters have done better than the guys with training camps.

Nate was the first world class fighter he fought who was his size, and he couldn't last 2 rounds. Mendes probably humiliates him if he is in shape.

 

[Cannon00]

The Diaz brothers train for triathlons in between fights. What a normal person would consider a gruelling challenge to get themselves in shape, Nick Diaz considers chilling. That's why it makes a difference. Most other fighters are out partying and getting fat in between fights.

You see the same thing with GSP, the guy trains even when he has no reason to. That's why these guys have better cardio.

 

[Genki Sudo II]

Tank?

I'm a former fighter, but okay kiddo.

 

[rob mafia]

both sides are tremendously overstating their points and making them into blanket statements.

while having better stamina is better than not, running/biking/etc alone isn't shit. i've seen numerous runners (as in... marathons) gas out within 3 minutes of rolling. different skills/movements/etc use different muscles. in the diaz's case, they're not JUST running/biking/swimming, they also still train. their results would differ tremendously from your cousin's sister's brother who ran a tough mudder one time.

 

[campbecc]

The Diaz brothers train for triathlons in between fights. What a normal person would consider a gruelling challenge to get themselves in shape, Nick Diaz considers chilling. That's why it makes a difference. Most other fighters are out partying and getting fat in between fights.

You see the same thing with GSP, the guy trains even when he has no reason to. That's why these guys have better cardio.

Nate said he was not training for a triathlon, you are thinking of the wrong Diaz brother.

 

[Sherm]

Having good cardio will save you in mma. Training triathlons helps train your aerobic energy system. Mma utilizes both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Nate will still be aerobic, while his opponent has gone anaerobic. Nates competition will get tired faster. Anytime you train your body to use its aerobic system as long as possible before it goes anaerobic, you have a huge advantage. Its endurance training. Triathlons happen to be endurance sport, which Nate and and Nick both do. But they would probably have the same efficient aerobic systems if they did long hikes consistently in the mountains. But it would be impossible to be good at mma by training only aerobic.

Part of it is also that Nate's style is very loose and "efficient" as Conor called it, which helps him stay out of his anaerobic phase. Even after he dazed Conor, he stayed relaxed and kept throwing 3/4 power combos.

I think if he fought a wrestler the other night, he would have been forced into his anaerobic and would have been overwhelmed quickly.