WEAPONIZING PACE (What Does GREAT CARDIO Actually MEAN?)

[IronGolem007]

There's a slightly different thread topic on this, but it appears to me that most people don't actually know what "cardio" (or, more specifically) WEAPONIZING PACE + PRESSURE actually means.

• For example, "going 5 rounds" doesn't automatically = "great cardio."
• Think about it: many people can jog for 25 minutes — but ALMOST NO ONE can run full blast for 25 minutes.
• Jogging doesn't take much energy, while running as fast as you can takes A TON of energy.

With this perspective in place, to me, the best-conditioned athletes = those who are able to put up A FRENETIC PACE ... and can then SUSTAIN THIS for an exceptional amount of time.

This ability to carry on "an extreme pace" — way beyond the average "conditioned athlete" is the very definition of Weaponizing Pace + Pressure

However, without the threat of finish, pressure doesn't mean too much.

But WITH the threat of finish, high-pressure is soul-evaporating.

We literally just saw this with Pereira against Rountree ... constant pressure + extreme likelihood of finish.

It's not just Pereira's power, is the constant pace + pressure he puts on his opponents.

Khabib did this from a grappler/submission perspective; Pereira doesn't from a striker's perspective.

Since Khabib is yesterday's news, we'll talk about Pereira.

Yes, Pereira has SIZE + REACH + POWER + TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE ...

But it is his PACE + PRESSURE which really define him.
He never let you off the hook, he is always in your face, HUGE, menacing, threatening.

Aside from the altitude, Pereira's power, as well as his experience & skill, it was Alex' PACE and PRESSURE which broke Khalil Rountree.

 

[Subline]

 

[TJH Exitium]

i agree

 

[laleggenda27]

I think people miss the biggest factor when it comes to "cardio." Generally speaking, respiratory endurance is not the issue. The real issue is muscular endurance. Fighters generally aren't gassed out by virtue of being "winded;" in reality, their muscles run out of juice.

I remember Rich Franklin talking about this back in the day. That's why he would focus on circuit training and high rep lifting.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

"However, without the threat of finish, pressure doesn't mean too much."

Don't really agree with this. Many fighters use pace and pressure to win decisions with little to no threat of a finish.

A recent example is Merab/O'Malley.

 

[Bork Neslar]

Not really.

 

[WillyWill]

I love Poatan, love that youre a huge fan, love the biochem of exercise science, love the technical breakdown.

But when i hear "weaponized cardio" Alex is not who pops into my mind.

Yes, under your criteria perhaps but among the american english speaking and mma watching public and within their lexicon of mma terms, weaponized pace means what it means. Or rather who it means. And thats Merab first and foremost, then other fighters past or present who use hos blueprint.

Alex did weaponize his pace, just as big Nog punched a hole in The Black Belt Killer Brendan Schaub, but you'd never consider big nog a power puncher.

 

[Duke Kensington]

Pressure isn’t synonymous with pace. Poatan doesn’t pressure someone using his pace he does so by moving forward and having excellent cage/ring work.

Compare that to Colby who apparently has “weaponized” his pace but lacked the requisite ability to trap Leon Edwards and instead just followed him around the cage and got beat up doing so.

I think merab might have this issue against someone who can stop the takedown as well.

 

[Gamer007]

That's the first thing that stood out to me. His pace for 37 was absolutely ridiculous, suspicious even.


Now the added context is that Alex got to fight a complete stand-up affair, so he was able to optimize his pressure and pace in a way almost no one else has had the fortune to. But every other fighter in that division would've been huffing and puffing, bent over, taking a breather, etc. It once again shows Alex not only has one of the highest fight IQ's, but he's disciplined enough to follow through and continue with the gameplan. We saw this in the 5th round finish over Izzy, doesn't matter if your defensive performance is A+, eventually he will cut you off and you won't be able to avoid the bombs.

Alex is 4th all time in strikes landed per minute among LHW's, and everyone higher on the list is either much younger, is new to the UFC, or isn't winning fights. You have to go down several weight classes to find people who are in a similar age group that can even approximate the kind of accurate and consistent striking pace that Alex can accomplish. Not only that, but Alex is also first all time in Significant strike accuracy (67%) among every LHW in history.

Anderson Silva fought 4 times at LHW, so he doesn't qualify on the all-time LHW list. But Anderson had a significant strike accuracy of 61% against LHW's (2nd all time). Granted Alex hasn't fought anyone like a DC, but he's in elite company statistically.

 

[Khaosan]

TLDR;

Colors, autism, Periera.

 

[Megatronlee]

I think people miss the biggest factor when it comes to "cardio." Generally speaking, respiratory endurance is not the issue. The real issue is muscular endurance. Fighters generally aren't gassed out by virtue of being "winded;" in reality, their muscles run out of juice.

I remember Rich Franklin talking about this back in the day. That's why he would focus on circuit training and high rep lifting.

I mean depends.

My arms never gas out from Bjj but my lungs do

 

[ocfightfan]

"However, without the threat of finish, pressure doesn't mean too much."

Don't really agree with this. Many fighters use pace and pressure to win decisions with little to no threat of a finish.

A recent example is Merab/O'Malley.

Strickland is also a notable example. He does not have a big punch but he kills you with volume, constant pressure, and distance management. Likewise the Diaz brothers.

 

[Goutfather]

when i think of weaponized pace, i think of someone who has great cardio, and uses it to make the other fighters panic and feel like they’re drowning. this can make fighters “gas,” even when they’re well conditioned. one aspect of cardio that gets overlooked is the role of heart rate, anxiety, and fight-or-flight responses. when you run marathons, usually its stress-free, notwithstanding the energy you expend running. now imagine if you had to run a marathon being chased by a maniac with a knife, and you know that if you slow down, you’ll get carved up. for most people, the anxiety will cause their heart rate and blood pressure to rise. now imagine that every time you find a place to rest, just as you’re catching your breath, the maniac jumps out of the bushes and chases you again. eventually, even with your marathon training, you start to feel unusually winded. you start and stop at the maniac’s whim, and you never know when he’ll chase you. you’re never safe. then you start to think “i can’t do this, i can’t keep up,” and then you get murdered.

that’s the idea. it’s not just about outlasting opponents—it’s about making them panic, never letting them regroup, then moving in for the kill.

 

[MMAcolyte]

TS seems like an educated meat-head.

 

[Marko Polo]

You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about bud

 

[Rapa]

Merab dvalishvili enters chat

 

[HHJ]

Not everyone's style is to fight at a high pace.

 

[Hazuki Ryo]

Get off his nuts bro