I grew up in a fairly small town. My friends and I played outside every day until our parents yelled our names across the neighborhood to get home for dinner. We pretty much all did cub scouts and boy scouts. I couldn’t tell you exactly who was in my den, but I do remember having … Read More
There are times in a fighter’s career when dropping a weight class is vital to his success. It doesn’t usually happen right away, but hints start getting dropped during conversation between coaches and teammates. You start hearing things like “he’s a big 45er” or “ I think he can make 125. Regardless of the reason … Read More
If you know anything about contact sports, you probably agree that having a strong mid-section is not a terrible thing. Core strength is a must in MMA and coaches and athletes all agree that your core cannot be too strong. Here are my favorite core training exercises for fighters. These specific drills are high-tension drills. Be careful … Read More
What’s your goal? What qualities are you trying to improve? Do you have smart progressions in your programs? What about de-loads? In my humble opinion, you should have a sound logical reason for everything you do. Remember, success leaves clues and it’s not necessary to re-invent the strength and conditioning wheel. If you read a … Read More
WHAT CAN YOU BENCH, DUDE? For high school athletes bench press is king. It’s what separates the alpha male from the rest of lifters in the gym. If you want to talk about deadlift or squat records you can go play with the rest of the betas getting tangled up in the resistance bands. I … Read More
A few fighters and Strength Coaches have asked me the following question recently. “What are the best “bang for your buck” exercises for fighters. My answer(s) are always the same: Grip work Core work Posterior chain strength I realize these answers are pretty vague, but these types of exercises are vital for fighters looking to improve their fight game. … Read More
You just finished a fight…what’s next? What changes will you make? Do you have strength and conditioning game plan? Should you jump into the same old routine? Are you planning to start another strength cycle? Is your goal conditioning-based? What qualities are you trying to develop? If you are planning on fighting in another 12 … Read More
I am a big fan of simple. It’s taken me over 10 years to figure out that the most effective strength training programs are the often the least complex. Either I am a slow learner, I am stubborn, or I am just not the brightest bulb on the tree, but I’ve finally figured out that simple … Read More
More than just heavy lifting… The weight room is a relatively simple space. Fill a room with heavy things like barbells, plates, dumbells and kettlebells. Add some benches to sit or lay on and you have yourself the “bones” of a weight room. However, just like with a person, there is much more to a … Read More