5 Key Building Blocks for a Fighters Strength & Conditioning:

1.     Do your sport:

No matter how hard you train S&C, if you aren’t doing enough of your sport, you won’t get better at your sport. If you want to box, train boxing. If you want to compete in Judo, get on the mats.

2.     Build conditioning across different intensities:

Training at different intensities yields different adaptations. As a fighter, you will need to be able to work in different gears. You will need a wide aerobic base as well as being able to perform at high intensity intervals.

3.     Lift Heavy:

Strength isn’t power, but it underpins it. A lack of strength is a ceiling to realising potential power. Strength training also builds resilient tissues. Stronger bones are less likely to break, stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons are less likely to be torn or pulled. At no cost to developing other qualities, stronger is always better.

4.     Move Fast:

Strength x Speed = Power. Utilising ballistic exercises and plyometrics can help improve the speed at which motor units are recruited, activate fast twitch muscle fibres, and improve intramuscular coordination. These physiological changes enhance explosiveness (improved rate of force development).

5.     Improve Mobility:

By mobilising key areas and individual tight spots, we can reduce injury risk, improve the transmission of force through the body and improve the rotational ability essential for quality punching, kicking or grappling.

Bonus Point:

6.     Recover well:

For any progression/adaptation to happen, and to be ready for competition, adequate recovery is vital. Nutrition, sleep, hydration, rest days, deloads and tapers all play their part in this as well as weekly structure and load/volume management.

 

There is NO special sauce, NO big secret,

do the basics,

do them consistently

& do them well!