Train Properly

Crashsti · 06-16-2008, 09:58 AM

Here is a wonderful quote by JC Santana. JC is the owner of IHP in Florida and has been the strength and conditioning coach to many fighters, including Jeff Monson and much of ATT. This is taken from the July 2008 issue of Ultimate Grappling magazine.

Quote:

"Regardless of what your combat style is, haphazardly adding cool exercises to a training program is NOT the way a modern gladiator should train. Everything a professional strength and conditioning coach does with his fighters must have a clear purpose."

Bull · 06-16-2008, 03:42 PM

In my opinion it's the basic stuff that is truly effective.
Watch the Rocky series, in this regard the movies are very realistic. It's not about high tech equipment, it's about the desire to get it done and "build some hurtin bombs".

y0utapped · 06-16-2008, 03:55 PM

very treu, a great example i think is sean sherk's training programme. not only does he train very hrad, but everything he trains is specific to what he is training for in terms of muscles used, speed power developed, and the length of time he does it for. any idiiot can train very hard, but fail to realise the importance of training intelligently, this is why top fighters have such an advantage over up and coming fighters, because they train with the smartest coaches in the world.

SmashingMachine · 06-16-2008, 06:15 PM

One of the ways I kill time, while doing cardio, is to watch other people work-out. I have to shake my head at a lot of people. If they're not completely doing the exercise wrong, they're using too much weight and not doing it properly as a consequence. If people would just slow down, be patient with the weight, and do the exercises properly...they'd get a much better and safer workout. But, so many people are concerned with showing how much they can lift...they often never do figure it out.

Crashsti · 06-17-2008, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bull

In my opinion it's the basic stuff that is truly effective.
Watch the Rocky series, in this regard the movies are very realistic. It's not about high tech equipment, it's about the desire to get it done and "build some hurtin bombs".

Its true that the basics are proven to be effective. But effective at what? How do you know that throwing a keg around translates into more punching power? Or that doing heavy squats until you puke gives you the lower body endurance to stay light on your feet for 10 rounds? You don't. When you randomly do exercises your in ring performance improves in spite of your training and not necesarily because of it. On the other hand if i do resisted punches using bands and then test my punch using a Keiser Functional Trainer(a really expensive machine that tests power output in watts.) i can clearly see that what i am doing in the gym will work equally as well in the ring/cage.

texmo · 06-17-2008, 08:06 PM

So how do we know what exercises are truly effective?
Our bodies are totally holistic, wouldn't you agree? I mean its proven that squats give you bigger biceps. Your body works and grows as a unit. So wouldn't doing keg throws strengthen certain muscles that would help other grow. For instance if doing Bicep curls increases your squat strength (this is once again proven) and Squats give you bigger biceps. Then doing keg throws will help you grow muscles that normally you couldn't target allowing you to get strong in other places of your body. Wouldn't it? couldn't it? shouldn't it?

Crashsti · 06-17-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texmo

So how do we know what exercises are truly effective?
Our bodies are totally holistic, wouldn't you agree? I mean its proven that squats give you bigger biceps. Your body works and grows as a unit. So wouldn't doing keg throws strengthen certain muscles that would help other grow. For instance if doing Bicep curls increases your squat strength (this is once again proven) and Squats give you bigger biceps. Then doing keg throws will help you grow muscles that normally you couldn't target allowing you to get strong in other places of your body. Wouldn't it? couldn't it? shouldn't it?

Look at it this way. For every movement the body can do there is an exercise that best works that movement. Notice i say movement and not muscles. You're right when you say that any exercise will give you improvements but for a fighter who spends alot of time training you want to know that those exercises are beneficial. You don't want to be guessing. Its all about the right tool for the job. For example, i can pound a nail in with a wrench, but a hammer is much more effective.

texmo · 06-17-2008, 08:29 PM

But how do we know which movements will definitely improve us as a fighter? or more to the point which movements are the best? and have the best results?
Most of everything goes by feeling? and as they say fighting is only 20% preparation so as long as you think its working and you feel strong then wouldn't it be beneficial? Accoring to ESPN your fight is 40% mental. So if doing keg throws makes you feel strong wouldnt keg throws be the best movement to do?

Crashsti · 06-17-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texmo

But how do we know which movements will definitely improve us as a fighter? or more to the point which movements are the best? and have the best results?
Most of everything goes by feeling? and as they say fighting is only 20% preparation so as long as you think its working and you feel strong then wouldn't it be beneficial? Accoring to ESPN your fight is 40% mental. So if doing keg throws makes you feel strong wouldnt keg throws be the best movement to do?

You can break the movements of the human body down into 4 general movements. Pushing, pulling, level change and rotation. You can also fit exercises into these categories. For example, the Squat would be considered a total body exercise but it really is a pushing/level change exercise. The bench press is considered an upperbody exercise but is also a pushing exercise. Again, its the movements your looking to improve, not just improving general strength. If general strength was all that mattered we'd see alot more bodybuilders becoming great fighters. As for the mental aspect of training? Its also proven that the mind has the ability to be lead by false perceptions. What your convinced is working may actually not be, even though you feel it makes you stronger.

texmo · 06-19-2008, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crashsti

You can train the movements required for punching by using resistance bands. Unlike weight which are subject to gravity, bands are not and can directly train the punching motion. All you need is a band and an anchor point and you can gradually build up the movement. Start with a medium resistance band and work through the range of motion to build strength. After a few weeks change to a lighter band and speed up the movement to near full speed and later on go all out. When it comes time to fight, with proper technique you will have yourself some real KO power.

So how other than resistance bands can I increase my KO power?

Crashsti · 06-19-2008, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texmo

So how other than resistance bands can I increase my KO power?

Medicine balls and cable machines. You need ways to duplicate the motion of a strike without decelerating the motion. When you do punching with dumbbells you have to decelerate the weight at the end of the movement. With medicine balls, resistance bands and to some extent cable machines you can put all your effort into the movement with having to slow the resistance down at the end. Deceleration is like pulling the punch right before it lands. You also have to be able to perform the motion quickly, medicine balls are great because you simply can't throw something slow. If you want to train individual parts of the striking motion you need to continue with the explosive theme. Jumping is a great way to build explosive leg strength for striking. Exercises as simple as jumping over hurdles or long jumps can't be done slowly. You have to really accelerate the movement at the beginning to get the height or distance you want. You can also work the rotation portion explosively by tossing medicine balls to the side, from either a standing or kneeling position. So there are really alot of options. If you want more i can probably come up with some.