MMA Conditioning Program Help

[Dakota Base]

Originally Posted by Mike Short

I'd rather go for long term gains instead of gold medals (I'll get those at blue + belt levels).

Seems reasonable enough, but I promise you, gold medals are WAY easier to win at whitebelt than anything above!

[Mike Short]

Dakota,
I found your post very interesting. That has actually been my counter argument against doing SS. I'm looking for functionality in my weight training aspect because you are absolutely right, I'm a fighter before I'm a weightlifter, powerlifter, or bodybuilder.

So if I'm understanding you correctly though, organizing my supplementary work should include power cleans, pull ups, maybe some deadlifting, and core work (and of course crossfit to help with metcon)? But what about bench press, shoulder press? Unnecessary? Or do the CrossFit WoDs take care of these areas?
I like CrossFit but my only concern I ever had with it were lack of info and if it transitions well.
I think I have workout ADD and seem to get bored with programs easily so I think Crossfits variability would be good.

Try some CrossFit Striking to condition for your sparring and competitions. There's nothing like it.

[Mike Short]

Where can I find these Striking WoDs?

[Dakota Base]

A lot of how you program depends on how many hours a week you're able to train. If you're fighting 10hrs a week, and have access to another 10hrs for supplementary training (strength, cardio, efficiency, explosiveness), then you can afford to spend more time dedicated to heavy weight training. If you're fighting 4hrs a week and struggle to hit that, then don't spend any time doing anything but fighting.

Originally Posted by Mike Short

So if I'm understanding you correctly though, organizing my supplementary work should include power cleans, pull ups, maybe some deadlifting, and core work (and of course crossfit to help with metcon)? But what about bench press, shoulder press? Unnecessary? Or do the CrossFit WoDs take care of these areas?

Whether your WOD's take care of chest and shoulder strength is dependent upon your specific WOD programming.

Don't take me wrong, bench and especially press are important for fighters. Shoulder strength for striking, pectoral strength for creating distance between grappling bodies or elevating off the mat (think of pushing up off of a guy when in his guard).

My main point is about the problem with how most of the popular strength programs are structured. By and large, they are low rep, high weight, which doesn't help you keep your gloves up after 12min of fighting.

It's great for fighters to have high strength, but having a big gas tank is far more important. So you need to train both. Don't focus on going so heavy that you never go long (i.e. SS, PP, GSLP, Outlaw, 5/3/1). Handle your bodyweight a lot, whether it's your literal body, or your bodyweight on a bar. Oly lifts, with very deep catches driving up out of the hole are fantastic (think of dropping elevation and driving off the mat for takedowns).

Core strength is critical.

[Mike Short]

I'd have to agree with you Dakota, however, a lot of my partners at the gym are doing these low-rep, high weight routines. This made me feel as though maybe I wasn't on the right track.
In other words, what I'm getting from this thread is that there is no set cure-all for a routine. I think after everything I'm basically set on a metcon based routine. I personally like the idea of higher rep (15-20 reps) with a moderate weight with the intention to increase it up to bodyweight and higher.

Thank you guys for all the input. I will post back my results in a couple of weeks.

[Pearse Shields]

Originally Posted by Mike Short

In other words, what I'm getting from this thread is that there is no set cure-all for a routine.

This is correct.

Some guys lack power. Some guys don't. Some guys lack conditioning. Some guys don't. Programme to your weaknesses.

[Dakota Base]

Originally Posted by Mike Short

... a lot of my partners at the gym are doing these low-rep, high weight routines. This made me feel as though maybe I wasn't on the right track.

Knowing absolutely nothing about your training partners, but seeing this trend at a lot of new "MMA gyms" around the country, this might be because of one of two things: either they 1) believe they have enough stamina training in their other workouts and are focusing on strength, or 2) they just don't know any better. So many guys think big muscles = badass fighter, but it just doesn't work out that way. A badass fighter can use big muscles, but a guy with big muscles isn't going to over throw a guy with real skills just by strength (barring the 'golden punch' of course).

Originally Posted by Pearse Shields

Some guys lack power. Some guys don't. Some guys lack conditioning. Some guys don't. Program to your weaknesses.

I agree with the mantra to program to your weaknesses, but don't forget to maintain your strengths.

A fighter needs both a big tank (fuel/endurance) and a big engine (power). If you have great stamina now, and program to focus on strength, what happens to your stamina?

You need a right hand, you need a left hand. Lift heavy, lift long. Mix it up. It IS MIXED martial arts afterall, right?

[Pearse Shields]

Originally Posted by Dakota Base

I agree with the mantra to program to your weaknesses, but don't forget to maintain your strengths.

A fighter needs both a big tank (fuel/endurance) and a big engine (power). If you have great stamina now, and program to focus on strength, what happens to your stamina?

You need a right hand, you need a left hand. Lift heavy, lift long. Mix it up. It IS MIXED martial arts afterall, right?

Focusing on bringing up one thing doesn't mean letting the other things suffer. It just means maintaining them rather than trying to build on them for a period.

CrossFit Striking has a Facebook page. I'd recommend starting there.

There is also plenty of material in the Journal. In fact, I heard there is some cool stuff coming up there soon!