Developing an effective conditioning program for MMA is no easy task. MMA is one of the most grueling sports around and requires both explosiveness and tremendous endurance at the same time. This presents a unique challenge and requires smart training and a lot of hard work. Avoiding the 7 most common MMA conditioning mistakes will help you get the most out of your training program.
Conditioning Mistake #1: Not Doing Enough Conditioning
One of the most common mistakes I see when it comes to training is simply not doing any extra conditioning work outside of practice. If you train MMA simply to stay in shape and learn some basic skills then you can probably get by without much extra work, but if you ever plan on stepping in the ring or cage then you absolutely MUST be working on your conditioning as a regular and consistent part of your training program. Developing your conditioning should be a year round goal, not just something you think about the last few weeks before a fight.
Conditioning Mistake #2: Not Having a Plan
Aside from not doing enough conditioning work, the second most common mistake I see in MMA is not having a plan. Whoever said failing to plan is the same as planning to fail was on to something, and conditioning is no different. If you really want to have cardio that will take you into the later rounds you have to have a plan of how to get there – great conditioning doesn’t happen by accident. Your conditioning plan should take into account your overall training schedule, your training goals, and your individual conditioning strengths and weaknesses.
Conditioning Mistake #3: Following a Generic Conditioning Program
Although there is no shortage of MMA conditioning programs floating around the internet, that doesn’t mean you should be blindly following any of them. The best conditioning program is the one that meets your specific needs and a generic one size fits all program is written for everybody, not for you.
Just like you must train your MMA skills that you lack the most so you improve your weaknesses and become a well rounded fighter, the best way to improve your conditioning is do the same. Blindly following a random conditioning program will rarely address your specific weaknesses and is NOT the way to get the best results.
Conditioning Mistake #4: Only Doing High Intensity Conditioning
While high intensity interval training has become a mainstay of almost every MMA conditioning program these days, many athletes are relying solely on these higher intensity methods without taking the time to develop the aerobic base they need. Many so called fitness experts and conditioning gurus have all but written off longer slower endurance training and advised against it, claiming it will cause you to lose muscle and strength, but this is simply untrue. The truth is that longer slower distance training offers certain benefits to the cardiovascular system that higher intensity interval style training does not and it should have a place in your conditioning program.
Conditioning Mistake #5: Tabata, Tabata, and more Tabata
Along the lines of conditioning mistake #4, far too many programs these days are using the “Tabata” interval method in all aspects of their training and going Tabata crazy. The research the method originally came from simply showed that 20 second high intensity intervals with 10 seconds rest periods were more effective at developing certain aspects of conditioning than lower intensity continuous training methods.
This doesn’t mean, however, that the Tabata interval is the end all be all of conditioning and should be used for everything from sprints to pad work- it simply means it was superior to the method it was tested against for developing ONE aspect of conditioning. You also have to keep in mind the training in the research study was also done on a bicycle, it was never meant to be extrapolated to every form of training imaginable like it has been. Different intervals should be used for different purposes; there is no single interval that is the “best” for conditioning or for MMA and this includes the Tabata intervals.
Conditioning Mistake #6: Doing Endless Complexes for Strength
Just as the Tabata interval has become overused these days in MMA, so too have strength training complexes. Doing sets of many different exercises back to back in a complex can help improve certain aspects of conditioning, but it is not the most effective way to improve muscular endurance, strength, or cardiovascular conditioning and is not the only approach to strength training for MMA.
A good strength and conditioning program for MMA should be well rounded and use a variety of methods to achieve the many different components of performance that are necessary in MMA. Complexes are just one method of training, they aren’t the only one, and a well rounded program should include more than just complexes.
Conditioning Mistake #7: Not Coordinating MMA Training and Conditioning
The most effective programs are those that coordinate all aspects of training. Far too many programs treat conditioning separate from MMA training rather than simply an extension of it. This doesn’t mean you should only use MMA training drills for conditioning, but it does mean your conditioning program should be coordinated with your MMA training. If you are working on improving your aerobic base, your MMA training should include longer lower intensity work as well.
If you are working on explosive power and endurance, your MMA training should incorporate the same types of intervals you are using for conditioning outside the gym as well. The closer you get to a fight, the more your conditioning program should become a part of your MMA training and vice versa. Using a coordinated training approach is the fastest way to dramatically improving your conditioning and make sure all your hard work will pay off where it matters most, in the ring or cage.