Fight Camp Conditioning Blog

Traveling for Your Next Competition? Coach Bott Walks Us Through The Science Behind Jet Lag and Travel Fatigue.

by Carmen Bott

Athletes are traveling more than ever.

Whether its for training or competition…traveling can have a huge effect on our athletic performance.

In today’s video, Coach Bott walks us through a 30 minute tutorial on combating fatigue and jet lag when traveling.

Jet Lag and Travel Fatigue

Click Here to Download The Complete Athlete Handbook from The Wrestler’s Edge Training Program

Carmen Bott has been in the sport performance and fitness training industry for over 20 years and is considered a resource in exercise prescription and strength coaching for the combative and collision sport athlete population(s). Carmen holds a bachelor’s in Human Kinetics and a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology. As a member of the International Network of Wrestling Researchers, Coach Bott’s methods are grounded in science, but it is her 20+ years of experience that allow her to transfer the science into practice.

Performance Testing for Fighters

by Craig Ansbach

If you’re not testing…you’re guessing.

Testing should be a cornerstone of any sound training program. Testing can be done to evaluate a new fighter or re-assess a fighter returning at the start of camp. What and when you test is determined by the coach but there should always be a purpose behind the test. Testing for the sake of testing is often times a waste of time if it is not used to better build a program to make a fighter better. There should be clear goals for each test you do and result in valuable information that can be related back to some aspect of performance for the fighter.

At the Performance Ranch, we focus on an athlete centered approach and try to give our athletes the edge in all aspect of performance ranging for strength training, recovery, nutrition, mindfulness. We take a similar approach to our testing protocols for the strength and conditioning of our fighters. While the 1RM a fighter can press or squat is important, we take a more holistic approach incorporating other aspects such as body composition as well as movement, elastic, and cardiovascular qualities of our fighters as well.

The following are some of the testing protocols we use for our fighters that come through the door at the Performance Ranch:

Body Composition Scan:

We use the In-Body Scan to establish body composition when assessing an athlete especially during fight camp. The In-Body uses bioelectrical impedance to scan the body and reports on lean muscle mass, body fat, water levels, basal metabolic rates and asymmetries in the body. Having accurate body composition date helps the fighters have a basic understanding of where they currently are physically in regards to body fat percentage and lean muscle mass. By having this data, you can give your athlete a starting point for their weight cut and help monitor weigh decent through camp. This information can also be passed off to a nutritionist and other support staff to help established a fuel plan for a fight and weight cut.

Functional Movement Screen (FMS):

The FMS is the standard in assessing movement quality of any athlete. The FMS give the coaches the ability to assess how well an athlete moves through different patterns and start to determine if there are weak links within the body. These weak links identified could be a structural or neuromuscular issue. The FMS does not diagnose any conditions but it does identify patterns and gives the coach a starting point when working with a new athlete. Understanding basic human movement as well as the demands of the particular combat sport will help a coach better identify weak links and understand why some compensations in movement exists.

Dynamic Warm Up:

Often times a fighter will show up to train with a group and an FMS can not be completed during that time so the dynamic warm up serves as a great tool to assess movement quality. A dynamic warm up should include basic movements like squatting and hinging and overall body control while should taking place in different planes of motions. After watching an athlete warm up, a coach will have a good idea about the movement quality they possess. The warm up should serves as a daily assessment tool for established athletes movement quality before a workout. If an established athlete or group of athletes are having a difficult time with the warm up, due to fatigue or injuries, a change in workout may have to be made that day.

Vertical Jump Test:

Testing different vertical jumps allows you to determine strength and power qualities of an athlete. At the Performance Ranch, we use the Jump Mat technology to measure height but you can also use a Vertec or wall to measure jump height. The two test we focus on are the non-counter movement (NCM) and counter movement (CM) jumps. We use these two jumps because they can illustrate the strength qualities of a fighter. The non-counter movement jump takes out the elastic qualities by pausing for 3 seconds before jumping. The counter movement jump displays elastic/power qualities by using the stretch shortening cycle to produce a more forceful jump. Observing both numbers will show you how efficient an athlete is at utilizing the stretch shortening cycle. Often times, an athlete with a higher CM jump is much more efficient in utilizing the stretch shortening cycle and is a more dynamic athlete. On the other hand, an athlete with similar NCM and CM jumps show that the athlete may not be efficient in utilizing the stretch shorting cycle and is more strength based. The goal is to move both the jump height up with training and increase the gab in-between the NCM and CM jump in the case that the two jumps have a similar height.

Non-Counter Movement (NCM) Jump:

The non-counter movement jump is preformed when an athlete stays in loaded in a jump for 3 seconds to allow for the elastic energy to dissipate. After 3 seconds the athlete jumps as high as they can and land on the mat. They are given 2 attempts and the highest jump is recorded.

Counter Movement (CM) Jump:

The counter-movement jump is performed the same way but without the 3 second pause. This time, the athlete loads up the jump and immediately jumps as high as possible and lands on the mat. They are given 2 attempts and the highest jump is recorded.

Anaerobic Power Test:

The anaerobic power test is done and the Watt Bike and is an all out sprint effort on the bike for 6 seconds. During the 6 second burst, max watt output and anaerobic power are measured. This test gives us a look at the anaerobic energy system of a fighter. This data is especially important because a large number of fights are typically won during quick anaerobic bursts. Getting a baseline for fighters will help improve anaerobic output overtime and set a benchmark for watt output when performing anaerobic conditioning in training sessions.

3 Minute Aerobic Test:

The 3-minute test assess aerobic fitness by using the Watt Bike. The test is performing an all out but sustained pace for the whole 3 minutes. The test can establish both estimated max heart rate and VO2 max. By having this data, a coach can establish HR training zones for different glycolytic conditioning as well as monitor recovery through heart rate monitoring. Besides creating HR zones for conditioning, this test is great for teaching fighters to maintain a pace at a high intensity for a longer duration. Being able to maintain a sustained high effort transfers to the ability to maintain a pace in a fight.

In conclusion, testing give both coaches and athletes an objective starting point for where they are physically and can help establish future training goals. These are some of the test we look to incorporate into our training with our combat athletes. Generally, these tests are done with an athlete when they first start training with us or when a new camp starts. Many gyms and coaches have their own testing protocol based on the available resources. In most cases, it is not the equipment that make great testing system but rather the coach taking the information from a test and applying the information to get the best results for their athletes.

Craig Ansbach is a strength and conditioning coach at the Performance Ranch in Albuquerque, NM. Craig earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and his masters in Physical Education/Sports Administration. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S) from the NSCA and is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Craig has coached combat athletes from all disciplines including BJJ black belt world champions and UFC athletes.

Top 5 Things Wrestlers Should Do to Stay Healthy

Interview by Coach Carmen Bott
Answers by Tim Nanassy, Physiotherapist

Coach Bott: Tell me about your background as a Therapist.

Tim: I graduated 2003 from the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Medicine with a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation (Physical Therapy). I have the ongoing privilege to work as a Physiotherapist, internationally with the Canadian National Wrestling Team since 2010. I am also a clinical Instructor for the University of Manitoba Physiotherapy program and a clinical examiner for the Canadian National Physiotherapy Competence Exam. Social media IG: @sportandspinephysio

Coach Bott: Tim, “who” do you help?

Tim: I help patients from all demographics and ages. These have included Olympians across many sports with a special interest in Wrestling, MMA, and Boxing. I also work with many professional athletes including CFL football players, bodybuilders, baseball players, rugby players as well as several CIS and NCAA Division I & II athletes.

Coach Bott: In your opinion, What is Self Care?

Tim: My definition of this is easy: Self Care is anything and everything an athlete does to cope with the rigors and stresses of being an athlete, among other life responsibilities, in order to manage, perform and balance their lives for optimal health and success.

Coach Bott: Why is self care important?

Tim: Self-care is vital if you want to be the best athlete, human being, brother, sister, friend, boyfriend or girlfriend you can possibly be. You’re no good to anybody if you don’t take care of yourself first. Some people call it selfish, but in fact it’s the opposite. Making yourself better by caring for yourself, enhances your life (and athletic life!!) and everyone’s lives around you.

Coach Bott: What are the Top 5 “things” Wrestlers should do to keep themselves healthy from your standpoint?

Tim:

Control what you can absolutely control: These are my 4 Golden Rules for my wrestlers.

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate: Minimum of ½ your body weight (lbs) in ounces per day. Aim for full bodyweight in ounces on training/and competition days. If you weigh 150 lbs, that’s 75 oz a day (roughly 9.5 glasses) and 150 oz a day respectively.

Nutrition (JERF): Just Eat Real Food…. whole foods including fruits, vegetables, lean protein sources, nuts/seeds/healthy fats and yes, whole grains. Avoid processed refined garbage sugar laden food!

Sleep. Eight hours a night. This is not debatable!!! Recovery, healing from injury and training, muscle growth and brain inflammation clearing all occurs during sleep.

Reduce Stress!!! Whether it be through meditation, movies, hanging with friends etc. Absolutely anything that gives you as an athlete an outlet, your own time to chill, relax and forget about life stresses and your sport stresses.

2. Don’t forget your Foundation. Toe, foot, ankle mobility, stability and strength. You don’t want to build $1 billion athletic body on top of a $10 foundation. Most of the time spent in wrestling practice, is spent in very narrow shoes, and then in training, I usually see cushioned, stability-controlled shoes. Free your feet when not in wrestling shoes. Train and relax in bare feet, or human shoes (flat, flexible sole, and wide toe box) to allow your feet to be feet, and to keep your hips and glutes firing on all cylinders. Any avoidance of foot and ankle training will undoubtedly lead to upstream problems (ankle, knee, hip and back issues)

3. Work those Hips!! Naturally hip mobility and strong glutes are vital for wrestlers. If you are a student/ athlete, you know the dangers of prolonged sitting. This shuts off your body’s energy to your glutes and downstream problems happen quickly (knee ankle and foot and heel problems). Move, move, and move some more. Ideally mobilize the hips 10 minutes for every 1 hr you are sitting.

4. Utilize your off days: On days off from the gym and from practice, mobilize mobilize and mobilize. Thoracic spine, shoulders, Low back, hips, ankles feet. Hit the foam roller, lacrosse ball, hot tub, sauna, go for a walk, light run, swim, bike etc. The more mobile and supple you are, the more stable and stronger you become. This will help you shoot better, roll better, throw better, defend better, and ultimately score more.

5. Take a Break! If you’re feeling burnt out, tired, not motivated etc., there’s no harm to get away from it all, go to a spa for a day, take a week of vacation, go for a long walk, listen to music, or simply do something out of your element to change your mindset. Play a different sport, mix up your routine or challenge your brain with some fun games. Surround yourself with positive people who push you in the right direction.

Contact Tim here on Instagram: @sportandspinephysio

Click Here to Download The Athlete Handbook, from The Wrestler’s Edge

Concussions in Combat Sports

Interview by Coach Carmen Bott
Answers by Conor Collins, RMT

All athletes will benefit from an entire care team. I call this a ‘pit crew.’ Each member of the team serves a role in athlete development and care. On my team, I have sport psychology, therapy and nutrition. We all have the same intake files on each athlete we see and add to the file as we see fit. This can only help and athlete. Everyone must work together and must share information. Today, I have the privilege of talking with Conor Collins about concussions in combat sports.

Coach Bott: Tell me about your background as a Therapist. Specifically, how do you help athletes recover from concussions?

Conor: My name is Conor. I am a Massage Therapist, Sports Injury Therapist and Acupuncture practitioner with a clinical practice outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. My practice is focused on sports injuries with a special interest in concussion, post-concussion syndrome and persistent post-concussive symptoms.

I help athletes recover from concussion through a thorough assessment process following a head injury. While determining whether an athlete has a concussion is crucial, it is equally as important to determine when an athlete does not have a concussion.

Following an acute injury, an athlete history is taken which includes concussion history as well as any other factors that may lead to a potential drawn-out prognosis. This includes (but is not isolated to) the number of prior concussions suffered, a history of anxiety, depression or other mood disorders and history of learning difficulties. We also review a history of headaches and sleep disturbances.

Following a health history, a thorough neurological exam is performed and then a more focal concussion examine is performed which includes tools to assess dizziness, vertigo, the nervous system, the vestibular (balance system) and the oculomotor system, or how the eyes and brain communicate in terms of visual-spatial recognition.

During the assessment athlete symptoms typically trend more towards one concussion subtype. From there a rehabilitation program is built, modified and progressed for each individual athlete. Programs are not cookie cutter and vary weekly, if not daily. Programs always include heart rate guided cardiovascular exercise due to the mounting evidence on its benefit in post-concussion populations.

Symptoms are monitored throughout the program until athletes are symptom-free. At that time athletes are returned to the overseeing physician to be returned to sport. Time frames for return to sport vary from athlete to athlete.

Coach Bott: “Are there better screening practices than others?”

Conor: Yes, the most popularly marketed screening tools are baseline neurocognitive testing tools such as the ImPACT test. While these tools offer valuable information there is much debate as to whether or not baseline neurocognitive testing is useful in sport. Furthermore, it’s utility in the average multidisciplinary clinic may not offer value as many practitioners, including myself, are unable to interpret and direct test results with the same clinical expertise as a neuropsychiatrist. If neurocognitive testing is being used as a screening tool, I am of the opinion this process should be overseen by a neuropsychiatrist or psychologist.

There are other pre-season screening practices that are used which include reaction time testing, the King-Devick test and mBESS test to name a few. These tests give an overall picture of how the nervous system is functioning pre-injury. Again, there is a lot of controversy as to the validity of these tests, in terms of whether or not they can accurately detect a concussion in athletes either pre-season or post-injury.

Personally, I use near point convergence as one of my primary screens. Convergence is the ability of the brain to move the eyes towards the nose as an object approaches it. Failure to do so results in the athlete seeing double (diplopia). A normal near point convergence measurement is between 4-6cm. Measurements outside of this range may catch an underlying issue with the eyes, or persistent symptoms from a prior concussion that the athlete may not be reporting. Athletes with a convergence insufficiency following head injury generally have a longer prognosis for recovery. Near point convergence allows therapists to compare post-injury measures against baseline and provides objective data on whether or not the athlete is improving. While we know a convergence insufficiency will spontaneously resolve in the majority of concussions, catching those that do not allow us to accurately implement (or refer out for) ocular rehab.

One thing is clear is that there is not one screening concussion tool that will give you the entire picture of an athlete. The more information you have about the athlete prior to the injury in terms of both health history and objective testing the better picture you will have to compare to moving forward.

Coach Bott: “Are there risk factors or red flags athletes need to be more aware of?”

Conor: Yes, firstly you do not need to lose consciousness to sustain a concussion.

Secondly, you do not need to hit your head to sustain a concussion. Concussions are caused by the brain moving inside the skull. This can occur from a blow to the head, or a whiplash-type injury to the neck or trunk, which causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull.

There is some evidence that females suffer concussions more than males. There is also evidence to support that a history of concussions may lead to a drawn-out recovery in subsequent head injuries. There seems to be something about 3 concussions that lead to an increased risk of long term complications however this is not entirely clear in the literature. As cited earlier a history of mood disorder and/or learning disability can often lead to drawn out recovery.

Symptoms of acute concussion include (but are not isolated to) headache, nausea, double vision, dizziness, and confusion. If you have lost consciousness a concussion has been sustained and the athlete is to be removed from play. The idea of having your “bell rung” is part of sports culture, more often than not the athlete will have sustained a concussion and continues to play. This point is particularly important when discussing second impact syndrome. Second impact syndrome is death due to a subsequent hit to the head following an acute concussion.

Cases of second impact syndrome are almost solely reported in persons below the age of 18. For this reason, it is important to adopt a “when in doubt, sit them out” policy in youth sports and continue to educate young athletes on the importance of self-reporting symptoms.

Hits to the head may also cause more significant injuries outside of concussions including bleeding in the brain, fracture, and spinal cord injury. If these injuries are suspected the athlete should be left in place, while the paramedics are called. While some athletes may vomit following a head injury excessive repeated vomiting is a red flag. Any further declines in the athlete’s ability to orient themselves to time or place as well as motor function should also be taken very seriously.

Coach Bott: “Are concussion more prevalent or are they being detected /diagnosed much better?”

Conor: Good question. I think they are being detected more accurately and with emerging awareness and education being discussed more, the public is more aware of the impact concussions play inside and outside of sport.
There are still areas of concern in my opinion. First, is athlete underreporting. We do know there is still a relatively large percentage of athletes that underreport concussion in fear of losing their place on a team. This may also be perpetuated by coaching and sports culture. Coaches should create an open-door policy and encourage the health and well-being of their athletes first. Creating an environment of “playing through pain” and telling athletes to “toughen up” will decrease the number of athletes that report concussions and put athletes at risk.

Secondly, there are conditions that are being misclassified as a concussion. This is particularly true for athletes that may have suffered a concussion in the past. As concussion symptoms are often ambiguous, many of their symptoms fall under the classifications of other injuries and/or diseases.

This again only brings about the importance of having as much subjective and objective data on the patient at the time the injury is suffered. If there is any doubt about whether the athlete is concussed, the athlete should be removed from play and re-evaluated either the next day and/or by another practitioner to get a second opinion.

One thing is very clear, an athlete is NEVER to be returned to play on the same day when a concussion is suspected.

Conor is in his 12th year of manual therapy and movement education. As both a massage therapist and sports injury therapist, Conor provides a unique approach to clinical practice combining disciplines of manual therapy integrated with movement-based rehabilitation strategies.
With over a decade of taping experience, Conor applies new concepts of movement based taping with traditional athletic taping protocols. Outside of clinical practice, Conor instructs upcoming manual therapists at the college level.

During his career, he has also had the pleasure of managing athletes and consulting for national level and club teams in both the NHL and NCAA. Conor shares a special clinical interest in concussion management and has spent many years treating endurance triathletes and runners.

Stay in Touch with Conor:

Web – www.conorpcollins.com
IG – @conorpaulcollins
FB – www.facebook.com/cpcollins

Developing Young Athletes for Combat Sports

by Jared Saavedra

We are starting to see the evolution of the combat athlete. In the past, skill sets were limited and toughness was the common denominator. These days, athletes are more skilled, well rounded and have access to top coaches around the globe. However, along with new skill acquisition is the need for total athletic development of combat athletes….and that starts when we are young.

Ideally young children should be active and play.

For example, kids between the ages of 7-9 should be able to demonstrate movements such as:

tumbling
skipping
rolling
hopping
dodging
spinning
marching
stopping
bounding
etc.

Most of these can be learned through various games and play.

Many kids these days are rolling, wrestling, boxing and some are even training for MMA at a very young age. We are now seeing the negative effects of “sport specialization” where a youth athlete only participates in a single sport at a young age and only focuses on the movements required in that sport as opposed to developing a wide variety qualities. Young athletes should have a wide variety of stimuli and should be active to develop well rounded athletic foundation. Numerous studies have directly linked the effects of sport specialization to burn out and a huge increase of overuse injuries. The rate of injuries are skyrocketing; kids are experiencing burn out as well as lacking other athletic and movement skills needed to be successful.

Regardless of sport, being a better athlete has tremendous advantages in competition, so it is more important than ever that we organize and prioritize our training at the earlier stages of an athlete’s development. Young athletes should have a wide variety of stimulus and should be active to develop well rounded athletic foundation. Specializing at a young age and competing all year round can be detrimental.

If you are a youth combat athlete, focus on becoming the best athlete you can be. Learn how to properly move, jump, run, land etc. before getting too specific. As your body is becoming more physically mature, various training methods and techniques can then begin to take precedence in your programming once movement literacy is achieved.

Power, strength, stability and speed are all qualities that you can train and develop to assist in sharpening your tools in your toolbox. If you are stronger, more powerful and move better than your opponent you will:

Have the ability to exert more force into your punches, kicks, chokes, throws, etc.
Develop other aspects of athletic ability (linear and lateral movement) that directly transfer to other sports.
Keep you healthier and allow you more quality training on the mats, ring, cage to get better at your sport. (If you are always injured, can you get that much better?)

In my career working with youth athletes of all sports, as well as high level fighters in various disciplines, I strongly encourage youth combat athletes to participate in a total athletic development program as early as 10 years old. Young athletes need to learn how to control their bodies and require a variety of stimuli to become well rounded. While I encourage some guided activity, it is also important to allow kids to play and participate in a variety of activities.

Coach Jared has over 10 years of training and coaching experience. He holds a Master’s Degree in (Physical Education Sports Administration) from the University of New Mexico. He holds four training certificates from nationally and internationally recognized associations. He has experience working with:

Variety of Youth Athletes
D1 Collegiate Athletes
Professional Athletes
Navy Seals
Delta Force Special Operators

Eccentric Isometrics – How and Why to Implement This Method for Ridiculous Strength Gains

Written by: Jacob James

Eccentric Isometrics have the ability improve your power, strength, stability, movement efficiency and much more.

Eccentric Isometrics (EI’s) have a hugely beneficial and relevant carryover of key performance attributes to combat athletes. EI’s in one way or another have been a staple in training programmes for decades, from Olympic weightlifting to bodybuilding. Strength coaches have been utilizing these methods under different named umbrellas with great success.

Most prevalent and at the forefront of EI’s has been Dr Joel Seedman of Advanced Human Performance. Joel has immensely and thoroughly bought to light about the advantages of utilising EI’s within a systematic and methodic approach to strength and performance training. In fact, he has the most resources on the subject, including a 10-year-in-the-making book (and his doctoral dissertation) which outlines the subject in great detail – so be sure to check him out here.

Eccentric Isometrics – Synopsis

EI’s are not a new training method. As aforementioned they have been effectively used for decades across disciplines with great yielding results. To break things down to a digestible definition, essentially we are looking at performing a movement whereby the eccentric portion of the lift is lowered in a controlled manner, holding the bottom of that position before completing the actual lifting phase of the movement. Below, I break down multiple benefits to performing EI’s in general, with specific carry over to combat athletes, as well as practical applications you can implement right away.

Enhanced Power, Stability, Strength & Movement Efficiency

Without shadow of a doubt, EI’s are a surefire way to turbocharge your training, clean up your movement patterns and pack some serious power into your shots. One of the mechanisms behind the success of EI’s come down to their ability to increase post activation potentiation – the all important process of priming your CNS for strength training thus allowing the athlete to yield a greater training effect from their dedicated S&C Session. Another importance of EI’s is that of better sensory feedback and an increase in proprioreception – essentially tidying up body mechanics, body positioning, improving motor control and neural firing patterns, all of which allow for a greater training effect. Furthermore from this, left-right imbalances are addressed when utilising EI’s in a unilateral (one-sided) format. Lastly, muscle stiffness and EI’s go hand in hand. In lay-mans muscle stiffness is a sought after attribute for its ability to produce insane amounts of power. Due to the controlled nature of the lowering phase, the pausing and holds at the bottom position (so long as proper body mechanics are attained) the athlete can express increased movement velocity.

Modify & Master Technique & Form

When it comes to ‘corrective exercises’ (a term dubbed by strength coaches and personal trainers to try and remedy poor body mechanics by using special exercises) – there is nothing more corrective than correct movement, period. EI’s allow the athlete to really hone in on and dial their technique to near mastery by reinforcing correct movement patterns, again largely due to the control nature and natural pauses associated with EI’s.

Facilitates Immense Force Absorption Capabilities

Teaching your body to move efficiently and utilising the most biomechanically accurate positions whilst running EI protocols will in-turn fine tune your body to dealing with eccentric forces as well as increasing your ability to absorb high impact force as efficiently as possible. Any strength and conditioning programme for building athleticism and any multi dimensional and multi directional sports that we are involved with in the combat realm, should systemically and periodically place emphasis on the athletes ability to increase their efficiency at absorbing force. EI’s are a great tool to implement to profit from these benefits.

Optimal Range of Motion

There is a lot more to the implementation of EI’s than simply holding the deepest position you can find, but instead allowing the athlete to produce their most natural range of motion whilst staying as sound and tight as possible. This will lead to a biomechanically sound range of motion which will adhere much better with the athlete and thus produce a longer term greater training effect without a long list of side-effect like symptoms of overtraining.

Practical Application

Okay, so how to we go about implementing EI’s into a training programme? EI’s are a useful protocol for a vast majority of movements. In order to obtain your most bang-for-buck however, movements involving a significant stretch and muscle lengthening are deemed to be most effective. Here are a few examples. Any squat variation (such as a Zercher squat), hinge variation (such as an RDL), pull variation (such as a single arm lat pull down) and press variation (such as a DB overhead press) are all staples. Feel free to allow creativity to flow – experiment and see what’s effective. Bilateral and unilaterally based movements are equally as a effective as one another however, unilateral movements (single limb i.e. single leg RDL) tend to cater better for those with poor biomechanics when it comes to bilateral movements and make for amazing correct movement patterns.

Movement wise therefore, you can’t really go wrong. Sure there’s always going to be a good / better / best scenario given your athletes variables and training outcome desires but its pretty foolproof. How about rep ranges and tempos? Given that there are significant changes in repetition pace than what might already be considered ‘normal’ it’s generally recommended and in best practice to perform movements in the 1-6 rep range. The time under tension will yield quality over quantity all day long, here. The eccentrics should be lowered for between 3-6 seconds with the isometric being held for between 2-7 seconds. Any less than this and you’ll negate any benefits from pausing the lengthened position and any longer than this will add to fatigue accumulation, again negating the intended positive outcomes we are looking for. When it comes to intensity, this is completely tailored to the individual – essentially start conservative and adjust as needed until your moving the weight at the given tempo for the given reps and being an 8 RPE (simply meaning you should finish the set with in theory another 2 left in the tank) which should be increased when overloaded over time as part of a systematic training programme. Heres an example of how EI’s should be interpreted:

Barbell Zercher Good Morning @ 53X1
5 3 X 1 – This is how you should write your desired tempos and this is how to interpret them:

5 – The duration of the eccentric portion of the lift
3 – The duration of the isometric hold
X – The concentric, ‘lifting part’ means as fast as good form allows
1 – The duration of rest at the “top” or “rest” portion of the lift

Can they be used in camp? Absolutely – EI’s are equally as effective in season/camp as they are outside of camp/ off season. Due to the quality of the reps, the sound movement mechanics built, the negation of inflammation etc. EI’s are a solid choice all round.

Summary Of Key Points

EI’s improve your power, strength, stability and movement efficiency
Performing controlled eccentrics and pausing at your biomechanical end-range yields for fantastic benefits across performance and longevity indicators
Correct up your movement patterns and mobility issues with EI’s
Teach yourself proper force absorption and efficiency
Use across a whole host of bilateral and unilateral exercises… year round

Lower for between 3-6 seconds, hold for between 2-7 seconds and fill the rest of the tempo in as efficiently as form allows

Final Words & Video Examples

Whether your a wrestler, MMA fighter, a blue belt or just someone that likes to workout, the addition of EI’s into your training protocol will allow you to yield so much from your training sessions, making them highly effective and turning you into a battle-ready beast. Once you start to notice the changes, I can assure you that EI’s will remain a staple in your training for decades to come. Cheers to that!

Here are some video examples of EI’s used in action.

Landmine Squat

Push Up

Landmine Hinge

RFESS

Ring Pull Ups

About the author…

Jacob James is a strength and conditioning coach and the founder of Crusader Strength. Jake has worked with athletes from over 20 different sports as well as some of the top promotions and athletes in mixed martial arts, from UFC, Bellator & One Championship. He has spent his career learning from some of the worlds best coaches and continues to grow his knowledge and networks with industry leaders all for the sake of a best industry to be in.

Developing Rotational Power for Jiu-Jitsu Athletes

By Craig Ansbach

The need and ability to rotate the body on the mats is a must for any grappler. When grapplers are standing, they are trying to arm drag, cut and angle for a takedown, or sprawl out. On the ground we are rotating to pass guard, sweep, take the back and using hip escapees to defend bad positions. All these movements require some level of rational stability and power. The ability to control rotation and produce power in the transverse plane is key for success on the mats.

Because of the need to have rotational power, our training in the weight room should reflect that need. Unfortunately, most of the programming takes place in the sagittal plane. This includes motions like jumping, squats, deadlifts, pushing, and pulling motions. The frontal plane is also sometimes trained in motions like lateral jumps and lateral lunges. Rotational movements occur in the transverse plane of motion and is often less trained than the other planes of motion. Rotational power can be trained through different modalities such as plyometrics, medicine balls, and the landmine.

When training inside the transverse plane, you must always develop the ability to resist rotary forces against the body first. Having the prerequisite stability against rotational forces will allow an athlete to better express power and reduce the risk of injuries on the mats. Once proper stability is established, you can begin to develop more dynamic rotary movements to help enhance your BJJ training.

Follow these basic progressions to ensure you are creating both rotational stability and power:

Rotational Stability:

Anti-Rotation Series
Band Holds
Band Presses
Banded Chops
½ Kneeling Chop
Split Stance Chop
Medicine Ball Rotational Stability
½ Kneeling Toss
Split Stance Toss
Landmine Stir the Pot

Rotational Power:

Transverse Jumps
90°
180°
Medicine Ball Rotational Toss Series
Standing Toss
Standing Punch
2 Step Toss
Landmine Pull to Press

Craig Ansbach is a strength and conditioning coach at the Performance Ranch in Albuquerque, NM. Craig earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and his masters in Physical Education/Sports Administration. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S) from the NSCA and is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Craig has coached numerous combat athletes including BJJ black belt world champions and UFC athletes.

Conditioning Workout with UFC Fighter, Alex Perez

by Corey Beasley

Alex is fresh off his win in Philadelphia and we wanted to give you a behind the scenes look at one of his workouts leading up to this fight. This workout was performed about two weeks out from his fight, so we were making sure he could repeat explosive efforts, while starting to taper the volume down as he began his weight cut. The goal here is to repeat the explosive effort throughout each set. We performed each drill for 5 sec ON, 10sec OFF for 16 rounds.

Workout with Alex Perez

Workout details:

Warm Up

Alex typically comes straight from jiu jitsu, so the warm ups are minimal. We will usually include some type of mobility drills for the hips and shoulders (not shown), then get him performing a few activation drills for the trunk.

Sand Barrel Isometric Holds

These are a staple for our athletes. We learned this exercise from John Brookfield and it quickly became one of our favorite tools. Tilting the heavy barrel challenges the entire body to stabilize while tilting the barrel to each side. This is a killer on the trunk.

Push Pull Holds

Using the CORE 44 bar from PurMotion, this simultaneous push/pull exercise challenges our ability to rotate, while keeping the shoulders and hips moving together as one. We pivot through the back foot, push with one arm, while pulling with the other.

Locomotion Drills

This series of drills finishes off our warm up and simply uses common locomotive drills like running forward and back, shuffling side to side, cariocas, butt kickers and skips. By using these every session it allows us to raise the body temperature, while performing lots of repetitions over time. This helps develop general athletic qualities that will help our guys perform.

Explosive Intervals

*5sec ON, 10sec OFF for 16 rounds on each drill

Drill #1 – Towel Taz

This unique conditioning drill is simply a faster, more dynamic version of the Battling Rope Slams. Shake the moving blanket up and down, while quickly changing directions with the feet. The combination of quickly moving the hands and feet, provides great transfer for combat athletes.

Note: Move like a squirrel trapped in a room, quickly changing directions with the feet, while moving the hands as quickly and powerfully as possible.

Drill #2 – Switch Foot

Using a line for reference, you simply need to move the feet back and forth over the line, rotating quickly and driving the arms. This simple rotational drill challenges our ability to move quickly and transfer force through the entire body. I make sure to count the reps on each burst, to make sure we are maintaining quickness.

Note: Initially, as the athlete fatigues, you will notice that they lose coordination. This simple drill becomes challenging, so its a good learning opportunity for them to perform basic drills well, when they are fatigued.

Drill #3 – Battling Rope Sidewinders

This drill challenges the athlete’s ability to stabilize through the whole body while sweeping the arms across the front of the body. This not only challenges him to stabilize through the legs, hips and trunk, but also forces him to quickly produce force, change directions and work the other way. Lots of disturbance that transfers well into the cage.

Note: We are looking for a good athletic position, knees bent, hips back, spine straight, eyes forward…throughout the movement. Exhale consistently on one side to keep your breathing in sync with your movement.

Drill #4 – Lateral Shuffles

Simple lateral shuffles are a common drill, but the main focus here is change of direction. Absorbing and producing force to change direction may seem simple but it is very challenging when done with intention. Many people will stutter step or change direction slowly, so count the amount of reps you can perform during each set and maintain that quickness!

Notice that we are challenging his ability to explode in various planes of motion (up/down, rotational and side to side). From my experience, athletes fatigue quickly when using the transverse (rotational) and frontal planes (side to side), so we make sure to tax the body from many different angles, moving in a variety of different directions.

Corey Beasley has been helping people get in shape and compete at their best for over 20 years. He has worked in small training studios, large corporate gyms, traveled to people’s homes, opened a couple gyms, taught certification courses/workshops and is the founder of Fight Camp Conditioning. Corey has experience working with wrestlers, jiu jitsu players, mma fighters and other combat athletes…from kids to aging adults.

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Olympic Weight Lifting for Wrestlers

Interview by Coach Carmen Bott
Answers by Guest Coach: Jeremy Martin

Coach Bott: “Tell me about your weightlifting background – Do you compete  yourself? Were you always a weightlifter?”

Coach Jer: I have been weightlifting competitively for around 5 years. I’ve been fortunate in that time to improve my results enough to reach a national level. Before my time in weightlifting, I competed in powerlifting and strongman. Previous to that, I played football, rugby and basketball and then transitioned into competitive MMA for a few years. I like to think that my varied sport experience helps me to better apply training principles to athletes of all kinds.

Coach Bott: “How can Olympic Lifting be integrated into an Off-Mat training plan  for a Wrestler? What lifts would you use? And why.”

Coach Jer: Weightlifting movements can make up a large proportion of a wrestler’s off-mat strength and power training. Lifts like the power clean and power snatch, especially the hanging variations, can be primary lifts for lower body training. Jerks (both split and power variations) as well as push presses can be used as primary lifts for the upper body. Pulls, squats and dumbbell variations of the lifts can also be used as strength and accessory movements in a wrestler’s program. These movements teach athletes to apply forceful acceleration through an external object (the barbell), while also maintaining proper technique and body positioning. This is the essential to wrestling, where the object of the competition is to disrupt another person’s positioning while maintaining your own positional integrity.

Coach Bott: “What do you think are the key physical benefits an athlete can gain  from the Olympic Lifts or their abbreviations?”

Coach Jer: As mentioned above, these lifts teach us to move an object with speed and aggression, while maintaining proper positioning. A well-executed hang power clean, for example, will have the individual exploding upward from an athletic position, apply as much force as quickly as possible through the barbell, then almost immediately return to and athletic “receiving” position to absorb the impact of the airborne bar. We are essentially teaching athletes to create force while also fighting the force that they created, in order to absorb impact in an optimal position. Movements like the split jerk also teach athletes to move the feet horizontally after a vertical drive, similar to switching stances or sprawling in wrestling.

Coach Bott: “How should an athlete go about learning these lifts?”

Coach Jer: It is highly recommended that athletes find a qualified coach to instruct them in the olympic lifts. Ideally, one would find a coach that has experience in both strength and conditioning and weightlifting. This allows the coach to apply the variations of the movements that will be most effective for the athlete’s performance. Some pure weightlifting coaches may not be willing to alter or abbreviate the movements due to their experience being limited to mostly pure olympic weightlifting coaching and instruction. These movements are a sport in of itself. Due to their complexity, it is often best to progress slowly and only advance the movement when technique is deemed adequate by a qualified coach.   Bio:  Coach Jeremy is a certified strength and conditioning coach with a master’s degree in Kinesiology. He has applied his years of experience under the barbell to offer athletes a high level of expertise in strength training, programming and technique. Jeremy owns Loaded Athletics, a facility in Vancouver, BC focused on offering intelligently designed training to athletes, competitive lifters and the general population. Jeremy collaborates with

Coach Bott and is the resident Olympic Lifting Coach for The Wrestler’s Edge program.

Contact Jeremy:

Instagram: @loadedathletics @jerpicksthingsup

Facebook: Loaded Athletics

Contact Info: jer@loadedathletics.com

MMA Kettlebell Workout

by Brett Bartholomew

Kettlebells are a great resistance tool for any athlete. Today we are going to showcase simple kettlebell workout that allows you to tax every major muscle group in the body. We are going to focus on compound movements like squats, swings, presses, and rows. This is great if you are short on time, on the road or simply only have access to a kettlebell.

MMA Kettlebell Workout

The Kettlebell Swing

Start in the hike position, back is straight, draw the kettlebell back toward the hips, then snap the hips into the kettlebell and allow the arms to guide the bell up to about sternum height. Then draw the lats down, pulling the kettlebell back down toward the start position. Forearms coming back through the legs before initiating the next swing.

Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Hold the kettlebell close to your body, forearms vertical, then sit down with the elbows just inside the knees. Feet flat, hips low, chest up and then drive the feet into the floor to stand back up tall.

Kettlebell Overhead Press

Start with the kettlebell in the racked position, wrist neutral. Lock in through the trunk, glutes tight, and root the feet into the floor before pressing overhead. You’ll finish with the palm facing forward, arm in line with your ear.

Kettlebell Row

Hinge at the waist, back flat, braced through the trunk, then pull the kettlebell up toward the arm pit. You can maintain a square stance, stagger the feet or perform it standing on one leg.

The intensity, volume and speed of each movement is determined by your ability level and training goals. For more details, be sure to check out Brett’s FREE 45 Minute Webinar here… or click the link below to learn about Brett’s Savage & Simple training plan for fighters.