Circuits

I've long been a fan of fight/skill specific circuits as a way of improving conditioning and power endurance for combat sports.  YouTube has hundreds of examples of the circuits used by pro and amateur fighters alike.

The idea of course is to simulate the type of exertion specific to fighting through the performance of exercises that place similar demands on the athlete, over the same period of time for which they will be fighting.  In this respect exercise selection is crucial, as is equipment.

IHP who worked with Jeff Monson and ATT have used this approach with success.

One of the great things about circuits is that you can switch them up and experiment with different exercises, durations and the equipment used which helps to stave off boredom as wells as ensuring that adaption is avoided, whilst stressing and conditioning the necessary aspects of the body and system.  You can perform a set number of reps or as many as possible within a time frame.

Recently I decided to collate all the circuits I've used over the years - I've detailed them below.

3 min run
Band Rotations	Superset with	Sandbag Clean & Press
Recline Pull		Dumbell Snatch
5 x 10 sec sprints

In this circuit perform the superset exercises for 10 reps.  Where going to one side (rotations) or using one arm (snatch) go for 10 each arm.

Run	1 Minute
Box	1 Minute
Knees	1 Minute
Dummy Lift	10 Reps
Heavybag Kicks	20 each side
Band Pull	20 each side
Sprawl	10 Reps

In the circuit above, set a time to beat - I like 6mins,

Landmine Press and Band Pull	10 Each Arm
Band Twist	10 Each Side
Dummy Lift	10 Reps
Landmine Twist	10 Reps
Band Lunge	10 Each Legs
Recline Pull	8 Reps
Hanging Leg Raises	10 Reps
Sprawl	10 Reps

Deadlift	6 Reps
Dumbell Press	6 Reps Each Arm
Dumbell Swing	6 Reps Each Arm
Sandbag Row	6 Reps
Sandbag Squat (bag on shoulder)	6 Reps Each Shoulder

40 seconds of each back to back

Heavybag punch

Sprawl

Sandbag shoulder

Sit through

Dummy ground 'n' pound

Dummy lift

Plank

Resistance band shoot

Sandbag bearhug

Heavybag punch

With all of these I tend to go through 2 - 3 'rounds' with minimal break to ensure that I get a good blast.
Anyway, next time you're bored or stuck for conditioning ideas, try one of these.  You can thank me later.

Training, training and more training...

Some great training recently at Leicester MMA. Last month's stand up training concentrated on clinch range fighting. The last few sessions were spent working the underhook and thai plum in order to strike. The classes were taken by Nathan Leverton and his usual attention to the details that can be the difference between a technique's success or failure was again in evidence. Nathan spent time ensuring that the basics of each position and the ability to establish dominant control was developed and drilled – pummelling for the underhook and establishing and maintaining inside control with the plum as well as the underhook – before adding in punches and knees.

During the last session, even though we were only drilling, my training partner and I experienced the crescendo effect, whereby the intensity of the drill spirals upwards until you're almost sparing. All the coaches at Leicester Shoot expend a lot of energy reminding classes of the need to relax, slow down and learn. It's a lesson we could all learn occasionally.

This month we're going to be working on guard – playing and passing, I'm especially looking forward to the passing work. Anyway, aside from MMA training, I've been able to fit in two strength sessions each week alongside some conditioning work. The conditioning has included strongman medley, sled pulling and bag work. Strength-wise I'm continuing to stick with 5/3/1.

More to post I the next few days, take care.

Training at Fighting Fit Martial Arts

Whilst on holiday a couple of years ago I came across Fighting Fit Martial Arts in Cromer, Norfolk. At the time I had no gumshield or box so even though I wanted to train I didn't feel that I could.

However... heading back to Cromer this year I made sure to pack box, mouth guard, gloves & anklets. I dropped in to the gym one evening and had a quick chat with John Mezzetti the owner and head coach. He seemed very friendly and I decided to train the following night.

John hasn't got a massive space at the gym but he makes great use of it. Most is matted with a cage wall. There're also bags plus a cardio area and a weights room.

We started with a warm-up that included sprawls before moving on to a drill/game in which you had to tap your partner's foot with your own and then knee-taps. This led in to an arm drag drill, similar to the drag that Marcello Garcia teaches first in his DVD series. It had been a long time since I last grappled and it really showed in a lack of co-ordination. I think perhaps John & his students expected more of me as they knew I'd trained at Leicester Shoot.

We moved on to some punching and punching to takedown drills which progressed nicely to sit-throughs. The final 15-20 mins were spent in groundwork sparring. This was great and even though I got tapped to a triangle I should never've got in to in the first place, I really enjoyed myself .

So what did I learn?

That John is a great teacher and a genuine bloke. Very friendly and really knows his stuff. John's guys are also friendly and a real credit to his teaching.

That my conditioning is f**ked and I need to prioritise it in a biiiig way.

That tapping to a rear naked choke isn't always a forgone conclusion.

A new Kimura escape (cheers John!)

That I really want to get back to regular training at Leicester Shoot.

If you're in the Cromer area of Norfolk on holiday drop in and see FFMA, I'll be training down there on my next visit for sure.

It's the economy stupid!

Part of the point of this blog is to try and record how I try to get as much out of the little time I have for training. I know that there are loads of guys out there with more going on in their lives than me, guys who get up at 5.30am just to get their training in.

Maybe I just don't want it bad enough, but I find it difficult to get up at 6.45 which gives me just about enough time to eat, shower, dress, feed kids and drive (1 hour) to work. It's something I need to work on, I know....

Jim Wendler talks quite a bit about training economy, and recently Uber Fighter Georges St Pierre said something like 'why should I run and jump rope when I can shadow box'. The point here is do the training that gives most bang for your buck.

This is why for me, when I want to get some conditioning, given the choice I'm pretty much always going to go for a heavy bag workout. Punching, kicking, kneeing, clinching & sprawling for 10 x 3 min rounds will give me conditioning and some skill work, especially if I pitch the intensity right. If not bag work then maybe a fight-specific circuit featuring sprawls, boxing, dummy lifts, G'n'P, core work. Again, it's specific to what I'm trying to achieve.

Anyhow, training is going well, the lifts are increasing and I can feel my level of conditioning going up. Time for a weigh in......?