1.25 pull upsDeadlift 1550 push ups50 box jumpsFloor wipers 50Kettlebell 25 clean press each arm25 pull ups

2. 30 reps per exerciseJump squatStaggered push upsAlternating split jumpExplosive push upsPrison squatHindu push ups (in and out)Pull upsBurpeesBarbell rowDouble crunch

3. bench pressBarbell squatBarbell rowBarbell deadliftShoulder pressDumbbell swingPull upsDb one arm snatch clean and pressElevated push upsDouble crunch

4. push upsSquat and pressPull upsLungeone leg forward squatPush upsDeadliftDb flySquat hold 30 secsUpright row shoulderSit ups

5. pressSquatPull upsDeadliftBarbell rowLungeShoulder pressCalf raiseCrunchesPlank 30 secs

6. no weights one arm push upsJump squatPull upsSquatExplosive push upsSplit squat lunges (jump)Pull upsReverse lunge (no jump)Shoulder press (inverted push up)Double crunch

7. staggered push ups (explosive)Push upsSquat and pressStationary lungeRowScwharzenneger table barbell chestUpright rowCurlTricepCrunch8. push upsJump squat with weightsRowDb swingPressDb one arm snatch clean pressDb flyAlternating splkit jumpDb shoulder pressHip thrust

"Does the 300 Workout Work?"(originally published at MMA Weekly.com) With the recent smash success of the movie 300 at the box-office, a hot topic has become the training the actors for the film underwent. There is a video and an article, and it's been been posted darn near everywhere. There is an actual 300 Workout", and plenty of others have been designing their own versions of such.For those of you who might not know, the training was administered by Mark Twight of Gym Jones. The training (not just the "300 Workout" that was only one specific routine he put the actors through) was all anaerobic in nature, combining full body barbell exercises, kettlebell work, bodyweight calisthenics, sprinting, tire flipping, and more. As Twight put it (and I'm paraphrasing here), We're combining three different kinds of training gymnastic, metabolic, and lifting or throwing things.Though, according to Twight, the main goal of the training was to ready the actors for the strenuous labor that was to come with shooting the movie, what has caused so much commotion (and was another main goal of Twight's training) was the phenomenal shape the actors were in for the movie. Some gained muscle, others lost fat, all were incredible physical specimens.The problem that I see with Twight's training and the success the actors had in transforming their bodies, is that too many people are now jumping on the 300 bandwagon. They think that they can do the 300 workout a few times per week, and BOOM, they are going to look like King Leonidas.Ain't gonna happen.First of all, the 300 workout, as I said before, was a one-time routine. In fact, according to Gym Jones.com, the actors never repeated a workout in four months' worth of training. That leads me into my next point this wasn't a magic pill nor was it quick & easy. The training took four months, and was intensely hard. Nervousness before training was mentioned as being a normal occurrence because the training was so hard. Diet was strict (most were in a state of calorie restriction, and hunger was common) and everybody learned to work as a team.See, you have to realize something training was these actor's jobs, and full-time jobs at that. You could liken what they went through to a boot-camp of sorts. Months of highly intense training, diet restriction, watchful supervision, with everybody training, eating, and working together. This was a highly professional atmosphere, as not only was everybody under the watchful eyes of Twight and fellow training Logan Hood, but, again, according to Gym Jones.com, a massage-therapist was available everyday, and a kinesiologist came by twice per week to treat those with injuries.The 300 training was very successful, and the improvements everybody involved made were spectacular. That goes without saying. However, don't think that you can cherry-pick a few things (like the specific 300 workout), apply it to what you're currently doing, and expect to have the same results.The problem that arises when training plans like this become successful or a few people have great success (such as this case) is that people start to jump on the bandwagon. For a while, things in the S&C world were combat this and combat that. Then it was functional. Then it was core. Then it was kettlebell. Then it was clubbell. Then it was bodyweight calisthenics. Then it was complex/circuit training (a la Team Quest). Every so often, some new training program comes to light (although it's usually not new, per se, it just hasn't been popular, so it seems new), and everybody everywhere starts doing it. They go hard for a couple weeks. Then life gets in the way somehow, and they don't go as hard. Then they're not as motivated anymore, and they stop the program altogether. Now, everybody is off the bandwagon, and though the training method has people that are using it to full capacity and taking full advantage of it, its 15 Minutes of Fame (for lack of a better term) is over. 300 will more than likely be no different.Now, I'm not saying that the training used is preparation for 300 isn't valid or isn't good. In fact, I think just the opposite it was kick ass. Just don't (necessarily) expect to have the exact same results that the actors who did it for a full time job did. And if you don't, don't abandon the program thinking that it doesn't work, you're overtraining, or that you're a hardgainer.As with all things S&C related, take a look at what it is, and see if the method(s) can help you improve your own training not just for S&C purposes, but in the big picture to make you a better fighter.Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

"Tactical Strength & Conditioning Training"(originally published at realfighting.com) Functional Strength -- now there's a buzzword that's become popular over the past few years. Functional training, functional strength, functional conditioning, functional tactics, functional martial arts - functional etc., etc., etc. Truth be told, there's really no such thing as "functional (anything)." Why not? Because for any particular type of training (strength for example) to be considered "functional," it would imply that an alternate type of training would not be functional. In other words, it's like saying, "Program A" can help you build "functional strength," while "Program B" can't, and that's not true. To be "functional," means serving a function. To build strength, to be stronger than you were before -- that your strength serves a function. At the very least, you'll be able to train with heavier weights. Now, you may be thinking, "Not necessarily, Wiggy! I can train and become stronger by performing Lateral Raises (for my shoulders), but is that going to help me in everyday life? I don't think so! And you're right. But everyday life isn't what we're talking about. We're talking about "functional strength." Will becoming stronger at performing Lateral Raises "functional?" Yes; is it useful in the real world, maybe not - but it is functional. While many people think they want functional strength, what they're really after is "Real World Strength" - i.e., strength that's usable in everyday situations. The same can be said for conditioning, martial arts etc. You want your training to have real world applications. For many years, most people relied on simple bodybuilding-style weight training routines and jogging several times a week. Although there's a great deal of new and useful information available, it still isn't applied correctly. Most people perform their strength training and conditioning routines separately, and that's smart, but every once in a while, mixing strength training and conditioning is needed. Strength can be quite an advantage in subduing an adversary on the street, but if you're not in top condition, you may not be able to take advantage of that strength. Let's look at a few examples. Say you are a police officer, and you arrest someone. In a desperate attempt, the perpetrator flees and you give chase. Packed with all your gear (e.g., vest, belt, radio, etc.) you chase the perpetrator through alleys, over fences, up flights of stairs, etc. for 500 yards. Will you still have your strength reserves left? Say you and your girlfriend are walking down the street and some kid half your age runs up behind you, snatches your girlfriend's purse and runs off. You give chase and sprint 50 meters to catch him. Will your conditioning be shot after your all-out chase? Both strength and endurance are important and in the following paragraphs I'll show you why. ConditioningIf you do strength and conditioning training, you probably know that jogging is great exercise, and you're right - it's a great exercise. It can be coupled with a healthy diet to help you lose weight, keep your cholesterol low, and is also beneficial to maintaining healthy blood pressure. The ballistic shock can be rough on the heels, ankles, or knees, but this can be remedied by running on a softer surface (track or grass), wearing better quality running shoes, and even improving your jogging technique. If jogging is so good for you, why isn't it optimal for law enforcement officers? Well, I'll tell youthere's an old saying that goes "If you want to be a better wrestler, then you should wrestle." This means that if you want to be better at something, then you should practice it more. In our situation, "practice" would be your training (Strength and Conditioning). Let's look at our practice sessions. Jogging for 45 minutes 3 times per week. While jogging may have enormous health benefits, it won't produce the benefits you're looking for. People who are capable of jogging long distances are completely "zapped" after sprinting just 50 or 60 yards. I recommend all law enforcement conditioning be based around a HIIT program (High Intensity Interval Training). HIIT is a style of training that intersperses short bouts of intense physical exercise with short (or shorter) bouts of rest and recovery. HIIT training can be adapted to many forms of exercise including sprinting, biking, bodyweight calisthenics, rope skipping, striking a heavy bag, etc. Formats can vary, but the basic premise is still the same - perform a brief warm up, followed by multiple bouts of intense exercise interspersed with equal or near equal bouts of rest, followed by a brief cool-down. While jogging may improve your aerobic performance, it has virtually no effect on your anaerobic capacity. HIIT (anaerobic conditioning) on the other hand, has been shown to not only increase anaerobic capacity, but aerobic capacity as well. See: (http://www.cbass.com/FATBURN.HTM). In other words, if you jog, you'll get better at jogging, but not at sprinting. If you sprint, you'll get better at sprinting and jogging. Couple this with the fact that anaerobic conditioning has the capacity to dramatically improve power, speed, strength and muscle mass. See: ("Crossfit Journal," Oct. 2002 - http://www.crossfit.com) Sample HIIT RoutinesTrack Intervals:- Go to a 400-meter track- Jog an easy warm-up lap- Sprint straight sections of track, walk corners (repeat for 4-8 laps)- Jog 1 lap as a cool-down*Perform this workout 2x-3x's a week. Guerilla Cardio:An article describing "Guerilla Cardio" was printed in the Nov. 2001 issue of Muscle Media magazine. "Guerilla Cardio" is based on the interval training methods of a Japanese researcher by the name of Tabata.- Choose your exercise protocol (sprinting, rope skipping, biking, etc.)- Perform the exercise for 4 easy minutes as a warm-up- Sprint (i.e. - perform your exercise as hard as possible) for 20 seconds, then rest 10 seconds (repeat for 8 bouts)- Perform the exercise for 4 easy minutes as a cool-down*Perform this workout 3x's a week.400-Meter Sprints:This is an extremely demanding routine- At a 400-meter track- Jog 1 easy lap as a warm-up- Sprint 1 lap (400 meters)- Walk approximately 1/2 lap. The time it takes you to walk half a lap should be approx. twice the time it took you to sprint a full lap.(repeat for 2-4 sprint laps)- Jog 1 lap as an easy cool-down*Perform this workout 2x-3x's a week.

Strength TrainingMany LEOs attempt to do some type of strength training. I say, "attempt" because strength training implies that you're training to build strength levels that are greater than they once were. Unfortunately, this is not often the case, as many trainees don't actually build any strength. You'll notice that I'm using the term "strength training" rather than weight training, weight lifting, or the like. The reason for this is that strength can be built with many different types of apparatus - not just barbells and dumbbells. Like conditioning, there are many people out there spending lots of time training with no results. Why? A major reason is that most routines are based on volume-heavy routines [you see propagated in bodybuilding magazines]. For decades people have turned to these publications for training advice only to find themselves overworked, tired, and no stronger (or bigger) than they were when they started; and their wallets too are much lighter after purchasing tons of unnecessary supplements. I'm not going to explain the whole story here (I do cover it however, it my book "Singles & Doubles - How the Ordinary Become Extraordinary") but suffice it to say that a large share of training advice in bodybuilding magazines doesn't work. To really build strength, let's look at what you'll need. "Free" Weights/ResistanceCertain training styles advocate the use of various machines, whether they're Nautilus, Cybex, Hammer Strength, or even just a cable apparatus. While some of these machines can produce good results, I find that as a whole, "Free" Weights [resistance] is a much better choice. Why? Because nowhere in your daily-life are you going to find a situation where you will apply strength that is guided or restrained by some type of machine. Most machines are developed for as much absolute isolation as possible. In other words, if you are using a machine for the shoulders, it's designed to target only the shoulders. However, if you use a free weight (resistance), other muscles come into play - triceps, forearms, pectorals, upper back, the core for stabilization, etc. The idea behind isolation is to eliminate possible "weak links." Say you're performing a standing shoulder press your lower back gives out because it's not strong enough to support a heavy weight overhead. You're not able to fully tax the shoulders due to the weakness in your lower back. By using a specific machine, you're able to bypass that weakness, therefore making gains on your shoulders. This all sounds great in theory, but in reality, it's about as useful as a snow blower in the jungle. Wayne "Scrapper" Fisher's site (www.trainforstrength.com) contains a quote that says, "Life is not an isolated movement. So why train that way?" Very true. I bet some of you are wondering why I keep saying "free weights/resistance." I tack "resistance" on the end because barbells and dumbbells aren't the only type of training outside of machines. You can use bodyweight calisthenics, sandbag lifting, barrel lifting, kettlebells, clubbells, and a number of other apparatus. Compound MovementsYou should not use just any movements/exercises; compound movements are better than isolated movements. By definition, isolation movements are those that usually involve the flexing of just one joint, and intended to isolate one specific muscle group. Examples would include shoulder raises, triceps pushdowns, leg extensions, etc. Compound movements are those that work multiple muscle groups at the same time (while usually focusing on one) and involve the flexing of more than one joint. Examples would include overhead presses, bench presses, squats, cleans, rows, deadlifts, dips, chins, etc. Just as you would use free weights/resistance to eliminate isolation, you should focus on compound movements for the same reason. It's very rare you'll ever use just one muscle group in any real situation. Using isolation movements from time to time is Ok, but don't make them the basis of your routine. Use Heavy WeightsAnother advantage to using compound movements is that when compared to their isolation counterparts, they virtually always allow you to use more weight. This may seem like a "no-brainer," but to build strength, you're going to have to use heavy weights. You wouldn't get smarter by studying a subject that you already had a firm grasp on, and you won't get stronger by lifting a weight that provides no challenge. To build strength, you are best suited using weights that are 75%+ of your 1RM (one rep maximum) for multiple sets. Your body won't be able to sustain a constant "attack" from near maximal training. As such, it's usually best to cycle (or "ramp") your training poundage. Depending on your specific routine, for anywhere from 3-8 weeks; begin with resistance close to 65-70% of your 1RM. Ramp up by increasing the weight every workout until you're either at your 1RM, near your 1RM, or have exceeded your 1RM (again, depending on the specific routine). Then drop the weight and start over. Use Low RepsIf you use a little common logic, you should be able to deduce that if you're using maximal or near maximal weight, you'll have to use sets of low reps. By "low reps," I mean 1-5 reps per set. If you're doing 12+ reps per set, don't think that you'll build much strength. Don't get me wrong, you may build a little, but not nearly as much as you will with lower reps. It's just that if you're able to use that many reps, the weight just isn't heavy enough. Sample Strength Training Routines5-4-3-2-1:Perform five sets of every exercise: a set of five reps, a set of four reps, a set of three reps, a set of two reps, and a set of one rep. Slightly increase the weight (5-20 lbs., depending on the exercise) every set. - Barbell Clean & Press- Pull-up- Medium Grip Bench Press- Barbell Curls- Squat*Perform three times per week

5 x 5:Perform five sets of every exercise, each of five reps. The first two sets act as "warm-up" sets, while the last three are your "work" sets. When you can do five reps on all three "work" sets, increase the weight. Day 1:- Barbell Clean & Press: 5x5- Pull-ups: 4x6- Medium Grip Bench Press: 5x5- Squats: 5x5

Day 2:- 70 degree Incline Press: 5x5- Bent Rows: 4x6- Dips: 5x5- Barbell Curls: 3x6- Deadlifts: 5x5

Strength-EnduranceNow that we've taken a look at some real strength training, let's take it a step further and make it Strength-Endurance training. What's the difference between strength and strength-endurance? Strength-endurance training adds one very important factor into the equation - time. When a strength program is performed, rest between sets and between workouts is the norm. This affords much needed recovery time, allowing maximum effort for each rep/set. While this may be ideal for building pure strength, it offers little use in the real world. You'll be hard pressed to find a situation where you can exert maximal strength (for a very short period of time - say 5-8 seconds) and then rest for multiple minutes. More often, you'll have to exert maximum strength several times, and for an extended period. This is where strength-endurance comes in. Convention says that if you want to build endurance, you should decrease the amount of weight you're using, performing multiple sets, and increase the repetition count (15-20). WRONG! If you do this, you can kiss strength-endurance goodbye. But if you wish to perform more reps and sets, then you're going to have to significantly reduce the weight used. If you reduce the weight, then the strength you build (brute strength, endurance) becomes much less of a consideration. For example, say that Joe Schmoe's 1RM for the Clean & Press is 225 lbs. Joe can do multiple sets of 1-2 reps with 210-215 lbs., but he has to rest several minutes between sets to recover. To build usable strength you only rest 20-30 seconds, Joe drops the weight down to 110-120 lbs., and does sets of 15+ reps, will he be achieving this goal? No. In this scenario, a trainee is best off keeping the weight high, the reps low, and shortening the rest periods. Continuing, let's say that Joe has done some testing, and finds that the absolute least he can rest between sets of Clean & Press with 215 lbs. (96% of his 1RM of 225 lbs.) is 3 minutes. To start building the strength-endurance he needs, Joe drops the weight to 175 lbs. (roughly 78% of his 1RM). He then performs 12 sets of 2 reps with only 60 seconds rest between sets. At the point where he can perform all 12 sets with "ease" (relatively speaking), he drops the rest-period from 60 seconds to 45 seconds and repeats the process. When a 45-second rest becomes easy, he repeats this with 30 seconds, then again at 20 seconds, etc. When he can do all 12 sets with only a 20 second rest period, he bumps the weight up to 185-190 lbs. and starts over for a 60 second rest period. This method works because it satisfies the basic equation (as I see it) for strength-endurance: Strength-Endurance = Heavy Weight + Short Rest + Volume Heavy WeightsMost of the time, I recommend starting at 70-75% of your 1RM and ramping up from there. This will assure that the majority of time is spent using near maximal loads. Some cycling and re-ramping will be needed, but you'll find that progress comes quickly. Short RestsIt will probably take you a few weeks to acclimate yourself to the shorter rest periods, however, you'll quickly find that once you adapt, your endurance will pick up quickly. By continually decreasing the rest periods, you're forcing your body to build its recovery ability from near maximal work much faster (increasing your strength-endurance). VolumeIf you don't use (relatively) high volume, then there is no point in the program. It is the volume that allows you to help build that sustained strength-endurance to last over an extended period of time. Think of it like this, if Joe Schmoe continues his routine, he will get to the point where he's performing Clean & Presses with 210-215 lbs. at 20 second rest intervals. In other words, he'll be performing 24 reps with 93%-95% of his 1RM in around 4 minutes. Are you still unsure that training for strength-endurance has benefit? Powerlifting is a sport, which you would think; virtually no endurance or conditioning would be needed. Dave Tate, of Westside Barbell fame, had the following to say in a recent edition of Testosterone magazine about strength-endurance and conditioning (http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/264eight.jsp): "If you think you can excel in any sport without a base level of conditioning you're out of your mind. The days of over-fat, bloated, can't breathe, can't sleep powerlifters are over!" If your training goals call for more strength-endurance, consider one of the following routines. Sample Strength-Endurance RoutinesWorkout #1 - Two days, alternatedDay 1:-Clean and Press: 15 sets x 2 reps-Curl Grip Chin: 15 x 2-Medium Grip Bench Press: 10 x 1-Deadlift: 20 x1-Abdominal Work Day 2:-Dips: 12 sets x 3 reps-Clean and Front Squat: 20 x 2-Bent Rows: 12 x 2-Barbell Curl and Press: 6 x 4-Abdominal Work Workout #2 - Performed every workout-Clean and Press: 20 sets x 1 rep-Bench Press: 8 x 2-Barbell Curls: 6 x 3-Chin: 15 x 2-Squat: 20 x 1-Abdominal WorkTrain Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

"Strength Without Size - Can You Get Stronger Without Getting Bigger"(originally published at MMA Weekly.com) It seems as if every few days, I either get an email or read a question on an online forum about gaining strength without gaining any size (and in turn, bodyweight). It generally goes a little something like this:Ive been practicing (insert your favorite martial art here) for a few months, now. Im in decent shape, and have Ok conditioning, but am getting tossed around on the mat. I would like to start working out to get stronger, but I dont want to gain any weight. What should I do?So, can you work out to get stronger without an increase in hypertrophy (i.e. increase in muscle mass) resulting in an increase in bodyweight?Yep you sure can. However, before I get into some of the hows, let me quickly cover a few of the whys.First and foremost (PAY ATTENTION this is important!!), I dont care what kind of workout program youre on, because if youre not taking in an excess of calories, you wont gain any weight. Bodyweight gain or loss is pretty simple its all about simple mathematics. We all know that calories are what fuel, replenish, restore, and build our bodies. We ingest calories everyday by eating food, drinking certain liquids, and consuming certain supplements. We burn calories everyday by simply being alive and performing our daily activities. By daily activities, I mean everything. Im not just referring to any training you might be doing, but anything you do during the day walking to your car, typing on a keyboard, carrying in a bag of groceries, etc. In addition, there are all the activities that your body performs without you telling it to breathing, digestion, your hear beating, and many more. All of these activities result in calories being expended (burned up) by the body. (INTERESTING USELESS FACT: All food contains a certain amount of calories, right? Did you know that celery actually contains negative calories? This is because, on average, the body burns up more calories on the digestion of celery then it takes in from it in the first place.)So, what youre looking at is a ratio: calories in (how many you eat) vs. calories out (how many your burn up). If your calories in are greater in number than your calories out (i.e. you eat more than you burn), then youll gain weight. If your calories out are greater in number than your calories in (i.e. you burn up more than you eat), then youll lose weight. If your calories out and your calories in are pretty much even, then your bodyweight will stay relatively constant.Sounds pretty simple, doesnt it? Well, thats because it is. Take in too many calories = gain weight. Burn up too many calories = lose weight. Now I can go into greater detail (which I will probably do in future articles), but for the purpose of the topic at hand, it isnt really necessary. As long as you have the gist of the argument, you know what you need to know.To figure out about how many calories you should be eating, the first thing you should do is calculate your Daily Caloric Maintenance Level. This is just what youd think it is the number of calories per day you need to ingest in order to maintain your current bodyweight, in its current condition (i.e. at its current bodyfat percentage level), at your current activity level. Do a quick Google search and you will come up with a variety of online calorie calculators. Try a few of them out. BEWARE: Dont be surprised if you get a wide range of results. This is will happen simply because some calculators are more accurate than others. As a general rule of thumb, the calculators that require you to input more personal information are generally more accurate.Once you have a general Maintenance Level figured, you can then adjust it up or down. Again, as a general rule of thumb, to gain weight, add 500 calories to your daily caloric intake. To lose weight, subtract 500 calories per day. One pound is roughly equal to 3500 calories, and 500 calories/day x 7 days/week = 1 lb. per week (this goes for gaining or losing). To keep your bodyweight constant, dont add or subtract anything to your Daily Caloric Maintenance Level.This is the point in which you can begin to tinker with your diet a little. Experiment some. If youre not gaining/losing weight like youd like, dont be afraid to make a few subtle changes to your diet. Add a few calories here, subtract a few calories there. As long as you dont make drastic shifts one way or the other, you should be able to figure it out without too much trouble.NOTE All of the above takes into account that your activity level remains constant. If your training sessions (martial arts, skills, strength, conditioning, GPP, or otherwise) radically change in length, frequency, intensity of effort, or any other factor, then your Daily Caloric Maintenance Level will need to be adjusted accordingly.Ok, now that weve got the diet plan down, lets take a look at strength training. Again, for the sake of the topic at hand, well assume that youre looking for an increase in overall brute strength (as opposed to strength-endurance, conditioning, localized muscular strength or muscular endurance, etc.). As such, there are a few basic tenets that youll need to incorporate into your workouts: compound (multi-joint) exercises, heavy (either near-maximal or ramping up to near-maximal) weights, low reps, low to medium set count, and plenty of rest. If you incorporate all these things into your program, you cant go wrong.There are a variety of different methodologies out there which work well: Pavel Tsatsoulines Power to the People, Westside Barbells Conjugate Method, the good ole tried and true 5 x 5, Bryce Lanes Have it All version of Charles Staleys Escalating Density Training, and even my own Singles & Doubles.Which one do you pick? Well, they all work. They all work in different ways, and they all produce somewhat different results, but time and experience has shown that they all work. How are they different? Well, thats the subject for an article in the very near futureBut, for now, here is what you can take home: lift heavy, use few reps, and not too many sets. Get plenty of rest, dont wear yourself out (so as to avoid overtraining), and eat a sensible diet that is at or around your Daily Caloric Maintenance Level. Your results will be dramatic increases in brute strength, without any undesired increase in bodyweight.Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

"Dominate Your Bodyweight - Dominate Your Opponent" (originally published at MMA Weekly.com)I'm bbbbaaaacccckkkkkk....HA HA!! That's right folks Wiggy is BACK. I know I've been gone for a while, but after working CRAZY hours at a lousy job, and spending a year in Iraq ducking mortars and rockets, I'm back home in the States, and back home writing for MMA Weekly.If you haven't had the (dis)pleasure of reading my articles and trying my workouts, have no fear I'll have you working your tail off in no time. My workouts aren't complicated, and they'll get you into phenomenal shape. They're not easy, though I've had more than one MMAist cussing my name during my workouts! Don't say I didn't warn you...For my re-debut here at the best MMA News site in the world, I wanted to bring up a topic that has been I've been stewing on for a while now...Unlike the early years of MMA (the old Brazilian Vale Tudo events, the early UFC tournaments, and even Pride's first shows), Mixed Martial Arts is now a game of weight classes. Due to the dramatic increase of the fighters' skills, and level of competition always being raised, the days of the little guy fighting the big guy are, for the most part, over (at least in the United States, anyway).Because of this, MMAers of all levels are now climbing into the ring or cage with a guy (or gal!) that is roughly the same weight. If you're a middleweight, weigh in at 185, and walk into the cage at around 190, then most likely so is your opponent. You might find fluctuations within the weight class itself (e.g. - you might have a 175 pounder fighting a 185 pounder but they're still both middleweights), but the difference won't be more than a few pounds.When designing your Strength and Conditioning (S&C) programs, it's this weight you want to be able to move and dominate. Like we said above, if you walk into the cage or ring at 190 lbs., then most likely so will your opponent. It's that 190 lbs. you want to be able to manhandle.Think of it this way: if you have the power and conditioning to dominate your bodyweight to manhandle anything that weighs as much as you do, how much of an advantage does that give you?Let's look at a couple of examples Quinton Rampage Jackson and Matt Hughes. Both are known for their legendary slams. They get stuck in what might look to be a bad position, and somehow, they just pick their opponent up as if they were a bag of laundry. They walk across the cage, and SLAM them down to the mat. It doesn't matter what kind of position they're in, or how tired they are. They have this wierd kind of power that makes them ALWAYS a threat to pick you up and throw you into next week.That is just plain POWER at work. (More on power in a minute...)If you have the power to just manhandle your opponent, isn't that something you can use to get the upper hand in a fight? And I don't mean just by going Rampage on somebody and slamming them down to the basement. If you have the power to dominate that kind of weight, that will give you the upper hand on the ground, too. Whether you're on top, and trying to keep your opponent on his back, whether you're mounted, and trying to flip your opponent over, or whether you're simply trying to get into better position, if you have the power to take something that weighs as much as you do, and move it how you want, that just gives you that extra advantage when trying to get a better position.Now, let's take a quick timeout and look at strength vs. power...I see the word strength used a lot. And it can be a tough word to use, because people many times use it to mean a bunch of different things. But, for our purposes, I'm defining strength as the ability to exert force. For example, the ability to press 200 lbs. for 1 rep would be a measure of strength.Power, on the other hand, is strength applied over time. Or, the ability to exert force quickly. For example, the ability to press 200 lbs. for 1 rep in 1 second would be a measure of power. To increase strength, the force exerted has to be increased. So, going from a press of 200 lbs. for 1 rep, to a press of 210 lbs. for 1 rep would be an increase in strength. (The weight used went up.)Power can be increased by either increasing the force or reducing the time. We said before that pressing 200 lbs. for 1 rep in 1 second would be a measure of power. Well, pressing 210 lbs. for 1 rep in 1 second would be an increase in power. (The weight used went up, and the time it took to lift it stayed the same.) However, so would pressing 200 lbs. for 1 rep in .5 seconds. (The weight stayed the same, but the time it took to lift it went down.)When it comes to sports especially MMA power is the name of the game. Strength is well and good, but if you're not quick, then it won't do you any good. You need to be able to use that strength, and use it quickly. Being quick won't just let you put a move on your opponent before he can counter it, though. Being quick actually takes that strength, and does more with it. Think of it like this - make a fist and push it into a wall as hard as you can, but do it slowly. Doesn't really hurt you, and, unless you have some sort of hydraulic arm, it's not doing anything to the wall. Now, actually punch the wall, but don't do it that hard. Don't put all your strength behind it, and don't move your fist as fast as you're able. Hurts your hand some doesn't it? And the damage on the wall might now be noticeable. Now, punch harder - but still not at full strength or speed. Hurts more, and even more damage on the wall, huh? Now, haul off and punch the wall as hard as you can...just kidding. I sure don't want hate mail from a bunch of pissed of wives/girlfriends as a result from new holes in the wall...All kidding aside, do you see where I'm going with this? You did more damage to the wall, using less strength and decent speed, than you did with all out maximal strength and little to no speed. Now, apply that principle to every aspect of your MMA game, and you see how important power - strength combined with speed - can really be. After all, there isn't anything slow going on in that cage or ring...One last example take a look at smaller guys that don't weigh that much, and (comparitively to bigger fighters) aren't that strong. How do they still have that KO power that will knock you senseless? It's because they're fast and being fast translates into more power.Back to dominating bodyweight...Now, when I say bodyweight, I'm not talking about your body, per se. This isn't about a regular bodyweight workout (i.e. - calisthenics...though they make up a big part of the programs I design). This is about taking any object that weighs as much as you do a barbell, two dumbbells or kettlebells, a sandbag, a barrel, a grappling dummy, a training partner, etc. - and being able to inflict your will upon it as you see fit. Take that object and pick it up. Hold it. Slam it. Flip it. Knock it into the 2nd row. You get the idea...There's another element to this, though. Having the power to dominate your bodyweight is one thing, but what about your conditioning? You've just fought for a good, hard 12 minutes. Do you still have the power to do it then? Are you sucking too much wind because your cardiovascular system isn't in as good of shape as it needs to be? What about your body itself? How is your muscular conditioning? Have you spent a bunch of time jockeying for position on the ground, and now your muscles burn and ache so bad that even if you had the wind, you couldn't move your opponent?Here's a little test for you. Next time you're at the gym or dojo, find a partner that weighs roughly the same as you. See what you can do with him (or her). I don't mean just simple take downs or grappling drills. Pick him (or her) up. Throw them over your shoulder. Heck, even see if you can put them over your head. Now go do some heavy metabolic conditioning work do some sprints, run a hard couple miles, or grapple/spar a few hard rounds. What can you do with your partner now?And remember, when you're in the cage or ring, you won't be up against a limp body. You'll be up against not only somebody who weighs as much as you do, but somebody who is resisting against and trying to counter everything you do. So, now you have that to contend with...This is the kind of power conditioning I'm talking about. Once you get to the point that you can dominate bodyweight is any way imaginable, and do it regardless of how tired you are, you'll have a decided advantage over any opponent you come up against.In coming weeks, I'll discuss different ways you can increase your strength, speed, power, conditioning, work capacity, and more to help you become the best fighter you can.Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

"Cario: Distance or Intensity?"(originally published at MMA Weekly.com)When it comes to cardiovascular conditioning, there are two types you can do - LSD and HIIT.LSD refers to Long Slow Distance. This is usually jogging/running for a few miles.HIIT refers to High Intensity Interval Training. This is more akin to sprinting.LSD and HIIT are on opposite ends of the spectrum, if for no other reason, because of sheer necessity. Intensity and duration have an inverse relationship, so that the more intense you are, the shorter the effort has to be, and the longer the effort, the lower the intensity has to be.Simply put - you can run hard or you can run long, but you can't do both. Nobody can sprint a marathon...Now, it is generally considered that HIIT is overall more productive (for MMA) than LSD. I won't get into all the technical details here, but here are a few main points:-HIIT is anaerobic, LSD is aerobic-LSD training results in increased aerobic capacity, with little to no effect on anaerobic capacity-HIIT, on the other hand, results in increased anaerobic capacity AND increased aerobic capacity-MMA is an anaerobic activity, as is HIITThere are more points that could be considered, but that should be enough to get the gist of what I'm talking about... There is a problem I see though - and that is many fighters who do HIIT are still gassing in their fights.Why?It could be from any number of reasons - a lack of muscular (rather than cardiovascular) conditioning, a big adrenaline dump in the ring (I'll talk about that in a future column), not having your mind right, etc. However, I think the main problem is with how they do the HIIT.HIIT, by definition, is supposed to be intense - as intense as possible. On the proverbial scale of 1 to 10, you need to be pushing an 11 or more. And many times, trainees don't do that when they're doing HIIT. They think they're pushing hard, and they might be, but instead of that 11 or more, maybe they're only putting in an effort of 8 or so. That doesn't cut it when it comes to HIIT.Remember when I said that you can run hard, or run long, but not both? Well, on the flip side, if you run easy, and run short, you're doing the worst of both worlds. And as effective as HIIT can be, if it's not done with the appropriate intensity, you're falling into that trap. You have to be pushing as hard as you physically can...Personally, I think that HIIT is best suited for only a few types of activities. The best is simply running - on the track, in a park, up hills or stairs, etc. Go out and move your tail as fast as you friggin' can. Behind that, I would say rowing or running on a treadmill. Next might be an elliptical machine, but from there, you're going downhill in the intensity meter. (I hear the versaclimber would be high on that list, but since I've no direct experience on one, I can't comment.)When using cardio machines, you basically have to look at it this way - which one gets you breathing the hardest? For example, I've done a lot on stationary bikes, and they can be great workouts, but I'm not a big fan when it comes to HIIT. The same goes for stair-stepping machines. There is too much waiting on the machine. Now, I'm not saying you can't get breathing hard on many of these machines, because you can. But HIIT isn't about just breathing hard - it's about breathing as hard as possible. And many machines just don't do it. One main drawback to HIIT is that when it's done correctly, it's pretty tough on the nervous system. Like very intense strength training, the nervous system is worn down by all the very hard work it has to force the body to produce. This can have negative results on all other facets of your training, and even though your muscular system might not need it, force you to take extra recovery time to keep from being overtrained.Let's take a look at LSD for a minute. There isn't really anyway to short change it, as long as you keep a decent pace and go the distance. And it's going to take a certain amount of cardiovascular conditioning to get that done.There isn't anything WRONG with LSD. Countless boxers used it for years (Rocky Marciano was known to even do roadwork on the day of his fights - and he was always in great shape), as have many MMAists. Guys like Tito Ortiz, Frank Shamrock, Sean Sherk, and Matt Hughes have all stated that some form of LSD makes up the majority of their conditioning work (outside of fight training).That said, HIIT can still be more productive. But it has to be done right, or you're doing something that could easily be surpassed by somebody doing LSD.There are two alternatives that I like to use to LSD and HIIT. One is Density Conditioning. Simply put, choose a short distance (30-100 yards) and do as many reps as you can in a given timeframe. Sprint one way, walk or jog back, and repeat - rest only if it's absolutely necessary. The goal is to get more reps in each workout. These aren't going to be sprints per se, but hard runs - kind of like that 8 (or 9) intensity level, but you'll be doing a lot more overall distance.The other is MFD - Medium Fast Distance. This is where you choose more of a medium distance compared to your LSD. For example, if LSD runs are 5-6 miles, choose 2.5-3.5 miles. Run the entire distance without stopping (just like LSD), but do at a fairly fast-paced clip. The best way would be to set a mile time that is pretty quick for you, and try to keep that pace the entire run. Density Conditioning and MFD both combine elements of LSD and HIIT. Where LSD is long, yet slow, and HIIT is short, yet very hard, Density Conditioning and MFD are both medium-long, yet hard (as opposed to very hard with HIIT). Either Density Conditioning or MFD can be good ways of keeping your conditioning good, without having to spend hours doing it, or worrying about burning out your nervous system. And it could almost be considered a perfect mix if your fight training is very intense...If you're looking for ways to put Density Conditioning into your workouts, be sure to check out my the "Working Class MMA Workout Program" available at my site. Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

"Let's Talk Muscular Endurance"(originally published at workingclassfitness.blogspot.com) If you peruse my blog now and then, you probably know that if I get into good discussions at forums, I like to cut and paste some of the discussion(s) here. Well, recently, there was a great discussion about Muscular Endurance and how it applies to MMA over at mma.tv. Here is some of what I posted:*********************-In regards to sports specific skill, is there a difference between learning to control fatigue/tension/force exerted and muscular endurance? Yes and no. Yes in that I don't believe the two are the same thing. No, in that the net result ends up being the same.Slightly different viewpoint - a baseball player is taking batting practice. His hitting coach comes over and has him slightly adjust is swing. He now gets more power on the ball, and can hit further. Can he hit further? Yes. Is he a more powerful hitter? Not necessarily. He's just as powerful as he was when he stepped into the batting cage - he's just now better at harnessing said power. He's a more efficient hitter.Now let's say the same hitter, instead of tweaking his swing like his coach says, keeps his swing the same. But this time, it's the off-season, and he hits the weights real hard (and knowing MLB, probably the 'roids, too LOL). He come back in a couple months with the same exact swing. However, b/c he's put on 25 lbs. of muscle, and the increased strength/power to go with it, he's hitting the ball further. He has extended his limits b/c of his newfound strength/power. Balls that were fly-outs to left-center now fly over the left field fence. Can he hit the ball further? yes. Is he a more powerful hitter? Yes. Is he a "better" hitter? Not necessarily. He can just "muscle it" further.The same principle (IMO) applies to muscular endurance and comparing it to improving technique. Say a fighter works on his mental game, staying more relaxed on the mat. Therefore, he conserves energy. Does that give him more endurance? No. But it does allow him to work longer.Same result. Different paths.So, the next question that brings up is which is more important to work on? Muscular endurance or managing technique? And of course, there is no hard and fast answer. It depends on the fighter, how he fights (style-wise), and his current abilities (in both technique and S&C). After a thorough assessment of everything, those kinds of questions can be answered. Why do you have to pick one over the other? Why not learn to manage technique AND increase muscular endurance? Well, that would be one of the most optimal choices for this situation, but given the trainee can only do so much (and given that MMA is probably one of, if not THE most demanding sports from such a wide variety of skills necessary perspective), he has to pick and choose his battles (so to speak).Shifting gears...In the 1st thread, it was mentioned (more or less) that complexes don't get the heart going like sprinting can. I agree (and Chad and I have traded emails about this) that running as fast as you can for as long as you can will keep your heart beating as fast as possible. However, many people don't have the lower body muscular endurance (i.e. the ability to keep contracting the musculature of the hips/legs) to keep up the kind of pace necessary. Something like complexes, however, can allow the trainee to keep working, allowing some muscle groups to actively rest while others work, all the while the cardiovascular system keeps getting taxed.And for many, this is all they'll need. However, I do believe that once a trainee gets themselves in pretty good shape, and has a good amount of work capacity built up, complexes will then start to diminish in ability to keep heart-rate up. To do so, it's been my experience, the trainee has to significantly increase the weight, making the amount of force that has to be exerted that much more. But if you start to go too heavy, you start running into the area of strength development, as well as what I call strength-endurance (the ability to perform a given activity with a given percentage of one's 1RM - not just the ability to contract repeatedly...I think it was said before that this was Relative Endurance).Now, this isn't necessarily a *bad* thing, as I believe having higher Relative Endurance (w/higher % of 1RM in both the strength and power depts.) is a good thing. IMO, fighters need to be strong at the end of the fight - not just at the beginning. (And as RIPLEY pointed out, many are weak then, too.) But it's a different question.There's also the idea that efficiency and maximum ability and/or capacity aren't necessarily the same thing.One of the things that I see/hear over at Crossfit (I'm not trying to bash these guys - just making a point) is that they want to find more efficient ways of doing movements, so that more work can be done. I don't necessarily agree with this.Think of it this way - say as a part of a Crossfit metcon circuit, you had to jump over a cone X number of times, and this cone was 12 inches high. In Crossfit fashion, you take the most efficient route, and jump just high enough to get over the cone - say 12.25 inches. Your work output is high, in that you're moving your bodyweight X number of reps over the requisite 12 inch cone, and since you're going *just* high enough to clear the cone, your time is as fast as it can be. IMO, this would be a case of maximizing efficiency.Now let's say that instead of jumping just high enough to clear the cone (12.25 inches), you jump a full 20 inches over the cone, clearing it by 8 inches with each jump. IMO, this would b a case of maximizing ability/capacity.Now the question that gets raised in my mind, is which of the two have more carryover? The increase in efficiency, or the increase in ability/capacity? It depends on what the test is. If the test is the workout itself (as is the case w/Crossfit most times), it's the first. However, if the test is a totally unrelated activity (say barbell complexes or sprinting and wrestling), then I'd say the second.In this sort of instance, you'd learn how to maximize efficiency with your skills training. Maximize your ability/capacity with your S&C training.Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.