Evidence-Based

Guidelines for Strength

and Conditioning in
Mixed Martial Arts
Chris Tack, BSc (Hons)
Guys & St Thomas National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided
in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journals Web site (http://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj).

ABSTRACT
THE FOLLOWING REVIEW WILL
DESCRIBE AN EVIDENCE-BASED
MODEL OF STRENGTH AND
CONDITIONING EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION IN RELATION TO AN
AMATEUR MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST,
WHICH WILL BE LINKED WITH KEY
COMPONENTS OF MIXED MARTIAL
ARTS PERFORMANCE. THE
CHOSEN PROGRAM INVOLVES
2 SPECIFIC PHASES OF TRAINING:
THE PREPARATORY PHASE AND
THE COMPETITION PHASE. EACH
WILL BE EXAMINED INDEPENDENTLY AND JUSTIFIED THROUGH
ANALYSIS OF THE BEST AVAILABLE EVIDENCE. A NEEDS ANALYSIS OF THE SPORT WILL BE
PROVIDED AND KEY PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS.
DISCUSSION WILL INCLUDE PERIODIZATION METHOD, EXERCISE
PRESCRIPTION FOCUS, AND
SPECIFIC TRAINING PRINCIPLES
PRESCRIBED (E.G., INTENSITY,
VOLUME, REST). A VIDEO
ABSTRACT DISCUSSING THIS
ARTICLE IS FOUND IN Supplementary Digital Content 1 (see Video,
http://links.lww.com/SCJ/A125).

INTRODUCTION

ixed martial arts (MMA) is

a multifaceted sport, with
varied subsport components
(e.g., boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu [BJJ],
Muay Thai kickboxing, karate, wrestling). Each of these sports will provide
unique physical characteristics of performance, which require evaluation
and assessment to correctly prescribe
an effective and successful strength
and conditioning program. The difficult task in producing an appropriate
and specific program for MMA is that
each bout can be vastly different depending on the opponent and precise
strategy being planned for implementation in the fight.

As such the strength and conditioning

plan is likely to differ for an athlete
facing an opponent with 15 years of
free style wrestling experience versus
an opponent who was a K1 kickboxing
champion. Similarly, the previous
experience of the chosen athlete will
also provide him/her with physical
characteristics, which may need to
be altered (reduced, maintained, or
heightened) during the prefight training program.
As such a specific needs analysis of
both the sport and the athlete need
to be combined to provide an

Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association

appropriate program to show optimal

results.
The aim of this review was to provide
an evidence-based model of strength
and conditioning for use by the coach
or athlete of MMA to demonstrate
the complexities of conditioning for
this sport and to provide guidelines
as to how to devise a periodized
exercise program to optimize MMA
performance.
NEEDS ANALYSISMIXED
MARTIAL ARTS

MMA is multidimensional regarding

the physical characteristics required to
be successful. The combination of striking and grappling styles involve upper
and lower limb strength and power
through multiple planes of motion and
through the open and closed kinetic
chain. Agility is required to change
direction to avoid an opponent over
short distances (12 m) and to close
distance and set up an attack. Speed
of limb is required for good footwork
and to allow effective striking. Due for
the need to stay within a particular
weight class, which is appropriate for
KEY WORDS:

MMA; combat sports; strength and

conditioning; power; anaerobic

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Strength and Conditioning in MMA

their size, functional, and relative strength

to work against an opponents body
weight is more important than hypertrophy (32). Power is an essential feature
to allow successful striking and the ability to control your opponents position.
Force transfer through the transverse
plane is essential for striking (123).
Environmental concerns include the use
of 4 oz gloves for competitive matches
(although head guards and heavier 16
oz gloves may be used in training for
safety) and training barefoot to replicate
this element of competition. Training in
just shorts, as required for competition,
can also be considered.
MMA is predominantly metabolically
anaerobic, with a combination of phosphogen and lactate systems dependent
on the duration/type of actions of the
athlete (117). Amateur fights consist of
3 five-minute rounds. There is a requirement of repetitive application of power
fueled by the aerobic metabolism
over each round, with relative rest
in between. Fights would be supplemented by a high aerobic capacity to
allow rapid recovery similar to karate
kumite competition (12).
Injuries in MMA typically involve the
upper limb (22.7%); head, neck, and
face (38.2%); and lower limb (30.4%),
with most occurring in training (105)
and predominantly to the defending
fighter (15,19,98,144).
The most common mechanism is striking either to the area struck or to the
limb used to strike (14,138), which is congruent with other striking combat sports
(20,84,91,128,145). The specific fighting
style will predispose to different injury
areas (43,146). Kickboxing specialists
are similarly at risk of injury to their striking limbs (e.g., knee, elbow, foot, hand)
and the area that is struck (e.g., face, ribs,
thighs). However, other subsport analysis
identifies risk areas in free style wrestling
as the knee, shoulder, ankle, and neck
(59) and shoulder, elbow, back, and neck
in boxing (36). Further injury rate analysis
needs to be undertaken for subsports
such as BJJhowever, it is possible that
injuries common in wrestling may be
seen also in other grappling arts.

80

NEEDS ANALYSIS: ATHLETE

EVALUATION

In most instances of amateur MMA

competition, the athlete and their team
are unlikely to have details regarding
their next opponent. As such, strategy
will be based on the athletes particular
strongest physical attributes and performance characteristics. In professional MMA, or with greater details
regarding the opponent, the athletes
program may differ by using a strategy,
which relates to both not only their
strengths but also their opponents
weaknesses. Table 1 provides key areas
of investigation to provide information
to guide program development.
For example, an amateur MMA athlete
with a vast history of striking through
kickboxing or karate would be well
advised to play to his strengths and
ensure a program is in consensus with
the physical characteristics required for
optimal striking performance. In this
instance, a primary training objective
may include power and speed development to ensure the athlete optimizes
the ability to close the distance to his
opponent. Alternately, a BJJ specialist
may optimize the ability to control
his opponent on the ground through
core training and isometric strength
development.
The 20-week course of training
described presently should be a part
of a yearly macrocyle, which will aim
to develop all characteristics of performance evenly (out of season) so the
athlete continues to improve all areas
of his performance.
Another important consideration is that
as an amateur competitor, it is likely
that the athlete will have a limited time
to dedicate to training due to external
work obligations. As such efficiency of
the program is paramount. Also, the
program described takes into account
an intention to plan 2 fights in 1 year
only. The program timescales may alter
if more fights are planned.
Table 2 identifies potential screening
tests to be used before program commencement and include sport-specific
agility tests, body composition, V O2

VOLUME 35 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2013

max tests (77) and Wingate power tests

(26). Vertical jump is included as a measure of triple extension power (26) and as
a measure of anaerobic performance (31).
PERIODIZATION

Within the proposed model, although

a linear periodization strategy is used
within the preparatory phase to provide controlled method of optimizing
overload, this ability to fully manage
training frequency and load will be
forfeited in the competition phase
(7,102,107). Due to increased volume
of technical sessions in this phase, an
alteration of the periodization style to
undulating occurs. As such this will
allow more frequent periods of recovery
and shorter phases to prevent overtraining, while providing varied stimuli to increase sport-specific adaptation (73,102).
The use of an undulating model is supported by Rhea et al. (110) who report
that the variable stress provides greater
overload to the neuromuscular system,
and as such greater fitness gains, than
a linear model. In fact, strength gains
are significantly more (62). See the
Figure for the evidence-based Annual
Periodized Training Model.
PREPARATORY PHASE

There are 4 key foci for this stage to

discuss. Prehabilitative injury prevention,
dynamic flexibility, and core stability
development are prescribed throughout
the preparatory phase with regular sessions. These are a regular but secondary
focus of the preparatory phase, which
aim to provide an optimal basis on which
the fourth but primary foci of strength and
power development are progressed.
When considering athletes of amateur
status, it is considered that a substantial
preparatory phase is required to ensure
that they are in the best physical condition for the varied elements of the
competition training phase because it
is deemed that failure to prepare fully
directly affects the safety of the athlete.
The preparatory phase aims to provide
a basis of neuromuscular control in all
joints to reduce risk of injury and providing a physical platform on which
sport-specific abilities can be developed.

Table 1
Athlete analysis (areas of investigation and questioning)
Athlete analysis

Martial arts training history

Number of years training in specific subsports?

Number of years competing in specific subsports?
Number of years training in MMA?
Number of years competing in MMA?
Grades achieved in subsports?
For example, 8 years of training in Karate, 4 years as a black belt, competing in full contact
competitions, 3 years of training BJJno wrestling back ground, 1 year of boxing, 1 year of
MMA-specific training

Current amateur MMA record Wins-losses-draws (0-0-0)

MMA strategy

Number of competitive MMA fights

What is the athletes main strategic focus?

It is appropriate to devise a fight strategy based on the athletes experience and training history,
as limited or no details will be available about their opponent
Therefore, is their experience predominantly striking or grappling based?

Physical training history

How long have they been undertaking exercise or sport?

Which type/level of activity have they undertaken?
Which type of equipment are they most familiar with and how long have they been using this
equipment (e.g., free weights, resistance machines, kettlebells)
Do they have any experience of particular training methods (e.g., plyometrics, powerlifting,
Olympic-style lifting, endurance training)

Primary training objectives

(Link with MMA strategy)

For example, improve rate of force development (to increase strike power), improve speed and
acceleration of feet (to increase speed to takedown), increase isometric upper limb force
production (to increase grappling holds)

Secondary training objectives Power endurance (to ensure power application over maximum 15-minute competitive period)
Strengthening without hypertrophy is essential to prevent increase in weight gain before
competition
Injury history

Any previous injuries to be aware of in prescription of the exercise program

Prehabilitation

Prehabilitation exercises are used to

maintain flexibility and neuromuscular
control for a base of efficient movement on which to build sport-specific
skills (133). In MMA, basic joint
strengthening is essential to provide
greater structural joint integrity (4)
and tensile strength of connective tissue (39,72) and should aim for optimal
muscle balance across all joints (63).
Key areas to focus on are the neck
musculature (4,18,42) as elements of
grappling techniques can predispose

to cervical spine injury (66). Due to

the varied injury risk in MMA, it is
appropriate to ensure that all muscle
groups are equally addressed (4). The
shoulder and knee (4,36,59) are also
notable areas of potential injury.
Efficiency of load transfer can be
developed through prehabilitation exercises (23,51,89,90,92,96) and prehabilitation specific to grappling should
include single limb stance and upper
limb weight bearing (45). Body weight
training is a functional method for
this, allowing appropriate multiplanar

functional strengthening (52) while

maintaining sport specificity.
Improving biomechanical efficiency of
the hips and spine through prehabilitation will serve to prevent injury and
maximize strength gains, power output,
and speed production (44,78,87,124).
The bird-dog exercise has been cited
as an important one to activate the lumbar spine stabilizers and reduce risk
of back pain (85) while allowing
movement of the limbs independent
of a stable core (see the core stability
component).

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Table 2
This table demonstrates the possible screening tests used as a preparatory phase athlete evaluation. Order of testing as
advised by Coburn (77)
Athlete A: screening test procedures
Performance characteristics

Justification for testing

Examples of tests used

Generic

Age, gender/sex, current weight,

Measurements of athlete size, body
competitive weight class, height, body
composition, and chronological age are
composition skin fold measurements
taken at baseline as a reference point and
to demonstrate physical change

Agility and speed

Nonsport specific: 20 m sprint (s), vertical

Agility tests are undertaken to assess
jump (VJ) height (s), VJ height (cm), hop
specific ability to change direction, move
height (cm) right, hop height (cm) left,
with speed over short distance, and move
hop distance right (cm), hop distance left
ones body with speed and precision. As
(cm), pro agility drill (s); MMA specific: 2 m
such this provides a global measure of
to strike (acceleration between light
coordinated balance, coordination, and
gates), 2 m to takedown (acceleration to
speed, which is relative to MMA due to
shoulder contact with bag), time from
the limited size of the competition area,
floor to standing
and the need to evade and close distance
on your opponent

Anaerobic power

Wingate anaerobic cycle test. Alternately,

It is essential to measure the degree at
specific agility tests could be considered
which the athlete can produce rapid
a nonspecific measurement of power:
transfer of force anaerobically. This is
e.g., VJ height (s), VJ height (cm)
a measure of anaerobic metabolism and
a measurement of rate of force
development, both of which are
important for MMA performance (e.g.,
striking, speed to takedown)

Strength

1RM: bench press (kg), squat (kg), Romanian

1 repetition maximum (1RM) testing
dead lift (kg); 10RM: dumbbell shoulder
measures the maximum amount of
press (kg), bent over barbell row (kg)
weight you can lift one time. Submaximal
repetition testing (e.g., 10RM) uses
a lighter weight, more repetition, and
then a formula to estimate maximum
strength. Maximal strength is important
for grappling and its link to increased
power

Aerobic capacity

A maximal or submaximal aerobic workload VO2 max treadmill test (77); multistage
test can be used to estimate aerobic
shuttle run test
capacity (the maximum amount of
oxygen the body can use during activity).
This can be used to provide an estimate
to the athletes capacity to undertake
a 15-minute MMA competitive match or
to estimate their ability to recover
between periods of maximal anaerobic
exertion

In the striking martial arts, the spinal

stability neural subsystem requires both
relaxation to allow sufficient speed of
the striking limb and superstiffness at
moment of impact, which involves
cocontraction of adjacent joints to allow
increased power transfer (85,86). This

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rapid firing of the neural subsystem

from a completely relaxed state should
also be trained. For example, a superstiffness push up where the individual
lays relaxed in a prone position and
quickly explodes into a push up, allows
the body to practice fast muscle

VOLUME 35 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2013

activation of the core and limbs

simultaneously.
Dynamic Flexibility

A dynamic stretching routine should

consist of function-based exercises,
which use sport-specific movements

to prepare for MMA performance.

The chosen routine is developed
through analysis of MMA movement
patterns (54,79). Movements common
to striking and grappling should be
used, such as shadow boxing at 50%
speed or drills such as hip escaping
and bridging, respectively.
Sports specificity is essential and allows
greater velocity of movement execution
during technique (115) while developing correct motor patterning for specific
techniques. Jump rope can be used early
as a part of a dynamic warm up to
develop footwork speed and as a base
to progress with sport-specific drills in
the competition phase (93).
Recovery

The prescribed routine should include

foam rolling and static stretching to
increase flexibility and recover posttraining. Two minutes of foam roller use increases muscle range of motion as much
as static stretching with no impact on
force production (53,75) and as such
can be used before, during, or after
power training. However, MMA requires greater flexibility than can be
achieved with just foam rolling to allow
performance of some techniques (e.g.,
head kicks, grappling positions such as
the oma plata shoulder lock), and as
such static stretching is applied as an
adjunct to the dynamic flexibility routine to ensure range of motion is maintained. Hip flexor and adductor range of
motion particularly should be maintained through sustained static stretching to allow performance of both BJJ
techniques and high kick techniques.
Core Stability

Core stability training allows the development of greater force and allows
a greater base for power from which
force can be initiated (27,72,95). Kicking
and striking performance requires
abdominal activation to provide tension
to transfer power into the limbs
(10,30,64,139) meaning abdominal activation and control of trunk position
while the limbs are moved is essential.
The program is based on perturbation
training, which is the challenge of the

active neural subsystem of the core

muscles by placing them on an unstable surface and asking the body to
maintain spinal position while a varied
perturbation is provided. Progression is
accomplished first through isometric
stability in simple positions to multijoint movements involving the hip,
torso, and the scapular region (e.g.,
the plank/side plank/bird dog) (44).
The next step would be to add an
unstable challenge (125), which challenges the body to adapt to external
stimulus, improves neuromuscular control (21), and assists with optimal performance of power activities (10). This
increases cocontractile activity of
muscles to provide greater joint protection (11). This is further developed by
maintaining a controlled trunk/body
position while the limbs are moved
away from the center of gravity to
add a further perturbation to balance.
Strength and Power Development

The preparatory phase is divided into

subsections. A basic transition phase
and introductory period are used to
teach complex compound lifting techniques to ensure that the athlete has
appropriate levels of proprioception
and neuromuscular control on to which
load can be added and to prepare the
athlete for the controlled stress that will
be applied.
Four-week blocks are used to develop
strength and power, respectively, and
allow the use of an 8-week program of
moderate volume, which is deemed best
to optimize strength and power (57).
Exercise selection initially is based
around development of maximal
strength (and its underlying neuromuscular characteristics) because this plays
an important role in the production of
maximal power and superior athletic
performance (29). Progression to power
development comes subsequently to
this subsection.
Strength exercises involving triple joint
extension, such as the deadlift and
squat variations, are used alongside
bench press and other free weight compound lifts to develop core strength and
proprioception. Strength training starts

at loads of 80% 1 repetition maximum

(1RM) for 13 sets of 26 repetitions
and incorporating 35 minutes rest
(8,37,39,73,106109).
After 4 weeks of progressive training,
increasing loads to 100% 1RM, with an
inverse relationship between load and
repetitions (73), the athlete is progressed to controlled power exercises.
Power is deemed central to successful
sporting performance (31,127) and
developed through triple extension
power lifts (e.g., clean, snatch, high
row) to increase rate of force development (29,46,47,82). Power exercises can
replicate the physical burdens of wrestling performance (71) and be beneficial
for striking and closing the distance
(117). This acceleration power is an
important aspect to successful MMA
performance.
Power lifts and Olympic style lifts are
used with a load of 3060% 1RM for
13 sets of 26 repetitions and rests of
58 minutes (8,37,39,73,106109).
Only 23 power exercises are used
in each session (1,38,115) to prevent
fatigue and overtraining. Speed is
reduced with the increase in load;
however, intention of fast velocity remains to ensure appropriate improvements in power.
Power lifts should always occur first in
session to prevent fatigue limiting the
development of speed and power
(117). Appropriate rest times are used
to ensure that training is not compromised due to neural fatigue (57).
Volume is increased for both strength
and power sessions in increments of
2.55% per week as required to prevent
overtraining (3,73).
Transition

The varied training for MMA means

overtraining is a serious consideration
(68). Unloading periods are planned
(weeks 11 and 19) to benefit recovery
(65). An off loading week is planned at
the end of the preparatory phase to
allow sufficient recuperation before
the start of the fight camp, but without
loss of the performance characteristics
developed in this phase. This is followed

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Strength and Conditioning in MMA

by an introductory competition phase

for 1 week to allow the athlete to learn
the new techniques that will be used in
the following phase. See Table 3 for
specific examples of exercises for each
subsection of the preparatory phase and
prescription guidelines.
COMPETITION PHASE
(FIGHT CAMP)

The progression from a preparatory

phase into the competition phase provides various benefits for the athlete and
the trainer. For the athlete, the gains
made in the preparatory phase regarding absolute or maximum strength
and power can be transferred into an
MMA-specific program. This can therefore streamline the development of key
MMA performance characteristics (e.g.,
power, speed of acceleration, absolute
strength) into a fight-specific strategy
and plan. For example, if the aim of the
athlete was to dominate his opponent
with grappling on the ground, then general power training can be progressed
toward focusing on acceleration speed
to complete a double leg takedown.
For the coaching team, the move into
a competition phase of training allows
the strength and conditioning program
to become more efficient alongside
technical training and allowing the replication of the demands of MMA competition and the appropriate metabolic
system required to perform optimally.
Changes to the periodization strategy
are mentioned previously and include
the movement into an undulating
periodized program. This also allows
an alteration to the athletes schedule
to permit an increase in the number
of MMA, BJJ, and wrestling technical
sessions with his coaches (which were
not a consideration in the preparatory
phase). An example of a weekly schedule is proposed in Table 4.
As previously mentioned, with this
model concerning amateur athletes, it
is likely that they may be balancing
training with full time work. As such
the number of sessions and amount of
contact with the strength and conditioning professional is reduced and
the efficiency of the time spent in

84

strength and conditioning sessions is

paramount. Changes made to the program at this stage to allow this, while
ensuring development of the key characteristics of performance, are use of
complex training (CT) and high-intensity
interval training (HIIT).
Both power exercises and agility drills
are included in separate sessions during the microcycle; however, they are
also incorporated into CT and HIIT to
optimize session efficiency (3) while
promoting specificity of movement
patterns and special strength (sport
specific) (118). With martial arts technique, this is important to allow greater
velocity of technique execution (50,115).
At this stage, specific MMA training
commences and should focus on specific MMA performance attributes,
such as power, strength, changes of
direction, explosive movement, endurance, and speed (117).
Complex Training

CT is one of the time efficient training

methods used within this phase. CT
involves the coupling of kinematically
similar high-load and high-velocity exercises in a set-for-set combination to
induce a postactivation potentiation
response (24,34,35,80,116) and which
mirrors the benefits of separate resistance or plyometric training (74,133).
This can be an effective tool for exercising all elements of the force development curve in a time efficient manner.
It has been suggested that CT can be
a beneficial addition to a program as
part of the competition phase strength
and power maintenance routine (61,88)
while maintaining sport specificity.
Complexes involve the combination of
a strength-based exercise with immediate performance of a plyometric/
power-based drill. The strength exercise component focuses on multijoint
strength exercises (e.g., squat, deadlift)
as a base for power production (133)
and are combined with appropriate
plyometric drills (e.g., sled-resisted
acceleration). Triple extension exercises are preferable (e.g., squats, deadlifts) because they assist to improve
rear leg drive in a rear hand punch

VOLUME 35 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2013

(134) or the performance of wrestling

takedown techniques. The back squat
at 30% 1RM is correlated with karate
kumite success (112) and being correlated with peak power and T test agility
times (100).
The plyometric component of the
complex should be entirely sport specific using either equipment or a partner
to drill a specific situation or functional
sporting movement (e.g., acceleration
to strike, movement to stand from the
floor).
High Intensity Interval Training

HIIT is important as a substitute for

long slow endurance training, which
may have a negative effect on strength
and power development (117). It also
allows the athlete to train at a higher
intensity than possible with continuous
aerobic training and improve both
aerobic and anaerobic capacity
(55,69,111,117). HIIT is also a time efficient (99,121,130) effective method of
losing body fat and is therefore beneficial to continue during the weight cut
period (120).
Power lifts can be applied as part of
a HIIT session using an activity: rest
ratio of 1:36 for phosphogen system
conditioning and 1:2 for lactate system
metabolism (117) over 5-minute rounds
to improve tolerance of lactate accumulation and allow conditioning of aerobic
recovery (71) in accordance to the metabolic demands of MMA competition
(4, 63).
Power training as part of a CT or HIIT
schedule uses 30% 1RM (9,81,112,140)
combined with an 80% 1RM resisted
movement (82). Only 23 power exercises, incorporating 23 sets (71), should
be used in each session (1,38,115).
There are also other various benefits to
CT/HIIT within the competition
phase. The variety of exercises that
can be undertaken with these methods
of training allow MMA technique
specific movements to be combined
with unorthodox loading techniques
(e.g., kettlebells, battle ropes, medicine
balls, chains) (31,97,126,129). This allows
the athlete to continue to physically

adapt to varied stressors while maintaining the athletes interest and motivation.
This could include transverse plane loading that is deemed to benefit rotational
striking technique (123). For example,
one CT or HIIT drill could use unilateral
power lifts to develop rotational force
production and multiplanar strength
(10,11,71,119).
Alternately, medicine balls specifically
are a good method of working in the
transverse plane through the open
kinetic chain (123,129) in a ballistic
throwing drill. Ballistic training is valuable to increase force development
(49,115,142), movement-specific stretchshortening cycle function, acceleration,
and movement velocity (28,29,83,142).
This could be performed with medicine

ball throws to replicate striking as the

plyometric component of a complex drill.
The opportunity to work in high volume within CT and HIIT sessions is
used to increase metabolic buffering
of lactate levels in preparation for competition (41,134). Six sessions of HIIT
(15 minutes duration) over 2 weeks
have been shown to increase muscle
aerobic capacity and metabolic control
(113). This can be applied with 2 sessions (15 minutes10 minutes rest
15 minutes) per week with fluctuating
intensity (120).

move to control position of yourself

and your opponent to close distance,
strike, complete a takedown, or defend
through evasion is important to replicate and drill in training.

Agility Drills

One such example is the 458 step ladder drill. The starting angle of 35458
for anterior foot placement when performing powerful kicks (48) and can be
replicated by traversing an agility ladder through 458 diagonal steps. Other
examples could include sled-resisted
drills, which can be used to increase
stride length (101) and short-distance
power (32).

Speed and accuracy of foot placement

are essential in many combat sports
and martial arts. The ability to precisely

Plyometric training can increase kicking

power (48,114) because the stretchshortening cycle is important for kicking

Figure. Annual Periodized Training Program model.

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Strength and Conditioning in MMA

performance (48). However, agility

training must be specific to sport performance. It is appropriate to use closed
drills and to progress to specific situation
drills using partners and live sparring to
reflect the precise movements of MMA
at game speed (60).

phase microcycle includes prehabilitation exercises, flexibility/recovery

sessions, and core stability training
to ensure continued sustenance of
the biomechanical and neuromuscular benefits of the preparatory
phase.

It has been suggested that gains

from plyometric training can be sustained with 1 weekly session (17,56,114),
which can be prescribed with 1
specific agility/speed session in competition phase.

These maintenance sessions are as

follows:
Flexibility: dynamic stretching protocol,
prolonged static stretching, and foam
roller;
Core stability: isometric trunk musculature loading against perturbations
(e.g., bird dog, plank);
Prehabilitation neuromuscular control:
body weightresisted dynamic control
exercises (e.g., single leg squats, hand
stand holds);

Maintenance Sessions

In MMA, greater tensile strength of

connective tissue (39,72) is required
in all joints (4) for optimal muscle balance (63). Therefore, the competition

Prehabilitation general joint strengthening: assistance exercises for strength

maintenance (e.g., dumbbell shoulder
press, barbell bench press); strength
training should be performed 12 times
per week to sustain gains from the preparatory phase (71);
Power lifts/olympic style lifts: limited
to 23 times per week (25,104,107) to
ensure optimal gains without overtraining. As such one power maintenance
session can be prescribed, alongside 2
power exercise HIIT sessions (82).
Power lifts should always occur first in
a session to prevent fatigue limiting the
development of speed and power (117).
Appropriate rest times must be used to
ensure that training is not compromised
due to neural fatigue (57).

Table 3
This table provides prescription guidelines for possible exercises to use through all subsections of the
preparatory phase
Exercise prescription guidelines
Subphase

Prehabilitation

Exercise examples

Bird-dog motor control

exercise (motor control
example)

Guidelines

Resistance: body weight; intensity: 2060%; repetitions: 10

15; sets: 36; rest: 12 minutes. Start with 3 sets of 15
repetitions at 20% intensity; progress with an inverse
relationship between intensity and volume (e.g., increase to
3 sets of 10 repetitions but increase intensity to 40%) (22)

Multiplane rotator cuff loading Resistance: resistance band/cable machine; load: 3060%;
repetitions: 1220; sets: 35; rest: 3060 seconds. Start
(muscular endurance
with 3 sets of 20 repetitions with a 30% 10RM load. Progress
example)
with an inverse relationship between load and volume
(e.g., increase to 4 sets of 12 repetitions with a 40% 10RM
load) (72)
Dynamic flexibility

Shadow boxing, hip escape

drills, Wrestlers sit out drill

Volume: 60 seconds repetitive motion per drill; sets: 35 sets

per drill; relative rest: 3060 seconds (within a 20- to 30minute session) (6)

Recovery

Quadratus lumborum foam

rolling

Duration: 2 minutes per area (53,75)

Static adductor stretch

Static stretching: duration, 3060 second holds; rest: 20

seconds rest between repetitions. Repeat for approximately
8 minutes (143)

Core stability

Unstable plank holds, cross

body mountain climber,
reverse curl

Repetitions: high repetitions until fatigue/loss of technique

control; sets: 36; rest: 12 minutes (22)

Strength (preparatory)

Deadlift, back squat

Maximum strength: load, 80100% 1RM; sets: 13 sets;

repetitions: 26 repetitions; rest: 35 minutes rest
(8,37,39,73,106109)

Power (preparatory)

Clean, snatch

Power: load, 3060% 1RM; sets: 13 sets; repetitions: 26; rest:

58 minutes rest (8,37,39,73,106109)

86

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NB: All technical/strength and conditioning sessions include a dynamic warm-up and recovery session (10 minutes each).

GJS 5 general joint strengthening (assistance exercise); NMC 5 neuromuscular control exercises; (I) 5 independent training.

56 pm, advanced
MMA agility
89 pm,
wrestling
Evening

88:15 pm,
prehabilitation NMC;
8:159 pm, HIIT

Rest
89 pm, MMA 88:30 pm, CT
training
session; 8:309 pm,
prehabilitation GJS

89 pm, BJJ training

Rest
Rest

Rest

Friday
Thursday
Wednesday

Table 4

66:30 am,
66:30 am, core
flexibility (I)
stability (I)
Full time working/rest from activity

In response to the lack of defined and

specific exercise program for MMA,
a 2-stage model of strength and conditioning has been provided for an

Afternoon

Practical Applications

66:30 am,
66:30 am, core
flexibility (I)
stability (I)

For an effective weight cut, loss is limited to 11.5 kg/wk (70) and the athlete should commence the competition
phase no more than 5 kg above fighting
weight. Only 1 kg of acute intentional
dehydration should be planned (70).

Tuesday

The optimal tapering strategy prescribes a 2-week period with an exponential reduction in volume by 4161%
while maintaining intensity (16,141).
This is achieved by an immediate
50% taper on day 1 of week 19 and
graduated regression (141).

Monday

Weight cutting is common in combat

sports but can adversely affect performance. A 5% rapid loss of body weight
can reduce strength, aerobic capacity
(137), and punching force (122).

Weeks 1718

Taper/Weight Cut

Example weekly schedule (weeks 1718)

 A careful balance between training

and rest is planned to reduce
injury risk as intensity increases
(2,5,33,40,58,67,76,94,103,131,132,
135,136).
 There is an inverse relationship
between load and repetitions (73).
 An intensity of 90% of 10RM load in
the chosen microcycle in the last
2 weeks of the fight camp is used to
prevent excessive fatigue and overtraining (13).
 Volume is increased in increments of
2.55% per week as required to prevent overtraining (3,73).
 Unloading periods are planned (weeks
11 and 19) to benefit recovery (65).
 1 day per week for rest is appropriate
for 46 week periods of athletically
demanding programs (94).

Saturday

Loading/Intensity Parameters

Morning

Sunday

The varied training for MMA means

overtraining is a serious consideration
(68). To prevent overtraining and to
optimize the efficiency of the program,
the following rules are applied across
the program.

910 am, MMA training; 11:30 am

99:15 am,
to 12:00 pm, power maintenance
prehabilitation;
9:1510 am, HIIT

Prevention of Overtraining

Strength and Conditioning Journal | www.nsca-scj.com

87

Strength and Conditioning in MMA

amateur MMA athlete, guided by the

best available evidence. The separation
of the significant preparatory and competition phases of training ensures that
the athlete has completed a wellstructured preparatory phase of training developing general fitness, strength
and power; before undertaking a sport
specific fight camp. Hopefully, this
should minimize any risk to the amateur fighter from being under prepared
to perform in combat sports.
For a professional fighter, the preparatory phase may be extended to include
any transitory period between the
completion of a fight and the commencement of a new competition phase
and as such would include a slower progression alongside continued technical
training sessions.
This model demonstrates an efficient
way of maintaining physical developments of the preparatory phase through
a period of reduced time spent with the
strength and conditioning coach and
greater demand from technical training
sessions. It further benefits by the
appropriate use of training methods to
transfer gains from general strength and
power development into a sport specific environment.
Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding:
The author reports no conflicts of interest
and no source of funding.
Chris Tack is
a highly specialized musculoskeletal physiotherapist working at
Guys & St
Thomas NHS
Foundation
Trust, London,
United Kingdom.
He is a lead
clinician and owner of All Powers Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation & Conditioning
in London.
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