D. Cody Fielding is a San Francisco based master trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and owner of Empowered Health. He has done extensive combat sport training and has high level proficiency with regard to combat principles and strategy. His ability to accurately assess the strengths and weaknesses of individual athletes and provide break-through strength, conditioning and strategy prep is world class.
Here are 10 ways to improve your competitive edge in MMA. The first five relate to ground game, the second five relate to stand-up.
Ground Game:
1) Competition creates more stress than rolling/sparing in your own gym. Replicate things in your training that will create similar mental/emotional states as in full competition. For example, use bells for rounds, having coaching from ‘corners’ and a third person as a referee.
2) Use less tightness/tension overall when grappling. You burn-off critical energy and lose the information you would otherwise be receiving from your opponent's body.
3) Spend entire training sessions focusing on breathing/use of breath. Most ground-fighters’ breathing is constricted rather than more relaxed.
4) Sometime drill blind-folded. The key data for winning is not found through your eyes, but through the information you receive from your opponent’s body. You’ll dial into that more with the eyes closed or blindfolded.
5) Don’t over-train before a competition. A fighter’s body should be rested and healed as much as possible leading into a competition. You can roll lightly (for technique and fluidity) almost anytime, but the really hard work should stop 4-6 days before most competitions.
Stand-Up:
1) Work realistic combinations. A hook (short punch) after a cross, rarely works in an actual match for instance.
2) Be more exact/precise in your targeting. You’re not just punching the head or the body, you’re punching the nose, side of jaw, liver etc. The more accurately you aim the closer to the target you will be.
3) Find a better position for your head and neck. “Head down” does not necessarily mean ‘chin-down’ which is more important/accurate to what is needed. If the chin is up/exposed a whole host of problems arises. Another way to cue this can be “Look out of your eye brows”. If you’re looking out of your eye brows, your chin will be down. Thus your chin/jaw and cervical spine will be in far better position to take blows.
4) Find better ways of connecting with your corner. Most fighters have trouble being able to hear advice from their corner during a bout. Work on ways to better be able to hear this important feedback.
5) Reconsider what your defense is. Your hands being ‘up’ is of course vital. But equally important is that your defense is made up from your movement (be a moving target) and your spinal position. The spine should be slightly “C” curved (to absorb lateral force) with the chin down (as noted above) and you should be executing small movements almost constantly. A moving target is harder to hit AND this tends to allow for ‘glancing’ blows rather than being hit ‘square’ which more often leads to brain reset/knockouts.
Stand-Up:
1) Work realistic combinations. A hook (short punch) after a cross, rarely works in an actual match for instance.
2) Be more exact/precise in your targeting. You’re not just punching the head or the body, you’re punching the nose, side of jaw, liver etc. The more accurately you aim the closer to the target you will be.
3) Find a better position for your head and neck. “Head down” does not necessarily mean ‘chin-down’ which is more important/accurate to what is needed. If the chin is up/exposed a whole host of problems arises. Another way to cue this can be “Look out of your eye brows”. If you’re looking out of your eye brows, your chin will be down. Thus your chin/jaw and cervical spine will be in far better position to take blows.
4) Find better ways of connecting with your corner. Most fighters have trouble being able to hear advice from their corner during a bout. Work on ways to better be able to hear this important feedback.
5) Reconsider what your defense is. Your hands being ‘up’ is of course vital. But equally important is that your defense is made up from your movement (be a moving target) and your spinal position. The spine should be slightly “C” curved (to absorb lateral force) with the chin down (as noted above) and you should be executing small movements almost constantly. A moving target is harder to hit AND this tends to allow for ‘glancing’ blows rather than being hit ‘square’ which more often leads to brain reset/knockouts.
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