Submitted to ESSAY Magazine
October 2008 Issue

Did I train enough? Should I have eaten that piece of chocolate 3 weeks ago? Did I push as hard as I should have during training? Am I ready? Hell yeah I’m ready!!!

These may be some of things that Mixed Martial Arts fighters think about back stage before a fight. Proper training and preparation is what ensures success in one of the world’s toughest sport.

Last time we talked about Mixed Martial Arts 101. We talked about what MMA is and how MMA has grown into a legitimate sport versus the spectacle it used to be. This time I would like to talk about what it takes to get a fighter ready for battle. There are many facets to the prep game of a fighter; getting them ready both mentally and physically. A fighter can lose before he or she ever gets into the cage. This is where the mentality of “everybody needs a coach” comes in. No matter how good a fighter is at any one particular area, they always need someone to push them and oversee their training. When a fighter is getting ready for battle, they just want to train and sleep. They don’t want to have to set up their training or do much coordination. It takes a team to build a fighter. This is where the coach or coaches come in to play.

The Head Coach sets an overall game plan or what we call a Training Camp. He or she determines what the fighter needs in order to get them ready for their opponent; be it more grappling, more striking, or more wrestling. They set the schedule. A typical MMA training camp schedule would be as follows:

They usually are the instructor and corner their fighter during the match. Their responsibility is to make sure their fighter is on the right path getting fight instruction, not overtraining, and getting what they need in the way of training partners. Finding training partners can be a job in itself. The fighter can’t just have any training partners. Coaches subscribe to the philosophy that you train with lions to fight puppies (no animals were hurt during the writing of this article). Coaches must find quality training partners for their fighter. They like to find training partners that can give their fighter a run for their money; especially in the area they are weakest in. This will give their fighter a goal to work towards. Head Coaches run many different drills such as The Ring of Death. This is where the fighter spars either in Boxing, Kickboxing or MMA for 5 - 5 minute rounds with a fresh opponent cycling in every minute. He also has to coordinate training sessions and keep in touch with the other coaches involved in the camp. Sometimes the other coaches are in different gyms all together. The Head Coach is the glue that holds everything together.

Next we have the Strength and Conditioning Coach or Trainer. This person is the sadistic one of the bunch. They are responsible for inflicting as much pain as possible to the fighter and like it. They must get the fighter in the absolute best shape possible for the war that is to come. MMA is different than any other combat sport in that MMA fighters don’t just punch, kick or wrestle. They do it all. Some of the best and most experienced wrestlers that can roll around all day can get tired after just a few rounds of boxing. It’s a different type of endurance. Specificity is the key. The training sessions must mimic what the fighter is doing during the fight. Some trainers use the Tabata Principle while some use circuit courses complete with tractor tires and sledge hammers. Plyometrics, Isometric routines are extremely important and good old fashioned Olympic Lifts are a necessity. Whatever the method used it must first work, and second, push the fighter to the very brink. There in lies the dilemma; the delicate balance. Overtraining is not what anyone wants in their sessions, but I see it all too often. I myself run in to that from time to time. Fighters tend to push themselves too hard because they want to be ready. This can lead to injury or disrupting the rhythm of the camp. That is why it is so important to have someone there to pull the reins back and tell the fighter, “Enough is enough. Now go and get some rest.” We’ll talk more about specific training routines in the future.

Even the best engines in the world can’t run on poor quality fuel. The Nutritionist oversees the fighter’s diet, but many times the trainer fulfills this role if a Nutritionist is not available or is too expensive. A fighter’s diet is important as it keeps them energized through the brutal training sessions and replenishes their muscles after. Lean proteins, fruits and vegetables are staples in the MMA fighter’s diet. Carbohydrates are used to fuel workouts and recharge muscles after training sessions. Supplements are also a must have in the arsenal.

These are just some of the people that help the fighter get in the cage. Other people that contribute to a fighter’s success and longevity in the sport are Chiropractors, the support of family and friends, and Health Insurance is a must. Most of the time when the fighter is injured they are injured during training, not the fight itself.

The beauty of MMA still in its infancy is that many of the coaches are trying to make a name for themselves and often trade services for sponsorship.

Sponsorship helps offset the cost of food, training, supplements, and equipment. A company pays a fighter to wear their logo on his or her shirt, shorts or banner for advertisement while they make their way to the cage. This is where the fighter can make some gains financially. With the MMA market still growing, fighters are now able make a living fighting. What more can you ask for?

As you can see there’s so much that goes into the making of a great, or even average fighter. The concept of “I” should be left at the doorway at the training facility, long before the fighter ever considers walking the door that leads to the cage. No powerful machine can operate efficiently without the other parts that make up the whole. MMA is certainly no exception.

So, the next time you see your favorite fighter choke the other guy, and you’re getting charged up about the idea of how awesome it must be to stand in his shoes- just remember, he or she did not get there alone, there are strength in numbers?