1.) It is difficult to remember what exercise comes next when working through a ci rcuit. How can I keep track?
I suggest using a dry erase board or chalk board. Write down the exercise order and glance up at the board quickly without stopping.
2.) As a beginner, I find many of the sample routines too intense. How can I adjus t these workouts?
Refer to the tips outlined on page 76.
3.) I have a fight lined up and a busy schedule. How can I incorporate this materia l into my busy plan?
You can incorporate many of the ideas from the text within your primary workouts. For example, at the end of a skill session, you can close the workout with a conditioning drill. You can also use ideas such as the addition of a finisher. These are ideas that you would add to your existing plan, rather than knocking everything down and starting from scratch.
In summary, add bits and pieces from the text to complement your fight training (rather than replace it).
Refer to page 44 (Patience Is A Virtue) for additional information.
4.) I am extremely sore after performing some of these workouts. What can I do t o reduce soreness?
Soreness is a common byproduct to a foreign stimulus. If an exercise or routine is new to you, the stimulus will be foreign to the body. For this reason, do not rush into new and advanced routines. Give your body a fair chance by gradually transitioning to the new material. Do not allow your mind to get ahead of your body.
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As for the prevention of soreness, I strongly believe that enhanced work capacity is the single, most important aspect. My work capacity has gradually increased over many years of hard work. I am almost never sore, yet train as hard as anyone you will ever find. I certainly had my share of soreness early on, but as my work capacity improved, the soreness slowly faded.
Enhanced work capacity is not an overnight process however. Be prepared for a long road. Consistency, perseverance, patience, and diligence are all imperative pieces to the puzzle.
In addition, pay close attention to variables such as sleep, hydration, proper nutrition, and other active means of restoration such as the use of contrast baths or showers (ex. alternate between hot and cold water every 30 seconds for five minutes), and massage. It is also useful to simply take the time to unwind (ex.
listen to light music and relax).
5.) I do not train for a sport. How should I construct my weekly plan?
Whether you train for an event or not, you should have goals that you are working to achieve. As for the specifics of your week, there is no short answer.
Clearly, it will depend on factors such as your interests, abilities, and schedule.
Assuming time is not limited however, you can likely perform more thorough conditioning workouts. For example, you will not be performing a conditioning routine at the end of a skill session, so you may not need a short-on-time workout. The conditioning workout could serve as your sole routine for the day.
Refer to Question 6 for some additional ideas related to this topic.
6.) Many of the sample workouts are very short. How can I perform a longer condi tioning workout?
Although not always necessary, it is certainly possible to extend or combine many of the sample workouts. For example, one session could begin with intervals on the jump rope, then continue with a series of minute drills, and conclude with a finisher.
Your ability to combine multiple workouts will depend on individual work capacity, as well as remaining workload.
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Whether or not you choose to perform longer workouts, keep in mind that less can be more. Intensity is a more valuable indicator of workout quality when compared to time alone.
7.) Should I try to perform conditioning routines with no rest in between circuits?
Yes and no.
It is a good sign when you can perform a workout without rest. For example, suppose you were performing one of the Power Circuits from page 69. An advanced athlete may string together multiple circuits without rest. Clearly, we wish to achieve this level of conditioning.
This does not mean that rest should be completely avoided however. There are times when training with rest can be very useful. Consider the competitive combat athlete for example. You will compete with timed rounds. Your goal is to recover quickly between rounds. Performing circuits with brief rest periods will condition your body to quickly recover between rounds (or circuits).
Often times if you continue performing circuits without rest, your pace and intensity will decline. You may be better served with a 30 second period of active rest. Not only are you training the body to recover, but you are also able to put forth a greater effort for the next circuit, which means that you will reap greater benefits from the circuit.
On the contrary, there are also benefits to conditioning workouts without rest.
For example, a density block (ie. sledgehammer x 5 minutes) does not include rest. You are trying to perform as much work as possible. This style of training is extremely effective in developing mental toughness.
In summary, there are pros and cons to defined rest periods, as well as workouts that do not include such periods. Incorporate both styles in your training plan.
8.) I enjoy the sandbag complex from page 63. Can I perform it 3x per week?
As mentioned on page 26:
A plan that lacks variety ignores the biological law of accommodation. This law states that the body’s response to a constant stimulus decreases over time…
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Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket. No matter how much you enjoy a specific workout, do not limit yourself to it. For example, when performing a sandbag complex, the primary target is strength endurance. You are lifting a moderate load repetitively. This style of conditioning is beneficial, but also much different from high speed drills such as a power circuit or hill sprint. With the latter examples, you are moving at full speed with full intensity. There are unique benefits to each of these drills.
I’ve discussed several conditioning styles within this manual (and on the DVD).
I included such variety for a specific reason. There is no single drill that will guarantee success. A well designed conditioning program must target multiple attributes. To accomplish this goal, variety must be included within the plan.
9.) I really enjoy using the sandbag for complexes, but will these workouts interfe re with my dedicated strength training sessions?
Sandbags can be used for strength, conditioning, or a combination of both. For example, a very heavy sandbag could certainly be used for a quality strength workout. By reducing the load and performing higher repetitions (ex. sandbag complex), the workout will shift gears towards strength endurance. Yet, despite this fact, the sandbag is still extremely awkward and moderately heavy.
For this reason, you must consider your weekly workload when performing a sandbag conditioning session. This is particularly true for those athletes who are new to odd-object training. A novice to this style of training can certainly expect soreness. It would not make sense to schedule your first ever sandbag complex the day before a max-effort strength workout. Sandbag conditioning drills require a unique kind of work capacity (which will take some time to develop).
In many cases, it will make sense to perform the sandbag workout at the end of your week. For example, your primary strength workouts could fall on Monday and Thursday. Saturday morning could then include a sandbag conditioning workout. You would then rest the remainder of Saturday, and all day Sunday.
This would give you time to recover before returning to the gym on Monday.
Additional conditioning workouts could be mixed in throughout the week (ex.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday).
Clearly, this is just one sample. A heavier sandbag could also be used during your primary strength workouts. Remember, the tool is simply a means to an end. Sandbags can certainly be used to target additional strength qualities.
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10.) When running intervals, how should I pace myself?
This question is easily answered by viewing the interval as a race. For example, shorter range efforts (ex. 25, 50, 100, and 200 meters) will allow for a full speed sprint. If you were racing, you would not need to pace yourself. If you ran 800 meters however, you cannot expect to sprint the entire distance. You will need to pace yourself. Your pace should be brisk, but also realistic. If you try to sprint 800 meters, you will hit the wall long before finishing. It will likely take you a few interval sessions to determine an ideal pace.
Lastly, when performing longer intervals such as 400 or 800 meters, try to finish with a brief sprint to the finish line. You will maintain a brisk pace until this final effort (ex. sprint the last 50 meters).
11.) How can I include distance running
with
this style of conditioning?There is no single answer to this question. Clearly, individual customization is imperative. Your unique work capacity must also be considered. For starters, identify your precise interests and needs. How important is distance running to you? What are you training for specifically (ex. a combat sport)? Do you have time to train twice a day (ex. run in the morning, return to the gym at night)?
Determine available training times throughout the week, and then allocate your time as effectively as possible. Assuming you are engaged in other strenuous conditioning workouts however (ex. enhanced interval training or integrated circuit training), you will not need distance running (refer to pages 15 through 25 for additional information).
If you wish to add distance running to a weekly plan that also includes more intense conditioning routines, one to three sessions is adequate in most cases, and as mentioned earlier, perform your distance work at a brisk pace.
If you wish to include more than three days of distance running, you may need to reduce the frequency of your more intense conditioning work. Once again, individual work capacity will dictate your ability to include additional work.
There are certainly many professional fighters who run daily, and also train hard at the gym each day. This level of work capacity doesn’t happen overnight however. It takes hard work and a consistent effort to develop such fitness.
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12.) Can I see a sample week with distance running and intense conditioning?
One option is to follow the template from page 49. Monday would include an intense conditioning workout, such as an ICT or EIT drill. Tuesday would then begin with a morning roadwork session (ex. Fartlek). Wednesday would include a brief finisher after the strength workout. Thursday would then include another ICT or EIT workout (different from Monday). Friday would include another run (2nd distance session of the week). Saturday would then shift gears with a strength emphasis, ending with an intense finisher.
If you didn’t want to run, you could replace the distance work with a machine-based interval session (ex. stationary bike). Another option would be to drop the distance work, and instead perform a pure interval running workout. Two samples include running 6 x 400 meters or 4 x 800 meters.
If you run distance, don’t get carried away with it. Also, consider using the Fartlek approach referenced on page 25. Regardless of the distance, run it fast!
13.) How can I incorporate Scriptless Training within my weekly plan?
Scriptless Training can be used in place of any dedicated conditioning drill. As mentioned on the DVD, this style of training provides a break from the world of structured rep schemes.
In addition, suppose you cannot make it to the gym, and you will be forced to miss a sparring session. Clearly, there is no true substitute for sparring, but you can at least replicate the unpredictable nature of a round by working through an intense Scriptless session. For example, as a mixed martial artist, you could incorporate strikes, ground and pound, odd object lifts, and more.
14.) I am a coach with bad wrists. I cannot hold the punch mitts for my fighters, b ut would like to incorporate punching drills at the top of a hill sprint. Any ideas?
Consider using a large punch shield (sometimes referred to as a body shield).
Most boxing and MMA equipment suppliers carry these cushioned shields.
With the shield, you can catch punches, knees, and kicks from your fighter. You can also press forward, forcing the athlete to fight you off of him. This drill is very intense, particularly when the legs are fatigued following a hill sprint. Your fighter will sprint uphill with his hands gloved, and fight you off for a 30 to 60
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second interval. Repeat this drill 6 to 10 times, and you have one of the most intense forms of Enhanced Interval Training.
In addition, punch shields can be used on their own. Press your fighter for a few full rounds inside the cage or ring, forcing him to fight you off. Such drills will improve his infighting strength and endurance dramatically.
15.) Do you have any final conditioning tips?
First, there is no one-size-fits-all model. Customize your workouts based on your unique needs. This could mean daily conditioning for the more advanced, or it could mean a few quality conditioning workouts per week. What works for one person may not work for another. Ultimately, your primary concern must be performance enhancement. If you are improving, keep doing what you are doing. When gains plateau, it is time to make changes.
Also, remember that supplemental conditioning work is designed to improve performance in your primary event. Don’t destroy yourself with conditioning drills, thus leave yourself unable to perform your main skill work.
In summary:
9 Assign more or less work based on individual work capacity 9 Vary intensity throughout the week
9 Incorporate variety in terms of exercise and workout selection 9 Think outside the box and create your own conditioning challenges
9 When arranging your weekly conditioning schedule, consider strength and skill training needs, as each piece of the puzzle must work together 9 Short workouts can be very effective, assuming you bring the intensity 9 Monitor progress and be ready to make adjustments when necessary 9 Experiment with tapering to ensure steady progress, without burnout
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