Unconventional methods, techniques, and equipment for Strength and Conditioning in Combat Sport

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Unconventional Methods,
Techniques, and
Equipment for Strength
and Conditioning in
Combat Sports
Juan Carlos Santana, MEd1 and David H. Fukuda, MS2
Institute of Human Performance, Boca Raton, Florida; and 2Metabolic and Body Composition Laboratory, Department
of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
1
SUMMARY
THROUGHOUT THE LAST DECADE,
VARIOUS FORMS OF TRAINING
HAVE COME TO THE FOREFRONT
OF FITNESS, STRENGTH, AND
CONDITIONING. EXERCISES FROM
STRONGMAN COMPETITIONS,
FUNCTIONAL TRAINING, AND
OTHER GENRES HAVE BEEN
COMBINED INTO A UNIQUE STYLE
OF TRAINING. THIS STYLE OF
TRAINING OFFERS A DIVERSE
COLLECTION OF METHODS THAT,
IF PROPERLY APPLIED, CAN SERVE
AS AN EXCELLENT TOOL FOR
PERSONAL TRAINERS AND
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
COACHES TO APPLY WITH
ATHLETES.
INTRODUCTION
hroughout the last 2 decades,
a trend has developed to incorporate unconventional methods of strength training for optimum
performance. Many of these new methods have been categorized as functional
training by industry leaders (5,8,9). The
underlying concept of functional training is based on a widely recognized
principle in resistance training, the
principle of specificity (10). The concept
T
64
of specificity holds that training is most
effective when the resistance exercises
are similar to the activity in which improvement is sought (11). Harman (11)
further states that:
‘‘The simplest and most straightforward
way to implement the principle of
specificity is to select exercises similar
to the target activity with regard to the
joints about which movements occur
and the direction of movement. In
addition, joint ranges of motion in
training exercises should be at least as
great as those in the target activity.’’
Functional training has been referred
to as the training of coordinated movements involving many muscle systems,
as opposed to the isolated muscle
training seen in bodybuilding (5,8,9).
This axiom encapsulates the concept
of specificity of training as proposed
by Harman (11). Functional training
simultaneously trains multiple muscle
systems in a coordinated and efficient
fashion along multiple planes of motion (5,8,9,19).
The functional approach to training
contrasts traditional bodybuilding models. The bodybuilding models focus on
training isolated muscles along a single
plane of motion (i.e., uniplanar isolation)
but tend to lack the functional goals
VOLUME 33 | NUMBER 6 | DECEMBER 2011
of similar isolated modalities, such as
those associated with rehabilitation that
focus on mobility and the restoration of
strength. Additionally, functional training focuses on developing core stability
and transferring forces from the ground
to the extremities (5,20,21). Proponents
of functional training believe that this
approach to performance enhancement
provides optimal transfer to the functional activity in which improvement is
sought (5,8,9,17,18). To communicate
this opinion, they have stated that
functional training develops ‘‘strength
you can use’’ (17,18) or ‘‘strength that
can be applied to performance’’ (8).
The term ‘‘functional training’’ may have
been coined recently, but the concept is
not new. The concept of functional
training and its related modalities of
training can be traced back to ancient
models of health and fitness. The recent
popularity of kettlebells in the United
States can be traced back over 300 years
to training methods developed in Russia
(6). From the medicine ball training
used by Mercurialis to the progressively
overloaded fighting movements of the
KEY WORDS:
combat sports; martial arts;
unconventional training
Copyright Ó National Strength and Conditioning Association
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Spartan soldiers, the training of multiplanar and progressively overloaded
movements has been used to prepare
the body for optimum performance for
many years (10).
Because of the growing popularity of
mixed martial arts (MMA), a new
trend involving unconventional training methods is developing within the
functional training genre (3). As with
movement in general, functional combat movements consist of 4 basic
categories of movement: locomotion,
level changes, pushing and pulling, and
rotation. These 4 basic categories of
human movements have been used by
many coaches and personal trainers as
a basic approach to functional training
program design.
Unconventional training methods have
been incorporated into a more intense
style of training when compared with
many traditional training methods,
such as the traditional fitness machine
circuit. However, with proper progression, this intense style of training can
be tailored to any population able and
willing to train aggressively. The exercise selection can range from simple
calisthenics to complex circuits requiring advanced conditioning (19).
Unconventional training is also a return
to training basics, where the acquisition
of biomotor skills via the enhancement
of body control and the improvement of functional capacity is the
primary objective. Medicine balls,
dumbbells, bands, pulleys, kettlebells,
sandbags, large tires, and heavy bars
are just some of the pieces of equipment used in unconventional training.
Recently, Farrar et al. (6) showed that
12 minutes of kettlebell swings resulted
in elevated heart rate values comparable to 87% of maximum and 65% of
V_ O2max when compared with graded
exercise on a treadmill. This type of
training can also be performed anywhere and thus lends itself to training
on the road, in hotel rooms, and on
the field.
Because body control is among the
major objectives of unconventional training, bodyweight training is the most
Figure 1. Partner reclined rows allow both athletes to develop strength in the
posterior chain muscles and the upper-body pulling muscles.
Figure 2. Partner push-ups allow each athlete to develop core strength and pushing
strength.
Figure 3. Just like sled pushing, car pushing can provide excellent total-body strength
and excellent cardiorespiratory training.
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Unconventional Training in Combat Sports
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Figure 4. Pulling tires (80–200 lb) with the use of slings is great for developing lowerbody strength, core stability, and excellent cardiorespiratory fitness in
athletes.
basic form of training within this field.
All sports and daily activities require
body control. Therefore, it makes sense
to get back to the fundamentals of body
weight training. Although basic body
weight training is an excellent method of
developing basic fitness, body weight
training has been developed into a complete training system capable of developing elite levels of functional
strength. Simple exercises, such as squats
and push-ups, can be used before
progressing to single-limb training, providing a wide spectrum of intensity and
application. Body weight training can
also be escalated to partner lifting
(Figures 1 and 2). Everything from slow
heavy training to high-speed explosives
can be performed using the body of
a training partner.
Unconventional training can include
running on hills, bridges, or stairs.
However, pushing cars (Figure 3) and
Figure 5. Sideways tire drags develop the lateral pushing strength needed by mixed
martial art fighters to hold opponents against the cage or ring ropes.
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VOLUME 33 | NUMBER 6 | DECEMBER 2011
dragging tires (Figures 4 and 5) have
now become popular among many of
today’s athletes, especially MMA fighters. Berning et al. (2) examined the
physiological requirements of pushing
and pulling a 1,960-kg truck over
a distance of 400 m. Oxygen uptake
values were found to be 65% of treadmill running V_ O2max during pushing
exercise and 96% of V_ O2max during
pulling exercise. Furthermore, blood
lactate values (15.6 mmol/L) reached
131% of those elicited during maximal
treadmill running.
Dragging tires can be an excellent form
of training for the total body. Various
custom-made accessories can be used
to allow this training to be more
accessible to athletes. Combining these
accessories with a variety of lowerbody movements can allow a personal
trainer or coach to train different
functional qualities and body segments
in their athletes.
Through the use of various handles,
grips, and slings, the athlete can attach
any heavy object, such as a tire, to the
body and train just about any functional movement from pushing to
dragging. Using different lower-body
movements, such as forward driving,
lateral stepping, or backward pulling,
the athlete can train different capabilities and different body segments (15).
Lower-body movement combinations
are used to stimulate different functional qualities and body segments.
Tires may be dragged backward, forward, and sideways to focus on different areas of the core, hips, and legs.
Various handles and straps may be used
to challenge different body positions.
For example, sometimes, oversized
handles are used by a combat sports
athlete to push and pull the tires,
whereas at other times, the athlete
can attach the tire to slings that allow
the tire to be dragged without using
any form of gripping. Regardless of the
type of metabolic adaptation being
sought, tire drag workouts of 150–
1,000 yards can deliver excellent training for combat sport athletes seeking
improved physical capacity.
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of weight may sound menacing, it takes
only a fraction of the tire weight to
actually flip the tire. For example, it takes
approximately 275-lb dead lift to start
tilting a 900-lb tire. Tires can be flipped
for distance, repetitions, or time. Partner
drills can also be used for reactive
training (Figure 9). Flipping tires is
a total-body exercise that can be
performed by anyone, assuming the tire
size matches the person’s strength levels.
Although there are times when very
heavy tires can be used, a tire size that an
athlete can easily flip 5–7 times may be
appropriate for most exercises. Keogh
et al. (12) examined the physiology of
the tire flip and found heart response
to 232-kg tire flips (2 sets of 6) to be high
(179 beats per minute), and this interval
activity resulted in blood lactate levels
of approximately 10.4 mmol/L.
Figure 6. (a and b) Reverse sandbag tosses are an excellent alternative to the strength
training for developing functional triple extension.
Sandbags or bags full of shot pellets are
other pieces of unconventional equipment that can be purchased or easily
made. The easiest way to make a good
sandbag is to get an old army-issued
duffle bag and fill it with sand or shot
pellets. A very heavy vinyl sheet (i.e.,
the kind used to cover construction
sites) can be doubled up, filled with
sand or shot pellets, and sealed with
a zip tie or duct tape. Heavy sandbags
can be used by combat sports athletes
doing traditional exercises to address
strength needs, to perform throws to
target power development (Figure 6a
and 6b), or dragged for distance to
target strength endurance goals.
Grip and holding capabilities are essential to many combat sports and daily
activities. Holding and carrying require
many different hand and wrist positions
that must be specifically trained to have
maximum transfer to the target activity.
Customized grips and slings can be used
to train specific gripping and holding
positions with athletes (Figure 7). All
grips and slings can be attached to
a high bar or any piece of equipment
(e.g., band, cable, weight stack, kettlebell). For example, Franchini et al. (7)
used a judogi wrapped around a high
bar during isometric and dynamic grip
tests to discriminate between judo
athletes of different performance levels.
Additionally, carrying exercises can be
modified to enhance grip strength
while continuing to provide anaerobic
endurance and a total body workout
(23). This diversity in application can
create an unlimited variety of gripping
and holding exercises for the personal
trainer and strength coach to use with
their athletes (Figure 8).
Another method of unconventional
training is tire flipping (12,15). For this
application, tires weighing 200–900 lb
can be used, depending on the athlete
being trained. Although these amounts
Although the strongman aspect of this
training uses very heavy equipment,
such as tires, cars, and other heavy
objects, small objects, such as sleds,
medicine balls, sandbags, ropes, and
many other pieces of unconventional
equipment, have been slowly making
their way into this training approach
(1). Therefore, in a fitness setting, sled
pulls may substitute for car pulls and
heavy sandbags or medicine balls can
substitute for tires. Sled pull exercises
can be manipulated to recreate a variety
of movements, including forward,
backward, and sideways, and tethering
the rope or cable to different parts of
the body (16).
When using unconventional training
methods, the personal trainer or coach
can manipulate various biomechanical
elements of movements to adjust the
intensity of any exercise. The required
skill level, range of motion (ROM),
speed, base of support, and lever arm of
the exercise are all elements that affect
the difficulty of an exercise. Progressing
skills from simple to complex, or from
part to whole, are simple ways to
advance any individual through proper
progression. An example of this is to
take a complex skill, such as a tire flip,
and break it down into its components:
picking up the tire, transitioning from
dead lift to shoulder push and then
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progressing to dynamic movements.
Isometric holds with flexed elbows can
be performed using kettlebells (e.g.,
kettlebell clinch holds and walks). This
exercise develops basic strength in
the entire postural aspect of the core
and enhances the ability to hold carry
positions for prolonged durations.
Unconventional training methods can
be specifically modified to modulate
speed during various types of exercise.
For instance, a wood chop progression
can be used to teach a person the
proper mechanics of a reverse scoop
toss (i.e., backward overhead toss).
Heavy medicine balls, sandbags, or
weight plates can also be used to
develop the base strength needed for
overhead power tosses (23).
Figure 7. Doing pull-ups with oversized handles (4.5 inch in diameter) develops the
hook grip needed in many lifting and holding tasks.
finishing the shoulder push to flip the
tire. When performing complexes with
unfamiliar equipment, particular focus
should be paid to technique and the
correction of technical flaws (4).
Another way to start an individual at a
lower progression is to attempt partial
ROM exercises before full ROM
exercises. For example, if an individual does not have enough functional
flexibility to start the tire flip from the
floor, the tire can be placed on a box
to elevate it and reduce the ROM
needed for the exercise. Gradually
reducing the height of the box over
time allows the individual to develop
the specific hip flexibility needed to
start the tire flip from the ground. Yet
another example of manipulating an
exercise is to adjust the speed parameter by using isometric positions before
Figure 8. Reclined pulls can be used by anyone to develop a strong core and pulling
musculature.
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A larger base of support (e.g., standing
on 2 legs or using a 4-point push-up
position) offers more stability and is
recommended as a prerequisite to
attempting exercises with a smaller
base of support (e.g., standing on 1 leg
or using a 3-point push-up position).
This type of training often uses the
transfer of high forces, which requires
maximum contact with the ground and
a stiff core (22). Therefore, balance
equipment is not recommended when
trying to transfer high forces from one
limb to another (e.g., from legs to
arms). When body weight exercises are
used, 2-leg exercises and 4-point pushups should be mastered before singleleg exercises and 3-point push-ups are
attempted.
The lever arm of an exercise also affects
the difficulty of an exercise. Smaller
lever arms offer a beginning level of
difficulty that can be progressed to
larger lever arms. The push-up is
a perfect example of how the lever
arm influences an exercise. Push-ups
on the floor are harder to perform than
are push-ups with the upper body
elevated on a bench or bar. A person
beginning an exercise program or
rehabilitating an injury can perform
elevated push-ups before gradually
lowering the upper-body base as
strength improves.
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Figure 9. Reactive drills with a 600-lb tire can challenge the most demanding athlete.
Lighter tires (200–300 lb) can also be used.
In addition to the biomechanical aspects
of exercise design, the look and feel of
unconventional training exercises can be
adjusted to match the profile of the
athlete that the personal trainer or coach
is working with. Athletes who do not
have a long history of heavy lifting and
training may also experience some
anxiety about lifting heavy barbells, rocks,
and tires. In these cases, the unconventional training exercises can be performed
with what some may consider lessintimidating equipment, such as kettlebells, sandbags, and heavy medicine balls.
For example, the traditional dumbbell
farmer’s carry, which uses a suitcase carry
position, can be performed with kettlebells in a shoulder carry position or
a sandbag in the front carry position.
Programming unconventional training is much less complicated than
using the periodization of traditional
strength training. Most of the movements used in this type of training,
such as standing press and push-ups,
are complex movements that use
multiple muscle systems in a coordinated fashion (13,14,21,22). Personal
trainers and coaches may benefit from
exploring this training approach and
then integrating it into their own style
with care and proper progression.
However, care and consideration
should be given to all factors of
training and to the stress that training
produces, so that proper measures
can be taken to avoid possible overtraining (2).
Unconventional training can be incorporated into any cycle used in
traditional periodization schemes,
whether the periodization is linear or
nonlinear. During the conditioning
phase of periodized training, individual
exercises can be loaded appropriately
to allow athletes to complete 2–3 sets
of 10–15 repetitions for 4–7 exercises.
As movement skills and conditioning
improve, each exercise can be performed as part of a circuit. Keeping the
exercise sequence, loading parameters,
and equipment proximity constant
throughout the training allows the
personal trainer or coach to use the
total circuit time as a measurement of
conditioning.
The same programming approach can
be taken during the strength and power
phases of periodized training; however,
the repetition scheme, loading parameters, and speed of movements are
manipulated to accommodate the appropriate loads and speeds of each
training cycle. When focusing on strength development of unconventional
training exercises, 2–3 sets of 3–6
repetitions for 3–5 exercises can be
used. A similar approach is done when
attempting to develop power in unconventional training exercises; however, loads are reduced and speed of
movement is maximized.
The loading parameters in unconventional training exercises are subjective
when using equipment such as tires,
Table 1
Unconventional training circuit for an MMA fighter
Exercise
Rationale for exercise
Bob and weave drill with 10-yd tire push performed 3 times
over 30 yd (Figure 4)
Prepares fighter to go under the upper-body attack of a taller
fighter and push the opponent into the cage
Two tire flips (Figure 5)
Prepares fighter to drop levels and take control of the opponent’s
lower body after pushing the opponent into the cage
Truck push for 90 yd with 4 turns (Figure 6)
Develops fatigue resistance in the pushing motion, whether in the
clinch or against the cage
Entire circuit repeated one more time
MMA = mixed martial arts.
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Unconventional Training in Combat Sports
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sandbags, cars, and so on. Going to
failure is not necessary for developing
the desired physical quality. When
training
for
conditioning
and
strength, use a load that is heavy
enough to get good work out of the
exercise, but stop a few repetitions
short of absolute failure. When training for power, use a load similar to
that used in the target activity, or
perhaps slightly heavier (10%–20%
more than the target activity requires), and work on maximum velocity of movement. When working
on power endurance and metabolic
conditioning, try to approximate the
loads of the target activity and create
circuits of similar durations and biomechanical characteristics of the target activity. Table 1 illustrates a circuit
designed for MMA used with an elite
fighter undergoing unconventional
training. This 4- to 5-minute circuit
is designed to develop fatigue resistance in the pushing action often
used in MMA, especially during the
clinch fighting seen when a shorter
fighter fights a taller fighter. Other
skill-specific circuits were also included in the training program to
support the specific skill set of MMA.
Unconventional training can be an
effective way to train combat sports
athletes. This method of training, or
parts of it, can be incorporated into
traditional strength training programs
to add variety and a different functionality to the training. In cases
where the inexpensive equipment
needed for unconventional training is
the only equipment available, the
personal trainer and strength coach
can apply a little creativity and easily
periodize the program over a longer
span of time. In whatever way unconventional training is used, with its
progressive and safe application, personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches may consider it
a viable method of strength and
conditioning for combat sports.
70
Juan Carlos
Santana is the
director and CEO
of the Institute of
Human Performance in Boca
Raton.
David H.
Fukuda is a doctoral research and
teaching assistant
in the Metabolic
and Body Composition Laboratory
at the University of Oklahoma in the
Department of Health and Exercise
Science.
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