Speed Training for Combat Sports

One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive is," How can I get faster ? "

Speed training for combat sports is an interesting topic that deserves some detailed attention.

Speed is your ability to move quickly and it's one of the most important
bio-motor abilities required in combat sports.

Speed is also multi-directional, since movement is performed from
multiple angles and positions during a match or a fight.

Speed not only includes the speed of your own actions, but also the speed of
your RE-actions. Or how quickly you respond to your opponents movement.

Generally, there are 3 elements to speed training:

1.Perfecting Reaction Time

2.Speed Training Proper

3.Strength and Power Exercises meant to enhance power output (Sozanski and Witczak 1981).

There are also many methods used to train for speed. The main method, and the one I'll discuss here is known as the Repetition Method.

To make improvements in speed 3 elements must be present:

1. High Quality of Movement

2. High Frequency of Movement

3. High Specificity of Movement

Let's take a more detailed look at those 3 elements.

High Quality of Movement

Motor Learning research shows that it takes 300-500 repetitions to learn a new movement, however, it takes 3000-5000 repetitions to correct a faulty movement
(Motor Learning and Performance, Schmidt,1941).

Taking your time and focusing on high quality movement will ensure that you're actually developing the skill that you're attempting to refine and improve.

Speed is movement specific, developing poor quality movements will only hinder the development of speed in the skills that you wish to be quick in.

There is no correlation between speed of leg movements and arm movements and very little correlation in movements that require different coordination (DeVries 1980).

High Frequency of Movement

Once you have mastered the mechanics of the skill that you wish to improve, it's time
to focus on your frequency of training.

This directly applies to The Repetition Method. All too often intensity is stressed before consistency or frequency, which can lead to poor quality of movement and develop competeing motor patterns or skills.

Remember, speed is movement specific.

Set aside training time everyday for practicing, not sparring the skills that you wish to be quick in.

Really practice and go deep into the skill. Only when that skill becomes
concrete within your nervous system will you start developing speed.

I suggest you actually track how many repetitions you perform of each drill.
We've made this easy for you, just print out our Combat Sports Skill Acquistion Chart
and take it with you to your academy.

High Specificity of Movement

I've said it 3 times now, speed is movement specific. Practicing a right Cross will not improve the speed of your Jab or low kick, simple enough.

In following articles I'll spend more time discussing the other methods for developing speed.

But remember, keep those 3 elements at the forefront of your mind when training for speed:

1. High Quality of Movement

2. High Frequency of Movement

3. High Specificity of Movement

All the best,

Jason C. Brown BS CSCS

P.S. If you're a self-taught Combat Sport Athlete, you're probably also highly-
motivated. You teach yourself to do the things that will move your
fitness and Combat Sport Conditioning forward.

And you're probably looking for Combat Sport Conditioning programs and
resources that you can study and test out on your own time.

I designed Combat-Sports-Conditioning.com
for Combat Sport Athletes like you.

Check it out here: Combat Sports Conditioning

deVries H. A.1980. Phsyiology of Exercise for Physical
Education and Athletics.Dubuque, IA:Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers.

Schmidt. 1941. Motor Learning and Performance.

Sozanski H., T. Witczak.1981. Trening szybkosci. Warsaw: Sport i Turystyka.

Kettlebell Training for BJJ and Judo

My good friend, Jason Struck RKC from River City Physical Culture put together a great video on how and why kettlebell training can help enhance your performance in Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo.



Click Here: For more information regarding Kettlebell Training for Combat Athletes.

Isolation Does Not Exist

Anatomically isolation exist, however, functionally there is no such thing.

Please try the experiment within this video at your academy or gym.

Notice that we did not change anything at the shoulder joint, we only disrupted the foot, which in turn disrupts the knee, which in turn disrupts the hip and so on and so on up the entire kinetic chain.

If isolation where a fact, disrupting a segment so far away from the target joint or muscle would have no direct impact on it's function.

On a side note, notice Ricardo's entire body brace as I try to push his arm down. Again, some visual proof that muscles work in co-ordination, not isolation.

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Respect,

Jason C. Brown

Medicine Ball Training for Combat Sports Conditioning

Medicine ball training has always been a staple in the combat sports conditioning toolbox. Medicine ball training can be traced back as far as early Greece where Hippocrates, the father of medicine used weighted balls to enhance the health and vitality of his patients.

There is no doubt that ancient gladiators and warriors included medicine ball training within their regimens as well.

Medicine ball training is ideal for combat sports conditioning for several reasons:

1.Most medicine ball drills are basic, easy to learn movements that offer incredible benefits for combat sports preparation. There is very little learning curve associated with medicine ball training. Just take a brief look at all the sport skills a modern mixed martial artist must learn. They must learn and practice elements of boxing, kick boxing, wrestling, Brasilian Jiu-jitsu and Judo.

Now imagine piling on even more complicated skill work within his conditioning program. Not only is this a waste of time, it’s also irresponsible on the part of the conditioning coach. Medicine ball training delivers incredible benefits without additional skill work.

2.Medicine ball training matches the velocity of combat sport skills. As your combat sports conditioning program shifts from a general conditioning phase into a specific phase you need to match your conditioning drills with your combat sport demands. This includes drills that share the same velocity and speed as your strikes, kicks and take-downs.

Medicine balls can be thrown, slammed and kicked in sport specific movement patterns making them an excellent option for combat sports conditioning.

3.Medicine ball training is an excellent introduction into high intensity exercise. Medicine ball training can be instantly scaled down meet the needs of any combat athlete. Several exercise variables can be manipulated such as weight, speed, movement depth and range of motion. Medicine balls are the ideal tool for the scaling of exercise variables.

Once you understand the benefits of medicine ball training it’s very important to select exercises that will have the most carry-over and directly impact your combat sports conditioning.

In this article we’ll specifically how to use medicine ball training to enhance the Ground & Pound game frequently seen in modern mixed martial arts.

Finally, if you’re not medicine ball training chances are your competition likely is.

Medicine Ball Training for Combat Sports Conditioning.

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Respect,

Jason C. Brown

Top 3 Hamstring Drills for Improved Combat Sports Performance and Injury Reduction

Strong and injury resistent hamstrings are essential for combat sports performance and conditioning. However, hamstrings are often a neglected area in most combat sport conditioning programs.

I stumbled across the TRX System while at a convention years ago and I haven't found a better training tool for replicating the combat sport specific actions that occur at the hip, knee and ankle during dynamic guard play in Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo.

The TRX System is an ideal training for combat sports conditioning for several reasons:

* You can individually OR simutaneously address each joint and muscle action that occurs during combat sport applications at the ankle knee and hip.

* You can train both legs and hips at the same time while each limbs remains completely indepenent of each other. This is the way your legs and hips move in combat sport applications while in the Guard, Half Guard and especially while securing submissions.

* By design, the TRX System allows for creativity and endless exercise variety to train combat sport specific actions and metabolic demands.

For More Information on the TRX System Click Here !

For More Information on the TRX System Click Here !

Kettlebell Training & HUngarian Judo Part 2

This is the same video with English subtitles:

Kettlebell Training & Hungarian Judo

Kettlebell training has been a staple of combat sports physical preparation and athletic development for centuries in Eastern Europe. The video below shows how the Huhngarian Judo Team trains.




Click here for more info on Kettlebell Training for Combat Sports.