Weight cutting is a common practice in combat sports, but rapid weight loss can reduce strength, endurance, and overall performance. Dehydration and muscle loss impact fight readiness, making recovery strategies crucial. Learn how to minimize the negative effects of weight cuts while maintaining peak performance.

Tracking progress in strength and conditioning helps combat sports athletes optimize performance and avoid plateaus. By monitoring key metrics like strength, endurance, and recovery, fighters can make data-driven adjustments to their training. Learn the best methods to track performance and improve results in the ring or cage.

Deload weeks are essential for combat sports athletes to recover from intense training while maintaining progress. By strategically reducing intensity, volume, or frequency, fighters can prevent overtraining, reduce injury risk, and restore performance. Learn how and when to implement a deload for long-term success in combat sports.

A structured warm-up and cooldown routine improves performance, prevents injuries, and enhances recovery in combat sports. Learn how to use the RAMP method for optimal training.

Neck strength is a key but often neglected factor in combat sports. Whether you're striking, grappling, or clinching, a strong neck helps absorb impact, maintain posture, and reduce injury risk. This article breaks down why neck strength matters, the muscles involved, and how to train effectively.

Fight week is a crucial phase for combat sports athletes, where strategic tapering ensures optimal performance. Proper tapering involves reducing training volume while maintaining readiness and minimizing fatigue. This article explores the principles of effective tapering, emphasizing individualized training adaptations, gradual transitions into peaking, and the importance of monitoring readiness. By understanding these concepts, fighters can peak their performance on fight night and avoid common mistakes that can hinder their success.

In combat sports, raw strength isn’t enough—you need the ability to hold positions, control opponents, and resist force. This is where isometric strength comes in. Whether you're working in the clinch, fighting for underhooks, or locking in a submission, isometric training builds the strength needed to maintain dominant positions. By incorporating yielding and overcoming isometrics, fighters can develop stronger joint angles, improve muscular endurance, and reinforce stability under pressure. Here’s how isometric training fits into a well-rounded strength and conditioning program for combat sports.

Modern training tools are changing how combat sports athletes approach strength, conditioning, and recovery. Wearable trackers, video analysis, and velocity-based training can offer valuable insights, but not every gadget is worth the investment. This article breaks down which tools genuinely help fighters improve performance and how to integrate them without losing sight of the fundamentals.

Effective year-round strength and conditioning training is essential for success in combat sports. By assessing an athlete's current situation, understanding the specific demands of their sport, and strategically planning workouts around fight camps, both hobbyists and competitive fighters can enhance their performance. This approach ensures that training remains consistent and tailored to individual needs, ultimately leading to improved skills and overall athleticism.

Many combat sports athletes rely on hot and cold therapy for recovery, but are these methods actually helping? Ice baths, contrast therapy, and other temperature-based treatments have been widely used, yet research shows their effects on muscle recovery, inflammation, and performance aren’t as straightforward as they seem. Understanding when to use these recovery tools—and when to avoid them—can make a difference in training and competition.

Strength and power play distinct yet complementary roles in combat sports. Maximal strength builds the foundation for force production, while power determines how quickly that force is applied. Strikers prioritize explosive speed for punches and kicks, while grapplers rely more on raw strength for control. A well-structured training plan must balance both elements to improve performance in the ring or on the mat.

Discover the first part of our Conditioning Series designed for combat sport athletes. In this article, we delve into the essentials of building a robust aerobic system for a larger gas tank, recovery, and overall performance in the ring. Transform your training routine and gain a competitive edge with expert insights and practical tips.

The world of combat sports is a game of millimeters that calls for decisions made within milliseconds. For both coaches and fighters, honing reaction times can be the difference between victory and defeat. While traditional skills practice is crucial, there is a popularity with supplementing a fighter’s reaction training outside of regular skills practice. Certain professional fighters can be seen utilizing this supplementation within their training regimen. Can reaction training supplementation be beneficial to a fighter’s development or is it another trend within the world of combat sports?