More often than not, most MMA fighters enter the ring with pretty much the same skill set.
It's the athlete with the superior conditioning that will win time after time, hands down.
Having excellent ground fighting technique or stand-up skills doesn't really matter if you totally "gas out" in the first round.
To be successful you have to spend just as much time on your "strength and conditioning" program as you do sharpening your fighting skills.
Over recent years it's very apparent that the bar has been raised and fighters now need all the components in place to achieve Mixed Martial Arts success.
I was personally involved with the first two Ultimate Fighting Championships and I've seen first hand how the sport has progressed from it's birth to current times.
You can no longer just rely on your fighting skills or your size; you have to enter the MMA arena in the best physical and mental condition humanly possible.
There was a short time in early UFC history when a lot of fighters (not all) were just "big guys, bar room brawler types" and they were able to muscle and push their way to victory- often not a pretty sight in regard to having any real world- class skills.
Not true with the fighters of today! During this time it was obvious that physical conditioning wasn't always at the top of their training program.
Fighter were often gasping for air minutes into the fight.
Now, UFC competitors are some of the most highly conditioned athletes in the sports world.
They are cardio giants that are faster, stronger, more agile, more focused and more knowledgeable.
They are true professional athletes in every sense.
As a direct result of these very talented athletes (fighters) raising the fitness bar, one of the greatest sports competitions of all time is finally getting the recognition the sport and competitors truly deserve.
Today's MMA competitors are operating at new levels never thought possible in the past.
They not only have diverse fighting skills, their physical conditioning is superior.
Some of the key components to their top physical conditioning are strength, explosive power, extreme endurance, speed, agility, flexibility, balance, and mental sharpness.
It's an exciting time to be a fitness trainer/strength and conditioning coach and have the opportunity to work with amateur and professional mixed martial arts athletes.
MMA has opened the door to the development and practice of new, innovative training methods as well as the use of old school and time tested training methods with new twists.
Quality MMA training equals creativity and the only limitation is the imagination and creativity of the trainer.
A quality trainer will be able to keep his fighter training hard, challenged and engaged all while honing his fighting skills and increasing his over-all conditioning.
The use of new school methods such as suspension training, like the TRX system, Plyometric exercise and Metabolic training are all excellent methods to get your athlete on the fast track to extreme fitness.
But lets not overlook some tried and true old school methods like traditional weight training or unconventional old school exercise like tractor tire flipping and pushing, deep sand sprints, sledge hammer cropping and body weight exercises like push-up and pulls ups.
A well thought out, properly designed program will get the fighter in top world-class shape and give him/her the ulltimate advantage in the ring.
There is an old saying my Karate Sensei told me that I have never forgotten, "The more sweat that flows in training, the less blood will flow in battle.
" There is a lot of truth to that one and that's the basic point I am trying to make in writing this article.
A highly conditioned, well-prepared fighter will be a victorious fighter.
Extreme physical conditioning will give the fighter a powerful confidence and mental sharpness.
He will be able to focus on fighting and not worry about gassin' out and trying to stay alive.