So you want to start MMA training for the cage, or maybe you already have. I hope you’ve found the best coach in the area. But if your coaches are lacking in any of the 3 assets I’m about to mention, then they’re not doing their job, and they’re doing you wrong. Maybe it’s not intentional. Maybe they have a great program that’s putting out some great local champions. But if you really want to take your game to the pro level, you will want to read on, because here are 3 assets you CANNOT ignore in your MMA Training.

1. Technique – This is king. In MMA Training, you have to have a number of different technical skills. You should ideally have one coach that specializes in each of these skills: Kickboxing – Kickboxing is a very general termcan come in the form of Muai Thai, or traditional martial arts like Karate or Taekwondo (Combat, not Olympic) and good old American Boxing. However your MMA training should combine a number of different kicking and punching techniques. You should also enter Boxing and Kickboxing competitions regularly as part of your MMA Training. Grappling – Submissions, takedowns, position controls, and defense to all of the above mentioned are vital to making sure that you aren’t taken advantage of on the ground. The Gracie family made the greatest impression on MMA when they introduced Brazilian Jujitsu to UFC 1 and dominated the entire tournament. While BJJ is the most common grappling style, there are others which include Greco Roman Wrestling, Sambo, and Judo.
2. Conditioning – Your MMA Training should also consist of a strong Conditioning program designed to take you through 15 minutes of punishment in a cage. Ideally you should have a strength and conditioning coach because there is a specific progression that you should follow when beginning your conditioning program in your MMA Training. Otherwise you may just injure yourself before you ever get near a cage. The 4 specific phases are as follows: Corrective – Your muscles and joints are out of balance. You need to get these back into balance and correct your posture before your start crazy intense workouts. Base Conditioning – Develop endurance and connective tissue strength. Going straight into power training can cause a tear in your muscles, tendons or ligaments. Strength – Now you train to maximize your overall capacity for strength (heavier weights) Power – Now is when you develop that KO Punch or Kick with some explosive exercises. All of these are important aspects, and must be performed as a progression in order to truly maximize MMA Training and your abilities as a fighter.
3. Nutrition – Ideally your Strength and Conditioning coach would also be able to prepare a meal plan to keep you on track with your nutrition during your MMA Training. Nutrition is fuel for your body, and therefore you need enough gas in the tank to make it through your match. Also, since you have to fight at a specific weight class, that means you have zero room for useless body mass (fat). You should be down to single digit body fat percentage before you even start cutting weight. When you come in to your MMA training the week before your fight, you need to start cutting water weight. There’s a right (safe) way to do it, and a wrong (deadly or illegal) way to cut weight. Most fighters at single digit body fat percentage are still naturally about 10-20 pounds above their weight class, so you have to safely cut those last few pounds over the course of the last week or two before you fight. This can be done in your MMA Training, but you have to know how to refuel yourself as well after the weigh-in.

So when you are really serious about getting started, I encourage you to start your MMA training. However, if you cannot find all the resources you require to get started right away, you can visit my site for more info, including a free MMA Workout, and a 12 day fat burning meal plan. Check out http://martialartswellness.com