Saturday, January 30, 2010

The MMA Conditioning Revolution

Martial artists are some the most disciplined athletes you will find. Initially, the UFC  was more about which style worked better. As the sport evolved, fighters realized that they had to have both a standup game and a ground game to succeed. In today’s MMA arena, a new revolution is talking place.

It is no longer a matter of being a BJJ black belt, an accomplished Muay Thai fighter, or an NCAA wrestling champ to succeed. The competitive edge comes to those who have deep conditioning plans that detail how to train all year round.

The outcome of many fights is now coming down to who has the most gas left in the tank. This concept is prevalent in many other sports as well. Besides the physical edge, if an athlete is fresh - the mind is clearer, reactions quicker and balance is better.

Whether you are fighting professionally, or just want your next BJJ belt, or want to train injury free, you need to stay in shape even when you’re not on the mat. A conditioning program should address:

 1. Movement evaluation of the fighter or trainee.

 2. Evaluation of physical strengths and weaknesses.

 3. Evaluation of current nutritional intake.

 4. In-depth analysis of current performance.

 5. Identifying specific performance needs and goals.

 6. Detailed outline of conditioning program modules.

 7. Coordination of programming time table with other professionals

 8. Implementation of conditioning and nutrition.

 9. Post event evaluation.

10. Sports psychology analysis

MMA conditioning falls into these categories:

1. Cardiovascular endurance

2. Explosive strength

3. Muscular endurance and strength

4. Functional strength

5. Sport specific flexibility

6. Nutrient timing

I have produced 5 MMA Training DVDs that cover these approaches. They are available at UFC.com.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Mother Nature Fitness Incentive


Over the holidays, I was able to enjoy many invigorating times with my family and friends. I believe that fitness is everywhere and during my holiday vacation I lived it. One day we received a significant amount of snow. It took me about an hour to shovel. Then I went sledding with my kids for 2 hours. Next I decided to hike in the deep snow for an hour. At the end of the day, I added it up and realized I just got 4 hours of solid fitness activity in! The best part was that I was back to nature. 
Moving around outside is a real treat, even in the winter when we have a natural tendency to stay indoors. For me, if it's 25 degrees or above and the sun's shining, I'm outside. I take a page from my kids. They don't care how cold it is, they just want to go out and play! As adults we need to open our minds to this same sense of exploration and freedom.
The other activity I was able to experience with my kids on vacation was ice skating. This is something I have not done since I was 12 years old. We have a pond near our house which makes it great for them to learn. From my ankles to my core, I felt it the next day.
I begin the new year with my wife and 60 other people at a 10pm to midnight hot yoga practice. Believe it or not it was better than going out and drinking! The endorphins we received after that session were incredible. It was quite the experience and I plan on doing it next year as well!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Promotional Contest for my new Grappling Specific Conditioning DVD

In celebration of my new Grappling Specific Conditioning DVD, everyone who purchases any Burn with Kearns DVD or DVD Package (Jan 1 through Feb 6, 2010) is automatically entered into a drawing for a Customized Workout and Nutrition Plan ($795 value) that I will develop for you.  The winner will be announced on Feb 8, 2010. Check out my DVDs.