Sports Conditioning - Save It for the Game

There has to be a purpose behind sports conditioning. It’s not about how much punishment you can dish out during the workout. It is about how much punishment you can have the athlete ready for come fight day. Equally a trainer doesn’t want his fighters to be injured during a training camp or after about. I know of two pro fighters that were instructed by their strength and conditioning coach to lift weights and run after their weigh-ins! Didn’t they ever hear the football coach’s mantra, ‘Save it for the game’?

MMA Strength and Conditioning Certification Weekend Spring Locations

With the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) rapidly growing, the strength and conditioning training programs these elite athletes use to train and prepare for their fights is receiving significant interest among those who train athletes and clients.

“The training strategies and techniques that MMA fighters employ can provide a competitive edge and or achieve dramatic results for a variety of populations, from recreational athletes, to college athletes, to anybody looking to get more functional value from their exercise program," says Coach Kevin Kearns, one of the acknowledged leaders in developing and managing strength and conditioning programs for MMA Fighters. His training clients include; Marcus Davis, Spencer Fisher, Kurt Pellegrino and Stephan Bonnar - to name a few.

Coach Kearns is now teaching his training methods at a weekend hands-on workshop that is recommended for personal trainers, coaches, and other fitness professionals. This spring, the Burn with Kearns’ MMA Strength and Conditioning Certification will be held in four locations in the United States and Canada. The locations include Ann Arbor, Michigan; Pasadena, Texas; Hudson, NH and Newmarket, Ontario.

“MMA strength and conditioning based training works well with personal training clients and in group exercise classes because it offers a never ending set of challenges and most importantly achieves functional results like no other method of training,” says Coach Kearns.

Steve Whittier, owner of Nexus Martial Arts in Wareham, Massachusetts, who has attended the Burn with Kearns workshop says, "the Burn with Kearns’ training program is a phenomenal tool for helping athletes and general fitness exercisers of all levels to get maximum results in minimal time while maintaining their motivation." He reports that his fitness and martial arts students love the Burn with Kearns' training methods.

For more information on the MMA Strength and Conditioning Weekend Workshop, please visit http://www.burnwithkearns.net or call 508.541.3281 for more information.

MMA Conditioning Course in Texas

Had an enjoyable time conducting a Burn with Kearns MMA Conditioning Coach Certification in Pasadena, Texas yesterday.

Grandmaster Zuffi Ahmed and his team were great hosts! I was very impressed with Grandmaster's story. He was a champ in his home country of Pakistan and had a great life going. Then he decided in the early 80's to move here with just $1800 in his pocket.

Today, he owns 9 schools and is growing by leaps and bounds. What truly impressed me was how much he genuinely cares about his students and his passion for teaching martial arts. Thus, I am proud to announce Burn with Kearns is the official fitness consultant for Bushi Ban Martial Arts.

I also have to say that Texas is such a friendly place. I look forward to returning soon.

Ball Fight: How to Develop Strength and Balance

The Burn with Kearns' coaching team always strives to take things to a new level with our fighter and athlete clients.

Remember when we were kids and we used to play “kill the guy with the ball?” That was a great game because it taught us a lot of relevant skills. It was applicable for wrestling, grip strength, maintaining balance and impact conditioning.

A favorite way of using this game in training is with a heavy duty rubber band and belt system, two fighters and a stability ball. The idea behind this is similar to when we were kids — just get the ball away from the guy who has it.

The challenge for the fighter is holding onto the ball while he has an industrial strength band pulling him backwards. The purpose of the band is it ups the intensity of the workout. Try this one out in the backyard just in case it gets a little unruly.

MMA Training Concepts - Hammer Time

There is no question that without a strong striking game, you are not going to last in the MMA game. We have seen the tide of fights changed with one well placed strike. Whether it’s an elbow or a punch, timing, strength and endurance are major factors.

There are a variety of ways to develop strong strikes. At Burn with Kearns, we use a lot of “off the shelf” items to accomplish this. For an item to be consided “off the self” it has to be affordable, adaptable and functional.

One of my favorite items that anybody can find and implement is small sledge hammers, in weights anywhere from 2-6 pounds. The amount of work that can be done in multiple dimensional angles is truly amazing and limitless. They can develop grip strength and endurance in all the muscles used for striking.

For the MMA and grappling game, they are one of my go-to tools for fight prep. When we perform this workout, there will not be a muscle you do not feel in your entire striking mechanics. This is also great for shoulder and hand rehab as well.

MMA Training Tips - On Unstable Ground

Instability training is really a simple concept. If you train in an unstable environment your stability improves in a stable one.
To continue this line of thinking, it is very important for fighters to “feel” the pressure of combat and the chaotic nature of the fight. One of the hardest aspects to prepare for a fight in the Octagon is getting stuck against the cage. This is not a fun position to be in, especially if your sight is compromised from a previous strike.

We prepare for this situation, knowing all too well that it can happen at any given moment. The first time I showed this drill to Marcus Davis, he said, ‘That’s exactly what the pressure feels like in the ring.”

The drill is simple. One fighter is sitting on the floor against the cage or wall defending, and the other fighter is attacking with a large stability ball and crushing the guy against the cage.

This replicates the overwhelming pressure that combat athletes feel in the ring. When you add to the scenario that the fighter can’t see that crushing motion, he needs to feel it. We use the Bosu Ballast Ball for this drill since it adds some weight to the drill as well. Hey, I never said I was a nice guy!

Victoria, British Columbia

I am truly blessed to be able to travel so much and meet such wonderful people around this earth of ours. Victoria, British Columbia is an unbelievable place. I have never seen a place so clean. The architecture is inspiring. What a beautiful island. Victoria feels as if you stepped back in time in Europe when you walk around.

Big kudos to Mr. and Mrs. Clark, from Clarks Tae Kwon Do for bringing me out to perform a seminar. Although I do not relish being away from my family, I would have liked to stay longer to explore. 

On the way back from Victoria to Seattle, on a early flight, I was treated to an intensely inspiring sunrise! As a culture, we need to stop and look around once in a while and appreciate the marvels of our planet.

Also, I have to say traveling on Alaskan Air is awesome. From the people, to their planes, it is truly a pleasure to do business with them.