Strength and Conditioning for Combat Athletes

There are a lot of individuals involved in combat sports who think that in order to get better at it, they just need to do more of the sport. In essence, this is correct. Working on sport specific technique is the best way to improve, but having a solid strength and conditioning program is equally important and should not be ignored. This aspect of training for competition is oftentimes what separates the good athletes from the great.

Two Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes perform partner planks

Why is strength training so important for combat sports? Being technically skilled is great but if you don’t have a solid basis of strength, you will never reach your potential. If two guys weigh the same and have the same skill level who do you think will win- the stronger or weaker guy?Strength training makes you more powerful. Ask anyone in a combat sport if being explosive and powerful is an asset and no one will say “no”. 

Strength training decreases the risk of injury and combat sport athletes are prone to some of the worst injuries. The more durable you are as an athlete, the better you will be and the more likely you are to improve longevity and compete for a longer period of time. It will help build up areas that, if left untrained, would become plagued with injury: knees, necks, etc.

Conditioning should be based on the sport. For example, five minutes of rolling in Jiu Jitsu is comprised of quick bursts of action interspersed with periods of lower intensity. Your body must be able to handle five minutes of non-stop moving including bouts of high intensity action. Therefore, conditioning should mimic that. That’s why implements like prowlers and sandbags are great for combat athletes- they mimic conditioning against a heavy load (your opponent).

Strength training should mimic the sport as well. For our Jiu Jitsu athletes, we do a lot of grip work to enhance their grip on the gi, neck work to prevent injuries, and we work on hip strength since it’s crucial to a number of positions you could find yourself in. Training revolves around heavy squats, pulling, and pushing to get our athletes ready for the mats. 

Strength and conditioning training is not only crucial for stronger, more powerful, and healthier athletes but it’s also important that your strength and conditioning training is specific to your sport. If you are a combat athlete, your strength and conditioning program would look drastically different than that of a soccer or basketball player, but the most important thing is that you understand the importance of having one in the first place.