Secrets from an MMA Strength Coach

Here we share Mixed Martial Arts strength trainer Sabina Skala’s tips about training a professional fighter. Below, we share some takeaways for everyone.

1. Always follow a Hippocratic oath to do no harm.There are still some strength and conditioning coaches out there who train the fighters as if the gym, not the cage, was their main sport. If your athlete gets seriously injured during a conditioning session and you jeopardize his/her career because of it, it means you failed as a trainer. Therefore the selection of exercise and equipment according to athlete’s ability is so important. The gym is not a place to take risks.Sometimes the exercises that look cool are not the best choices. I am not saying they are not effective, but the problem is that if you can develop the same qualities using much safer options, so why not do that? If as a coach you do decide that smashing a tire with a sledgehammer will give your fighter an edge, make sure he/she knows how to use the tools before they attempt to do so. Your job is to make sure the sessions are effective and safe and they contribute to your athlete becoming a better fighter.
2. Remember that the goal is the goal.Seems pretty obvious, but how often do you see trainers who have an ambition to make their fighters the best dead-lifters, best sprinters, marathon runners, or even Olympic lifters. The goal is the goal. What works for a power-lifter will not necessarily work for a fighter. Work on the programs with the goal in mind, remember to test and assess your athletes. If you find out that poor mobility is what stops your athlete from increasing strength, address the mobility first before putting more weight on the bar.
3. Strength and conditioning should not dominate the fighting practice and technical sessions.Strength and conditioning sessions are supporting sessions to all other training. If because of your training the athlete is so sore for a couple of days that they have to miss their fighting practice, you failed as a trainer. It may happen that you want to increase the intensity of your strength and conditioning sessions, but always make sure it does not conflict with the fighting practices. Also, if it happens that you pushed too hard (which most likely will happen or has already happened to all of us at some point), make a note in the training log and adjust the intensity. The more you know your athlete, the more you can fine-tune the training. This is why I do not believe in six or eight week training camps. To know your athlete well, you need to work with them on a regular basis.
4. Look at the situation and adapt.The training has been going great and your athlete is responding well to the sessions. All is going according to the plan. Then one day, the day you have planned a heavy session, the fighter comes in completely battered and says he just did a heavy sparring session helping a friend get ready for a fight. Would you even consider sticking to your program on such a day? The answer is that you have to adapt. Sometimes the fighters come to you and their bodies are completely broken. Your job is to build them back up, not to exhaust them even more. You still need to remember about your goal, however. So whatever you do on the day has to contribute to the goal itself.
5. Do not use more than two heavy lifts per session.During my strength training sessions I do not use more than two heavy compound lifts. Sometimes I use only one. It all depends how much time we have for a session and the athlete’s ability on the day. All other exercises done are supplemental work that complements the training and contributes to the strength development.
6. Observe and record your athlete in detail.Whilst training and assessing I look at the load, technique, the number of repetitions, and the speed at which the weight is moved, which is very important. All of the above are always logged for the future information.
7. Do not test often for 1 Rep Max.I don’t test for 1 rep max more than two times per year, as it is a huge stress for the central nervous system. Most of the fighters I work with need to cut weight for competitions, so we mostly work within 1-6 reps, 80-95% 1 rep max range, to target the central nervous system.
8. Keep it simple.I like keeping the strength training pretty simple. Exercise selection for strength phase includes deadlift, front and back squat, overhead squat, military (strict) press, bench press, different modification of rows, pull ups (weighted or bodyweight), and various core exercises. The basic principle is to include movements like pull, push, lift, squat, and twist/rotate.All these points have strong takeaways for the average lifter as well. For most of us, strength training isn’t the first priority in our lives, it’s something that makes us better at everything we do, just like the fighter isn’t just weight training, he’s doing it to be better all-around. Following your goals, adapting to new circumstances, recording your progress in detail, and avoiding injuries should be tenets in everyone’s strength training program.