Dagestani-style fighters like Islam pose a problem for others precisely when they try to wear down their opponents with grappling techniques. Dagestani fighters are known for their dominant grappling style and ability to crush fighters to the cage. Their grappling skills and control on the ground often lead them to take down their opponents and keep them pinned against the cage. Fighters like Khabib and Islam continue doing this with a relentless pace and tireless work rate. They use their weight and leverage to keep their opponents pressed against the cage and prevent them from escaping or reversing their position. Their excellent control and understanding of body positioning allow them to control their opponents in the cage. Once they take an opponent down, they use various techniques, including ground-and-pound, to wear their opponents down and neutralize their offense. Then it is time for a strong submission game, emphasizing chokeholds. Due to their strong cardio capacity and understanding of the biomechanics involved in the sport, they can execute grappling techniques efficiently without expending unnecessary energy. This allows them to endure until the fifth-round while depleting their opponents' power and running submission techniques.
However, in the case of Islam's match against Volkanovski, he could not exhaust and submit his opponent for two apparent reasons. Firstly, Volkanovski's defensive grappling skills were strong enough to prevent submission attempts. Secondly, despite having over seven minutes of control time on Volkanovski, the exertion had little effect on Volkanovski due to his excellent endurance and cardio capacity. This allowed him to remain fresh and powerful throughout the last seconds of the fifth round.
MMA is a physically demanding sport requiring high conditioning and cardio levels. In order to perform at their best in the octagon, MMA athletes need to train their bodies to handle the intense physical demands of the sport. Let’s look at how to increase your cardiovascular capacity and muscular endurance.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT is a popular training method involving alternating short bursts of intense exercise with rest or active recovery periods. HIIT effectively improves cardiovascular endurance and increases anaerobic capacity (Gibala & McGee, 2008). A real-world example of a HIIT workout for an MMA athlete could be to perform eight rounds of 30 seconds of all-out effort on a punching bag, stationary bike, or a rowing machine, followed by 30 seconds of rest. Adjusting the workout and rest time depends on many things, like the athlete's level, goal, season, etc.
Circuit Training
Circuit training involves performing back-to-back exercises with minimal rest between rounds. This training can help improve cardiovascular endurance, increase muscle strength and endurance, and improve overall physical fitness (Wilson et al., 2012). A real-world example of a circuit training workout for an MMA athlete could be to perform eight rounds of the following exercises: burpees, jump squats, push-ups, and battle ropes. A strength and conditioning coach can specify the active and rest time based on the athlete's condition.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics involves explosive movements, such as jumping, bounding, and hopping. The jumps or explosive movements are performed rapidly and continuously. This training improves cardiovascular endurance, increases power and speed, and enhances athletes' ability to perform high-intensity activities. A real-world example of an MMA athlete's plyometric workout could be completing eight rounds of box jumps, depth jumps, and single-leg hops.
Sprints and hill sprints
Sprints and hill sprints are high-intensity activities that can help improve cardiovascular endurance and increase an athlete's ability to perform intense physical activities. Sprints and hill sprints can be performed as part of a HIIT routine or as standalone workouts.
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic training involves prolonged moderate- to high-intensity exercises, such as running, cycling, or rowing. This type of endurance training improves cardiovascular endurance, reduces fatigue, and increases an athlete's ability to perform intense physical activities (Coyle, 1995). An example of an endurance workout for an MMA athlete could be running or cycling for 30 minutes at a moderate pace to gradually increase the workout's duration and intensity.
Resistance training
Resistance training includes weight machines, free weights, resistance bands, and bodyweight exercises. Resistance training focusing on higher repetitions, typically in the range of 12-15 or more repetitions per set, can help increase muscle endurance. This type of training emphasizes muscular endurance more than maximal strength development, typically achieved through lower repetition ranges (e.g., 1-6 reps). One type of resistance training is isometric training which involves holding a resistance exercise in a static position, such as having a plank or wall sit, for an extended period. This training can help improve muscle endurance by challenging the muscles to maintain a position for an extended time.
In conclusion, besides learning grappling and jiujitsu techniques, you need to incorporate the mentioned training methods into your MMA athlete's routine, which can help improve your overall conditioning and cardio. It's important to remember that individual results may vary and that an MMA athlete's training program should be tailored to their specific needs and goals under the supervision of a knowledgeable and experienced strength and conditioning coach. So, whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the sport, these methods can help you take your training to the next level.
References
Coyle, E. F. (1995). Improved muscular efficiency displayed as Tour de France champion matures. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 27(9), 1292-1298.
Gibala, M. J., & McGee, S. L. (2008). Metabolic adaptations to short-term high-intensity interval training: a little pain for a lot of gain? Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews,