Strength Training for Jiu-Jitsu Part 5: Conditioning and Extra Workouts

In the previous articles we covered all of the aspects that make up the strength training portion of the training program. We looked at an overview of the conjugate method and how I use it for the jiu-jitsu athletes I work with and took an in-depth look at the max effort, dynamic effort, and repeated effort methods. To round out the training we also need to address conditioning and extra workouts.

Conditioning brings up a lot of debate. There are some in the jiu-jitsu world who think all the conditioning you need comes from training jiu-jitsu and there are some that feel you need to do extensive amounts of cardio to develop your "gas tank" for the sport. I fall in the middle. Obviously training jiu-jitsu is essential for building your skill, but as you become more skilled, you also become more efficient. Greater efficiency leads to far less energy expenditure. As we become more skilled, our sparring sessions often become more technical and less physical. While our training sessions certainly count toward conditioning work, it is important that we include some dedicated aerobic and anaerobic training sessions off the mats as well.

Aerobic training is low to moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise where we can maintain a certain level of output for longer durations relying on oxygen to meet our energy demands. This is going to be roughly zone 2 to 3 type training that allows us to condition the aerobic energy system. Shooting for 2 to 3 sessions per week for 20-45 minutes is a great place to start. This exercise can be anything that allows us to maintain the appropriate heart rate ranges. Any cardiovascular machine, walking, rucking, cycling, jogging, swimming, etc. is all fair game provided we are staying in the heart rate range that allows us to condition the aerobic energy system.

Anaerobic training is higher intensity training where we switch from the aerobic to the anaerobic energy system and stop using oxygen to glycogen to meet our energy demands. Anaerobic training involves shorter duration, higher intensity bouts of exercise. Many forms of exercise fall into this category such as strength training, plyometrics, and sprinting. We tend to favor exercises like pushing and pulling heavy sleds and hill sprints when conditioning the anaerobic energy system. Initially you may not need to perform any anaerobic training as our "spazzy white belt" sparring sessions will often have our cardiovascular systems red lining! As you become more skilled, performing 1 to 2 anaerobic training sessions per week will be beneficial.

Muscular endurance is an often overlooked aspect of conditioning. While cardiovascular exercise can certainly give us a "bigger gas tank" and improve our ability to recover, we need to implement exercises to improve muscular endurance. Some favorites of ours are performing exercises for very high repetitions, or using static contractions, for specific muscles that need greater endurance capacity in jiu-jitsu.

In addition to the strength and conditioning work, you may find adding extra workouts to be beneficial. Extra workouts are short duration sessions that are very easy to recovery from. These sessions should not affect our strength and conditioning or jiu-jitsu training in a negative way. Extra workouts can be used to perform exercises for weak areas, to strengthen joints, and to address flexibility and mobility. These workouts can be looked at as helping to bullet-proof the body for jiu-jitsu. Some of my favorites are doing high rep single joint exercises with light weight or bands for areas susceptible to injury such as the neck, elbows, knees, and ankles. A full body joint mobility practice is a great idea, as well as implementing stretching exercises for areas that become tight due to the specific demands of jiu-jitsu such as the abdominals, hips, hamstrings, quads, and shoulders.

Remember, our goal with strength and conditioning is to tailor our program to our specific needs, or the needs of our athletes, with the goal of becoming stronger, better conditioned, and more resilient to injury. This program needs to be implemented in a way that ensures we are able to recover between sessions. We can only train that which we can recover from. If you are training a lot of jiu-jitsu, say 5 to 6  days per week, you may only be able to get away with 1 or 2 strength and conditioning sessions plus some low intensity aerobic work per week. If you are training less jiu-jitsu, say 2 to 4 days per week, you can devote a little more of your time to your strength and conditioning.

I hope you enjoyed this article series and if you have any specific questions about strength training for jiu-jitsu or would like to take it a step further and enroll in my online or in-person coaching program email me at scott@eptsgym.com or reach out through my social media pages.

Strength Training for Jiu-Jitsu Part 4: The Repeated Effort Method

The Repeated Effort (RE) Method is typically used for accessory exercises and sometimes for the main lift when de-loading. Following the primary Max Effort or Dynamic Effort exercise the accessory work is programmed to build muscle, strengthen weak points, and prevent muscular imbalances that may result from the sporting form. For instance, many jiu-jitsu athletes tend to have rounded shoulders and concave backs due to the postural requirement of many guard positions. Programming extra upper back, rear deltoid, and external rotator cuff exercises would be a good idea to counter the tension developed in the pecs and front deltoids as a result of those specific sport positions.

The RE Method will have you using submaximal weights for higher reps pushing the muscles to, or very close to, failure. This makes it easy to accumulate a lot of volume in the targeted muscles which is beneficial for increasing muscle mass and strengthening the weaker links in larger movements.

How many sets and reps will depend on different variables such as how conditioned the individual is currently and how fatigued the muscle is already from the primary movement. Also, if you are taking each set to complete failure, you will need fewer sets than if you are stopping a couple reps shy of failure. Generally speaking, we typically perform 2-6 sets of 6-12 reps for most of our accessory exercises. Sometimes we will push upwards of 15-25 reps or more depending on the movement and the goal of the movement. For joint integrity work we will often use very high reps, 30-50 or more, per set.

Unlike the max effort exercise which we tend to rotate on a weekly basis, the repeated effort accessory movements can be used for 2-4 weeks before cycling in new exercises provided you are able to continuously increase the volume without regressing.

I recommend trying to get the most out of the least when doing accessory exercises. If you are completely trashing yourself in the gym it will have a negative affect on your specific work on that mats. If you can fatigue the target muscle in 2 sets, performing 3 or 4 more sets will have a negative affect on your recovery while providing very little progress in strength or hypertrophy. Part of getting the most work out of the muscle you are targeting with the accessory exercise is to use a slow, controlled eccentric (lowering) phase of the lift and a more explosive, but controlled, concentric (lifting) phase. Just blasting through the reps with bad technique is not beneficial on any level.

Generally speaking we perform 2-5 accessory exercises after the main lift. Your goals will determine your exercise selection. Another factor would be competition prep. If you are not getting ready for a match or tournament you can spend more time in the gym, but as you get closer to a contest you will need to dial it back in the weight room to compensate for the extra sparring and drilling you will be doing to prepare.

Also, if you are completely fried and need to back off or de-load a bit, taking out the max effort or dynamic effort main lift and just performing the accessory work can be a great thing to do. If this is the case I would probably do fewer sets and stay away from failure. This will allow for the workout to stimulate recovery and would be a much better option than taking the entire day off.

There are many options for programming accessory work, but to sum it up, do as little as you need to in order to make progress and let your individual needs determine the exercises you program for the accessory / repeated effort work.

Strength Training for Jiu-Jitsu Part 3: The Dynamic Effort Method

The Dynamic Effort (DE) Method is often overlooked but is essential for all athletes. The DE Method is the lifting of submaximal weights with maximal force. For instance if you can squat 400lbs and were training with 200lbs, the goal is to move the 200lbs as if it's 400lbs. By training this way you will improve the rate of force production, i.e. how fast the muscle fibers produce force, for the muscles being trained. This will result in the athlete being more explosive.

Why does this matter for the jiu-jitsu athlete? While jiu-jitsu tends to emphasize aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and static strength, improving power and speed strength will carry over to explosive shots, takedowns, throws, and hip activation during certain pin escapes.

While any lift can be trained with the DE Method, we typically use the squat, deadlift, and bench press.

For intensity we use a three week wave of 75, 80, and 85%. The load is made up of 50, 55, and 60% bar weight and 25% accommodating resistance, usually in the form of bands and/or chains attached to the bar. This is one of the many benefits of the Conjugate Method developed by the late Louie Simmons, owner of the Westside Barbell Club.

A note on accommodating resistance with chains and bands.

A deep dive into the use of chains and bands is beyond the scope of this article and I will address it more deeply in a future post. There is more information than you would ever need on this topic on the Westside Barbell blog as well as in the numerous books, videos, podcasts, and interviews they've produced over the years. 

In a nutshell, adding bands and chains to the bar prevents deceleration by making the lift lighter at the hardest point and heavier at the easiest point, thus allowing the athlete to produce more force. This is accomplished through the contrast in the load when using bands and chains.

With chains they are attached to the bar with a strap or lighter loading chain so that the entire chain de-loads at the bottom of the lift, where the athlete is in the most mechanically disadvantageous position. The chains gradually re-load as the athlete moves to a more mechanically advantageous position as they lock out the movement. When using straight weight the athlete naturally slows down as they improve mechanical leverage as the weight begins to "feel lighter". The contrast in the load is what forces the athlete to continue accelerating through the top of the lift as it gets progressively heavier. For example, if an athlete has a 400lb squat they will train at 200lbs (50%) in week 1, 220lbs (55%) in week 2, and 240lbs (60%) in week 3. 100lbs of chain (25% of their max) will be added to the bar each week. So in week 1 the athlete will start with a total of 300lbs on the bar in bar weight and added chain weight. As they descend in the squat, the chain will start piling up on the floor so that when they are in the bottom of the lift the weight is 200lbs, then as they ascend to the lockout the 100lb of chain gradually re-loads making the weight 300lbs at lockout.

With bands there is a similar contrast as chains, but bands perform a little differently. Bands are active while chains are passive. Bands must be attached so there is tension in both the bottom and top of the lift. As the athlete lowers the bar the band tension reduces due to band shrinkage. Then as the athlete lifts the bar the band tension gradually increases as the band stretches to the lockout of the lift. Where bands differ from chains is they actively pull the bar down which causes they athlete to lower the bar faster. This is referred to as overspeed eccentrics. Eccentric refers to the lowering phase of a lift while concentric refers to the lifting phase of a lift. Overspeed eccentrics will create more kinetic energy on the way down, which will allow the athlete to produce more force on the way up. This will make the athlete more explosive. I always see a big improvement in my athlete's vertical jumps after training this way. Percentages will be the same as when using chains, but can be a little difficult to calculate since band tension is more variable than the chain weight. Don't overthink it. Just make sure you have tension in the bottom and top of the lift, and that it is close to 25% give or take, and you will be fine. 

In the squat, bands should be single choked around a 4x4 base at a minimum. On our Monolift, with a 4x4 base, we found the following band tension ranges at a lockout around 4'-5': light bands (purple) - 75 to 95lbs, average bands (green) - 115 to 145lbs, and strong bands (blue) - 165 to 215lbs. In the deadlift we attach bands to the band pegs of our 4'x8' deadlift platform. Most athletes will use a single single stretched band or a combination of bands. We found the following tensions on our platform at lockout for pairs of bands: mini bands (red) - 70lbs, monster minis (black) - 90lbs, light bands (purple) - 150lbs, average bands (green) - 210lbs, and strong bands (blue) - 290lbs. For benching, we double minis under our power rack base which gives us roughly 70-80lbs of tension at lockout. For a weaker bench micro-mini bands, which give about 30-40lbs of tension at lockout, can be used.

We typically decrease the training volume each week as the intensity goes up. Here are the common 3-week waves we use at my gym:

Dynamic Effort Squat / Deadlift Cycle

Squat (we use either the box squat or free squat as well as various specialty bars)

• Week 1: 50% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 2 reps / 12 sets
• Week 2: 55% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 2 reps / 10 sets
• Week 3: 60% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 2 reps / 8 sets

Deadlift (conventional or sumo)

• Week 1: 50% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 1-2 reps / 8 sets
• Week 2: 55% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 1-2 reps / 6 sets
• Week 3: 60% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 1-2 reps / 4 sets

Dynamic Effort Bench Press Cycle

• Week 1: 40% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 3 reps / 8-9 sets
• Week 2: 45% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 3 reps / 8-9 sets
• Week 3: 50% bar weight plus 25% accommodating resistance x 3 reps / 8-9 sets

These cycles are pretty standard from the information that I've learned from Louie Simmons, both in person and through his educational materials. If you follow Westside than you've seen over the years they've pushed their dynamic effort work to 5 sets x 5 reps in the squat and deadlift and increased the number of sets on dynamic effort bench work dramatically as well. Speaking of bench, I've found better results in lowering the training percentages some. Ultimately you have to experiment and find what works for you and as a general rule of the thumb, if the bar speed is not fast and explosive on every rep of every set, you may need to lower the weight some.

For DE squats we use box squats most of the time as pausing on the box makes the list a static overcome by dynamic movement by eliminating the stretch reflex that occurs during a free squat. That being said free squats can be used as well. In addition we use a variety of specialty bars such as the cambered bar, safety squat bar, and buffalo bar. Belt squats are used for variety or when the athlete is dealing with shoulder or back pain that makes loading a bar on the upper back difficult.

DE deadlifts can be done with either a conventional or sumo stance. In addition, deficit deadlifts and rack pulls can be used as well for variety and addressing weak points.

DE bench work is usually done with a regular power bar with three different grips, close, medium, and wide. Additionally specialty bars such as the swiss bar and football bar can be used. We use variations such as the floor press and pin press as well.

If you are just beginning a conjugate training program keep it simple and stick to the basic box squat, bench press, and deadlift for a while before incorporating variations into the training plan. I feel this is one of the biggest reasons people fail with the conjugate method, they overlook the basics and start using too many variations too early.

Regardless of the exercise variation you choose to use, make sure you are basing the training percentages off of a 1 rep max, or estimated max, in that specific variation. Basing training percentages for a safety squat bar box squat off a free squat with a power bar will result in inaccurate training loads that will likely be too heavy, and using a safety bar box squat max to calculate training loads for a free squat will result in training loads that will likely be too light.

In conclusion the dynamic effort method is about improving an athlete's ability to produce force. The bar speed must be fast on every rep of every set. Stick with the basic movements for a few training cycles before incorporating variation into your training program. Training percentages are just a guideline, when in doubt decrease the training load and move faster!

Strength Training for Jiu-Jitsu Part 2: The Max Effort Method

The Max Effort (ME) Method is the most effective method for increasing strength. The ME Method consists of lifting very heavy weights, 90% of a 1RM or greater, for low repetitions, 1-3 reps typically. This is true high intensity training as intensity refers to the weight used in relation to a 1RM. The greater the percentage of the 1RM the higher the intensity.

The ME Method increases strength by improving both intermuscular coordination, the coordination within different muscles and groups of muscles, and intramuscular coordination, the interaction between the nervous system and the muscles which defines the number of muscle fibers that can be controlled by the nervous system within a muscle.

The major drawback to using the ME Method is that it can be extremely stressful to the nervous system. The downside for jiu-jitsu athletes would be if you are constantly frying the nervous system in the weight-room, it will begin to have a negative performance on your martial arts training by negatively affecting your recovery. Thus, I believe the ME Method should be used less frequently and should be substituted with the Submaximal Effort (SE) Method. The SE Method is the lifting of submaximal weights without going to failure. While the ME Method exposes the athlete to loads at 90% or greater, the SE Method allows the athlete to make progressive strength gains by lifting loads in the 75-85% range. 

For the jiu-jitsu athlete I recommend using the ME method mostly on the compound lower body lifts, such as squat and deadlift variations, and only occasionally on the upper lifts. The shoulder and elbow joints already take on a huge amount of stress for most grapplers, so I've found that heavy pressing movements done frequently further exacerbate those joint issues.

While it is common to work up to a 1RM on ME lifts, I've found that 3RM and 5RM loads are often better for jiu-jitsu athletes. Often we only perform 1RMs once monthly and use 3RM and 5RM loads the other workouts. 

Another factor to consider when using the ME Method is accommodation. If you continually attempt to lift heavier and heavier loads in the same movement, your progress will stall and eventually regress. You can avoid this by switching exercises on a weekly basis. This is one of the unique points of the Conjugate Method. Instead of sticking to a classical squat, deadlift, and bench press, variations of these movements that are close to the classical lift are introduced and rotated through the training plan. At different levels of preparedness certain exercises will be beneficial and certain ones will not. You must experiment and find which work best for you.

For ME lower body exercises I've always favored variations of the deadlift, good morning, and squat for the jiu-jitsu athletes and fighters I've trained over the years. Some of the favorites include:

• sumo deadlift
• conventional deadlifts in the power rack off pins where the weights are 2.5", 4.5", and 6.5" off the floor
• sumo and conventional deficit deadlift standing on 2" or 4" mats
• block deadlifts pulling from 2", 5", or 8" blocks
• good mornings with the safety squat bar or buffalo bar
• good mornings suspended from straps and starting at the bottom of the movement
• low box squats with the safety squat bar
• Zercher squats
• belt squats

Here is what a typical 4-week max effort lower body cycle looks like:

• Week 1: deficit deadlift standing on 2" mats work up to a 5RM
• Week 2: low box squat with the safety squat bar working up to a 3RM
• Week 3: good morning with the buffalo bar working up to a 5 rep set keeping 1-2 reps in the tank
• Week 4: sumo deadlift working up to a 1RM

After the main lift we will move on to accessory work as needed by the individual for the lower body muscles such as the hamstrings, quads, calves / shins, lower back, and abs.

As I mentioned previously we tend to stay away from the ME Method for upper body lifts in favor of the SE Method. Our favorite upper body lifts for the ME / SE workout are:

• standing overhead press
• close grip bench press
• Z-press (pressing overhead from the power rack pins while sitting on the floor)
• floor presses
• close grip incline bench press
• pin press

Here is what a typical 4-week submaximal effort / maximal effort upper body cycle looks like:

• Week 1: floor press work up to a 3 sets x 3 reps keeping a rep or two in the tank on each set
• Week 2: standing overhead press work up to 2 sets x 5 reps keeping a rep or two in the tank on each set
• Week 3: close grip bench press work up to a 1, 3, or 5RM
• Week 4: Z-press work up to 2 sets x 6-8 reps keeping a rep or two in the tank on each set 

After the main lift we will move on to accessory work as needed by the individual for the upper body muscles such as the triceps, shoulders, lats / upper body, biceps, neck, and grip.

It is extremely important to keep track of the weights and reps you do on the ME and SE exercises you perform in your training cycle and try to break them by 5lbs every time they come back around in your subsequent training cycles to ensure continued strength gains. 5lbs does not seem like a lot, but to quote Louie Simmons, "What's 5lbs? 5lbs a month is 60lbs in a year and you'll pay me for that kind of progress!"

In the next article we will look at the dynamic effort method.

Strength Training for Jiu-Jitsu Part 1: An Overview of the Conjugate Method

Strength training and conditioning for jiu-jitsu needs to cover many different physical abilities as the sport requires many different physical abilities. A jiu-jitsu athlete must have high levels of aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, excellent mobility and flexibility, and have access to all velocities of strength from extremely fast velocities (explosive power and speed strength), to slow velocities (strength speed and absolute strength), to extremely slow and zero velocity (quasi-isometric and isometric strength).

What is the best way for a jiu-jitsu athlete to develop these abilities? The conjugate method as developed and popularized by the late Louie Simmons. Essentially, the conjugate method is a system of rotating special strengths exercises to keep an athlete at an extremely high level of preparedness year-round. It allows for the concurrent development of multiple physical abilities on a weekly basis, avoiding the need to implement linear training blocks where an athlete focuses on one specific physical ability for a certain period of weeks before moving on to another ultimately leading up to peaking for a competition.

In a linear training system an athlete will likely focus on muscle hypertrophy for a period of 2-4 weeks, then move on to a strength block for a period of 4-6 weeks, then move on to a power block for 2-4 weeks then move into a peaking phase before the competition.

In the conjugate method and athlete works multiple physical abilities in a weekly training cycle and constantly works to raise those abilities. This allows them to always be at or above 90% so that they are always at a 3-4 week peak and taper phase from a competition. This is great for jiu-jitsu athletes as they typically compete multiple times per year.

Conjugate periodization utilizes three methods. The maximal effort method, the dynamic effort method, and the repeated effort method. There is a fourth method we utilize as well called the submaximal effort method.

The maximal effort (ME) method is the lifting of very heavy weights at or above 90% of a 1-rep max. This method improves absolute strength by training the nervous system to recruit the most motor units in the muscles doing the work. This method makes the athlete very strong, but is very stressful on the nervous system.

The dynamic effort (DE) method is the lifting of submaximal weights with maximal speed. Essentially we are lifting lighter weights as fast as possible while maintaining good form and technique. Jumps and throws are sometimes incorporated as well and the dynamic effort method improves the muscles rate of force production, or how fast the athlete can recruit the motor units of the muscles doing the work. This method makes the athlete fast and powerful. Accommodating resistance (AR), usually in the form of attaching bands to the barbell for various lifts, is typically used as well. We will look at the specifics in a future article, but AR dramatically enhances an athlete's ability to produce force.

The repeated effort (RE) method is the lifting of submaximal weights so that the last repetitions of the set bring the athlete to, or very close to, failure. This method is great for muscle hypertrophy (making the muscles bigger) as well as isolating and strengthening weak muscles.

The submaximal effort (SE) method is lifting of submaximal weights without approaching failure. This is a good option for building strength without stressing the nervous system to the same degree as the ME method.

In addition to these methods for developing strength, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning and flexibility and mobility drills are implemented weekly as well.

We will break down the specifics of each method in their own future articles and talk about developing the training plan as well. This is where individualization is absolutely necessary as different individuals are at different levels of preparedness. A high level competitor in their mid-20s will have far different training needs than a recreational competitor in their mid-40s.

To help you visualize what a weekly training schedule utilizing the conjugate method looks like, I will close this article with my current training plan.

Sunday

11:00am - maximal or submaximal effort lower body, repeated effort accessory exercises for the lower body

Monday

6:30am - jiu-jitsu class

8:00am - aerobic or anaerobic conditioning

Tuesday

9:00am - maximal or submaximal effort upper body, repeated effort accessory exercises for the upper body

Wednesday

6:30am - jiu-jitsu class

8:00am - aerobic or anaerobic conditioning

Thursday

10am - dynamic effort lower and upper body, repeated effort exercises for lower and upper body 

Friday

2:30pm - aerobic or anaerobic conditioning

6pm - jiu-jitsu class

Saturday 

Off

I usually perform specific exercises for the neck, grip and core on my three main lifting days, or as extra workouts on non-lifting days as those exercises are easy to recover from. In addition I do some sort of mobility and/or flexibility almost daily. I find that planning my strength training on days I don't train jiu-jitsu is best for recovery purposes. 

Keep in mind, this is my current training program which reflects my level of preparedness and ability to recovery, and your individual needs may be much different from mine.

We will get into the specifics of conjugate training for jiu-jitsu in upcoming articles and until then train hard, but train smart!

Strength Training for BJJ: The Z-Press.

I use a lot of variety with pressing exercises for the jiu-jitsu athletes I work with, and the Z-Press is one of the staples.

While I think trying to mimic actual sporting patterns in the gym is a mistake, using exercises that strengthen muscles the way we use them is sport is important.

The Z-Press is a great way to strengthen upper body pressing muscles while simultaneously strengthening the trunk musculature the way it may be used in seated guard positions. 

Set a barbell on power rack pins below your chin, sit on the floor with the legs in front of the body, and press the bar off the pins to the overhead locked out position.

This static overcome by dynamic exercise builds tremendous strength from the bottom position due to the stretch shortening cycle being eliminated as the bar must rest fully on the pins every rep.

We will usually use the submaximal effort method performing around 75-85% of a 1 rep max for 3-5 sets x 3-5 reps or the repeated effort method by performing 3-4 sets x 8-15 reps for strength and muscular endurance/hypertrophy respectively. 

Developing Explosive Power for the MMA Fighter.

Jumping is one of the best ways to develop explosive power in the hips and legs for MMA fighters, and all athletes really.

For my athletes I like to have them build up to 40 jumps twice per week.

We perform all manners of jumps: box jumps, vertical jumps, broad jumps, jumps from the knees, single leg/double leg, bodyweight-only, using external resistance, etc.

Since MMA fighters required powerful hips and legs, one of our favorite variations is the kneeling broad jump combo demonstrated here by MMA fighter David Toranzo.

The athlete starts in the kneeling position, jumps to the feet, then immediately performs a broad jump.

We look for a very short amortization phase when transitioning from the kneeling jump to the broad jump.

This is a great variation for fighters since it is a horizontal jump and closing distance is a crucial aspect in the sport of mixed martial arts.

Start with 20 total reps and build to 40 total reps, in any set and rep scheme that you prefer, twice per week.

The Belt Squat Loaded Carry.

The loaded carry is already a great exercise for the jiu-jitsu athlete, but when performed in a belt squat machine is an even greater challenge. 

The belt squat allows for a load to be placed on the hips via the belt in addition to the implement being lifted and carried. 

The benefits are many, one of which is the therapeutic effect the belt squat has on the lumbar spine.

Due to the fact the belt is worn over the pelvic complex the load actually provides a mild form of decompression on the spine.

When walking in the belt squat, the quads/knees are worked to a great extent when walking behind the pulley hole on the deck, and the glutes and hamstrings when walking forward of it.

In addition you can do a tremendous amount of work on the legs (multiply the number of steps taken by the weight used) and it is very easy to recover from since you are not stressing the legs to the extent you would by doing deep squats or split squats. 

When performing the loaded carry in the belt squat (the heavy bag bear hug pictured here is a favorite of mine for grapplers) the general rule of thumb is to do heavier weight for shorter durations of 1-3 minute sets and lighter weights for longer durations, usually 5+ minutes.

Our initial target is to use a weight equal to your bodyweight for 5 minute sets then progress from there.

These can be used as a finisher by performing one all out set at the end of a strength training session, or a stand alone workout by performing multiple sets in the same session, a favorite being 5 x 5:00 rounds with 1:00 rest between rounds.

If you participate in combative sports the belt squat should be a staple in your strength and conditioning training!

The Death of Super Squats?

Today started out just like every other day since we've been on our stay at home order due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I sat down with my morning dose of cold brew coffee and started thumbing through my news feed trying to sift through all the bullshit articles to try to find some actual real news updates, but stumbled upon an article on building muscle using the 20 rep squat program.

After reading the article it was obvious that the author was putting his own twist on the program to "WOD it up" and in doing so was drifting away from what was actually written by Randall Strossen in his classic text from 1989, "Super Squats".

The ORIGINAL 20 Rep Squat Program.

In a nutshell Mr. Strossen's program recommends performing three weekly workouts, all of which begin with a set of 20 reps in the squat. Interestingly this article recommends four workouts per week and two of the days are back to back, which will interfere with the lifter's recovery. This makes me doubt the author has actually performed Mr. Strossen's program himself. Now the key to selecting the appropriate load is to use something you can get a comfortable set of 10 reps with on day 1 and making yourself get 20 reps with it. Whatever it takes, you do not rack the bar until you've completed the 20th rep. This is where the term "breathing squats" originated, in order to get all 20 reps the last half of the set is usually done in the following manner, one rep followed by a few deep breaths. It is brutal. Then you add 5lbs per workout. A little quick math shows that three weekly workouts over six weeks will have you squatting 90lbs more than you did on day 1 for your 20 rep set. 

You follow your 20 rep squat set with a set of 20 dumbbell pullovers, a classic exercise recommended for expanding the rib cage, then an upper body press and an upper body pull exercise. This isn't the time to focus on driving up your 1 rep max in the bench press, let alone your Olympic lifts as recommended by the article I read. The upper body work should be performed as maintenance as the goal is to put everything your have into your squat set. A couple of sets of abdominal work and you're done. Go eat and rest.

This program is not meant to be repeated throughout the year. It is meant to be a six week "punch in the face" for those looking to gain muscle mass, fast. The other key to this program is rest and recovery. You have to slam calories and not engage in other activities that interfere with your ability to recover. This program is about building muscle mass. If you are worried about your six-pack or improving your wall-ball accuracy, this isn't for you.

While there are no rules in training, and anyone is free to train any way they prefer, it is disturbing too see the classics being bastardized. Perhaps I am a curmudgeon, but to see the modern day fitness industry talking about 20 rep squats and making documentaries on stone lifting without tipping a hat to Randy Strossen, Steve Jeck, or Peter Martin pisses me off.

That is one of the things that makes me sad about the current state of the strength world, so many young lifters do not know the history of their sport, or worse, the names of the people associated with it.

If you are interested in the real 20 rep squat program, I strongly encourage you to visit ironmind.com and grab a copy of Mr. Strossen's book, a book that Steve Jeck suggested should include the warning of "for mad men only!"

Home Gym Essentials.

One thing I have realized in the short time the coronavirus has been an issue is the effect it is having on the strength training and fitness industry. With more and more gyms and training centers shutting down temporarily, more people are looking for a way to get their training done at home.

My basement gym circa 2007!

One of my clients in my online coaching program, currently living in NY, got to the gym Monday morning for his squat training session only to find the place empty and closed sign in the window. He just placed an order with Rogue for some gear for the basement.

After leaving work the other night (fortunately I am still able to keep the doors of my private training center open) I passed by Dicks Sporting Goods and saw three SUVs out front with people loading treadmills and other gear into them. I also heard from a reliable source that Peloton sales are doing very well.

I've always thought having some basic equipment at home was a good idea in the event that you can't get to the gym.

For around $1,000 you can get set up with enough basic equipment that will provide you with everything you need to not only weather the coronavirus storm, but allow you to permanently cancel that gym membership.

Here is a list I put together of gym equipment I found with a 10 minute Amazon search that will more than handle anything you will be able to throw at it. There is no need to pay top dollar for the big name manufacturers like Rogue, unless of course you want to. Don't get me wrong, all the equipment I have in my gym is from Westside Barbell, Elite Fitness Systems, Rogue Fitness, Legend Fitness and Promaxima MFG, but my gym is my full time business. I have to have durable equipment that can take a beating from some damn strong lifters and athletes. But for those of us who aren't training for the World's Strongest Man contest, the equipment I found on Amazon will more than suffice for a solid basement or garage gym.

Keep in mind, this was just a quick 10 minute search on Amazon, you can likely find even better deals searching places like Facebook Market Place, Craigslist, and consignment shops in your area.

The Essentials: $665-$970

Power Rack: $275-$500

The power rack is the cornerstone of any good strength program. Make sure to get one that has a pull-up bar and if you are lucky a dip attachment. I found many models that have these options that were all rated to 1,000 lbs or more. Power racks allow you to do squats, bench presses, rack presses and deadlifts, military presses, rows, pull ups, dips, arm work, and more. In addition they have spotter pins to ensure your safety when training alone.

Olympic Bar and Weight Set: $240

A barbell and weight set is a must have as this is what you will be lifting. I found a decent set with standard 7' barbell and plates that allow for up to 300 lbs. As you get stronger you will need to add pairs of 45 lb plates to accommodate your strength gains, and currently I have found most used plates to run about $0.75 per pound. Look on places like Facebook marketplace, Craigslist and consignment shops and you will likely find even better deals on weights. All you need to make up every possible increment of 5 lbs is a pair each of 2.5 lbs, 10 lbs, 25 lbs, 45lbs, and 2 pairs of 5 lbs plates. Again, as you get stronger you will just need to keep adding pairs of 45 lbs to accommodate for your progress.

Flat or Adjustable Bench: $100-$180

The adjustable will give you more options but plan to spend between $100 and $180 depending on which you choose.

Horse Stall Mats: $50

Horse stall mats will be needed for flooring. This will allow you to do deadlifts and protect the garage or basement floor in the event of dropped weights. You should be able to find two 4' wide x 6' long x 1/2" thick mats for around $25 each.

The extras: $164-$267

Kettlebells: $48-$116

Kettlebells are a great addition, particularly to add some conditioning exercises that are great for circuit training as well as strengthening generally weak areas like the low back, shoulders and grip. I found a 16kg kettlebell for $48 and a 24kg for $68.

Dragging Sled: $70-$100

Sleds are great for conditioning work and with an upper body strap will allow you to do any upper body or lower body strength exercise that can be performed with dumbbells or cables all while providing cardiovascular conditioning.

Loadable Dumbbell Handles: $36

A pair of loadable dumbbell handles will greatly increase the variety of your training. For $36 you can get a pair that will hold the same plates you will use on the Olympic bar as the collars are the same size. You will likely want to add multiple 2.5, 5 and 10 pound plates to give you more options for the dumbbells, but spending around $0.75 per pound or less is far better than shelling out $1,000 or more for a full dumbbell rack!

Jump Rope: $10-$15

An old school conditioning tool that provides and incredible bang for the buck. Jumping rope is a great way to train the cardiovascular system and build coordination simultaneously. There is a reason they are a staple in a boxer's training program.

There you have it, for $829 to $1237 you can have all the equipment you need to wait out the coronavirus quarantine and when the dust settles you will probable be loving the home gym so much you won't go back to the big box gym ever!

If you have any questions about setting up a home gym or are interested in any of my program design or consultation programs to help you set up a home-based training plan, email me at scott@eptsgym.com.

Stay Strong AND Healthy!
-Scott

Interview With Professional Powerlifter Cosette Neely.

Think vegans can't be strong? Think again! In this interview I chat with Cosette Neely. Cosette is a professional powerlifter who fuels her training with a plant-based vegan diet. She recently took 2nd place in the WPO Super Finals where she broke the all-time world record in the bench press.

Photo by Jessica Wiggins Photography.

Scott Shetler: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview! Please tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your background.

Cosette Neely: I was born in the Philippines and moved to California when I was five years old, where I spent most of my life. After I finished graduate school, I married my high school sweetheart. We’ve moved around a bit since due to his military service. We got out of active duty military in 2014 and moved back to our hometown of Monterey, California. We relocated to Ohio in January, 2019 with our two sons. I work as a behavior specialist where I help children with behavior challenges, mostly children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Photo by Jessica Wiggins Photography.

SS: How did you become interested in powerlifting?

CN: My husband got me into lifting weights after high school, but he didn’t get me to start lifting heavy until I was in college. My first meet was when I was 23 years old, 18 years ago. I set a federation world record for the bench press at this meet as a junior, and was bitten by the bug instantly.

SS: Have you always competed in equipped powerlifting?

CN: I started powerlifting equipped from the beginning and have never competed raw. There wasn’t really an emphasis on raw vs. gear then. You could compete raw, but most were competing in gear. I’ve always entered multi-ply in competition, even when I used single-ply bench shirts.

SS: What gear do you use and how do you cycle it into your training?

CN: I’ve used several different brands of gear throughout the years. After competitions, I usually don’t get back into gear for a couple of weeks. When I get back into gear, I generally wear briefs for squat and deadlift. Since I am a geared competitor, I feel it is important to train in gear regularly. However, I work in raw training into my cycles as I also believe a strong raw base is important. As I get closer to a meet, I start to wear my bench shirt, deadlift suit, and squat suit more often.

SS: What are your best competition lifts and total at the various weight classes you have competed in?

CN: In the 97lbs. class, my best lifts in competition are 225.9lbs. squat, 220.4lbs. bench, 259lbs. deadlift, and 705.4lbs. total. In the 105 lbs. class, my best lifts in competition are 457.4lbs. squat, 319.6lbs. bench, 370lbs. deadlift, and 1124.3lbs. total. I was the first in the 105 weight class to bench over 300 lbs. and I hold the all time (all federations) world record for equipped bench press for my weight class. This is a triple bodyweight bench, which only 7 other women in history have done in all weight classes. I also hold the all time world record for total for the 105 weight class.

Photo by Jessica Wiggins Photography.

SS: What does your training look like? Do you have a specific coach you train with or specific training program you follow?

CN: My training follows the Westside conjugate template created by Louie Simmons. This means that I have two upper days, and two lower days per week, which consists of a dynamic effort day and a maximal effort day. My husband, Dayan Neely, has always written my programs and coached me. Since we joined Sweatt Shop earlier this year, I’ve started following Shane Sweatt’s programming and have been receiving guidance from Shane as well as Laura Phelps. However, Dayan still coaches me every day and oversees my bench program as I get closer to meets.

SS: What is your favorite lift and why?

CN: The bench press will always be my favorite lift. When I started competing, I started as a bench only competitor. Therefore, I have spent a lot more time training my bench press, so, naturally, it is my best lift.

SS: What lift is the most challenging for you to progress in and why?

CN: Even though the squat has always scared me the most, the strength in my deadlift has lagged behind my other two lifts. Most people would think that my stature is beneficial to this lift, but I have found it more of a challenge. Also, wearing equipment can be very antagonistic for pulling.

Photo by Jessica Wiggins Photography.

SS: Congratulations on your 2nd place finish at the WPO Super Finals and world record bench press! It was amazing to see professional powerlifting on ESPN. Overall, what are your thoughts on the event?

CN: Thank you! I think this year’s Super Finals was run incredibly well. It is a big step in the right direction for powerlifting and draws a lot of positive attention and new understanding and respect for geared lifting.

SS: What are your thoughts on the sport of powerlifting as it is now?

CN: I loved powerlifting when I started and I love it now. Sure, some things have changed, but I still see the pureness that reeled me in in the first place. Weights are being pushed past limits many thought were impossible 10 to 20 years ago and that’s amazing. Yet, there are some records that still stand, which is equally impressive.

SS: When did you become vegan and why?

CN: I became vegan 6 years ago. It was a decision that I had thought about for years, so it was not a spur of the moment idea. I can’t recall what finally pushed me to make the choice, but I can tell you the simplest reason for my choice: if you can do less harm in this world, why wouldn’t you?

SS: What are some of the things you noticed after switching to a vegan diet?

CN: When I became vegan, I was on my second hiatus from powerlifting, each hiatus being for my two children. There were many changes in my life around the same time, so I cannot honestly say that I noticed any changes to my health in any way that I can attribute directly to my change in diet. I was quite healthy before going vegan according all my physicals and blood work. That didn’t change. Once I started training again a year later, my recovery and overall health was at least as good as it was before the hiatus, and at an older age.

SS: What does your normal diet look like? What are your favorite foods for meet day and is nutrition difficult at all when you are travelling to compete in meets?

CN: Actually, I still experiment with my food. I’ve gone through phases where I made a lot of shakes, paid for meal prep, used vegan meat replacements, did away with meat replacements, and changed my ratios of macronutrients. I think as long as I’m not eating a lot of “vegan junk food” and my training is consistent, I’m always happy with my results. Nutrition is always more difficult when traveling, but I’ve traveled for most meets I’ve done in my life, so I’ve gotten used to it. My favorite meet day food is vegan pizza.

SS: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about plant-based nutrition and being a high level strength athlete?

CN: I think the biggest misconception is that it can’t be done: you cannot be a high level strength athlete without eating animals and animal products. However, I have not had any issues gaining strength in the past 6 years.

SS: Have you received any concerns from coaches or training partners about your diet? On the flip-side, has it sparked any interest or made people consider eating plant-based?

CN: I have been lucky in that people don’t tend to challenge my choices in lifestyle or diet. Some of my coaches, including my husband, have found it a challenge in figuring out my caloric needs and how to disperse my macronutrients. However, there has never been negativity or debate about my diet. At this age, I am fairly confident and sure in who I am and what I do and I think most people respect that. In fact, I have had people approach me interested in eating plant-based.

Photo by Jessica Wiggins Photography.

SS: What are your plans for powerlifting in the future?

CN: As long as my body will let me, I have no plans on stopping or slowing down in the near future. I am always looking to improve all of my lifts in terms of strength as well as technique. My next meet will be the WPO Semi-finals at the Arnold Classic in March.

SS: Do you have any final thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?

CN: While I haven't been vegan my entire life, I've been vegan since I got back into training. I'm stronger than I've ever been. That's not me saying that I'm strong because I'm vegan. All I'm saying is that it can be done. I'm proof of that.

SS: Thanks again for doing this interview! If people are interested in learning more about you, or following your powerlifting career where should they go?

CN: Thank you so much for the interest! Currently, I am most active on Instagram, but also have a Facebook page. Both are called cosetteneelypowerlifting.

Strength Training for the Combat Sports Athlete.

The training method that I use for the combat sports athlete is pretty simple. It is based around their specific sport training. For the combat athlete (and for those critical of the term "combat athlete" it is a simplified term that I use when referring to the various jiu jitsu, MMA, wrestlers and other martial artists I train) their sport training is the primary training. All other physical training must enhance the sport training.

An important point to consider is that all physical training that is not martial arts training is considered general physical preparation (GPP). Specific physical preparation (SPP) is the training of the martial art itself. One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to make GPP SPP. This is often seen when an athlete overloads a specific sport movement pattern. Often, overloading a specific movement pattern will actually distort the biomechanics of the movement. Instead what we try to do is strengthen the muscles and movement patterns from a general approach, for instance if hip extension is important for the sport we will perform exercises like deadlifts, kettlebell swings and reverse hyper extensions with the goal of making the athlete's hips stronger. The athlete will then be able to create more powerful movements when practicing or competing in their sport. One of the things I regularly hear from fighters I've trained is that within a month or two of beginning out training program they are punching and kicking much harder without "trying" to punch and kick harder.

Another consideration for training is recovery. If you cannot recover from your training you need to reduce the total training volume. This tends to be an issue with most competitive martial artists. Most of the time they train too hard too frequently.

What I've found is that the best approach for strength training is to have two primary training sessions. One maximal effort workout where the goal is to build absolute strength and a dynamic effort workout where the goal is to improve the athlete's rate of force production. Other less stressful workouts may be implemented throughout the training week to strengthen weak points, develop aerobic capacity, and improve joint integrity or anything else based on the individual's needs.

Here is a very general overview of the training sessions and methods I use with my combat sports athletes. There is always individualization based on injury, training experience, if they are in a fight camp or preparing for a competition, etc.

Max Effort Training Session

• Jumps x 20-40 reps (We begin every workout with some form of jumping as it is a great way to build explosive power. We rotate variations regularly, some examples being box jumps, jumps from a kneeling position, jumps from a seated position, broad jumps, bounding, with and without external resistance.)
• Max effort lift. General a deadlift, zercher lift, or good morning variation. Occasionally we use a squat variation either with a safety squat bar or in our belt squat machine as both of these put no stress on the athlete's shoulders and shoulder health is something I pay a great deal of attention to with my grapplers and fighters. Most of the lifts we utilize are sumo deadlift variations either from a deficit, a pull from the ground against bands, deadlifts with the plates on blocks or with the bar on the pins in a power rack. Good mornings can be done normally or suspended in special straps. Most of the time we work up to a 1 rep max in the deadlift, squats and zercher lifts, and a 3 or 5 rep max in the good mornings.
• Upper body press variation. We do not do a lot of bench pressing, particularly heavy benching, since heavy bench presses can be tough on the shoulders. Most of the barbell work is done with a specialty bar that allows the lifter to use a parallel grip which tends to be easier one the shoulders than using the regular straight bar. A lot of the time we use the floor press as our barbell lift. Some other favorites are single arm dumbbell bench press, all manners of push ups, and overhead presses with dumbbells or kettlebells. We typically work 5-8 reps for "heavier" sets on the barbell work, and higher reps for muscular endurance on the other variations.
• Upper body pull variation. Here we always work some variation of rows or pull-ups. Single arm rows with dumbbells or kettlebells, barbell rows, cable rows, inverted rows, and pull-ups with a wide variety of grips are worked regularly. Another thing we like to do to build grip strength simultaneously is to use an old gi top hung over the bar for pull-ups and inverted rows.
• Posterior chain exercise. Strong and powerful hips are important for combat sport athletes. For this we work many different "hip hinge" exercises with some of our favorites being glute-hamstring raises (GHRs), reverse hyper extensions, 45 degree back raises, and kettlebell swings.
• Torso exercise. We do a lot of torso work, mostly static or rotational exercises. We do a lot of standing ab curls and static holds against heavy bands or the lat machine, we will hold an extended static position on the GHR bench and do alternating punches against bands, leg raises and dragon flags, ab wheel roll-outs, full contact twists and Russian twists are all regularly performed.
• Finisher. We generally like to finish the workout with some belt squat walking drills where we walk for various durations while doing different types of loaded carries or even pummeling drills, mitt work, and shadow boxing. Sled dragging is done as well or in lieu of the belt squat work.

Dynamic Effort Training Session

The dynamic effort training session is the same format as the max effort session except for the main lift. On the dynamic effort day the main lift is usually a box squat, either with the safety squat bar or more commonly in the belt squat machine, using between 50-60% of a 1 rep max with an additional 23-35% band tension. Occasionally deadlifts are performed with the same loading pattern. For work sets 5x5 is common. We use the same format for all the other exercises, but we do different variations from the max effort workout.

Those are the two primary workouts our athletes perform weekly in addition to their martial arts training. Outside of this extra workouts are performed based on the individual's weaknesses and specific needs. Usually things like kettlebell and bodyweight circuit training to improve muscular endurance and anaerobic conditioning, extra grip/neck/abdominal work, and aerobic conditioning are performed for 2-3 extra workouts weekly.

In addition a lot of my athletes perform specific joint integrity exercises for elbow, shoulder and knee health in particular. Exercises are usually different type of club swinging for the shoulders and high rep band exercises for the shoulders, elbows and knees. The goal is to perform very high reps, upwards of 200-300 per workout, with very little muscular stress. This increases circulation to the connective tissues to improve joint health and resiliency. These joint integrity exercises may be performed after primary workouts or as their own mini workouts 3-4 times per week.

Flexibility and joint mobility exercises should be performed daily. Often joint mobility is utilized as a warm up for training and flexibility exercise are performed at the conclusion of the training day.

As far as periodization goes we max out weekly and just rotate to a different exercise variation the next week. For the dynamic effort day we follow the 3-week wave recommended by Louie Simmons of 50% in week 1, 55% in week 2, and 60% in week 3, then starting a new 3 week wave with a different squat or deadlift variation. We keep this up year round and generally implement a specific 2-3 week taper going into a major competition.

This may sound like a lot of work but keep in mind most of the combat sport athletes I work with compete at some level, some at a very high level, so they are training harder than most who do not compete.

Remember, this is a very general overview of our training plan. There is a considerable amount of deviation from the plan sometimes based on the individual I am working with and their specific needs at the time.

Hopefully this article gave you some ideas of things you can implement in your own training and if you have any specific questions feel free to email me at scott@eptsgym.com or if you are in the Atlanta area come on by the training center.

Stay Strong!

-Scott

The Vegan Athlete Myth.

It's been a few weeks since the new documentary, "The Game Changers" was released and is now streaming on Netflix. This is another documentary concerning itself with the benefits of plant-based nutrition, but the focus is mostly on athletes who eat a plant-based diet. It centers around former UFC fighter James Wilks and the journey he made switching to a plant-based diet while undergoing rehab for a knee injury he suffered. Throughout the documentary he interviews a variety of athletes who follow a plant-based diet to discover the benefits on athletic performance and recovery.

James Wilks, former UFC fighter, producer and narrator of The Game Changers.

Just like every other documentary in the plant-based and vegan space, the usual suspects are already "debunking" it. One of the biggest anti-vegan proponents is Joe Rogan. Joe is a stand up comedian and commentator for the UFC and has accomplished something I seriously thought was an impossibility, he talks about "vegan" more than vegans talk about "vegan". Kudos Joe!

Joe Rogan, "Those dirty vegan strength athletes use steroids! If they ate meat they would be able to optimize human performance." Also Joe Rogan, "I've been on testosterone since I was 40."

Joe's logic is awesome. Anytime a vegan athlete succeeds it's because they are using steroids/PEDs. Anytime a vegan athlete is beaten it's because of their plant-based diet. And people eat this shit up as he spoon feeds it to him.

Here are some examples.

Joe on vegan strongman competitor Patrick Baboumian. (Note: Patrick, weighing around 255lbs he has bench pressed 474lbs, squatted 816lbs, deadlifted 794lbs, log pressed 408lbs, carried a 1213lb strongman yoke for 10 meters and carried a 1235lb strongman yoke for 28 seconds. -These are just stats I found through a Google search, it's possible he has lifted more, for instance I seem to recall in a video where he stated he deadlifted, possibly for a triple, 800lbs.) 

Vegan strongman Patrick Baboumian performing the yoke lift and carry with 1213lbs for 10 meters.

Joe's comments about Patrick, "Yeah he's strong, he's on steroids." Ok. While I am a healthy skeptic when it comes to strength athletes, if they claim to be drug-free I give people the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. I heard that Patrick claimed to be natural in his interview with Rich Roll. However, I will play devil's advocate here. The majority of all strength athletes at a high level, that I'm aware of, use anabolics and/or other performance enhancers and the vast majority of them are not vegan. Joe, buddy, let this argument go. World class strength athletes use anabolics regardless of diet. World Strongest Man, Hafthor Bjornsson, better known as The Mountain from HBO's Game of Thrones eats a shit ton of meat and uses anabolics. Plus, Mr. Rogan himself has admitted to being on testosterone since he was around 40 years old. If your hunter and gatherer meat-based diet is so optimal, why the need for exogenous testosterone Joe?

Mac Danzig may have never won a UFC belt, but neither did any of the meat eaters he beat.

Joe on former UFC fighter Mac Danzig. "Mac is a great guy, but he never won a championship title." Joe made these comments to "Cowspiracy" producers Kip and Keegan on their episode of the JRE implying Mac's failure to win a UFC Championship belt was due to his vegan diet. Let's think about that for one second and realize how utterly stupid that logic is. While Mac never won a UFC belt he did win Season 6 of The Ultimate Fighter, a reality show that is a gateway for up and coming fighters to enter in to the UFC. He had winning amateur and professional records of 5-1 and 22-12-1 respectively. It is safe to say that every fighter he beat to win TUF 6 and in his amateur and professional career were meat eaters. So using Joe Rogan Logic (JRL for short) those fighters MUST have lost to Mac due to their sub-optimal omnivorous diet, right? Wrong. Mac beat those guys because he was the better fighter when they fought, just as the fighters who beat him were the better fighters in those matches.

Joe also mentioned something about "tons" of athletes who quit being vegan and had to be edited out of The Game Changers. By "tons" of athletes he's referring to one. Tim Shieff an American Ninja Warrior competitor who was vegan for around 6 years but claimed health issues as his reason for switching back to an omnivorous diet. While he blames his health issues on his "vegan" diet I would bet it has something more to do with the extreme 30 day water fasts and drinking his own, and other people's, urine. No athlete, vegan or not, will perform well on water fasts and urine.

Is human piss vegan? Tim thought so. Seriously? Dude drinks piss? Call me insane but I'll stick with oat milk.

It is about skill, not diet.

What Mac, Patrick and all other vegan athletes are proving is that you can compete at the highest levels of your sport while eating a plant-based diet just as you can eating an omnivorous diet.

Speaking of strong plant-based athletes, in 2016 the ONLY US male weightlifter to qualify for the Rio Olympics was Kendrick Farris, a vegan featured in "The Game Changers" documentary. So using JRL the other weightlifters couldn't qualify for the Olympic team due to their meat eating diet, right?

Vegan athlete Kendrick Farris was the only male weightlifter to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

On the topic of vegan weightlifters, check out Clarence Kennedy. Clarence is a monster weightlifter who only weighs 207lbs/94kg and has posted lifts of 407lbs in the snatch, 485lbs in the clean and jerk, 661lbs in the squat, 440lbs in the bench press, and 749lbs in the deadlift. Here is a video of Clarence performing some big lifts and discussing what he eats:

Speaking of strong vegan lifters, I have to mention my friend Ali a vegan powerlifter who is literally one of a handful of women to break the 500lb bench press barrier. In addition she owns a few blocks of real estate on the legendary Westside Barbell Club Record Board.

Catching up with my friend and 500lb bench presser Ali Crowdus at the legendary Westside Barbell Club.

In the social media news lately I've seen Cam Newton coming under fire for being injured due to his vegan diet. More nonsense. Football is a sport where athletes regularly experience high speed collisions with other athletes. Your chances of experiencing an injury in football are 100%. Look at the NFL's injured reserve list which at the time of this writing has 258 players on it. The majority of those players eat meat. Is their diet to blame for their injuries? Sorry folks, this is not a one way topic.

Wait, you mean to tell me a vegan diet does not create an invisible force-field around you to prevent taking hits? I guess Cam's vegan diet is definitely to blame for the defense doing their job.

Outside of athletic performance, something else that drives me nuts is the notion that somehow a vegan diet is less ethical than an omnivorous diet due to mono-cropping of soy and corn. The majority of mono-cropped soy and corn goes to feed factory farmed animals. I met a couple at a workshop I attended recently in California (not a vegan couple BTW) who told me that the town they live in in the mid-west is the highest producer of soy in the country and their town is considered a food desert. So all that soy is going to feed farmed animals, not humans. 95% of the mono-cropped corn goes to feed farm animals, ethanol production and industry. Sorry guys, it's not vegans and vegetarians consuming all that soy and corn.

Oh, and the combine harvesters killing more animals and wildlife than farming practices? Please. If I walk towards a wild animal it turns and disappears in the blink of an eye. I'm pretty sure a massive, loud farm machine isn't going to sneak up on wild animals when they aren't expecting it.

Chipmunks, deer fawns and moles see me coming from 100 yards away trying to get a picture with my cell phone and get the hell out of Dodge, but a farmer driving this "stealthy" machine has no problem sneaking up on and obliterating wildlife. Makes perfect sense.

Here are a handful of points that I've learned about plant-based/vegan athletes:

• A whole food plant based diet that incorporates a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains can offer athletes a tremendous benefit by reducing inflammation and promoting recovery.
• All athletes need to eat more protein than the average person but not as much as protein manufacturers want you to think.
• Animals used for food get their protein/amino acids from plants. Thus their muscle tissue when consumed by humans is simply a delivery system for the plant's amino acids.
• All plant-based foods contain all of the essential amino acids, just in varying amounts. Eating a wide variety of foods is important regardless of the type of diet you follow.
• There is no reason to worry about combining foods as long as you are eating your calories from a wide variety of plant-based foods daily.
• If an athlete consumes the requisite number of calories to sustain their activity and performance level, and those calories come mostly from whole plant-based foods, they will get all the protein, carbohydrates and fats they need along with tons of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
• Everyone supplements, not just vegans. Go to any vitamin store or GNC and you'll see the majority of protein powders are whey and animal-based.
• B12 deficiency is an everyone thing not just a vegan thing. I know many omnivores who require B12 supplements or even shots.
• A diet does not make the athlete; skill, training and performance do. On top of that their diet simply needs to contain enough calories to sustain their performance. I've seen elite athletes perform well on junk food diets and I've seen elite athletes perform well on healthier diets. I'd rather look at those athletes in 20-30 years and see which are doing better.
• Your diet will not protect you from an injury, especially if you participate in a combat sport or a sport that exposes you to collisions and contact. However, a healthy diet will be much better for recovery and restoration than an unhealthy diet.
• To say that you cannot get stronger, build more muscle and perform optimally on a plant-based diet is complete and utter nonsense. I worked with a hip hop artist who put on 20lbs of muscle in 2.5 months eating a whole food plant-based diet, no supplements, pills or powders!

The vegan athlete is not a myth. I don't know why people have such a hard time accepting the fact that athletes can perform at the highest level eating a plant-based diet. Especially now that we are seeing so many athletes from all sports and levels of competition doing it. Not only are we seeing great athletic achievements there is plenty of research showing the health benefits of plant-based eating as well. 

Personally I dramatically improved my health when I switched from a heavy meat-based diet to a completely plant-based diet. I've been vegan for 7 years now and have no intention on going back to an omnivorous diet. There is nothing you need to get from animal-based foods that you can't get from plant-based foods. Please don't take my word for it, and don't take the advice of a stand up comedian who's biggest podcast sponsor is a meat company. You alone are responsible for your health, fitness, and performance. Do your own research, read everything you can, experiment and draw your own conclusions. 

Stay Strong AND Healthy!

-Scott