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!

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

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

A Recovery-Based Training Plan

I recently published a social media post and podcast concerning training frequency with the idea that training must be based on one's ability to recover and the importance of considering other activities into the weekly training volume.

While I no longer compete in powerlifting, heavy deadlifts are still a staple in my training program.

I have been experimenting with spreading my weekly training plan over two weeks in order to maximize recovery from my max effort training sessions and my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training.

My training has always followed Louie Simmon's conjugate method using a weekly plan as follows:

Monday: Max Effort Squat/Deadlift
Tuesday: Lower Body Extra Workout (focusing on joint integrity and/or restoration exercises)
Wednesday: Max Effort Bench Press
Thursday: Upper Body Extra Workout (focusing on joint integrity and/or restoration exercises)
Friday: Dynamic Effort Squat/Deadlift
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Dynamic Effort Bench Press
*In addition I practice Taijiquan and qigong 4-5 days per week, stretching and mobility work daily, and would usually perform some sort of cardiovascular training 2-3 of the training days.

This past January I began training BJJ and immediately realized I could not maintain my current strength training plan. You cannot keep adding high stress training activities and expect to recover properly. Since my BJJ schedule is regular class on Monday and Wednesday morning and usually an open mat workout on Thursday I decided to adjust my strength and conditioning to allow for optimal recovery while still hitting hard training sessions.

While it is common for a microcycle to last 7 days, I decided to spread my weekly training microcycle to 14 days and shift the days to keep high stress activities like the repeated effort and dynamic effort strength training sessions on the same days as my regular BJJ classes, and my max effort days were adjusted to the end of the week so I have the entire weekend to recover from the hardest lifting days. This allows for more recovery days between the higher stress training days. After a couple of weeks I am doing well with the training plan.

My current training plan spread over 14 days is as follows:

Monday: BJJ nogi class, repetition effort upper body strength training
Tuesday: low intensity cardio and upper body restoration exercises
Wednesday: BJJ gi class, dynamic effort lower body strength training
Thursday: occasional BJJ open mat training, low intensity cardio and lower body restoration exercises
Friday: max effort upper body strength training
Saturday: off
Sunday: off

Monday: BJJ nogi class, repetition effort lower body strength training
Tuesday: low intensity cardio and lower body restoration exercises
Wednesday: BJJ gi class, dynamic effort upper body strength training
Thursday: occasional BJJ open mat training, low intensity cardio and upper body restoration exercises
Friday: max effort lower body strength training
Saturday: off
Sunday: off
*I still practice Taijiquan and qigong usually 4-5 days a week in addition to the Taiji classes I teach each week as well. I include stretching and mobility work daily as well.

Taijiquan and qigong has been one of the best practices I've added for health and longevity.

Since I don't compete in powerlifting any longer and my goals have shifted more to health and longevity, I have found that more frequent, lower intensity training sessions seem to be the way to go. Instead of having two max effort workouts weekly, I only have one. I will also make adjustments based on daily readiness (I use the Morpheus recovery app to monitor this) and back off on max effort days if I am really run down in favor of submaximal effort work.

In fact all of my pressing work is submaximal or repetition effort at this point anyway. My shoulders and elbows are pretty beat up from jiu jitsu training and there really is no need to push the bench press heavy at this point any way. I have found high rep presses with the bandbell bar, push ups and dumbbell/kettlebell pressing work, along with plenty of single joint accessory exercises for the shoulders, lats/upper back, and arms to be much better on the joints while still getting in plenty of quality muscle work.

In addition I have eliminated squats performed with a regular straight barbell in favor of belt squats, Hindu squats, and specialty bars like the safety squat bar or even the Buffalo bar. This seems to be much better on my shoulders as well. Pretty much the only lift I push to a true max effort anymore is the deadlift and that only happens every other week. I have found this to do wonders for my recovery between sessions and every training session I am pretty amped to lift.

The Tuesday/Thursday workouts are purposely low intensity. For conditioning I stick to lower intensity cardiovascular training, since my BJJ workouts are much higher intensity at this point. In addition I tend to do a lot of single joint exercises with bands for joint integrity - exercises like pushdowns, pullaparts, leg curls and good mornings all performed with bands for very high reps are great for restoration and joint health. I sometimes do some light club swinging or kettlebell conditioning on these days as well, and basically live on abdominal/torso work.

Banded single joint exercises done for very high repetitions are excellent for joint integrity and injury prevention.

All in all this helps promote a much greater recovery while allowing me to put greater effort into the harder training sessions.

There is no one best training program. It is crucial to understand all training methods and variables and how to implement them for your own level of readiness. You can only improve from training that you can fully recover from. That is optimal training and it is never static, the program must evolve as you become stronger and attain greater levels of conditioning. Simply put, if you are not able to recover you will not progress.

For more training tips and information be sure to follow my YouTube channel (click here) and my Strength and Health Podcast (click here).

Stay Strong AND Healthy!

-Scott

Kettlebell Training for Combat Athletes: the Seated Mil Press

In this video Scott Shetler, strength coach and owner of Extreme Performance Training Systems and Chris Jones, BJJ athlete, multiple time Masters Worlds and Pans champion, and owner of Nucleus Brazilian Jiu Jitsu go over one of their favorite press variations, the seated kettlebell mil press. Our goal when training grapplers and fighters is training economy, how to get the most benefit from the fewest number of exercises. While we don't have our combat athletes perform a lot of maximal effort press exercises, we do quite a bit with the repeated effort and dynamic effort method. In addition we look for ways to challenge the torso musculature and grip in a way that is beneficial to their sport as well.

If you have any specific strength and conditioning exercises you would like us to discuss or cover leave them in the comments section below and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for updates on future videos. For the best in kettlebells and BJJ gis and apparel be sure to visit our friends Kettlebell Kings at http://www.kettlebellkings.com and Day by Day Jiu Jitsu at http://www.daybydayjiujitsu.com. For more information on our strength and conditioning and martial arts training programs visit us at http://www.eptsgym.com and http://www.nucleusbjj.com. Thanks! Scott & Chris

Grip Strength Training for Grapplers.

Grip strength is one of the most essential aspects of a grappler's physical preparation program. While some of the athletes that I train like to add direct grip exercises to their strength training program, I do like to emphasize my athlete's training economy and get the most out of the least number of exercises whenever possible.

An excellent way for a grappler to develop grip strength indirectly is by using a gi for many of their pulling exercises. My athletes do the majority of their pull-up and row exercises by attaching a gi to our pull-up bars, barbells and lat machine.

BJJ brown belt and 2x Masters World Champion Chris Jones demonstrating the gi pull-up.

One thing we've been experimenting with lately is incorporating gi work with some kettlebell pulling exercises. Most BJJ athletes have access to some kettlebells and an old gi top. Here are three exercise variations that we've used at my training center that require nothing more than a gi and kettlebells.

Bent Over Row

The bent over row is one of the best exercises you can do for the back. In addition to hitting the muscles of the upper back and lats, it works the rear delts, biceps and forearms. By looping a gi top through the handle of a heavy kettlebell, you can now hold onto the lapel or sleeves and build your grip strength as well. We usually perform 4-6 sets of 8-12 reps.

Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is probably the most used kettlebell exercise and for good reason. This exercise strengthens the muscles of the back, glutes, hamstrings and torso which translates to powerful and explosive hips. By adding a gi top to this exercise in the same manner as the row, it will place a greater emphasis on your grip as well. We like high rep sets here usually doing 2-4 sets of 25-50 reps.

Hammer Curl

Curls often get a bad wrap in the strength training industry and are usually looked at as a joke. There is nothing funny about rupturing a biceps tendon. We do a wide variety of curls, often working in isometric and static hold repetitions as well to build muscular endurance. A great variation of the curl is to attach a gi top to a kettlebell handle and hold the lapels or sleeves of the gi in a hammer grip (palms facing each other) position. In addition to doing regular full range of motion repetitions, I recommend working static holds at 3 or 4 different positions of the exercise's range of motion. We usually do 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps or 20-30 seconds (or longer) of the static holds.

Check out this video to see these exercises in action!

Hopefully you enjoyed this article and have some new exercises to add to your training program. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box and try new things, that is often where the key to new progress is waiting. A wise man said, "If you're afraid to fail you'll never succeed."

Stay Strong AND Healthy!

-Scott

Interview with Vegan Athlete Zackery Bickford.

In this episode my good friend Zack (aka The Vegan Legend) joins the show to talk about his wrestling career and being a vegan athlete.

Part 1 of my interview with Zack.

Part 2 of my interview with Zack.

Click here to listen to the podcast audio.

Show notes:

• Zack's introduction to the sport of wrestling
• The mental toughness required to train and compete at a high level
• How training in judo enhanced his wrestling performance
• The role strength and conditioning has played in both physical and mental preparation
• How Zack adopted a vegan diet
• The athletic improvements he's experienced since going vegan
• Zack's secret to cutting weight
• Zack's best lifts and current goal to deadlift 600 lbs for reps
• Zack's wrestling goals

Check out this video to see some of Zack's training at the EPTS Gym - this is a good representation of how our grapplers and combat athletes train!

Follow Zack on Instagram @the_vegan_legend

I hope you enjoyed this episode with Zack and if you have any questions, feedback or suggestions for future episodes email me at scott@eptsgym.com and visit www.eptsgym.com to follow me online.

Stay Strong AND Healthy!

-Scott

The Importance of Indicator Lifts for Jiu-Jitsu Athletes.

One of the most important things in any strength and conditioning program is the proper use of indicator lifts. Indicator lifts are the testers that allow you to monitor an athlete's strength progress. I choose indicator lifts for my athletes based on both the sport and the individual.

For my jiu-jitsu athletes I generally track a variety of explosive movements, maximal or near maximal strength exercises and relative strength exercises as each are of great importance for their discipline.

For explosive strength and power I look at various jumps, usually a box jump or a broad jump done for a max height on box jumps or max distance on broad jumps. For lower body strength I use a parallel box squat performed in our belt squat machine usually for a 1 or 3 rep max. I like to use a block deadlift done with a sumo stance and the plates on 2", 4" or 5" blocks done for a 1 rep max. This is a great display of hip strength, something very important to all athletes not just fighters and grapplers. For upper body strength I use floor presses done for a 3 or 5 rep max. I also use pull-ups performed with body-weight for max reps as an indicator for relative strength. By tracking my athlete's progress with these indicator lifts I can ensure that they are progressing in all of the types of strength important to their performance.

Jumps can be done with body-weight or with added resistance by holding dumbbells, kettlebells or wearing a weight vest. Regardless, you should try to break a personal record in box height or broad jump distance about once every 4-6 weeks. It is important to note that if you are improving in your jumps and max effort strength work simultaneously, your training is on track. If your strength lifts are going up but your jumps are stalling or worse, regressing, you need to prioritize dynamic effort work in training.

BJJ athlete Chris Jones performing box jumps with a 40lb weighted vest.

Squats and deadlifts should be the cornerstone of any athlete's strength and conditioning program. These two compound exercises deliver the most "bang for your buck". For my combat athletes, particularly those who have mileage on, or injuries to, the shoulders I prefer squats with either a safety squat bar or belt squat machine as this keeps the stress off the shoulder joints unlike squatting with a regular barbell.

Chris Jones performing box squats in the belt squat machine at the Team EPTS training center. He has done 585 for a 3 rep max.

For the deadlift we tend to favor the sumo deadlift done with the plates resting on blocks (2"-5" blocks usually) as this minimizes leg drive and places a great emphasis on the hips and back.

Chris performing the sumo deadlift off 2" blocks, and has made 2.5 times his bodyweight for a 1 rep max.

Notice he is sporting what the late Mel Siff referred to as the "best shoe for weightlifting".

I am not a big fan of regular bench presses, particularly for 1 rep maxes, for my combat athletes. The majority of our pressing is done with dumbbells or kettlebells, but we've found the barbell floor press done for a 5 rep max is a great indicator lift for our fighters and grapplers. Be sure to stick the legs out straight to take leg drive out of the exercise. This is very similar to how the combat athlete uses their upper body pushing strength in training and competition when working from guard.

Chris performing the floor press. He regularly does his body-weight - 205-225 - for sets of 5+ reps.

For upper body pulling strength nothing beats the pull-up. There is no better exercise for developing upper body strength. Pull-ups should be performed strictly with NO kipping. We use a variety of grips - underhand, overhand, parallel grip, staggered grip, fat grips, and one of our favorites gi pull-ups.

The gi pull-up is hands-down one of  the best upper body strength exercises a grappler can add to their training plan. Team EPTS athlete Chris Jones easily bangs out sets of 10+ reps at a body-weight of 205-220 lbs.

A final note about indicator lifts, just because the typical strength coach here in the US has some sort of fatal attraction to ass to grass front squats, bench press and power cleans doesn't mean that you have to. When working with athletes you have to consider the demands of their sport and their physical constitution when selecting their lifts. Athletes are not weightlifters or powerlifters, they are not being judged on their technical performance of the snatch, clean and jerk, squat, bench press and deadlift. Use exercise variations that allow them to get strong through the joint angles and positions they need to use in there sport. All that matters is their sporting result, not the lifts or numbers they do in the gym. Choose the exercises that best suit your individual athlete and focus on making them strong, explosive, and resilient. While this article focused only on the strength and power exercises I use with my combat athletes, aerobic capacity and other conditioning modalities need to be addressed, as does mobility and range of motion.

When an athlete develops a high level of physical preparedness and approaches their specific sport preparation with laser-focus, their results will be nothing short of impressive.

My jiu-jitsu coach Chris Jones, owner of Nucleus BJJ, with the hardware he collected during his 2017 competition year winning gold or double gold at Pans, Masters Worlds, Nogi Pans, and Nogi Worlds.

Stay Strong AND Healthy!

-Scott
scott@eptsgym.com
www.eptsgym.com

Indian Club Training Tips for Grapplers & Fighters.

In this video I present some of the Indian club training exercises I have found to be beneficial for shoulder strength and health for the combative athletes I work with at my gym. I incorporate both light and heavy clubs into our training program as both offer great benefits to the combat athlete. These exercises are a must for shoulder health, strength, and mobility. I hope you enjoy this video and please leave any questions or suggestions for future video topics in the comments section below.

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Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for updates on future videos. Stay Strong AND Healthy! -Scott scott@eptsgym.com
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Neck Training Tips for Grapplers & Fighters.

Creighton BJJ athlete, Noah Wilson, training his neck as part of his strength & conditioning program at EPTS Gym.

In this video I talk about some of the various neck training exercises the grapplers and combat athletes I train utilize in their strength and conditioning programs. Neck strength is essential for combat athletes and should be developed through a combination of both static and dynamic exercises. Hopefully you enjoyed this video and if you have any questions or suggestions for future video topics please leave them in the comments section below.

Stay Strong AND Healthy! -Scott scott@eptsgym.com www.eptsgym.com

Strength & Health TV - Episode 54: How My Fighters Peak for a Competition.

In this episode I address a question from my friend Bartosz. He asked if I would talk about the 4 week pre-competition phase we use with our fighters, and other athletes, to ensure they are at their peak level of physical readiness on the day of their competition.

This phase is called the delayed transformation phase. The purpose of it is to allow for the realization of the physical qualities developed during the periods of accumulation and intensification prior to the delayed transformation phase.

Basically 4 weeks out I have the athlete take a record in a specific lift we track, for the fighters and grapplers we build it around a deadlift variation. 3 weeks out we use 75% of the previous week's intensity and 2 weeks out we further reduce to 60%. The final week is a light week going into the contest. Accessory work volume is reduced slightly but still pushed into the final week.

If this phase is done properly the athlete will feel strong, recovered and ready to perform at their best.

If you have any questions or suggestions for a future episode,please leave them in the comments section below, and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to receive updates on future episodes.

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Stay Strong AND Healthy,

-Scott

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Strength & Health TV - Episode 53: Product Review - BASD Pulling Blocks

The BASD Pulling Blocks

In this video I do a brief review of a great new product I purchased for my training center, the BASD Pulling Blocks. The BASD pulling blocks are a pair of 25lb plates. The plates allow you to do "block pulls" from 3 different heights without needing blocks. You can pull with the plates from 2", 5" and 8" heights depending on which hole you put the collar of the bar through.

The blocks are solid steel and very durable. The base is 2" wide and they are well balanced. By using these blocks you don't have to deal with the problems of using pulling blocks, mainly loading plates. When your bar is on blocks you can't use a deadlift bar jack and loading plates can be a bit of a pain in the ass. Once you get the BASD's on you can load plates on top of them very easily.

I can't recommend these enough. They are available from Lifting Large: http://www.liftinglarge.com/BASD-Dead...

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Stay Strong AND Healthy,

-Scott

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The Importance of Strength Training for the Endurance Athlete.

Photo by: Pixabay

Strength training and endurance training are rarely mentioned in the same sentence. I recently began working with my friend Allison on her training program as she prepares for her first half Ironman, and after a lot of research was surprised at the lack of information available about strength training for endurance athletes. I have yet to see any articles that promote the importance of a scientifically based strength training plan. Outside of recommending some mediocre circuit training I haven’t found much literature. Which leads me to believe that a) strength training is not important for triathlon and other endurance sports or b) due to a lack of direct experience the community has yet to accept strength and power training as a means of enhancing their performance. I’m guessing it’s b.

Unfortunately, the emphasis on performance enhancement in endurance sports tends to be largely focused on aerobic development. We always hear about VO2 max, aerobic capacity and doing more event work. However, once you have developed efficient and good technique in swimming, cycling and running you need to use other means of general training to get better and one of those means is strength. Yes, even for endurance athletes.

I am currently working with a marathon runner who is dealing with a hamstring injury and the rehab protocol is calling for heavy strength training. I worked with an adventure racer / off-road triathlete who competed in the Xterra Off Road Triathlon and Balance Bar Adventure Racing Series, and his strength training was critical for injury prevention and allowing him to perform at the highest level. I also remember reading an article where Scott Jurek, arguably the greatest ultra-runner on the planet, was talking about using very heavy partial squats (upwards of 400lbs if I remember correctly) as an effective means for strengthening the muscles and connective tissue of his legs to handle the stresses of his extreme running. An overlooked fact here is the improvement in ground forces that occur due to increasing strength and power.

It has long been accepted that strength and power training are important for sprinters. Peter Weyand, Ph.D., conducted a study at Harvard that showed an increase in top running speed resulted from greater ground force production and not more rapid leg movements. It is not secret that sprinters are very strong. Barry Ross, who worked with Allyson Felix on her strength training, has an excellent book, “Underground Secrets to Faster Running” that explains in-depth why strength training is essential for improving speed. But what about endurance athletes.

In Ross’ book he presents a study conducted by Leena Paavolainen, “Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power.” In the consisted of 18 highly trained distance runners with no statistical difference in 5k times prior to the experiment. The experimental group reduced running workout time by 32% and replaced it with a training routine that focused on explosive-strength development, while the control group did only running. After 9 weeks the experimental group all showed statistically better times while the control group showed no improvement. The interesting thing about the study is that even though the experimental group improved their times they did not increase their VO2 max or lactate threshold, both of which according to Ross are believed to be critical for increasing performance in distance runners. The control group did improve VO2 max, yet failed to improve running times. Ground contact times decreased in the experimental group, yet increased in the control group. The study concluded that the combination of explosive strength training and endurance training produced faster 5k times through improved muscle power and running economy. As Ross states, “Increasing ground force through added muscle power decreases ground contact time in distance running just as it does in sprinting.”

Even with this knowledge base, I still see hesitation from endurance athletes when I talk about using heavy strength training to improve endurance sports. There is still the idea that heavy lifting results in a slower, tighter athlete and this is simply not the case. As Paavolainen’s study shows, explosive strength training, when properly added to a runner’s training program, will improve running. I would also note that it will likely help an endurance athlete become more resilient and reduce the likelihood of injury.

The problem is most people think of super heavyweight powerlifters or weightlifters when they hear the word strength. Not only is that ridiculous, it is not the goal. Our goal with strength training should be to improve strength without adding unnecessary body mass. Ross refers to this is “mass specific force” (MSF) or the amount of force an athlete can produce in relation to bodyweight. We want to create the greatest amount of force with the smallest possible engine. To do this, there are some things we need to focus on when implementing a strength training program.

The focus of the program should be on building maximal strength, or performing compound (multi-joint) exercises with very heavy loads, keeping reps in the 1-5 range. There should be a focus on building explosive strength and power by implementing exercises with light weights moved very explosively and by doing various jumps and throws. We also should focus on vary high rep single joint exercises with lighter weights for joint health and to prevent many of the imbalances created by the sport or activity. A strong torso is critical as well, supplemental exercises that develop all the muscles that make up the core (lower back, obliques, abdominals) need a lot of strength development.

When choosing exercises for strength and power we need to focus on the primary movers in the sport. For most endurance sports that will be the hips and legs. Deadlifts and squats are hands down the best choices. If I had to choose one strength movement it would be the sumo deadlift as it great for building strength in the hips and legs.

I am a big fan of using a belt squat machine for squats as the weight is loaded to a belt worn over the hips so there is no compression on the spine and there is a great deal of lower back traction due to the belt pulling down on and realigning the pelvis. When squatting we primarily use box squats. Box squats allow you to sit back placing more emphasis on the hips, glutes, and hamstrings. Walking in the belt squat is a great way to build up the hips and legs as well.

Exercises like box jumps are great for developing power. In addition, because you are jumping up to a box the impact forces are minimized dramatically. Jumps are great for power and explosive strength as it is impossible to jump slow.

In addition to a strong torso and hips, developing strength in the lats is important for the freestyle stroke in swimming, a concern for triathletes. Pull-ups are the best exercise for strong lats and if you are not able to do bodyweight pull-ups, standing in a band attached to the pull-up bar is a great variation as it will de-load your body where you are the weakest at the beginning of the pull and as the band shrinks you will be pulling a greater percentage of your bodyweight as you get close to the peak of the contraction, where the movement is easier to do.

Triceps are important on the pull of the freestyle swim stroke and doing high rep pushdowns with bands builds endurance in the triceps and is great for the health of the elbow joint as well.

Due to the nature of swimming, running and cycling for long distance it is important to keep the lower and upper back strong for posture and to correct a lot of the imbalances developed from leaning forward in the aero position on a bike and from the forward lean in running. Extra work for the upper back and external rotator cuff is important as well. We like to do a lot of high rows or face pulls with lat machines or bands as well as pull-apart and external rotator mobility drills with bands.

The muscles of the posterior chain are the workhorses for running and cycling and you need to develop great strength in the lower back, glutes and hamstrings. Reverse hypers are the best exercise I’ve found for lower back strength and health. You need a patented reverse hyper machine from Westside Barbell to do them properly. This machine was created by Louie Simmons and when performed correctly builds strength in the lower back muscles and improves the health of the back by providing traction to the lumbar spine.

Glute hamstring raises (GHRs) are great for building strength in the glutes, hamstrings and calves and are one of the only exercises I know of that work both the hip extension and knee flexion function of the hamstrings in one movement.

High rep leg curls are great for the hamstrings and knee health. We prefer to do them with bands or ankle weights for very high reps.

The muscles of the torso cannot be ignored as the torso is essentially our “power conduit”. This requires for than a few sets of crunches at the end of the workout. The abdominals, obliques and lower back all function to stabilize and protect the spine. Due to this I prefer a lot of static abdominal exercises. A couple of our favorites are BandBell Bar Kayaking and Stir the Pots done on a stability ball. They are essentially “planks on steroids”. I also like rotation exercises like full contact twists in a grappler or landmine, Russian twists, cable and band wood choppers, suitcase deadlifts, and planks / bridges and bird dogs.

The sled is one of the best strength and conditioning tools available. We do a lot of power walking with the sled attached to a weightlifting belt. Walking forward builds the glutes, hamstrings, calves and walking backward builds the quads. There is no eccentric loading in sled pulling so this is great for restoration as well, you never get sore. Using an upper body strap allows you to do any pressing or pulling exercise that you could do in a gym with dumbbells or cables. We do rows, presses, triceps extensions, wood choppers and other abdominal drills, the list is endless. For endurance athletes we like to pull lighter and moderately heavy weights for long distances, 5 minutes or more of continuous pulling at a time. For strength we pull very heavy weights over shorter distances.

Programming is a very individualized thing. This article was written to emphasize the benefits and importance of strength training for the endurance athlete and show some of the exercises I’ve found beneficial with the people I work with at my training center in Atlanta.

Some basic guidelines for strength training include:

• When training for strength focus on maximal, or near maximal weights, done with low volume for no more than 1-3 rep sets with a total range of 4-10 reps around 90% or greater of a 1 rep max.
• When training for explosive and speed strength the goal is increase rate of force production in the muscles being trained. Loads of 30-40% and 50-60% of a 1 rep max with an additional 25% in bands attached to the bar is great. If you do not have access to bands use 55-65% and 75-85% of straight weight. Total volume should be around 20-25 reps done in sets of 2-5 reps. I.e. 5x5, 10-12x2, 8x3, etc.
• When trying to build muscle use single joint exercises with loads that fatigue the muscle in around 8-12 reps per set. Usually 2-4 sets taken to failure or near failure is great for building muscle mass.
• For joint health do extremely high reps in as few sets as possible with very light weights or bands. Do not plan an emphasis on the eccentric or lowering phase of the lift, as this is where most muscle damage occurs. Keep the reps quick, but controlled, with the goal of increasing blood flow and circulation to the target area.
• For most endurance athletes two heavy training sessions weekly performed 3 days apart is perfect. One session should focus on maximal strength development, the other should focus on explosive strength and power. After the main lifts move on to the smaller accessory and single joint exercises you need for your goals. Jumps should be done both days building up to 40 reps of jumps per workout. These two primary workouts should only take 45-60 minutes to complete.
• Smaller workouts lasting 10-20 minutes should be done daily focusing on joint health exercises, flexibility, mobility, and extra abdominal and torso work.

Hopefully this article has shown you the benefit of adding a strength and conditioning plan to your regular endurance training. Not only will it allow you to improve your performance, it will reduce the likelihood of injury allowing for greater longevity in your sport.

If you would like help developing a strength training plan please contact me at scott@etpsgym.com. If you are in the Atlanta area my training center is located just north of the city in Norcross. I am available for distance coaching and consulting as well.

Stay Strong AND Healthy!

-Scott

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