In order to become the best combat athlete whether in MMA or Grappling, it is never enough to just train once a day in your martial art. It is recommended that you maximize your power, strength, flexibility, endurance & balance.

You may hear the greats of our sport say things like “Technique conquers all” but it’s really not that simple.

Many of us turn to muscle gains and in the process of bulking up, for most of us performance and cardio suffers.

Many people make the assumption that bigger, stronger, means a better combat athlete. This is where many are wrong. Stronger doesn’t have to mean bigger muscles, because bigger muscles (added muscle mass) will ultimately make you slower and affect your cardio.

Famed coach of GSP, Firas Zahabi makes some interesting points when discussing Strength and Conditioning (clip attached below) and how it is affected by an increase in muscle mass.

Zahabi talks about how to get in shape, lose weight, and prepare for a fight the right way. He talks about some of the pitfalls to avoid in order to get the most out of training camp:

“Coming in bulkier and more muscular will actually make you weaker in a fight. The same can also be said of slimming down for a fight and making your body slimmer than it actually is. Just train for your sport and let your body be how ever it is. Your body will regulate it. Don’t add extra muscle.

Learn From Jordan Sullivan As “The Fight Dietician” To Stars Like Craig Jones Teaches You A Complete Course On How To Use Nutrition To Get The Most Out Of Your BJJ Performance.

• This course will teach you how to structure your diet for better performance on the mats, including a breakdown of concepts like how to approach your macros – carbs, proteins, and fats.
• See how you can supplement your diet and use Jordan’s lessons on calories, energy availability, and macronutrients for maximum energy and power while you train and compete.