Here are 5 TRX exercises I like to incorporate from time to time to change things up a bit and challenge my clients and athletes in new and innovative ways. All five of these movements will test your strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination. The TRX is such a versatile piece of equipment and utilizing it with a low anchor position just opens the door to many more possibilities. Here is a brief breakdown on the 5 exercises: 1. TRX Supine Posterior Chain Y Raise At first look, people may mistake this movement for an abdominal exercise. We actually cue this exercise as a pulling movement, therefore activating the backside of the body, especially the posterior shoulder muscles. Try to...

Corrective Exercise: Does it have a place in MMA strength training? Trying to convince a combat athlete that thoracic spine mobility drills will help him in the octagon is like trying to convince my girlfriend that size doesn’t matter (talking arm size of course). These athletes want to be faster, stronger, and more powerful; so suggesting they foam roll their IT band and adductors before each session usually follows with some confused looks. It’s a daunting task. In my eyes, it’s also a valuable and worthwhile task. If you are not incorporating mobility drills and “corrective exercise” protocols into your current MMA strength routine, then you are increasing your athlete’s risk for injury down the road. I’ve said it...

Here is an interview I did back in October with www.combattrainer.com regarding strength & conditioning for the combat athlete. Simply click the link below. Comment, share, and enjoy. CLICK HERE FOR INTERVIEW

Guest article from my good friend and fellow coach Marc “Bubba” Digesti. With the ski season upon us, the focus at this time of year should be on building up cardio strength (to increase the heart rate without fatiguing the legs) and leg strength (gradually increasing workload without exhausting the cardiovascular system). Skiers should be prepping their legs with higher training volumes before hitting up the hill. Form and technique should be emphasized to ensure skiers are ready for the impact that will be placed upon their joints out on the slopes. This will enable a successful transition from the training floor to the hill. Skiing is a dynamic sport. Its movements involve vertical, lateral and rotational planes of...

I had been working with an athlete for several weeks in a traditional one-on-one setting and recently began to notice that his strength, energy levels, and overall intensity were down. In a recent session, I could sense early on in our mobility work that he was just going through the motions. Perhaps my teaching cues and motivational lingo were not hitting home with him, or maybe he just had a fight with his girlfriend earlier that day about some Facebook photos his buddy posted of him from Friday night. Whatever the reason, the session started out poorly. Sensing that I was not connecting with him, I decided to join in the session and train alongside him. I definitely would...

As Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) continues to grow in popularity, so do the methods and techniques used to help the MMA athletes reach their full potential. Coaches are realizing that their athletes must have a complete well-rounded program that covers not only their specialty; but many other aspects as well.  Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu practitioners are working on their stand-up game and Muay Thai fighters and kick-boxers are working on their ground and pound. The latest “piece of the puzzle”, strength training, is another aspect that more and more coaches are implementing into their programs. Strength training is a great way to “lay that foundation” and help an athlete develop superior strength and power endurance. While I enjoy developing traditional...

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is here to stay. Increased TV time, Pay-per-view success, major partnerships and sponsorships in place; this MMA “fad” isn’t going away. We are beginning to see the popularity of this sport effect the fitness industry as well. From the professional fighter to the casual fight fan, more and more clients are coming in asking for MMA-type workouts. This growing trend led me to begin my own “path” of researching and experiencing the sport. Whenever a trainer or coach asks me about how they can get more involved in a particular sport or new trend, I always tell them to get as much education as possible…so I took my own advice. I bought a number of...