There’s been a big misconception between flexibility training and true mobility training. In the sport of mixed martial arts I believe flexibility is important but having mobility will enhance the overall value of a fighters game. ​

The different between flexibility and mobility is that one is the ability to get into a fixed position and the other is the control to move into a position. In MMA you are moving in multidirectional movement patterns and being jammed into several positions all throughout training and in competition. Enhancing mobility will give you the ability to be strong and in control of those unorthodox positions. Flexibility will give you the ability to be passively held in a position. Mobility can give you the overall control of your body through all facets of the sport. If you lack the control and strength at that position injuries will occur.

Training both flexibility and mobility needs to be a stand alone session. The focus is highly intense if done right and with intent on actually increasing range of motion (ROM). With increasing mobility you will enhance proprioceptive and mechanoreceptive ability. When increasing flexibility you will enhance your ability to create suppleness in the connective tissue giving you the opportunity to gain strength in more movement patterns. Mobility training for my Fighters is done every Saturday. We utilize the end of the week to jumpstart recovery and increase full ROM before the next training week. 

Mobility training starts with a base position utilizing FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) principles. These principals train several patterns that transfer to the sport. Positions include 90/90, butterfly, bear sit, and combat stance. Working through what are called PAILs and RAILs contractions following a static stretching to prime the tissue for change. Progressive and Regressive Angular Isometric loading is done with maximal intent to induce more range of motion. This should be done in a ramp up fashion then ramp down into a full stretch. The sequence should take about 3 minutes in each base position. Another modality I use is End Range Holds and End Range Lift Offs. These can be done at the end range of your true flexibility. Lifting off the base of support into a isometric hold will create more active range of motion in the joint capsule that correlates to the base position. 

Most importantly, everyday I have them work on what’s called Controlled Articular Rotations or CARs. This will help drive synovial fluid into the joint capsule and increase overall ROM with improved body awareness. This is done throughout all joint capsules including the neck, scapula, glenohumeral (shoulders), spine, hips, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. Each day you can spend 5 minutes working on this. It will dramatically improve performance and reduce injury. 

Stretching after training: 
I still get this question regularly and the notion of stretching before training makes absolutely NO sense. Creating laxity in tissue and relaxing the CNS before you go to attempt to produce force is not going to work well for you. Now stretching after training? I have absolutely no problems with it. In fact I’ll encourage it. Mostly because it stops my fighters from doing extra shit after training. I’ll prescribe hitting the sauna and stretching first to increase a parasympathetic response and jump start recovery and second, so they do not go running another 5 miles after our training which leads to decreased adaptations (talk about that in a later article). 

Mobility training can also be done through movement. It introduces the body to new patterns of overall movement and gaining more control. Not only will this improve mobility but it will also help increase athleticism. In my warmups I dedicate 10 minutes of active mobility and activation exercises to prime the fighters for the work ahead. These can be something like, fire hydrants, band walks, single leg glute bridges, leg whips, the perfect stretch, spider mans, swimmers, bear crawls, dead bugs, and bird dogs. All to help increase that active range of motion and turn on the central nervous system for the work ahead. 

Mobility training can get you stronger:
Most people are limited by their ability to sit into a squat and actively get out of the hole. Same goes for overhead presses, deadlifts and kettlebell swings. Someone who has tight hamstrings does not have the prerequisites to properly perform any posterior chain lift or exercise. A person who lacks mobility in the shoulder finds it hard to back squat or overhead press. Those with stiff hips, knees, and ankles have really no chance to adequately perform a proper front squat or deadlift. Not saying that people do not attempt this and it is extremely painful to watch. However we must work on increasing range of motion in order to get the best out of that exercise. Another benefit is enhancing the ability to put more tools in your game when it comes to fight specifics. Instead of always having to settle for a position or technique you can widen your base of skills. 

Now that we have a better understanding of mobility and flexibility it is time to work on it. Dedicate time each week and look to maximize all aspects of training. 

For details on FRC principles and video breakdown check out my videos: Phil Daru Youtube Channel

As fighters the working hard and being dedicated is an inevitability. If your a fighter, and i mean a REAL fighter it’s almost ingrained in your DNA. If you ever look to make it in the sport of mixed martial arts you have better developed this trait along time ago. Being a fighter is not just about striking, and grappling it’s about encompassing a mindset and having the mental fortitude to prepare day in and day out all year round. And yes this required while your not in a training camp. The problem is most fighters and coaches really do not know how to go about formulating a plan when their fighter has no competition coming up. When there’s really no set date of a fight and you kind of just going through the paces on a day to day schedule. Well I’m writing this article to inform you that this is not the approach we want to take in order to fully achieve success in performing at the highest level possible. So how do you train out of camp you ask?!? Here it is…

BUILD A BASE: “How tall is a pyramid?”
Simply put you must structure a program when you are not getting ready for a particular fight to lay the foundation. A pyramid is only as wide as it’s base, so we must set the groundwork first in order to achieve high amounts of stimulus to carry over into fight camp. This is the time where training should be overly hard creating what we call functional overreaching, and maximum recoverable volume. Training to maximize our fitness, and general overall work capacity. When the body is set to a higher volume, frequency, and intensity structurally they will began to have physiological, and biological adaptations. This is good, we want this to happen, you want to be physically capable of going through in entire camp seemingly unphased by the stresses that are put upon yourself. Once camp has begun we want to already be set to hit the ground running, take aim at the overall goal and not have to get in shape in the beginning of camp. This will allow you to fully dial in on tactical skill work and fine tune your biomechanics, energy expenditure, and strength quality needed in a fight.

PERIODIZATION: “The structured approach”
I usually like to formulate a 6-12 week out of camp program for all of my fighters especially if they are coming off a hard training camp. I want to make sure we are fully taking advantage of the time off with good build to achieving our desired adaptations when going into another camp. This is especially true for my fighters that leave to go back home and are not under my watchful eye every day. This allows me to fully keep a close look at their training and how they are progressing even when I’m not around. In the beginning of the program after they have taken a week or two off after a fight (depending on injury or not) I start with an accumulator phase this may last for 1-2 two weeks depending on how out of shape they are. Each day is focused on full body movements, squat, hinge, push, pull, carry, and core work. This will be for 3-4 days a week primarily with aerobic work on the days off of weight training or on drilling days. I’m looking to build up work capacity so yes soreness is normal just make sure to adequately recover by means of active release treatment (message, graston, ART, Sauna, Cold Bath, etc.) to keep you training hard and with good quality frequency. The first microcycle may look like this..

Monday: Full body: hypertrophy |strength endurance | core stability

Tuesday: Aerobic training | motor control | drilling | padwork

Wednesday: Full body: hypertrophy | strength endurance | core stability

Thursday: Aerobic training | anti rotational stability | light sparring (before)

Friday: Full body: hypertrophy | strength endurance | core stability

Saturday: live drilling | padwork

Sunday: OFF

This will lead into the following week of intensification, then into realization subsequently going into a slight deload. With every microcycle keeping it frequency fairly high volume moderately high and intensity some what low we are able to push the overall work capacity to a all time high. A full out of camp program should always end with a deload week leading into camp to better facilitate metabolic pathways and overall supercompensation.

THE EXERCISES: “it’s all about the intent”
I’m not to big on varying exercises too frequently for mma athletes because most of the time they are novices when it comes to wait training. So In order for us to get a stimulus adaptation exercise must be performed with good intent for at least 3 weeks long. Now with that being said variation is important, but it doesn’t always have to be about just the exercise. Changing tempo, rest periods, adding bands/chains are all good ways to vary your exercises but still keep it to where they are producing adaptive qualities. Another go to of mine is sled pulls, prowler pushes for distance, farmers carry, sandbag carry, and up hill running and jumping. These are very low risk high reward exercises and drills that can build up a foundation of not only strength but aerobic capacity as well.

BUILDING CARDIO: “start slow”
Now I know I’m gonna get some slack for this from my earlier articles on how I’m against long distance conditioning for building up Aerobic capacity. But let me reiterate I do believe in working on volume of aerobic work were building up Vo2 is the main focus. In the case of out of camp training this is perfect. Because we want to initiate work capacity keeping lower intensity higher volume style of aerobic training would give us stimulus we are looking for from an energy source perspective. Let’s face it boxers and wrestlers have been doing road work for years, and as long as it’s put in at the right times I see no problem with it especially out of fight camp.

THE MAIN FOCUS: “it’s not rocket science”
The main focus of an out of camp program is to develop some fitness. General physical preparedness training with a sole focus to get your body and mind ready to go 8 full weeks while reducing the risk of injury and maximizing our overall performance potential! Keep it safe and simple, work efficiently and effectively. Have a structured plan that works towards phase potentiation and stimulus adaptability. Lastly have fun with it do some new exercises that are going to be effective but interesting keeping you from developing staleness in your program.

If you want more information on this subject you can email me Phil@darustrong.com and if you want to try my very own 6 week out of camp MMA program contact me via email as well!

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Continuing on the AMRAP sets to find new 1rm and to drive more volume and work capacity to the training day. Today was primarily a deadlift day then into some accessory work. Still here in Chechynia so my training environment isn't exactly what I'm used to. limited with bars and chalk and proper flooring but this is the one reason its going to make me a better athlete.


Sumo Deadlift:
work up set 1: 155x5
work up set 2: 235x3
work up set 3: 325x3
work up set 4: 375x2
work up set 5: 419x1

working set 1: 474x6
working set 2: 474x5ish 

AMRAP set: 474x3

after the second working set my hands were through and was throwing the bar path off causing me to have no lat engagement. 

Accessory work:
Leg Press: 4x10
Lying Hamstring Curl: 4x10
Smith Machine RDL: 3x10
DB Single Arm Bent Over Row: 3x8 

With the accessory work the key focus was to work the posterior chain and quads to initiate a hypertrophic response for the sumo DL. With building tissue you must focus on the muscle and moving the weight with the muscle ONLY. Next up front squats and bench press variation coming soon!