Ultimate MMA Conditioning
 

I just picked up Joel Jamieson's book, Ultimate MMA Conditioning, and am reading through it. So far its great, and i am learning alot. When i picked up the package i was initially worried about the value of my purchase, as the book seemed kind of thin. But its 160 pages of all text, not one photograph or ad.

He goes into alot of detail on the three energy systems used for MMA and a ton of different protocols on how to optimally develop them. The training approach is centered around focusing on one fitness quality over an eight week block with additional maintenance on a secondary quality. Then you deload for a week or so and move onto to the next fitness quality. I'll admit when i first read this it seemed like old fashioned block periodization, which i thought had been deemed less effective.

I am enjoying the book because its more than just a bunch of exercises thrown together with no explanation of the how's and why's. Once i get through it and digest it all I will giving this programming a shot. Joel has trained a bunch of high level MMA guys, and was the S & C coach for Pride, which are pretty impressive credentials.


Anton

I'm glad you are enjoying the book. Lyle also has a review of the book somewhere. I tried relocating it a bit ago, but I could only find it pasted on IGX. When you mention old fashioned block periodization, I think you're thinking of linear periodization.

The block periodization that Joel espouses is the periodization that Verkhoshansky helped form and test while in the Soviet Union. It's also the form of periodization that Lance Armstrong's coach Chris Carmichael endorses. Block periodization is also known as conjugate-sequence periodization or simply conjugate periodization. Conjugate periodization is a confusing term in America because Louie Simmons also calls his WSB programming conjugate periodization. If I understand WSB and Louie Simmons correctly, WSB's use of the term conjugate is because exercises are being switched every week. According to traditionally understood periodization terminology, WSB would be weekly concurrent periodization and not conjugate. With Verkoshansky's conjugate periodization, the various qualities are transitioned into seemlessly. Conjugate periodization or block periodization is very organic in that the training and progression all supports each other. Everything builds on each other; hence, why it's also called conjugate-sequence periodization.

The Block Periodization article, that I think Gavin linked to, took the literal block periodization from Issurin's book and applied it to Powerlifting. It was unnecessarily complicated in my opinion. In my opinion, for strength training, the more basic form of block periodization applied by RTS is more appropriate.

Whoops, yea, thats what i meant, linear periodization. Where there is an adaption phase, hypotrophy phase, speed strength, etc.

Thanks for the explanation on conjugate vs concurrent. I get those terms confused.



Anton

I've been reading this book, too, and lurking out on Joel's forum a bit... can't even say how impressed I am. The guy is a genius.

Yea, i like it alot. A ton of great information to put into practice.

I like that Joel goes into the why's behind the workout protocols.


anton

i was watching the video on their site with jens pulver and the other guy talkin. what is that rope contraption they are pulling? it looks like it cycles like a treadmill, but it's also vertical. are they just making a circle out of it and looping it through a pully or something?

i think i'll order this book when i feel better about money.

Its a vector or viper or some such. Its an endless rope machine. That way you can climb a rope in a small room. THey look nice and they should for 1500-2000 dollars I think.

I have Joel's book too. It has some good info. Some things you need to be creative about if you don't have the machinery.

The book is even more worth it now that he's making BioForce available for free for anyone who buys the book.

Has anyone here noticed any substantial results from implementing some of Joel's stuff?

BioForce? Haven't seen that and I have been lurking more often lately. What is it.

It's the customized training and assessment program, based on OmegaWave, that Joel wrote about in his book.

This is from his latest newsletter: