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Outline of Training Programme (2004)
The exercises, drills, and fighting methods listed below—by which the novice or experienced NHB/MMA fighter alike can acquire that psychological state of mind, athleticism, level of physical conditioning and technical skill, strategies, tactics and strategems necessary to taking part in a no holds barred contest at club, national or international level—as well as the concepts and principles that underlie all these, like the fighting philosophy that binds them together, have not been chiselled out in stone.
The categories below are more about convenience than about attempting to divide into parts something which is essentially holistic, and they should therefore be viewed in their broadest sense as parts of an integrated whole rather than in isolation. For example, a hip heist, which is a fundamental skill that as a key move can be used in its numerous variations for escaping or reversing a bad situation, can also be used (depending on the intensity and duration) as a warm-up or conditioning exercise. Equally, skipping could be used as a warm-up, or depending upon the difficulty, duration, and intensity, could also be used to enhance aerobic/anaerobic capacity, hand-foot speed, coordination and timing, and as a low-intensity plyometric exercise for building reactive power against the ground.
Intentionally I haven't attempted to categorize each and every exercise and move, etc. and their numerous variations within the classification of exercises, drills and fighting methods, not only because of the difficulty in providing a suitable name or adequate description of the purpose of each, but also because I am regularly updating old ones so as to remain current, and discovering or devising new ones so as to address a particular training objective or an individual's needs. It is important for the reader to realize that every training exercise, drill and fighting method must address specifically the psychological (mindset), physical (conditioning& athleticism) and, technical (skills) components of a NHB fight.
Training must be specific to the requirements of NHB fighting and not another sport, and as one's perception of these requirements changes, so must the exercises, etc. change accordingly. Adaptability is not only the key for survival, but also for devising a successful training programme.
I. Exercises and Individual Training Aids
A. Preparatory Exercises
Designed to prepare the athlete, mentally and physically for the more severe exercises, drills and fighting methods to come, as well as minimize the possibility of injury.
B. Supplementary Exercises
Designed to develop a particular fundamental pattern of movement, skill or technique.
C. Compound Exercises
Severe conditioning exercises designed to mentally and physically prepare the athlete for the rigorous demands of no holds barred fighting, both on the feet and on the ground.
D. Auxiliary Exercises
With equipment such as dumb-bells, bags, pads, wrestling dummies, medicine ball, designed to enhance a specific muscle group necessary for the execution of a skill, the overall movement pattern of a skill itself, or to temper various parts of the body.
E. Miscellaneous Individual Training Methods
Includes visualization/kinesthetic perception techniques, proprioceptive facilitation, kinesthetic aids, breathing, affirmation technique, use of visual/audio aids, music (syncopated beats), books, magazines, discussion, nutrition and recovery techniques.
II. Drills (on the feet and on the ground)
A. Technical
The fighter becomes instinctively familiar with the overall pattern of a move and the key components (natural, biomechanical and tactical) within it.
B. Situational & Positional
The fighter is able to recognize given situations and positions within the fight and respond with moves and counter-moves of his own.
C. Chain Drills
The fighter learns to flow offensively, defensively, and counter-offensively from one move to another both on the feet and on the ground, whilst attempting to reduce the interval of time of each transition, as it is often within these transitions that mistakes are made.
D. Shadow Drills/Shadow Fighting(performed alone, with or without an envisaged opponent in mind)
1. the fighter works on a biomechanical or tactical aspect of a technique
2. the fighter works on various situational and positional offensive, defensive and counteroffensive plays both on the feet and on the ground with an opponent in mind.
III. Fighting Methods
A. Playfighting
A method performed at low intensity, either on the feet or on the ground, by which the fighter can experiment with moves and countermoves with the luxury of time and without fear of injury.
B. Conditional Sparring
A competitive match on the feet performed at medium to high intensity in the open and closed positions, in which preconditions are set, and in which the fighter is able to work more realistically on certain selected situations, moves and countermoves.
C. Unconditional Sparring
A competitive match with no preconditions other than that both fighters remain on the feet, or, for example, one fighter attempts to take the other fighter to the ground and gain positional control.
D. Conditional Positional, Situational and Submission Ground Fighting
A competitive match performed at medium to high intensity in which preconditions are set and by which the fighter is able to work more realistically on certain selected positions, situations, moves, and countermoves.
E. Unconditional Ground Fighting
A competitive match in which no preconditions are set other than that the fight remains on the ground or, for, example, one fighter attempts to get back to the feet.
F. Unconditional Fighting
A competitive match taking place either on the feet or on the ground in which no preconditions are set other than, for example, one fighter might take on the role of a striker and the other, a grappler.
G. NHB/MMA/Submssion Competition
The ultimate test of a fighter's ability.
(2004)
