In almost every sport, the power-to-weight ratio is critical to performance and this is no less the case in mixed martial arts.
You normally hear the term used in the sport of auto racing, where the key metric is how many pounds per horsepower a car has. The goal is obvious: to build a car that has as few pounds as possible with as much horsepower as possible. There are two variables at play here: weight and power, which tend to increase when the other is increased. Typically, when you add more power, you add more weight because the engine needs to be bigger. Or does it?
To bring the analogy back over to MMA, you would ask, “Do you need to be big and muscular to be more powerful?”
The answer is no. Consider the following example: The evolution of a fighter such as Mark Coleman, who in past years never disappointed in the size and power department, but suffered from a lack of cardio and ability to use his power in later rounds. While he is by no means lacking in muscle and strength, over the years, Coleman has developed a less bulky frame and has shown a significant improvement in his cardio. Just as important as cardio training and improving his technique, Coleman’s shedding the extra muscle and developing a more athletic build reduced the demand on his cardio system. Does he still have sufficient power? Just ask Stephan Bonnar, who Coleman defeated in UFC 100 at the tender age of 44 (oldest fighter in the UFC to win a match).
Fighters with a high power-to-weight ratio are able to achieve more power through technique without adding more muscle. This gives them a huge advantage, because muscle takes fuel and oxygen to operate. If you have two fighters with the same power, and one of them requires less oxygen and fuel to achieve that power, that fighter will have superior cardio. In other words, if the extra muscle you have on your body doesn’t produce a positive return on investment, it’s just wasting precious resources that gas you out quicker. Like a bigger, less efficient engine in a car, it may develop more absolute horsepower, but it doesn’t necessarily help the car win the race.
I’m not suggesting you give up your strength and conditioning program. However, you might consider giving technique and cardio training equal, if not more attention in your overall training regimen. At the end of the day, you’re training for battle, not a beauty contest.
And this month, be sure to put AdapTx Labs’ CardioFactor™ to the test too. We just launched the “Gilbert Melendez Cardio Challenge” that encourages people to try CardioFactor™ for a month at a 25% discount. If you don’t notice an increase in your cardio with your regular training, I’ll refund you the full price, not the discounted price. Check it out at www.AdapTxLabs.com/CardioChallenge.
You normally hear the term used in the sport of auto racing, where the key metric is how many pounds per horsepower a car has. The goal is obvious: to build a car that has as few pounds as possible with as much horsepower as possible. There are two variables at play here: weight and power, which tend to increase when the other is increased. Typically, when you add more power, you add more weight because the engine needs to be bigger. Or does it?
To bring the analogy back over to MMA, you would ask, “Do you need to be big and muscular to be more powerful?”
The answer is no. Consider the following example: The evolution of a fighter such as Mark Coleman, who in past years never disappointed in the size and power department, but suffered from a lack of cardio and ability to use his power in later rounds. While he is by no means lacking in muscle and strength, over the years, Coleman has developed a less bulky frame and has shown a significant improvement in his cardio. Just as important as cardio training and improving his technique, Coleman’s shedding the extra muscle and developing a more athletic build reduced the demand on his cardio system. Does he still have sufficient power? Just ask Stephan Bonnar, who Coleman defeated in UFC 100 at the tender age of 44 (oldest fighter in the UFC to win a match).
Fighters with a high power-to-weight ratio are able to achieve more power through technique without adding more muscle. This gives them a huge advantage, because muscle takes fuel and oxygen to operate. If you have two fighters with the same power, and one of them requires less oxygen and fuel to achieve that power, that fighter will have superior cardio. In other words, if the extra muscle you have on your body doesn’t produce a positive return on investment, it’s just wasting precious resources that gas you out quicker. Like a bigger, less efficient engine in a car, it may develop more absolute horsepower, but it doesn’t necessarily help the car win the race.
I’m not suggesting you give up your strength and conditioning program. However, you might consider giving technique and cardio training equal, if not more attention in your overall training regimen. At the end of the day, you’re training for battle, not a beauty contest.
And this month, be sure to put AdapTx Labs’ CardioFactor™ to the test too. We just launched the “Gilbert Melendez Cardio Challenge” that encourages people to try CardioFactor™ for a month at a 25% discount. If you don’t notice an increase in your cardio with your regular training, I’ll refund you the full price, not the discounted price. Check it out at www.AdapTxLabs.com/CardioChallenge.