From a new interview on CP: I read the Real Fighter cover story on you where you said you’d rather get beaten with baseball bats than run a mile. Do you really hate conditioning that much? Yeah, I think straight conditioning I hate, but I’ve figured out a way to overcome that. I don’t like to get on a treadmill and just run, but I love fighting. I would much rather jump in and spar six different, fresh guys until I can’t go anymore and really push myself to the limit. It’s hard cardio, but it’s doing something I enjoy doing. I’m also the last person to volunteer to get up early on a Saturday morning and go down to a track and run laps, but I know I need to run so instead me and the other fighters get together and play flag football. So I’m running sprints up and down the field, everybody’s gassed out, and for about an hour and a half we’re doing cardio but at the same time I’m entertaining myself. I think every fighter has to do that as he gets older, learning, these are my strengths and these are my weaknesses.
For building his cardio, it's not as good as just doing straight cardio.
He probably has huge rest periods.
I can't wait to see how he coaches other fighters.
In theory, fighting has rest periods, too. It's not like guys are going 100% for all 15-25 minutes of a bout and there are plenty of chances to rest within a bout, especially on the mat.
Mark Coleman's trainers used to comment about how he used to be able to run on a treadmill forever, yet he had nothing once a fight went over 5 minutes. Guys have to learn how to put the engine in neutral. Coleman and Randleman used to be at 100% and tiring themselves all of the time...yet they'd be doing nothing but laying on someone.
I have to think there are probably different approaches to this that can work.
If nothing else, Mir's doing some cardio as opposed to none.
I think it makes sense for him. Sounds a lot like school, some techniques just don't work for everyone and one has to find a way to get to the same place but with a different route. I feel like I am the same way as well, I'd much rather play soccer, football, rugby or whatever then go run a mile. As long as he can hold himself accountable for pushing himself i think it can be effective.
At that level its not effective.
He needs to fine tune his conditioning based on his heart rate and his rest periods should be based on how fast his heart rate drops
Playing sports as cardio is fine if you are an amature. But the guy is a contender for the HW title. Its his job to come in great shape
As with him I HATE running I will do anything for cardio except run, little rest times and more explosive reps. Or raquetball is nice.
Diego stole my name - At that level its not effective.
He needs to fine tune his conditioning based on his heart rate and his rest periods should be based on how fast his heart rate drops
Playing sports as cardio is fine if you are an amature. But the guy is a contender for the HW title. Its his job to come in great shape
Really good point.
i hate doing cardio, so i play basketball, i just make sure that i am getting back and forth up and down the court as hard as i can
Any average Joe knows what "straight cardio" is like. If people who hate it just as much can suck it up for no particular reason other than that they want to stay healthy, he should too.
It is way more effective for cardio, and if you don't want to sacrifice a bit of uncomfort and boredom, maybe you don't want that belt bad enough.
I like to go do some drop in hockey for extra cardio before competition. Anyone that plays knows how good the cardio there gets
I love to swim, great for cardio,great aerobic workout, fun, and you can go easy or really push yourself.
a full court basketball game is great cardio, running,sprints, jumping , side to side,. a pick up game at the park without the foul shots is pretty much non stop.
I remember back when I was a distance runner, I could run half marathons and still be feeling fine after the race. But then during basketball season I would be tired after 5 or 6 minutes in the game.
Then in college, when I would play basketball 5 or 6 days a week, I could play pickup games for 3-4 hours before I'd get winded to the point I couldn't go anymore. Yet when I'd try and run, I'd be exhausted after a mile or two.
Your body reacts differently to different types of stress
KirikMyName! - I remember back when I was a distance runner, I could run half marathons and still be feeling fine after the race. But then during basketball season I would be tired after 5 or 6 minutes in the game.
Then in college, when I would play basketball 5 or 6 days a week, I could play pickup games for 3-4 hours before I'd get winded to the point I couldn't go anymore. Yet when I'd try and run, I'd be exhausted after a mile or two.
Your body reacts differently to different types of stress
which is why i don't see a problem with sparring with rotating, fresh opponents assuming you really push yourself
He should replace straight conditioning with Dance Dance Revolution.
word
BTW, let's remember that James Toney doesn't do roadwork, but goes forever in the gym sparring. He still gets tired in fights like a guy who doesn't do roadwork.
I still think he should get his cardio for what he's doing.
I can personally run a 5K without killing myself but might get winded walking 1/4 mile with a backpack and at a slight incline. My hiking buddy can go forever with his backpack and up some pretty steep grades (faster than me no less) but he can't even run a mile without being exhausted. There are different types of stamina.
There's more to "cardio" than just running and the like. They need to have him doing something that translates into what he'll be doing in the ring. Have him throwing punches by the hundreds, circling, kicking, etc. without letting up. That way it's not tedious like running, but it's still doing more than football.
Don't act like every MMA champ has to love training, too. Matt Hughes used to despise training and he dominated that division like nobody else has. Plenty of other fighters have had to work day jobs while fighting on the side, too.
"He still gets tired in fights like a guy who doesn't do roadwork."
Tony being a tub of lard might have something to do with it. I dont remember him having conditioning issues before trying to be HW