Good footwork is critical in martial arts but there’s a problem with the way most people go about training it.
In today’s video, I give you a drill to improve your foot speed as well as discuss this common speed training mistake.
I also show you how to apply the same principle to develop hand speed.
Would love to hear what you think in the Comments below.
There are exercises for strength and there are exercises for 3D movement. You cannot expect to maximize both within a single exercise.
We all know and love the Deadlift. Come on, who doesn’t like lifting heavy-ass weights off the floor and putting them back down again. It’s obviously to develop strength.
But the Deadlift is a sagittal plane exercise only, meaning it works in one dimension.
And then there’s the 1-leg Stiff-leg Deadlift. You know about this exercise if you’ve followed any of my programs before.
THROWBACK video of the week lol!
They’re a staple in my programs because they’re so good at improving single leg balance as well as muscular balance in the hips.
Plus, it trains your body to work in three dimensions: the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes, placing a unique load on the neuromuscular system and results in the creation of new neural pathways.
Now, one is not better than the other and both can be used together to produce superior results.
It’s all about SYNERGY.
Yes, Strength is important. But so is symmetry.
Like my rhyme?
Those who say that all you need are Squats and Deadlifts for the lower body have never had to fight a guy off while hopping around on one leg to defend a single leg takedown attempt.
That’s why if you’re into MMA or another combat sport or you want your body to be developed like an MMA fighter, you can’t just listen to the powerlifters or bodybuilders for training advice – their goals are different and incomplete (or excessive) for the needs of the combat athlete.
I was playing around in the gym and tried a variation of the 1-leg SLD out that really helped my single leg balance, as well as the springiness in my feet.
I noticed it most when playing ice hockey – I’d always had trouble crossing my left leg over my right – it never felt as solid as the other way.
But after a few weeks of doing the 1-leg SLD the WONG way, it improved.
This is a problem I’ve had since I started playing hockey when I was 9 years old. Amazing! Super! Fantastic!
This exercise increases both the transverse and frontal plane loads, which increases the need for the deep hip stabilizers to work, as well as the tibialis posterior.
I name the tibialis posterior muscle not to sound smart but to make the point that this muscle is important in creating the arch on your feet, and is important for having quick feet as it gives you the spring.
This is also important for power.
Anyway, check out this video, give it a try, then feel the benefits of improved single leg balance and perhaps cure your flat feet:
Do this exercise twice a week, at the end of your workout, for 2-3 sets of 3-5 reps.
Each rep takes about 6-10 seconds, and you want to go slow to groove the proper motor pattern.
Hit me up below with a ‘Like’ or Comment.
Would love to hear how it goes for you.
Watch This Video To See the Kind Of
Results You Will Get When You Get
The QUICKNESS KILLS Program…
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In my last article I showed you a great drill to improve your footwork and movement to help you be a lightning-quick mixed-martial artist.
Got a lot of great feedback on the drill and I know a lot of people will be adding it into their arsenal of effective exercises.
But there’s a lot more to quickness than just footwork…
Whenever I brainstorm, I like to do something called a mindmap.
So when I sat down and pondered about what it would take to truly improve quickness, this is what I came up with.
Check out the 6 components of quickness by clicking on the image below (it’ll open in a new window):
As you can see – it’s not exactly a simple quality to develop.
If you hit 1 component properly, you will improve your quickness, but if you hit 2, 3, 4 or all 6 – you’ll hit each and every component and will be quick on the ground, with your punches, with your movements on the ground – basically all of the important movements in MMA.
Let’s take the ‘Horsepower’ example – if you don’t have a good base level of strength in the movement patterns specifically needed in mixed-martial arts – like powerfully stepping forward and backwards, then you’ll never be able to attack and retreat in a flash.
Or the ‘Gas’ component – if you don’t have the cardio and muscular endurance to maintain your quickness for an entire round what good is it unless you can finish a fight within the first couple of minutes?
So this clearly illustrates the need for a strategic and synergistic approach to training quickness, much like a mixed martial artist must learn grappling, wrestling, striking and clinch work to be a complete fighter.
Without specifically training your quickness, you’re missing one of the most important qualities a fighter can have, as shown by champs Anderson Silva, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz, not to mention other top fighters like Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans.
If you can take this document and create an efficient and complete quickness program – that’s awesome and more power to you.
But if you see the importance of developing your quickness and want the guesswork taken out of it, I’ve come up with something just for you.
I call it the QUICKNESS KILLS program…
It’s a 4-week program designed with one goal in mind – to make you the quickest fighter you can be.
I’ve selected only the most effective exercises and drills for this program and there’s absolutely nothing else out there like this for MMA athletes.
If you see the importance of being able to step in, strike, then step out without taking any damage, then this program is a must-have for you.
For more info, visit the link below:
As promised, here’s a drill that I use with my fighters to work on footwork, agility, balance and co-ordination.
The term ‘quickness kills‘ definitely applies to MMA and any other combat sport.
The athlete featured in this video is a heavyweight professional monster boxer I’m training for the #1 contender spot in Canada.
A win in this upcoming fight (Nov 19) gets us a title shot. Can’t wait!
Here’s the drill:
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Work on the technique, become smooth, then increase your speed and increase the # of reps or time you do the drill so you can maintain your quickness.
This drill is AWESOME, but here’s the thing…
It doesn’t address each and every component that’s required to be extremely quick.
To truly develop quickness…
Machida-like or Edgar-esque, where you can close the gap, hit, then get out of the way before your opponent even registers what happened, you need to address each and every component of quickness, or you risk wasting your time and energy.
It’s as if you trained for years on perfecting your rear naked choke, so that when you get the back it’s a 100% guarantee you’re going to get it, but not being able to take a guy down.
With that being said, I’m going to show you the components you need to address to develop killer quickness. Watch your inbox for the next installment.
UPDATE: read the 6 Components of Quickness for MMA here.
Let me know what you think of the drill below and if you liked it and want to see more, hit the ‘Like’ button below.