Sorry for the hiatus, but i had a few thinks on like solidifying my status as Europes number one bantamweight, boo yaa. Heres the second part of the functional training summit review.

• Utilising Combination lifts Coach Dos
  

This was interesting, first we were introduced to the differences between

1. Combinations- eg. Power Clean + Front Squat
2. Hybrids eg. thrusters- movements flow into each other
3. Complexes eg. Each Movement is performed through a set number of reps before moving to the next movement.

I have always felt that combining strength exercises always limits one of the movements and i have never really been a fan of the strength cardio stuff. But then again i live in a freaking gym and have all day to dick about with stuff. The number one reason to do these sort of variations is to save time and from that perspective i could see its value.

It also seems to be a great way of increasing volume in assistance exercises.

• Combat Sports- Nick Grantham and Neil Parsley

This was pimp. Neil is working S and C for GB Wrestling and has the opportunity to check out the different training strategies of teams from around the world Por exemple

Eastern Europe
•S&C-Mostly done after wrestling
•Very little use of weights
•Mainly bodyweight exercises
•No programs
•No formal monitoring
•“Athlete driven”
•All metabolic conditioning-running

And they friggin love climbing up ropes. A lot of their faith is placed in this modality.

Far East
•Always in camp!
•Train X3 per day 5/6 days per week
•General prep
–Session 1 Run-Steady state or interval
–Session 2 Technical/Tactical
–Session 3 Weights

Neil also stated that he has yet to see a japanese wrestler who wasnt in super shape and mental explosive.

After the overview of different training regemes we were advised on what we should be thinking about with regards to training combat athletes. I have always been of the mind set of get them monster strong and shit will work itself out.

But a factor i havent been thinking about enough is the importance of velocity. Maximal Strength may be the foundation of sports performance but the rate of force development has more correlation to actual sporting activities a lot of the time.

The hands on was fun I got to crush some rugby players with cross faces and pretend it was core training.

• CHAOS Speed and Agility Training Coach Dos
  

I enjoyed this even though it probably has more application for team sports where they have to you know run and change direction and stuff. But some of the concepts and progressions gave me some ideas for footwork drills in boxing.

The basic premise was that closed agility drills can be learned and improved to make you better at the drill. The open drills preferred by Coach Dos have an element of decision making that make them unpredictable and therefore harder to figure out. In his opinion this is better for training decelerative abilities important in sports.

The hands on was wicked fun, as the only person there who didnt own a pair of football boots i spent most of my time falling on my hole and telling everyone that running was for losers and that team sports were for sissy girl men.

It was a great weekend all in and i picked up some new ideas and progressions and reinforced a lot of the stuff i already believed.

Sorry no fat girl this week instead you get