With the 13^th season of The Ultimate Fighter just weeks away, I got to thinking who has had the most successful UFC career since the show.  Three of the fighters have won UFC titles, but none have successfully defended them.  Some of the fighters on the show fought in the UFC prior to their time on TUF.  These rankings only reflect post-TUF statistics.

Rating System: Win= 3 points. Loss= -2 points.  Draw= 1 point.  No contest= 0 points. Title Shot=3 points. Title Win=10 points. Title Defense=5 points.

As you develop as a mixed martial artist your goals should include increasing your athletic ability in a number of ways. For example, you can use various exercises to increase your overall endurance and stretching programs to increase your flexibility. It is important that you work to develop all areas of your body to become the most complete athlete that you can be.

Many individuals do not know the difference between strength and power. Strength is your muscles ability to move the large amounts of weight during the lifts. Power is the combination of that strength and the speed at which your body is able to complete the motions. When training you must work in a series of exercises that will help you balance the development of strength and speed. Without it, you will be hampering your physical growth as a fighter.

Throughout the years, athletics have continued to become more and more competitive. Each day, athletes look for new ways to gain an advantage over their challengers and place themselves in a position to win. One of the ways people look to develop faster is with the use of supplementation.

Supplements come in many different forms, such as protein shakes and pills. The purpose of these products is to work with your training program and diet to improve the way you recover, develop, and perform. A simple Google search will reveal that a number of manufactures and products are available for anyone to purchase. However, before you do so, you must be certain that you know exactly what it is that you are taking. Not doing so can lead to negative results that can hamper not only your training and career, but your health as well.

With seven days in the week, mixed martial artists have the potential to train very often. To do so, they must create a solid schedule that allows them to hit all the aspects of the game, while dealing with other business issues that arise for professional fighters. How would you go about doing so?

First, establish what are your priorites. Where do you need the most work? If your standup game is lacking and you are fighting an opponent who is planning on keeping the fight on the feet, then you must be ready for that strategy. If you are dealing with a grappling specialist, then you must apply the same thought process to that area of your abilities. Play to your strengths while developing your weaknesses so they are not glaring holes during a fight.

A long time staple in any workout plan; the pushup is an exercise that every individual should employ on a daily basis. This exercise can help you make significant strides in developing your upper body. The pushup attacks the muscles in your arms, chest, and shoulders. You can also use variations of the exercise to work other areas of your body.

The pushup looks very basic in practice, however many individuals miss key information when completing the exercise. To begin, place your hands shoulder width apart and your feet straight back, legs extended. Your head should be looking in up, eyes straight ahead. Push your body away from the ground, fully extending your arms. Slowly, lower yourself back down to the ground and repeat the process. This is the proper way to complete the standard pushup.

As a developing fighter, you may find yourself spending numerous hours developing your power, technique, and other aspects of your fighting style. During this training, you must be certain not to leave out one important aspect. Footwork is a very vital part of how well you will do when you compete in mixed martial arts. Current UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar, stands as a great example of how footwork can make your career. Be sure to incorporate these training tips into your routine.

Dedicate ample time of your training to footwork drills. Such activities as jumping rope and ladder drills can help you become accustomed to moving your feet quickly in various directions. Fighters can spend anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes daily working solely on their movement.

Medicine Ball MMA Training Tips

When training to compete in any sport including MMA and traditional martial arts; competitors are always looking for the next big thing that will help them get over the hump and gain an advantage on all their opponents. Often times we look for new equipment or training techniques to develop that advantage. In doing so we can overlook the simple things that can help us develop the endurance and power needed to be successful. This week I will look at medicine ball and MMA training which is simple yet very effective for any fighter.

Medicine ball training is highly effective for a number of reasons. To begin, medicine balls are generally cheap from any sporting goods store location. Along with that, they are very portable and travel easily as you continue your training. Also, the movements that you employ while working with the ball can help you avoid injury while building your cardiovascular and muscle strength.

Watching UFC on Versus 3

UFC Thoughts on Versus 3 – 03-03 (March 3, 2011)…

Diego Sanchez

• The first thing I learned when watching UFC is Brian Bowles is for real.  A lot of people, including myself questioned his toughness after his title loss to Dominick Cruz.  He showed by making Damacio Page that he is still a contender in the bantamweight division.

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