ABSTRACT
Both technically and physiologically, mixed martial arts (MMA) is a remarkably complex sport. As a consequence, this presents a number of challenges that the strength and conditioning coach must overcome when working with these athletes. This chapter provides practical solutions to these challenges across a number of areas. Firstly, we identify the contribution of trainable physical qualities to MMA performance and provide reliable and valid testing methods to assess these attributes. A detailed training plan is then presented that sequentially develops all physiological factors of performance while considering the unique constraints surrounding the MMA competitor. Additionally, this chapter also discusses training load monitoring strategies suitable for the MMA environment.
