Building a Fighter

Why should MMA fighters golf? Amongst other things! MMA fighters should pursue varying interests but things that require focus, and the flexing of different muscles than those in their sport. Almost by definition MMA requires a huge discipline and commitment time wise, and mentality wise. Taking breaks from this repetitive pursuit, and using other muscles will offer an outlet, release, and reinvigorated passion for MMA. We talk a bit on the physical side of rotational power, and the benefits of physical variety as well in this podcast. The bigger picture though is the ability to mix sports/hobbies and pursuits up to maintain a level of ambition and hunger. Golf sticks out because of its stark contrast to MMA. So we can get multiple benefits and maintain a passion for both pursuits. 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

Wildin’ and Freestylin’ Talking about our experiences at UW - La Crosse, theory vs. practice, and where genuine action comes from. We hit on professionalism, self improvement, and consistency. The role of coaching bubbles up as a main topic in this talk. We ponder the weight of doing all the right things all of the time. What are the pros and cons of this, and can it guarantee success? What is excellence and by demonstrating excellence are you automatically excellent. These talks are though provoking for us both and make us better thinkers! We hope you gain from them as well. 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

Why do Strikers need strength and conditioning? One word: Power. Training in the strength and conditioning setting will increase the underlying physical qualities that lead to power. Long story short lifting weights is a good way to enhance your potential to be more powerful. Power will still depend on your timing, technique and build but with the aid of a specific program we can enhance your power output. Another reason we touch on is that of overuse injury reduction. By exposing the muscles and joints to a variety of movement patterns we can keep joints “more fresh” and less likely to break down. We believe every MMA athlete and combat sports athlete can benefit from a balanced and individualized strength and conditioning plan. Listen to this series to see what specific adaptations we would make for your sport or specialty! 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

The hustle. Fighting rarely pays the bills, which is a problem on its own, but we can do something about it. There are so many ways to profit off of your career as a fighter. You work so hard in the gym to win fights, work just a little hard at marketing, branding, and promotion to reach some level of financial support. One avenue to feel great about using your platform as a fighter to make money is to dive into authenticity. How can you capitalize on your personality and be real in your promotion? We finish the talk by talking about authenticity and how that in itself can be your brand. Be yourself but work smart at it and make some money all the while. Hopefully someday pay for fighters changes. 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

Summer is time for the boys! Freestylin about home gyms, finding new exercises, competition, and fun! We dig into topics about building teamwork and just comradery amongst athletes. While this profession and the pursuit of excellence can get serious, there are so many opportunities to have fun! Enjoy this athletic journey and keep it fresh! Let us know how you keep it fresh in your workouts! 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

What does it take to be a high level strength and conditioning coach? Sacrifice is a word that comes to mind. It takes a lot of investment in time, money, passion, and curiosity to become a good strength coach. Speaking of time, internships, continuing education, and practical experience take years to accumulate and build up. This time can be fun, and being a coach is a fun job, but it also takes a lot to be good at. That being said, there is a gradient in the field. If you just want to be a strength coach and do it ok, you can do that, and probably charge the same as us, but you are not doing a service to your athletes by being average. Coaching is a profession that will often take and seldom give back, but will be fulfilling in a service role. Let us know your experience in strength and conditioning and your journey coming up on IG or through our Email!

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness email: [email protected]

Why should wrestlers lift heavy? Why doesn’t lifting heavy feel intense? Am I wasting my time if I am not tired while I lift?  

Wrestlers need strength. It’s a non-negotiable. Adding strength through lifting heavy is one of the easiest ways to compound your skillset in wrestling. It's not just about the specific strengths in wrestling, it's about the ability to adapt and train a new skill set. Taking the right rest breaks to maximize power and strength is an uncomfortable feeling for wrestlers but this discomfort will result in benefits. Wrestling practice is all about capacity, and we tend to ignore the absolute outputs of strength and power on that journey. A slight focus on the output of quality not quantity can overhaul your wrestling game. Try something new, and get strong. 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness email: [email protected]

The age old question, youth vs experience. How can we best adapt strength and conditioning to fit these two different athletes? The rookie vs the vets, which is also the theme of the renewed reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter. To boil it down we look at qualities not yet developed and what skills we can add for the rookie, vs how to adapt around previous injury and dysfunction for the Vet. Training is an individual process and a key attribute of that is the experiences that the athletes have had. Along with time in the sport comes more damage, more knowledge of the training process, and an understanding of what works for that individual. Our athletes are some of our best resources when creating good training plans. So how would you vary a program for a rookie vs. a vet? 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

Time to get after it. When and why should you actually train hard? The work is unavoidable, but we can still organize it in the right manner. The mental benefits are untold in the realm of hard pushes. Conditioning pushes, wrestling grinds, attention to detail, and marathon sessions. These give you a perspective on where you are at mentally, and where your weak links are. Invite the challenge in, and do that repeatedly. This will lead to an iron will to continue fighting and challenging yourself. At some point in your career you need to be in the fire. That's where weapons are forged and honed. Lean into the hard training sessions and let's get after it! 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]

Freestylin’  Welcome to the Summer Vibes! We cover a bit in this sporadic episode. Entering into new Freestyle and Greco wrestling seasons, what wrestling can mean to a child’s growth and maturity. We get into talking about how valuable hard work and hard workouts can be! Pushing yourself is not a sin, however it is best in moderation. Hard work is immensely valuable in today’s culture, and wrestling can supply that, as long as we aren't getting into a highly toxic culture. We end talking about some new strength training methods that we are exploring. Then get into an injury prognosis and hypothetical treatment plan. Hope you enjoy the return of the freestyle! 

Visit our Website at buildingafighter.com

Message Building a Fighter directly at [email protected]

@buildingafighter on Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnU40nTDk17_7m614Njakw 

Alex: IG @strong_a.f  email: [email protected]

Austin: IG  @warriorsportswellness  email: [email protected]