Training in a Time Starved World

Fitting in both physical conditioning and technical training into an already time-starved schedule is pretty difficult. However by following a few rules, it does become possible to reach your physical and mental goals as a martial artist by doing a few key things. This entry is not for the full-time martial artist, or for the aspiring MMA champion/contender (in those cases I would honestly just look for a way to train full-time period as soon as possible). This is for the career man/student looking for consistent gains in their journey to maintain and improve on their other life as a mixed martial artist

1. Have goals: People will often say they train just to train. Which is a great attitude, I appreciate all the gifts that the martial arts give to people just by being on the mat/in the gym (fitness, mental challenge). However I find it is those who set goals for themselves that really excel in the sport. This goal could be a belt, a win in a competition, or even just mastering a particular position, move, or concept. By setting benchmarks and meeting them you are able to easily track, pursue, and achieve much more as a mixed martial artist.
2. Have fun: Train to train, MMA is fun, its why we do it, if you dont enjoy what you are doing then theres no point in putting all this effort.
3. Be realistic: If you work longer than a 40 hour week, or you are in the middle of finals season this may not be the best time to be the next MMA champion. This is not to say that people have not been able to do this but you should realize that time spent outside of training has to be factored in. Time at work, time to rest, time to see friends and family, to read/watch tv etc, should all be scheduled. After factoring all this in, do you have any time to train at all? That’s when you have to look at the next item…
4. Sacrifice: The truth is, training MMA means you will have less time to do many other things. You may find yourself having to sacrifice many other activities in your life. Again, you are only limited by your ability to schedule, and the goals you have as an mma enthusiast. It is rare however, for me to find that a martial artist does not have to sacrifice other interests to pursue their goals (unless their only interest really is fighting, in that case it maybe a lot easier). Prioritize your various interests in your life (career, mma, etc) and build a schedule based on those priorities.
5. Building a Schedule: This is a living document and will change with the circumstances in your life, the limits you may hit in the gym (taking more time to reach a goal,), and your aspirations in the gym and outside. It is often helpful then to use a program such as an excel or outlook to map this out, however a simple notebook will do. The truth is most people already have a schedule mapped out., you should use this and your prioritized goals to begin to map out your game plan, which needs to include time for the following:

• Technical Training: By far the most important part of your schedule. Without technique all the conditioning in the world will not help you as a martial artist. The majority of your time as a martial artist should be spent learning, practicing, and applying your techniques in the gym. If possible separate these aspects out (ex: Monday, Wednesday jiujitsu class, Saturday, drill techniques from jiujitsu classes, etc), in this way you are sure to cross the ts and dot the is. One thing people forget is the importance of positional training and drilling, this will be covered in another entry, but for purposes of building a schedule just make sure that these are put into your schedule at least once a week, these are very important.
• Conditioning: This should be your second priority after technical training. Most people may start to feel conditioned by just doing technical training, however if you would like to compete or just be able to do more technical training you need to factor in conditioning. I once heard a St. Pierre interview where he puts this into perspective, in that your body and conditioning are the foundation on which you are able to train. With this in mind, if you find yourself limited in the gym by your lack of cardio or strength, etc this can be eased by conditioning. While people differ and priorities may change I believe when it comes to conditioning you need to prioritize: cardio and muscle endurance before anything else. Without these two you will not be able to last in the gym or in a fight. Matches are often won on these two factors alone holding all else equal. Once you are comfortable with your level of cardio (the most important) and your ability. On a final note, conditioning should be kept as a second priority to techniques. You will always run into people who are stronger, faster, and in better shape, it is your technical prowess that often sets you apart.
• Rest. Perhaps the most ignored portion of the MMA enthusiast’s schedule. Getting adequate rest and listening to your body is just as important as the training itself.
  

I hope this helps anyone who is either getting into the sport or trying to stay active in it. If you don’t agree with anything in this article and have any questions of what I’ve gone over feel free to comment =) I always love to hear new ideas.