Eric & UFC Fighter Jeff Joslin

Thanks for taking the time for this Interview Eric,  Maybe you could give us some quick background about you and your blog.

Hey thanks for interviewing me! I guess I’ll start with the regular credentials stuff – I’m a Kinesiology grad from the University of Waterloo where I got to learn from Dr. Stu McGill – probably the biggest name in low back rehab in the world. I’ve always been into fitness – I started lifting weights when I was 16 doing Bench press and Bicep curls! Then when I was 17 I built a squat rack from wood and implemented some leg training, which was much needed.

Now, I’m a strength and conditioning coach for MMA fighters and have had a lot of fun training them. When I left university I started working as a trainer in a local gym, and also started training BJJ back at my old martial arts school – Joslin’s in Hamilton. I knew Jeff Joslin was fighting MMA, I asked him if he had a trainer and when I found out he didn’t, we started working together. That was in 2006. After working with him for his Apex title fight and UFC fight vs. Josh Koscheck, guys started asking him for help and he’d send them my way, and now I train fighters in person and online via my blog and the programs I’ve written.

You have a big emphasis on Cardio for MMA.  Yet it seems with the exception of the top fighters most of the MMA guys are missing the boat on MMA Based Cardio.  IE The Ultimate Fighter, we always see guys gassing after 1-2 rounds.  Why do you think this is such a problem for fighters?

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Yes, cardio is definitely huge, but I do value all fitness qualities, and depending on the individual will figure out where they need to focus their training energy. Some guys need strength, some need more power, some need local muscular endurance, while others, like pretty much all of the dudes on TUF: Heavyweights, need to improve their cardio.

So, the problem is different for everyone.

The thing is, one guy may need cardio, but it may be because he’s not strong enough that he’s gassing out. I know this sounds counterintuitive so let me explain with an overly exaggerated example.

Let’s say you can bench press 400 lbs for 10 reps. If a guy who weighs 200 lbs, you could throw him off of you, without any technique, pretty easily, without getting too tired. I mean, you could probably bench press 200 lbs for like 40 reps or something so 1 rep to throw him off wouldn’t take much out of you.

Now, let’s say you can only bench press 150 lbs for 1 rep. If you try to throw this guy off of you like a bench press, you won’t succeed. And if you keep trying, you’re going to fatigue quickly and then it’ll feel like it does at the end of a hard 8-10 rep set – burning and weakness. Then you’re screwed.

So if a guy is not strong, he will gas much quicker, because he’ll be working at a higher percentage of max for any technique.

Now, if a guy is already strong, but he’s gassing out, then it’s a whole different story. It could be inability to recover from engaging the lactic energy system, or it could be that the heart and lungs aren’t developed properly, which would take 2 totally different programs to address.

I guess then that the problem for fighters is that they’re not educated enough to figure it out, and by trying to create their own workouts, they’re probably sticking to their strengths or what they’re used to and missing crucial elements of the puzzle.

What would you recommend for the average gym goer to improve their training and cardio?  Too often we are seeing people doing 45 min plus on treadmills and elepticals at a slow pace and barely sweating!  How would you recommend people change up their workouts & routines to get more benefits?

I think you said it in your question – change up the workout and routine in any way and it’s better than doing the same old.

If someone’s not sweating when they’re running on the treadmill for 45 minutes – they need to learn to push themselves harder. That’s why intervals have become so popular – because people learn to push themselves harder and actually train with a level of intensity that will get them somewhere.

BUT, 45 minute runs aren’t necessarily bad or useless – if you push the pace, you’re going to sweat and get results.

So, for everyone, I’d recommend 3 fundamental training principles: creating a program, changing the program and always making progression.

Create a program and stick to it for 4 weeks, whether it be steady state, intervals, chasing goats, whatever. Make progress from workout to workout – go a little faster, longer, shorten rest time, chase faster goats, etc…

After 4 weeks, switch the program to something different, and make progress again. I guarantee results.

You helped train Jeff Joslin for his UFC fight.  We were privileged enough to have Jeff here for a seminar this year.  When I rolled with him i couldn’t believe how strong he was for a guy that wasnt very muscular!  Do you find there is a large amount of confusion of people when they see someone who appears to be strong (IE A Bodybuilder) Vs. Someone who is functionally strong Like Jeff or other MMA fighters.  How would you advise someone to train who wants to get STRONGER but not really much bigger?

First of all Jeff is an animal, and because his skills are at such a high level, his leverage, positioning, and technique make him feel like a gorilla. That’s why little guys can beat up big guys.

Now – bodybuilding strength is definitely different than strength in the octagon because of isolation type workout programs. Don’t even get me started on using machines.

So the typical ‘chest, biceps’ workout gets someone used to training hard, but only hitting a few muscle groups, training at a slower tempo and/or lower intensity level, and really only engaging the lactic energy system.

When they’re in the octagon, all of a sudden, they have to use every muscle in their body from their toes to their jaw and then they have to deal with all of the by-products of lactate, all of the drain on the nervous system, and it’s just too overwhelming for the system.

That’s why full body workouts make up the majority of my programs – to get the muscles and nervous system used to using the full body.

Thanks so much for your time Eric!  I really appreciate it!  Do you have any new books or projects coming up that you want to share with us ahead of time?

No problem Rob, thanks for having me on your blog.

If there are any fighters who are looking for a complete strength and conditioning designed for fighters only by someone who coaches fighters on a daily basis, I’d suggest they grab a copy of my Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning Program.

Also if they want to stay up to date with my latest articles and videos, they can go to my blog at http://www.EricWongMMA.com

PS.  Eric is having a Seasons Beatings sale right now where you can get 3 free bonus programs when you pick up his Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning Program. I’ve had a chance to review it… (It’s a great product I bought it 2 months ago!)… If you’re a fighter looking for a program designed specifically for you, make sure you check out the sale before it ends on Thursday, Dec 17 at Midnight….

Robert King - RobKingFitness.com

Well I have been working on this V2.0 of my blog now for the last few weeks and I have been like a kid in a candy store!  It is about 90% complete and I am totally excited!!

This blog is my tool to supply you with tons of quality information that can help you with your training and fitness goals (and I also plan to have a few laughs as well lol).

I am very passionate about training & supplements and I have so much information that I want to share and this blog is the perfect tool for me to offer that!

I would love some feedback as to what topics you would like covered and if you have any questions please contact me anytime and I will do my best to help you in any way I can!

Really looking forward to hearing from you so please post me some feedback no matter what it is!

Thanks!

Rob King

This morning was a bit tiring as I had 3 personal training clients. I had enough time to get in a boxing session with Jason Hayward. We worked on focus mitt combinations and lots of bag work for conditioning. I learned a ton today just in one session with Jason.

Focus Pad Work With Jason Hayward

Pad work with Jason Hayward

I have weights planned for Mon/Tue Thur/Fri. That’s enough.

Training :
Did 50 min of cardio with circuits. 6 – 4 minute rounds and some light training after. The rounds had 1 min break, 15 second intervals. tire & sledge, medicine ball tosses, footwork, punching, all kinds off stuff. i think I am going to get some training videos as todays circuit session was awesome!.

From 3-4 had a session with Phil Alcock at Core Health Spa. He is a great trainer, helping me focus on stretching, core work, stability, and a lot of things I dont like to train on my own.

We focused a LOT on TRX straps. These are fantastic and i HIGHLY reccomend them. We have added a a set to Bushido to use for our own training and for working with my clients. I expected just a lot of stretching but we got a good workout in also.  This took the good out of me.

I was suppose to have MMA class tonight, but I decided to take it easy and rest.  My back is real achy and I want to try to get 2 workouts in tmrw for sure.

Nutrition & Supplements :

Good food again all day.  Kept the carbs pretty low. Used normal supplements, BCAA’s, ZMA, Fish Oil, Protein powder etc.

Overall : Had a good day except for tweaking my back which put me out of commision for wed night training which really sucked.  Oh well, i know what exercises I should avoid and I was stupid so that’s what I get.

Lesson Learned Today : Know the differece between good pain and bad pain.  Good pain you can work through, bad pain you can’t.  Be smart in the gym.

Training:

Weights 845-945 am.

Push day. Did some standing bar shoulder press. Single arm bar push press. Bench press with DBs 5 reps, explosive push with slow negative followed by 20 rep medicine ball tosses. Then did some single arm DB bench presses (great for core stability).

415-5pm Kickboxing sparring. 3 min rounds. Did around 6 rounds with some breaks in between. I realized during this that my cardio is in rough shape and I need to work on this big time. By the end of the sparing I had some nice welts on my forehead from blocking jabs with my head (note this is the wrong way to block a jab lol)
815-945 Jiu Jitsu class. A lot of technical. Some rolling at the end of class had a good sweat going.

I felt like crap before going to Jiu Jitsu, but now that I am home I feel a lot better and got my 2nd wind it seems. Body aches but feel a lot better.

Nutrition & Supplements :

Clean food all day. Carb & proteins post workout, rest of the day tried to keep carbs low. Not too concerned about cutting stuff yet. Want to see how my body goes with clean food. If my weight doesn’t come down by Monday Ill start cutting carbs a bit. Need to increase steady state cardio to 4-5 1 hr sessions a week just for fat burning.

Supplements. Using myoplex and myofusion. Getting 3-4 shakes a day. Taking BCAA’s after every training session. Used Jacked from USP labs pre workout tonight, great for concentration. Animal Pak multi vitamin and lots of Nutrasea fish oil. ZMA before bed with ½ glass red wine. Also taking Piracetam to help with focus and concentration.

That’s it for today…bed soon. Weights 845 am. Going to make the weight sessions a bit faster paced to get the cardio and fat loss better. Not concerned about being big or strong at all now. My weakness is cardio.

1230am.. bedtime…weights in the AM

Lesson learned today – My cardio really needs work!