MMA for Sports.

MMA itself is a sport that is gaining popularity in the masses with more shows being put up on a regular basis and with more followers beginning to pick up the different facets of the sport itself. However, in a recent article by the New York Times, MMA has been looked at with a different perspective: a cross training method for other sports. In the article, the sport mentioned was baseball. It illustrated how the training methods in MMA have crossed over to increase performance in baseball performance. One example given is how the pitching action was broken down and MMA drills were used to mimick the movements (e.g. A knee, a punch and a kick combo).

Other benefits mentioned in the article was the conditioning aspect of MMA where you get the most conditioned and strongest athletes who bust their butts to get in such shape in order to endure a fight. The transference of endurance or conditioning work done in MMA was highlighted in the sport of baseball where running performance and throwing or batting stats were improved from using MMA as a cross-training methods in their Strength & Conditioning programs.

However, as usual, these methods used were still kept pretty tight as none of the baseballers wanted to mention exactly how they were training expect for one out of the three interviewed.

Similar to myself, I tend to use the methods I learnt from MMA conditioning to train all my clients, catering it to their sport or activity. There are so many links that can be made from sport to sport and it's all about being able to see these links.

Moreover, some of the moves seen in MMA mimick sport movements as well. Look at the soccer kick reminiscent of Wanderlei Silva in his Pride days.