Why so much cardio?

[IronFist]

MMA people seem to love cardio. I've heard of training classes where like 70% of the time is spent doing cardio and 30% of the time is spent actually fighting. Why the heavy emphasis on cardio? I've seen NHB fights last for a long time (like Gracie vs. Sakuraba, which was like 90 minutes), so I guess you need to be conditioned to fight for a long time. But what about the old saying that if a fight lasts longer than a minute or so both people should run away because they don't know what they're doing? Do confrontations on the street last for more than a few seconds?

I don't know. That's why I'm asking.

[Merryprankster]

Fights on the street can last plenty long enough for cardio to matter. If it goes 30 seconds, cardio can make a real difference.

MMA classes, IMO should be spent learning to fight. Cardio is something extra you do unless you're doing some sort of specific tournament prep...

FWIW, it's usually interval type cardio, not 90 minute marathons...

[IronFist]

Yeah but if you're in a 30 second fight... is it going to matter if you regularly train to be able to do 10 minutes of cardio or 2 hours of cardio?

[rubthebuddha]

and there's one more important thing, and this'll really **** you off ironfist:

general fight preparation should include running, because if it's not just jimbo who wants to kick your ass, but bobby-joe and cletus as well, and each has a tire iron, your best bet is not to rumble.

so get off your butt and do some cardio. :p

[CrippledAvenger]

Merry is so correct on this one that it hurts.

Cardio is essential if you're going to even last through a workout, let alone a fight. I can't count the times I'm winded just doing something as simple as a jabbing drill. Throw adrenaline and someone hitting you, and you find yourself getting winded twice as fast as that.

Hell, I'm in good shape and I start to get winded a minute into sparring at fifty percent intensity. (Granted, that might be because I take too many shots to the body. :o ), I could never figure out why people feel you don't need cardio to fight.

[Ralphie]

Dude, just do forms for cardio :D

[CrippledAvenger]

Originally posted by IronFist
Yeah but if you're in a 30 second fight... is it going to matter if you regularly train to be able to do 10 minutes of cardio or 2 hours of cardio?

First off, that's bad thinking. Yeah, the fight could be over in the 30 seconds, but what if it's not? An ounce of preparation is worth an hour of reconstructive surgery.

Secondly, don't get the idea that we're talking about running marathons here. Sprinting and other high intensity interval training is more the key here.

[IronFist]

I know about interval cardio and such.

I'm just speculating.

I still (try to) do cardio with my training :D

[CrippledAvenger]

Sorry, IF. I misread ya, then.

(****, it's hard to concentrate on the boards, work, AND writing an article at the same time. :D )

[SevenStar]

Also remember that alot of your conditioning will come from sparring, drilling, etc. so you will get plenty of training and conditioning simultaneously.

[rogue]

Another good benefit of cardio is breathing. Learning to breath in a controlled way and relaxing is what helps you get through a good cardio session. Breathing is real handy when fighting or even just standing around.;)

[David Jamieson]

ding ding ding, Rogue has frankened the correct and kitfo!

Breathing is where it ALL starts.

It's the first thing you do in life and the last thing you stop doing before you die.

cheers

[jun_erh]

well for boxing you need cardio, that's pretty obvius. But I would agree with crippled avenger in that the cardio makes the education process more comfrtable. I ran 5 miles every other day and no one else in my class did and there was a clear difference in our energy levels after even our opening drills. You need alot more than good cardio to be a good martial artist of course.

[MasterKiller]

I skip rope 3 times a week. That little bit of added work alone has pushed me past everyone in my class when it comes to cardio conditioning. I mean way past. If I were doing sprinting and interval stuff as well, I can see how it would make a huge difference in a fight.

[stimulant]

Originally posted by Ralphie
Dude, just do forms for cardio :D

I agree

relative cardio conditioning is better in my point of view (although any form of cardio conditioning is better than none). a silly example, but...there would be a lot of wasted time for a TKD man to spend 30mins punching a heavy bag hard and fast for his cardio workout and then competing using mainly kicks.

I have a friend who is a marathon runner....obviously much fitter than me....but he was gasping like a fish out of water after doing one form, where as I could go on. His great fitness helped him, but mine was better for forms as it is relative to what I we were doing. stick me in a marathon and I suck after about 5 miles.

[Suntzu]

IF to cardio = me to making weight and salads……… suck it up son….
:D

[MasterKiller]

I have a friend who is a marathon runner....obviously much fitter than me....but he was gasping like a fish out of water after doing one form, where as I could go on. His great fitness helped him, but mine was better for forms as it is relative to what I we were doing. stick me in a marathon and I suck after about 5 miles. I think that's difference between interval training and endurance training, which is why fighters prefer the former.

[stimulant]

interval train is very good, use to do lots in the past.

I have a friend who is a 3rd dan in (and very good at) traditonal goju ryo karate. 6 months ago he re-did his 30 man kumite (bad spelling?), which in his schools case consists of figting 10 people for 1 min, after them you get 1 min break, then fight another 10 followed by another 1 min break and then fight the final 10. you start with the loawer grades (black belts) and finish you last ten on the higher belts (dan grades). For 6 months previous to re-doing it he trained his fitness very very hard, and did lots of bag work, stretching, running, and sprint interval training (after 6 months any athletics club would have been proud to have him on their 400m team...and he is in his mid 40's and was never a sportsman!).

By the time his kumite was upon him he was the fittest he has ever been. come the kumite itself....he got through it and did well....but he was shattered after the 2nd person. His training was very good, and it got him through....but in hindsight he said 'I shoudl have just sparred lots continuesly for my fitness.....'

Interval training is great, no, fantastic for boxing.....but was not so good in this case.....unless he were to do 3 10min intervals with 1 min break inbetween to mimic the nature of his kumite, and even then doing it on the bag or pad work would have been better.

but as with all things....different types of training suit different people better....and everyone has their own preferences.

[red5angel]

But what about the old saying that if a fight lasts longer than a minute

Macho crap, usually put into context with "This art will show you how to end a fight in under a minute"

We train "cardio" because fights can last a long time and in the heavy exhertion of a fight it doesn't take a long time for your body to wear down.