| The appropriate MMA conditioning routine is the | | | | Focusing: Choose a favourite personal object, |
| key to winning a battle. While physical strength, | | | | look at it and concentrate your thoughts on the |
| incredible stamina and deadly fighting skills help you | | | | positive feelings it evokes. Breathe slowly and |
| excel in the sport, MMA trainers claim that it isn't | | | | deeply for 2 minutes and do not allow negative |
| all about muscles and brawn. | | | | thoughts to intrude into your psyche. Then feel |
| Brute force may weaken the opponent but | | | | your muscles loosen and your mind getting calm |
| relying solely on physical strength and fighting skills | | | | and the tension leaving your body. |
| is not enough to bring him to the ground. Mental | | | | Meditation: Sit in a comfortable position, close |
| conditioning is the missing link in winning a fight | | | | your eyes and breathe deeply. Concentrate on |
| between two equally strong and skilful fighters. | | | | inhalation and exhalation and feel your chest and |
| Performance-enhancing mental strategies result in | | | | abdomen contract and release. Block all other |
| better focus and concentration, dominance over | | | | thoughts from entering your mind. Say "peace" |
| emotions and true confidence when confronted | | | | and "calm" drawn out as you inhale and exhale. |
| with the enemy. Mental MMA conditioning | | | | Continue until you feel sufficiently relaxed. |
| techniques are the key to cultivating that | | | | 3. Visualisation |
| hard-core approach to winning. Here are some of | | | | Visualisation is used to build confidence and |
| them: | | | | prepare mentally for a devastating attack on your |
| 1. Positive Thinking | | | | opponent. It involves imagining the steps leading |
| Avoid using the word "Don't" and banish it forever | | | | up to the fight: putting on the gear, flexing and |
| from your vocabulary. Replace mantras containing | | | | un-flexing the muscles, hearing the roar of the |
| negative phrases such as "Don't strike out" or | | | | spectators and finally, beating the enemy to a |
| "Don't miss the shot" with positive words and | | | | pulp. |
| concentrate on a positive outcome while hitting | | | | Playing these images repeatedly in the mind is |
| your target. | | | | known to boost the chances of winning. |
| It's alright to occasionally slip into negativity or be | | | | 4. Goal Setting |
| distracted just as long as you pull yourself | | | | Setting realistic and time-bound goals gives you |
| together and return your focus on improving | | | | something to look forward to. By focusing on |
| performance. | | | | your training goals, you are able to direct all your |
| 2. Relaxation Techniques | | | | actions towards achieving them and staying |
| A martial artist must learn relaxation techniques | | | | motivated. |
| to establish a mind-body connection. Relaxation | | | | Through proper MMA conditioning, the mind, body |
| quiets the mind and body, relieving the fighter of | | | | and spirit come together and transform you into |
| stress and anxiety. Techniques to conquer tension | | | | an unbeatable fighter and champion. |
| and improve concentration include the following: | | | | |