Many athletes and coaches wrestle with conflicting information about conditioning, strength, and endurance. Without a proper testing program, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s really working. This article shows you how to use simple performance tests to improve your MMA training plan and avoid guesswork. For a deeper dive—covering everything from workout structure to preventing overtraining—consider enrolling in The Science of MMA by Dr. Jason Gillis at The MMA Training Bible.
Click Here to Enroll in The Science of MMA
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Why Most Fighters Struggle
Many fighters stick to outdated or generic routines, never testing if they’re actually improving. This often leads to:
• Overtraining or undertraining
• Limited gains in strength, power, or endurance
• Unclear progress, making it tough to set goals
Dr. Jason Gillis, an Exercise Scientist, addresses these problems in The Science of MMA. Across eight modules, he combines the latest research on MMA training with practical steps you can follow right away. Session 8 focuses on Performance Testing, while other sessions guide you through critical areas like endurance, flexibility, explosive power, and periodization.
Click Here to Enroll in The Science of MMA
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What Performance Testing Can Do for You
Performance testing helps you see if your plan is truly effective. It reveals strengths, weaknesses, and potential issues like overtraining. With the right tests, you can:
• Track cardio fitness and stamina
• Assess flexibility to prevent injuries
• Gauge muscular power and strength
• Monitor psychological readiness to fight
By viewing your improvements over time, you’ll avoid relying on random feedback and know exactly where to adjust your routine.
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- Monitoring Psychological Readiness
Your mood can be a sensitive indicator of overtraining. Feeling apathetic, depressed, or irritable? These are red flags that you might be pushing too hard. Tools like the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) can help you measure emotional states and spot potential burnout early.
Other psychological methods include performance profiles, which help you reflect on the skills needed for MMA success. These profiles let you rate your technical, physical, and mental attributes, identifying the areas that need the most attention.
- Testing Flexibility
Flexibility is crucial for the dynamic range of movement in MMA. The sit-and-reach test is one of the most common measures, focusing on hamstrings, hips, and lower back. If you find you’re tight in these areas, you might need to integrate more dynamic, static, or PNF stretches. Proper flexibility helps with:
• Enhanced agility for striking and takedowns
• Reduced injury risk during grappling exchanges
• Faster recovery between tough sessions
If you’re interested in advanced techniques, The Science of MMA also provides a “book” of stretching protocols to fit into your busy schedule.
- Body Size & Composition
In a weight-class sport like MMA, knowing your weight, body mass index (BMI), and body-fat percentage is vital. Common methods include:
• Scales for weight
• Measuring tapes for limb circumferences
• Skinfold calipers for body composition
When you track these metrics regularly, you’ll see if you’re cutting or gaining weight too quickly, or if your muscle-to-fat ratio is optimal for your fighting style.
- Power & Strength Assessments
MMA demands explosive techniques—both offensive and defensive. Two simple tests can help:
• Vertical Jump (for lower-body power)
• Seated Medicine Ball Toss (for upper-body power)
If you need to push your power even further, The Science of MMA covers how to train for knockout force with the right balance of exercise selection, load, and volume.
Strength, on the other hand, measures your ability to generate maximal force. A bench press test (for upper-body strength) and a squat test (for lower-body strength) offer reliable ways to see if you’re improving.
- Endurance (Muscular & Cardio)
Muscular Endurance
Because MMA involves sustained movements—like defending submissions or holding dominant positions—muscular endurance is key. Calisthenic exercises like push-ups and curl-ups test how long you can sustain submaximal force.
Cardio Endurance
MMA fights include repeated high-intensity bursts, so you need both anaerobic and aerobic capacity. For anaerobic fitness, a sprint-based test (such as the running-based anaerobic sprint test) measures how you recover between short, intense efforts. For aerobic fitness, the Balke 15-minute run offers a straightforward way to gauge your staying power over a longer duration.
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- MMA-Specific Drills
Finally, a sport-specific test, like the Fighter’s Drill, combines striking, grappling, and ground-based moves in one self-paced cycle. By simulating a typical MMA match over multiple rounds, it offers a realistic picture of your fight readiness. This type of test can highlight exactly how well you handle the combination of striking, clinch work, and ground control under fatigue.
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How Performance Testing Fits into a Complete MMA Plan
Session 8 of The Science of MMA shows you how to combine these tests into a performance tracking system. Yet that’s just one part of the course. Other sessions dig into:
• How your body powers high-intensity efforts—and why some fighters gas out
• Balancing low- and high-intensity endurance work for MMA
• Structuring weekly workouts for maximum fight-day performance
• Spotting and avoiding the hidden dangers of overtraining
• Periodization tactics to peak at the right time
All these elements come together in a practical, step-by-step framework that helps you move beyond guesswork.
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Why Choose Dr. Gillis’s Approach
Dr. Jason Gillis is an Exercise Scientist who has devoted years to refining MMA-focused training methods. His programs blend academic research with real-world experience, ensuring you get proven strategies rather than hype or fads. The self-paced course format lets you learn at your convenience, with immediate access to tools, logs, and exercises.
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Don’t Rely on Guesswork
Throwing random drills into your routine can waste time and energy if they’re not suited to your goals. By testing essential factors like muscular endurance, power, cardio capacity, and flexibility, you’ll see real data on your progress. That information empowers you to fine-tune your training plan, achieve peak performance, and avoid plateaus.
Ready to take charge of your MMA journey? The Science of MMA provides everything you need to transform your routine and maximize your fight potential—from performance testing to workout design to mental preparation.
Enroll Now to Unlock Your Full MMA Potential
With a solid grasp on performance testing, you’ll know exactly how to tackle your next training cycle. Ditch the random advice and embrace a data-driven approach—your future in MMA depends on it.