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What if wrestlers, instead of focusing so much on cross-training, merely worked on basic strike defenses, basic submission defenses, and developed outrageous an-aerobic as well as aerobic endurance? Also, they could pace themselves a certain way.
When Mark Coleman lost to Maurice Smith and Pete Williams, everybody talked so much about how he needed to cross-train. In both fights, he was on his way to winning a decision until he gassed out. Now, compare that situation to Maurice Smith's fight against Randy Couture. The ONLY things Randy Couture did differently in his fight against Maurice Smith than Mark Coleman did is that he apparently trained his cardio a lot more and that he paced himself differently. Mark Coleman actually did more damage to Smith than Couture did, though not enough to win the fight because he was mostly wasting his energy on attacks that were somewhat in-effective against Maurice Smith's defensive use of the GUARD. Also, Mark Coleman wasted energy on at least one major submission attempt.
Conversely, Randy Couture fought intellgently and paced himself. He made no serious attempts at submitting Maurice Smith and did not flail away when he was G&Ping him. This, combined with his superrior cardiovascular endurance enabled him to score just enough to out-point Smith and earn a decision victory.
My point here is that I believe that cardiovascular endurance training is more beneficial to a wrestler than what people generally refer to as cross-training. As far as cross-training is concerned, a wrestler should limit his cross-training at learning how to defend himslef against strikes and submissions in order to make the most efficient use of his time. He doesn't need to spend too much time learning effective offensive striking skills or submission skills. It's analogous to a GJJ practicioner training Judo. Should a GJJ practicioner go to a Judo school and spend his time learning how to throw people? That makes no more sense than a wrestler going to a boxing gym to learn how to punch people. ALL the time a GJJ practicioner spends at a Judo school should be spent learning illegal defensive grips and stalling tactics, learning absolutely nothing other than how to not get thrown. Wrestlers and GJJ practicioners should spend time in a boxing gym learning absolutely nothing other than how to roll with punches and developing their clinching skills. A wrestler should spend large amounts of time in a GJJ school learning absolutely nothing other than stalling on the ground and defending submission attempts. However, GJJ practicioners would be well advised to not only train with wrestlers, they should actually learn takedowns from them.
Another important thing to consider is time limits. You don't have to knock your opponent out or even hurt him to win a decision. Stalling can even help you avoid subissions. You are less likely to get caught in a submission if you fight conservatively. Also, it all goes back to cardio. If you don't gas out, you will be less likely to get caught in a submission.
In the end, the ideal MMA fighter is a world-class wrestler with good strike DEFENSE, good submission DEFENSE, and great ENDURANCE that fights cautiosly and conserves enough energy to last the distance.
When Mark Coleman lost to Maurice Smith and Pete Williams, everybody talked so much about how he needed to cross-train. In both fights, he was on his way to winning a decision until he gassed out. Now, compare that situation to Maurice Smith's fight against Randy Couture. The ONLY things Randy Couture did differently in his fight against Maurice Smith than Mark Coleman did is that he apparently trained his cardio a lot more and that he paced himself differently. Mark Coleman actually did more damage to Smith than Couture did, though not enough to win the fight because he was mostly wasting his energy on attacks that were somewhat in-effective against Maurice Smith's defensive use of the GUARD. Also, Mark Coleman wasted energy on at least one major submission attempt.
Conversely, Randy Couture fought intellgently and paced himself. He made no serious attempts at submitting Maurice Smith and did not flail away when he was G&Ping him. This, combined with his superrior cardiovascular endurance enabled him to score just enough to out-point Smith and earn a decision victory.
My point here is that I believe that cardiovascular endurance training is more beneficial to a wrestler than what people generally refer to as cross-training. As far as cross-training is concerned, a wrestler should limit his cross-training at learning how to defend himslef against strikes and submissions in order to make the most efficient use of his time. He doesn't need to spend too much time learning effective offensive striking skills or submission skills. It's analogous to a GJJ practicioner training Judo. Should a GJJ practicioner go to a Judo school and spend his time learning how to throw people? That makes no more sense than a wrestler going to a boxing gym to learn how to punch people. ALL the time a GJJ practicioner spends at a Judo school should be spent learning illegal defensive grips and stalling tactics, learning absolutely nothing other than how to not get thrown. Wrestlers and GJJ practicioners should spend time in a boxing gym learning absolutely nothing other than how to roll with punches and developing their clinching skills. A wrestler should spend large amounts of time in a GJJ school learning absolutely nothing other than stalling on the ground and defending submission attempts. However, GJJ practicioners would be well advised to not only train with wrestlers, they should actually learn takedowns from them.
Another important thing to consider is time limits. You don't have to knock your opponent out or even hurt him to win a decision. Stalling can even help you avoid subissions. You are less likely to get caught in a submission if you fight conservatively. Also, it all goes back to cardio. If you don't gas out, you will be less likely to get caught in a submission.
In the end, the ideal MMA fighter is a world-class wrestler with good strike DEFENSE, good submission DEFENSE, and great ENDURANCE that fights cautiosly and conserves enough energy to last the distance.
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