How Elite S&C for Fighters Is Really Built
By Leroy Saunders | Strength & Conditioning Coach, Fight by Design
I cant believe i’m about to give away all the details, but here it is, take it, use it, analyze your current training, let this build and guide you in refining your performance without wasting time and energy.
Why, because behind every fast, explosive, durable fighter is a well structured strength and conditioning system, one that doesn’t chase trends or random workouts, but builds the physical qualities that show up when the fight gets real. I believe everyone should have access to this without confusion.
In my system, we don’t guess. We don’t throw in fluff. We build fighters from the ground up using key modalities that carry over directly to performance, in movement, recovery, resilience, and output.
This article dives deep into the science and application behind each of these modalities and shows how they can be integrated into a complete, fighter specific training system.
1. Max Strength - the Foundation of Force
Maximal strength is the foundation upon which nearly every other athletic quality is built. In simple terms, the stronger an athlete is, the more potential they have to express power, control positions, and resist injury. From a neurological standpoint, max strength enhances motor unit recruitment and synchronization, which in turn improves both rate of force development and efficiency.
In fighters, this means more control in the clinch, more power behind strikes, and more confidence in grappling exchanges, and yes, working on strength first over all the “fancy”instagram movements is going to give you a real foundation and more solid results.
How I program it:
- Heavy barbell lifts (e.g. trap bar deadlift, back squat, strict press)
- Tempo work to reinforce control and joint strength
- Isometric and contrast pairings to improve explosive output
Scientific reasoning: Research and real world application, shows that improvements in max strength correlate with increases in power output and anaerobic performance, both critical in fight performance. High force, low velocity movements teach the nervous system to fire efficiently under load.
2. Explosive Power - The Rate of Force Development (RFD)
In combat sports, it’s not just about how much force you can produce, but how quickly you can apply it. This is the essence of RFD. An athlete who can access their strength faster has a major advantage in first strike scenarios, takedowns, or counter-explosions.
How I program it:
- Olympic variations like landmine clean & split jerk
- Med ball throws (rotational, slam, scoop)
- Plyo push ups and jump complexes
Scientific reasoning: Power = Force x Velocity. Maximal power is developed when force production occurs within short time frames (typically under 250ms). For fighters, that’s the difference between landing clean or getting hit first.
3. Reactive & Plyometric Training
Plyometrics develop elasticity and neuromuscular responsiveness. This means faster ground contact times, better directional changes, and more efficient transfer of energy during movement.
How I program it:
- Depth jumps
- Banded reactive pogo jumps
- Kneeling jumps with lateral bounds
Scientific reasoning: Effective plyometrics stimulate the stretch shortening cycle (SSC), improving tendon stiffness and reactive strength index (RSI). This is crucial for managing the forces encountered during sprawls, footwork changes, or high speed engagements.
4. Speed & Agility
Speed and agility in combat is multidimensional. It’s about change of direction, reactive timing, spatial awareness, and neural efficiency. Linear sprinting has minimal carryover if you can’t adjust quickly under pressure.
How I program it:
- Cone shuffles
- Visual cue reactions under fatigue
- Change of direction work
Scientific reasoning: Cognitive processing time and decision making under load are key components of agility. Training these skills in a chaotic environment helps build fight specific reactivity and control.
5. Core & Rotational Strength
The core is not just about abs. It’s a dynamic system responsible for transferring force between upper and lower limbs. aka core to extremity. For fighters, this directly translates to knockout power, stable grappling, and injury prevention.
How I program it:
- Landmine rotations and lifts
- Split stance carries and anti rotation holds
- Med ball rotational throws
Scientific reasoning: Studies show that rotational power is one of the most predictive variables in striking force. Anti rotation training also builds the ability to resist external forces during clinch or scramble situations.
6. Aerobic Conditioning (Zone 2)- The True Engine
Aerobic development doesn’t just matter for endurance. It enhances recovery between rounds, controls nervous system output, and builds a larger work capacity over time.
How I program it:
- Planned Zone 2 steady state runs (with nasal breathing)
- Long EMOMs at sustainable HR
- Aerobic circuit work (sleds, machines, carries)
Scientific reasoning: Aerobic adaptations include increased mitochondrial density, improved cardiac output, and better substrate utilization. This allows fighters to sustain output without redlining early. However it needs to be balanced with anaerobic conditioning.
7. Anaerobic Conditioning
This trains the body’s ability to handle short, high intensity efforts and recover from them. It's the zone of lactate production and buffering.
How I program it:
- Tabatas on the AirBike
- Lactic threshold intervals
- Sprint into load contrast circuits
Scientific reasoning: Anaerobic capacity improves lactate clearance and buffering, which delays fatigue and maintains output quality during repeated efforts.
8. Unilateral Strength & Anti-Rotation
Fighting happens one side at a time. You throw with one arm, shoot off one leg, brace under asymmetry. Training should reflect that.
How I program it:
- Bulgarian split squats and single leg jumps
- Offset loaded carries
- Single arm landmine presses
Scientific reasoning: Unilateral loading challenges proprioception and activates stabilizing musculature. It also reveals and addresses imbalances that could lead to injury or energy leaks.
9. Mobility + Stability - Joint Health & Movement Capacity
Mobility without stability is a liability. Doesn’t that sound fancy. Stability without mobility is restriction. Both must be trained together for efficient, pain free movement.
How I program it:
- Controlled articular rotations (CARs)
- Loaded mobility under tempo
- Banded joint distractions
- Prep based flows that mimic fight movement
- Full range, quality movement over ego weight
Scientific reasoning: Improved joint capsule function and tissue resilience leads to better movement economy and reduces the likelihood of soft tissue injury. Especially important for fighters with repetitive strain areas (hips, shoulders, wrists).
10. Isometrics - Position Ownership & Tendon Strength
Isometric holds develop mid range control, tendon stiffness, and mental grit. They’re brutally effective and underused.
How I program it:
- Yielding (e.g. wall sits, iso split squat holds)
- Overcoming (e.g. max effort presses against immovable force)
- Scapular stability holds
Scientific reasoning: Isometric training improves joint integrity and tendon adaptation by increasing time under tension at specific angles, which is critical in grappling and position fighting.
Bonus: Pre Fatigue & Contrast Work
You never fight fresh. Training under controlled fatigue teaches your body to move well when tired and make smart decisions under pressure. This method i rarely see used by other trainers, yet the results iv seen using it with athletes is phenomenal.
How I program it:
- Bike sprints before lifts
- Mixed modal fatigue circuits
- Speed-strength after aerobic work
Scientific reasoning: Pre fatigue amplifies central nervous system stress and forces adaptation in movement efficiency and resilience.
My Final Thoughts
The best fighters aren’t just tough or talented. They’re physically built for all kinds of chaos.
An elite strength & conditioning program isn’t about lifting heavy for the sake of numbers, getting jacked pecs or making an athlete run 30-50km Zone 2 every week. It’s a system that develops real world tools: force, control, output, and durability. When you train all 10 modalities with intent, every movement you make in the ring becomes refined, more efficient, and so much more dangerous.
