Save your elbows. Must do's for the combat athlete.

As any combat athlete knows, be it a MMA fight, boxer, muay thai kickboxer, or submission grappler, your elbows are going to take a serious pounding, which will hurt your performance and eventually your health. Now arm checking kicks and getting caught in arm bars are an unavoidable part of being a fighter, there are a few simple ways to keep them healthy.




1. Wear straps to deadlift. Yes pulling with an over under grip with make your grip stronger, its not worth the wear and tear on the elbow and bicep tendon. You are training to fight, not for a powerlifting contest. If you have a weak grip work on it on it's own. If you are doing a powerlifting contest than by all means use an over under grip, because wear and tear is avoidable during competition but at least it's worth it.

2. Reverse curls. These are a lift saver. 5 sets of 10 on bench day. Want to get even more out of it, use fat grips.

3. Use a lacrosse ball to preform self myofascial release, really dig the lacrosse ball into your anterior deltoid and your forearm around the elbow. This will break up muscle adhesions and really loosen up your bicep tendon which in turn will relieve pressure on the elbow joint.

4. Fix your technique. This should be a no brainer but there are a lot of a of dog shit trainers and coaches out there teaching dog shit technique. So make sure you don't over extend your punches, flex your triceps when you deadlift, and make sure both your arms are even when you are arm checking kicks.





"Be smarter. Be stronger. Be better."