Alliance MMA in Chula Vista, CA has TEN fighters all going to The UFC in December… Follow DOJO.TV as we track the progress of the number one MMA Team in the world and their quest for MMA glory in December. Ten fighters, one team, one goal…

The post Alliance MMA Pro Team – Strength and Conditioning Part 1 *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Kettlebells are a “must have” tool in my opinion. Strength, endurance, power, mobility, stability; they really are a “one stop shop”. Regardless of what your fitness goals are, the kettlebell is a tool that can help you get there.

There are thousands of exercises, drills, and variations out there when it comes to using the bells. Here’s a quick clip with RKC Dr. Jenn showing a few of my favorites.

About Doug
Doug Balzarini, CSCS, MMA-CC, is the owner of DB Strength, which provides fitness training, education, and resources. He is also the strength and conditioning coach for Alliance MMA where he works with UFC Champion Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis, Brandon Vera, Travis Browne, Ross Pearson, Alexander Gustafsson, and more. Prior to starting his own business, Doug worked at Fitness Quest 10 as a personal trainer, strength coach, and Operations Director for Todd Durkin Enterprises (TDE).

He has completed some graduate work in Biomechanics at SDSU and has obtained multiple certifications including ACE, NSCA-CSCS, MMA-CC, TRX instructor training, EFI Gravity instructor training, LIFT Sandbag Certification, and FMS training. He has produced his own 2-DVD set on strength training for combat athletes, appeared in many fitness videos and articles, and was recently a coach on “The Ultimate Fighter” TV show.

For more information please visit www.dbstrength.com.

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Article by: Doug Balazarini

In order to continue to grow and learn more about the field of health and fitness, I’m always reading, studying, watching DVDs, and attending conferences & workshops. I’m also doing my best to connect with like-minded professionals. I’ve learned so much from trainers and coaches who specialize in one area or another. Even casual conversations about nothing in particular usually reveal a valuable nugget or two that will improve my coaching skills. More recently, I decided to expand my reach and talk with individuals who are connected with the fitness field, but from a different angle. I’m talking about nutritionists, physical therapists, chiropractors, hypnotherapists, etc. My plan is to chat with a number of these folks over the next couple months and record the conversation so I can share the knowledge. On my DB Strength site, I plan to show an excerpt or two from the conversations I have…the entire interview will be recorded and available in the “Inner Circle” for any fellow MMACA certified coaches. So if you are interested in coaching and interested in MMA and interested in watching these entire interviews, consider getting certified through the MMACA. To learn more about the program, click on the logo below:

http://mixedmartialartsconditioningassociation.com/

This first excerpt is from a recent interview I did with John Boesky. John is a family therapist, NLP practitioner, and hypnotherapist based here in San Diego, CA. He specializes in working with athletes and is currently working with a number of top MMA fighters, including a number of the guys that I train on a weekly basis.

A big thanks to John for taking time out of his busy schedule to sit down with me and chat about the pressures of MMA and what athletes can do to deal with those pressures.

The mental game is a HUGE part of MMA. This is an extremely important aspect of the fight game that I plan to get more involved in. I’ve always loved the expression, “Train the mind and the body will follow”. You need that positive mind-set, that ability to focus and push when it would be a lot easier just to stop working and training. As Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude determines your altitude”.

About Doug
Doug Balzarini, CSCS, MMA-CC, is the owner of DB Strength, which provides fitness training, education, and resources. He is also the strength and conditioning coach for Alliance MMA where he works with UFC Champion Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis, Brandon Vera, Travis Browne, Ross Pearson, Alexander Gustafsson, and more. Prior to starting his own business, Doug worked at Fitness Quest 10 as a personal trainer, strength coach, and Operations Director for Todd Durkin Enterprises (TDE).

He has completed some graduate work in Biomechanics at SDSU and has obtained multiple certifications including ACE, NSCA-CSCS, MMA-CC, TRX instructor training, EFI Gravity instructor training, LIFT Sandbag Certification, and FMS training. He has produced his own 2-DVD set on strength training for combat athletes, appeared in many fitness videos and articles, and was recently a coach on “The Ultimate Fighter” TV show.

For more information please visit www.dbstrength.com.

The post Interview with John Boesky for MMA Conditioning Association *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

NEW content included for the first time!! Approved for 0.4 NSCA CEU’s! Get an exclusive inside look at how top UFC athletes prepare for a fight! This 4-hour interactive workshop is both lecture and hands-on and is designed to show you all phases of a complete strength & conditioning program for fighters.

WHERE:
Alliance Training Center
795 Third Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91910

WHEN:
Saturday October 6, 2012 11am to 3pm

WHO:
Coaches, trainers, fighters, fans

COST:
Early Bird Rate – $99!
(On site registration is $129)
Registration includes DVD, manual, and t-shirt. These products alone are worth the price!
*The NSCA Certification Executive Council approved 0.4 CEUs for CSCS and NSCA-CPT certified individuals attending this event*

REGISTER TODAY!
Use the PayPal link below or connect with me at Doug@DBStrength.com. Limited space!

Get an exclusive inside look at how top UFC athletes prepare for a fight!

This 4-hour interactive workshop is both lecture and hands-on and is designed to show you
all phases of a complete strength & conditioning program for fighters.

Topics Include:

• Introduce the “Critical Components” used in the DB Strength Training System
• Proper Dynamic Warm-Up – Focus on injury prevention, range of motion, foam rolling, activation, and more
• Fighter-specific Mobility and Flexibility Movements – Discuss assessment protocols and the importance of joint integrity work
• Medicine Ball Power Movements – Experience my “go to” movements and drills
• Strength Training – Reveal the “method to the madness”. Discuss periodization, circuit training, frequency, overtraining concerns, and more
• Core Development – Sample the drills and tools I use with top, UFC athletes on a weekly basis to help strengthen their core muscles
• Metabolic Conditioning – Breakdown common circuit layouts and talk about methods I like, methods I dislike, and the ones I use frequently
• Proper Cool-Down Techniques – Talk about an overlooked aspect of fitness and why I always incorporate it into our sessions
• The value of Recovery – We will cover the importance of rest and share a number of recovery techniques
• Nutrition – Examine macronutrients and what foods are a must for MMA athletes
• Challenges – Learn how to deal with injuries, tough travel schedules, and short notice fights. We will analyze case scenarios to ensure we are all on the same page and getting our fighters in the best condition of their lives
• And much, much more!

The post STRENGTH & CONDITIONING WORKSHOP At Alliance Training Center in San Diego appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by Doug Balzarini

I’m blessed to be able to work with some amazing athletes on a weekly basis. I handle the majority of the strength and conditioning for the fight team down at Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista. Here’s a quick clip showing a couple exercises we use to help our athletes improve their game. The movements in this clip include:

1. One Arm Dumbbell Rows
2. Single Leg Hamstring Curls on a Stability Ball
3. TRX “Superman”
4. Box Jumps
5. Kneeling Diagonal Lifts with Tubing
6. Heavy Object Carries
7. Heavy Tire/Sled Pull Variations

The post Recent Strength & Conditioning Session at Alliance *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by Coach Doug Balzarini

Want a rock solid mid-section? Get walking with these core exercises…

Both in my own personal workouts, and in the training programs of my professional athletes, walking movements have emerged as a staple. Not my overweight client, my beginning client, or my just coming off an injury client, but rather my elite UFC athletes. Of course, I’m not talking about a Sunday stroll while sipping on a Caramel Macchiato.

I love using circuits and complexes in my programming as they help build strength, endurance, promote fat loss, and are time-efficient. Circuit training has been around for years now, but adding walking to the mix has made it even better. For after you finish up a round of your circuit, what do you do next? Flip through a ‘Muscle & Fitness’ magazine? Watch 2 innings of the Red Sox game on TV? Check out the gal texting on the elliptical? No, you’re wasting your time!

Be productive and use those seconds or minutes after a circuit for “active rest”. I refer to active rest simply as, “the moments after exercise when the body is still working, but the heart rate is returning to its resting rate,” and I like using stretches, certain isometric exercises, mobility drills, and walking, as active rest examples.

Just Walk? Not Exactly

When working with combat athletes, I incorporate walking drills into their routine using certain tools. After a challenging combination of kettlebell snatches and kettlebell swings, why not grip that bell and walk for 40 yards? It’s a great way to challenge grip strength, work the core musculature in a unilateral fashion, and allow the heart rate to recover at the same time.

With kettlebells, here are several walk variations I use frequently:

1. One arm suitcase carry
2. One in the rack position
3. One on the overhead position
4. Two suitcase (commonly called Farmer Walks)
5. Two in the rack position
6. Two overhead
7. Any variation of the 3 positions….1 bell in the rack and 1 overhead for example

Medicine Ball Examples

1. Overhead walks
2. One-arm overhead walk
3. Straight out in front of you (Frankenstein walk)
4. Explosive forward throw and walk

Miscellaneous Examples

1. Heavy dumbbell or barbell suitcase carry
2. Plate pinch carry
3. Trap bar walk
4. Heavy dummy carry
5. Crawls, hand-walk variations, jumps, lunges (I realize these aren’t really “walks,” but we still use them and I think they’re extremely valuable)

Give Walking A Chance

I love these walking variations because they improve grip strength, breath control, trunk stability, joint integrity, and mental toughness, all qualities essential to the sport of MMA.

It’s common during an MMA fight for there to be quick bursts of activity followed by longer periods of a slower, steadier, pace. You see a nice punch and kick combination followed by a 15-20 second clinch battle up on the cage. It’s during this longer exchange where you need to control your breathing, demonstrate superior grip strength, and maintain your mental toughness.

Here are a couple complexes I’m currently using:

A. One Kettlebell
1. Perform 6 KB snatches in right arm and then walk 20 yards in the overhead position. Repeat on left side.
2. Perform 6 KB cleans in right arm and walk 20 yards in rack position. Repeat on left side.
3. Perform 10 swings in right arm and walk 20 yards in suitcase position. Repeat on left side.

B. One Med Ball
1. Perform 10 MB diagonal chops and walk 20 yards with ball overhead.
2. Perform 10 scoop tosses and walk 20 yards with ball straight in front of you.
3. Perform 10 MB burpee throws and walk to ball.
4. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 3 to 5 rounds.

C. Bodyweight
1. Perform 10 jump squats and lateral hand walk 20 yards.
2. Perform 10 pull-ups and bear crawl 20 yards.
3. Perform 10 jump lunges and lateral hand walk 20 yards.
4. Perform 20 pushups and bear crawl 20 yards.
5. Rest for 60-120 seconds and repeat for 3 to 5 rounds.

Additional Benefits For The Non-MMA Athlete

1. Time efficient
This is a great way to get a full-body workout in. If pressed for time, grab a bell and perform a series of swings, cleans, and snatches followed by walk variations. Complete 5 rounds and you’ll be done (literally) in 15-20 minutes.

2. No gym?
If you don’t have a gym membership, pick up a medicine ball and head out to a local park for a great metabolic circuit of slams, throws, pushups, and overhead walks.

3. Incorporate into existing program
If you need a quick 5-minute finisher at the end of your strength training program, a kettlebell walking complex fits the bill.

Don’t most of these qualities discussed here apply to so many different sports beyond MMA? Tell me a sport where you don’t need a strong core or healthy joints. These are not MMA-specific goals. Which means regardless of your sport or hobby, including walking into your routine will aid your development as an athlete. So get out there and start…walking.

About the Author

Doug Balzarini is the founder of DB Strength, a company that provides personal training, sports performance coaching, nutritional services, and fitness/wellness education. He is also the strength and conditioning coach for the Alliance MMA Fight Team in San Diego, CA. Previously, Doug worked at Fitness Quest 10 as a personal trainer, strength coach, and Operations Director for Todd Durkin Enterprises. A Massachusetts native, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Business Management for Westfield State University. Since moving to San Diego, he has completed some graduate work in Biomechanics at SDSU, and obtained multiple certifications/trainings including the NSCA – CSCS certification, ACE – Personal Trainer certification, MMA – Conditioning Coach certification, and TRX Instructor Training. He has appeared in dozens of fitness videos, written numerous fitness-related articles, has competed in multiple grappling tournaments, and produced his own 2-DVD set titled, “Strength & Conditioning for the Combat Athlete”. Prior to working at Fitness Quest 10, Doug worked for the American Council on Exercise as the ‘Continuing Education Coordinator’ where he was responsible for managing over 400 continuing education providers. For more information please visit www.DBstrength.com.

The post “Walk” Your Way to Better Abs appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by WEBWIRE
Well-known for his toughness and smarts in serving as assistant coach for Team Cruz on FX’s “The Ultimate Fighter Live,” world-renowned mixed martial arts and strength coach Doug Balzarini has joined the faculty of the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association (MMACA). In his new role, Balzarini will provide weekly video training for members and contribute to the organization’s ongoing curriculum.

In addition to his new faculty position with the MMACA, Balzarini is the owner of DB Strength, the strength coach for the Alliance MMA Fight Team at the Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., and he previously served as operations director, personal trainer and strength coach at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego. In his role on the successful 15th season of “The Ultimate Fighter Live,” Balzaraini helped train fighters for the season’s ultimate competition.


“If you’ve watched even five minutes of ‘The Ultimate Fighter Live,’ you know what a true expert Doug is, just one of the reasons we’re so thrilled that he’s joined the MMACA faculty,” said John Spencer Ellis, founder of the Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association. “A true mixed martial arts fitness pro, Doug has helped spur the growth of mixed martial arts strength and conditioning, and his weekly video training will be cutting-edge, must-see viewing for our members.”

Balzarini has used his Certified Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Coach training from the MMACA to train several fighters and athletes.

The MMACA certification program is designed for personal trainers, coaches, martial artists and MMA participants interested in acquiring both athletic and business skills required for successful mixed martial arts coaching. In addition to the business of MMA training, the Certified MMA Conditioning Coach program focuses on combat drills, plyometrics, mental training, TRX, Kettlebells, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, sports nutrition, sport psychology, dynamic flexibility and more.


About MMACA
The Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Association (MMACA) was developed to bridge the gap between sports conditioning science, MMA training methods and direct application from the ring, octagon, mat or cage. The MMA Conditioning Association is the MMA certification division of the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), a leader in innovative solutions for fitness, nutrition and wellness professionals, as well as club owners since 1992. The MMACA and its staff of educators, exercise physiologists, dietitians, biomechanists, strength coaches, sports psychologists, physical therapists, massage therapists, kinesiologists and business professionals have joined with the world’s top boxers, wrestlers, BJJ fighters, Muay Thai fighters, American kickboxers, MMA fighters and coaches to develop a comprehensive MMA conditioning program. For more information about the program, please visit http://www.mmaca.net

The post World-Renowned Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Coach Doug Balzarini Joins MMA Conditioning Association Faculty appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article By Coach Dog Balzarini
Even though I recapped every one of my 12-week experience (Start here), I wanted to share some final thoughts. I’ve been home for a week now and, while I’ve been going non-stop with client training, meetings, and moving to a new apartment; I thought it would be interesting to look back on the experience after a little time had passed to see what continued to stick out in my mind.

Here is a free-flow of some of the highlights as I reminisce:
Initial meeting with the UFC staff

Great, hard-working people. If you needed anything – Rambo was your man!
We got tons of UFC apparel…shirts, shorts, pants, sweatshirts, hats, rash guards, you name it. I’ll be a walking billboard for UFC back home (which, I suppose, is the point).

* Initial meeting with the athletes
For the first show there were 16 fights which means there were 32 athletes on set. We were randomly assigned 16 fighters to corner for this first night of fights. We literally only had 5 minutes with each fighter before helping them warm up and then walking them out to the cage for their 5-minute fight. That first night was a whirlwind! 16 fights…each fight only 1 round. I remember our first two athletes won and our locker room was all laughs and smiles, and then we lost the next three and the mood changed quickly. To say the emotional ups and downs of this sport are intense is an understatement. From our locker room, even before the first fights, I remember being impressed by Joe Proctor, Vinc Pichel, James Vick, and Mike Rio. Turns out they all made the show and performed well throughout the season. Maybe I should become a talent scout in my spare time.

* Meeting ‘Team Cruz’ for the first time
Just an awesome experience. These guys all appeared extremely eager to learn and very excited to be at the ‘TUF gym’. Getting to know these guys was a definite highlight for me. Each one brought something unique to the table…from James Vick’s sweet southern twang and great sense of humor to Tickle’s ‘ain’t takin’ no crap’ attitude. For the record, I’m a huge Chris Tickle fan and we’ll definitely be keeping in touch. I really felt the team was just that – a team. They pushed each other and helped each other out each and every practice….great chemistry and a great group.

* Strength & Conditioning Sessions
I love my job. Helping people to realize and reach their goals is what gets me out of bed every morning. And to be able to help these athletes get faster, stronger, and more powerful on a large-scale TV set was just icing on the cake. I kept the sessions fairly basic and made sure to incorporate a few primary pieces:
–> Injury prevention – shoulder joint integrity, strong glutes, mobile hips
–> Power – both upper and lower body plyometrics
–> Full body strength – push, pull, hip hinge, trunk work every session
–> Cardio – included interval training every week
–> Core – focused on torso stability every week

* The W’s and L’s
I’ve been playing sports my whole life; I was kicking a soccer ball around the field as soon as I could walk. All the time in the world, however, does not make losing any easier. I supposed I’ve become a little less competitive in my “old” age…but losing still sucks. And call me sappy or soft if you want but I really felt for these guys after they lost. When they would come back into the locker and break down it was hard for me not to cry with them. I saw how hard they worked in practice and understood how badly they wanted to win; and to fall short of that goal was a crushing blow for them. Having been around the sport for a few years now I understand that a loss or two on their record is not going to ruin any chances of making onto the UFC stage. In fact, a couple losses will most likely help them learn and grow as a fighter…however, they don’t want to hear about ‘learning from losses’ minutes after being choked out. The emotions in that locker room definitely went all over the board throughout the 12-weeks. The wins were huge highs and the losses were deep lows. But, like I said, I truly think there are positives to take from the losses. Each fighter can use their loss to become a better fighter down the road.

* Life outside the show
Sadly, I wasn’t all that impressed with Las Vegas. Of course, the Strip is awesome….for a weekend maybe. We were living in condos 15 minutes outside of Las Vegas Blvd. They kept us away from the madness – which is a good thing. However, once you get away from the strip, you are surrounded by track homes and strip malls. There really isn’t any culture or anything unique or interesting about the area. The desert just doesn’t do it for me. When we weren’t filming, the Alliance Fight Team was in Vegas training as well. We trained at a number of different facilities early on before settling on Throwdown Training Center. They had a solid facility with a really cool staff. Between the TUF show and the Alliance Team training, there wasn’t a whole lot of time to explore much of Vegas so perhaps there’s more to it than I give it credit for.

* The 8 Athletes
At the end of the day, the 16 fighters are what this show is all about. A bunch of athletes with one common goal. I’ve said it before but the eight guys I got to work with were truly my highlight of the whole experience. They made it worth while. I thank the UFC and the Alliance team for this opportunity, but I also want to thank each and every one of those guys who made this 3 month experience worth it. Justin, Sam, Myles, Mike, Vinc, James, Chris, Jeremy – thank you.

* Randomness
Dominick Cruz eats like a heavyweight. One of my responsibilities during this experience was to monitor and help Dom out with his nutrition. It’s no secret that, in the past, it hasn’t been the healthiest. He may be able to get away with it right now…but it’s definitely going to catch up with him. I worked in the restaurant business for 8 years and cooked for 4 of those so I was happy to help him out. What I didn’t realize is that I would be cooking for 4. I exaggerate a bit, but that dude can eat. He’s a calorie-burning machine. There were days when I was easily putting 6,000 calories of food in front of him and he ate it no problem. Impressive for a guy who, at the time, was walking around at 155lbs.
The first time I met Forrest Griffin was during one of my training sessions…he didn’t say anything to me, he simply jumped right into the circuit and started working out with us…pretty random. We spoke after and he’s an awesome guy. I was a big Forrest fan before meeting him and now I’m an even bigger one.

Vitor Belfort is one of the few UFC guys that was on my short list of people I’d love to meet. I first met him on the TUF set, however, it was real brief. Luckily, he was really impressed with ‘Team Cruz’ and our training approach and he and his training camp joined the Alliance team while he training in Vegas. Training with Vitor and his fellow Brazilian animals was a true highlight of this event.

Sadly, I never got to officially meet Dana White. I had a 100 opportunities but never wanted to bother him. But I just have to say that every time he walked into the locker room he immediately commanded your attention. He’s one of those few guys that exudes this energy that just takes over the room. He may rub some people the wrong way but you can’t deny his business savvy and his passion for this amazing sport. He’s got a supporter in me.

Make sure you all follow and support the 8 “Team Cruz” athletes as they train hard and work towards their ultimate goal of earning that strap!

The post TUF Love: The Ultimate Fighter: LIVE Experience – Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Watch as UFC Fighter Vitor Belfort trains alongside Dominick Cruz, Ross Pearson, Wilson Reis, Mike Chandler, AJ Matthews, and the rest of Alliance MMA.

The post MMA Legend Vitor Belfort Training With Dominick Cruz & The Rest Of Alliance MMA in Las Vegas appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Week 8 started a little rough…we woke up with no running water on Sunday morning. Pipes burst in the complex so we were shower-less for the day. With no practices scheduled in the morning, I worked on my computer and finished up an article for EliteFTS on “playground training”…hoping it will be published in the coming weeks. Dom and I ran to the TUF set to use their shower and then we met up with our Team Cruz athletes at a neighborhood park for a cookout. I mentioned last week that we were giving the guys a few extra days off this week since their bodies badly needed a break. Team chef, Chris Tickle, cooked up a feast and the rest of the team and coaching staff hung out, threw a ball around, and relaxed. The highlight of the cookout was the intense battles of “21″ that took place between myself, Dominick, and 6′ 3″ athlete James Vick. The big Texan played some JuCo ball and it showed in the first game…he put a butt-kicking on us. Game 2 was another battle, however, and I squeaked out a tough one. We thought about a 3rd game, but it was literally 100 degrees out in Vegas that day so 45 minutes of running around was enough for the three of us. I should add that while the Bantamweight Champ didn’t win either game, he can ball. If next week’s “Coaches Challenge” for the TUF show is hoops, Faber will be in trouble for sure.

After the cookout, I hung out in the complex pool for my “shower” since we still didn’t have any water.

Monday morning omelets kicked off the day (after a shower…water was fixed), and then off to TUF practice. Dom showed the guys some cage-control techniques and they drilled for about 90 minutes.

At the morning team practice at Throwdown, I warmed up with the guys…3 5-minute rounds of shadow boxing. This warm-up could easily be someone’s workout. The guys drilled while I did deadlifts and presses. Lunch at home was grilled chicken and veggies and then back to TUF for the afternoon session. We changed up their schedule a bit so I put them through a strength & conditioning session tonight. My plan was first 1/2 strength, second 1/2 conditioning. The session went something like this:

Dynamic Warm-Up with shoulder mobility and glute activation work

Round 1 (strength): Lateral Plyos –> Front Squats –> Hip Thrusters

Round 2 (strength): High-Rep Pullups –> Stability Ball Pushups –> TRX abs

Round 3 (conditioning): Incline Treadmill –> Weighted Tire Push

Round 4 (conditioning): Airdyne Sprints –> SuperBand Snapdowns

It may look like a lot on paper, however, we were in and out in under an hour. We ran home to eat and then back to Throwdown for the night training. Most of the guys were hitting pads and/or doing bag-work. I brought my gi and had the opportunity to roll with Wilson Reis. He’s a long-time black belt and I’m a bright white belt…needless to say, the 60 minute session was not pretty. Not only did I not score a single point, I never even came close to passing his guard…well, maybe one time. He may tell you differently though. It was one of the hardest sessions I’ve had out here to date. I loved it and hated it at the same time. Wilson is a great teacher too and showed me a lot of fundamentals that I need to start working on. I crawled home, showered, and went to bed….too tired to eat.

Tuesday has no TUF sessions so I made a morning Whole Foods run and then met up with the team at the TUF set for a sparring session. The UFC wanted to film Dom and the team training so that’s why we went to their facility and not Throwdown today. I did treadmill sprints and stretched while they had a great sparring session. It’s always awesome getting a front row seat to these sparring sessions. I get to watch UFC athletes Dom, Jeremy Stephens, Ross Pearson, and a bunch of other animals go at it each and every day….love me job. The afternoon had me back at the pool for an hour or so reading some more “Easy Strength”. I hope to finish it up by next week. The night Throwdown strength training session included Forrest, Mark Ellis, and a couple other guys. It was a squat and pull-up focus tonight. Dom and I made it back to the condo around 8:30 and I cooked up some steaks and a big salad for dinner.

Wednesday morning’s TUF session was sparring. Sparring sessions are fun for me because I get to watch, listen, and learn from the other coaches on our Team Cruz staff. Another solid training session in the books…we left and the guys went to Throwdown for a wrestling practice. I’m personally taking the day off so I just did 10 minutes of mobility work and watched the practice. We ran home for lunch, and then back to TUF for an afternoon wrestling session. Another quick turnaround and we were back at Throwdown for a strength session with a group of guys. This wasn’t the same group as the guys I trained on Tuesday night so there were a couple repeats movements…the primary lifts were shoulder mobility drills, deadlifts, pullups, and heavy carries. Dinner was some salmon, potatoes, and veggies, and then I worked on some program writing for the rest of the night.

Thursday started with big old omelets and then it was on to TUF for morning sprint work. Our fighter for the week, Sam Sicilia, was already on weight for his big fight Friday night. Sam is one of our hardest workers and definitely one of my favorites on the team (have I said that about every one of our guys?!). At Throwdown, the team boxed and I worked out with Colleen Schneider, a female MMA athlete who trains at Throwdown. We worked on squats and pullups, and then did a bunch of partner sprints as a finisher.

Back at TUF, the fighters, Sam and his opponent, Chris Saunders, weighed in (both at 155), and then Team Cruz drilled for 90 minutes. After practice, we were back to Throwdown for session #2 of the day. I rolled with Wilson again and only lasted about 45 minutes this time.

I tweaked an oblique muscle trying to hip escape during a scramble. The hip escape was unsuccessful and my oblique is still bothering me as I type this (5 days later). I must have pulled it pretty good. At home that night I iced up quite a bit and went to bed.

Friday – Fight day!! It’s so sweet to have prime seats to a UFC event every single week! I’m so appreciative of this opportunity out here. The morning TUF practice was drilling for the team and eating for Sam! It’s always funny to see how much weight the guys put back on after weigh-ins. Sam looked good and was ready to rumble. At Throwdown, the guys grappled and I did a real light workout…my oblique was really bothering me was I wanted to take it easy. My plan is to actually take the next 3 days off completely to try and rest it up. I’ll be home in San Diego training clients and running around so it will give me some much needed rest.

In the Team Cruz locker room, Sam seemed calm and confident. I stretched him out, he hit pads with Coach Eric, and worked on some ground techniques with Wilson. They called us in and it was go time!

The next 10 minutes were a war. Saunders earned a lot of respect from me…I thought Sam was going to walk through this guy, definitely not the case. Saunders took the first round in a big way. He connected on a solid leg kick that would have had me still on the ground today. Sam recovered from it and actually pushed the action. Sam dropped Saunders in the second and I thought he easily won round 2. Unfortunately, as the sign above the locker room door states, “Never leave it in the hands of the judges”. They awarded a split decision to Saunders. I’ve re-watched every fight so far this season and I’ve agreed with every decision the judges have made; except this one….definitely felt it should have gone to a third round. It is what it is. The two guys put on a hell of a fight…and Saunders got the better of it tonight. I hate leaving the locker room after a loss, but I had to catch a flight home. I gave Sam a hug and told him to keep his head up high…he should be proud of his performance.

The weekend back home was busy. Saturday started with clients in the morning and afternoon and then I finally got to spend some time with my better half. We went to dinner and then caught a Cirque du Soleil show, Totem, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

I’ve seen about 10 Cirque shows and they always deliver for me. I am always so impressed and amazed at what the human body is capable of. Truly awesome stuff. If you’ve never seen a Cirque show, do it!

Sunday started with more clients and then brunch at one of my favorite spots in town, The Naked Cafe. After brunch, we hung out in Solana Beach for a little bit and then checked out a possible new condo in Carmel Valley. We are looking to move this year and the Carmel Valley area is #1 on the list. Rest and relaxation for the rest of the day.

Another busy week ahead…details coming soon. Keep rooting for Team Cruz! We need the Wolverine to win this one so we can tie things up 4-4!

The post The Ultimate Fighter LIVE Week 8 – TEAM CRUZ Strength & Conditioning Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Monday was a full day of training clients in San Diego. I finished up with my last client around 5:30pm. It was great to catch up with my home clients and see how they were doing with their health and fitness. I truly do hate being away from them for so long….fortunately, we have passed the 1/2 point of the show so we are getting closer to the end.

Tuesday started with a morning kettlebell session (TGU’s, snatches, swings, and windmills) and then on the plane back to Sin City. I met a bunch of the athletes at Chipotle for lunch and then to the condo to work on paperwork. Since their was no TUF show training today I only had one training session – I met the Ross Pearson, Forrest Griffin, Mark Ellis, and a couple other athletes at Throwdown for an evening strength training session. Our primary lift tonight was the deadlift; they went for 6 sets of triples tonight. I added a number of accessory lifts and we were done in 40 minutes.

Wednesday morning I cooked up some omelets for Dominick and I and then went to the TUF set. They were working on wrestling technique with Dom and assistant coach Shannon Slack so I left early and made my weekly Whole Foods run. I met up with the guys again at Throwdown and Dominick and I went through a strength training session together. We also worked on our deadlift and I added a lot of T-spine mobility and shoulder strengthening exercises for Dom. After our session I joined the rest of the group who was working on cage-control drills. I was lucky enough to partner with UFC athlete Mike Easton (yes, the Hulk) and he proceeded to throw me around for the next 15 minutes. A quick shower and lunch (quinoa, shrimp, veggies), and then back to TUF for my strength session with the guys. We went through a warm-up, a couple sets of broad jumps, and then went through 2 full-body complexes:

1. Rear-foot elevated split squats –> 1-arm rows –> TRX hip drops

2. Hip thrusts –> pull-ups –> RIP rotations

They finished with 100 meter sprints on the Concept 2 Rowers coupled with heavy carries.

I finished up Wednesday night with another strength session at Throwdown. We focused primarily on front squats and weighted pull-ups tonight.

Thursday morning’s breakfast was buckwheat pancakes and organic bacon for Dom and eggs and berries for me. I am also starting a meal plan that a colleague of mine, Brenton Robinson, put together for me. I really like some of the updates and suggestions he provided me with so I’m looking forward to it. Give me a week or two on it and I’ll send out an update. At TUF, we had the team go through a tough sprint session. After 6 hard weeks of training, we can start to see the rigors of the season taking a toll on these guys. We plan to lighten things up for the next couple days to let their bodies, and minds, reset.

At Throwdown, the team sparred along with legendary fighter Vitor Belfort and his team.

I lifted and did 15 rounds of sprints and then stretched out a few of the guys after practice. We ran home for lunch and then I skipped out on the TUF weigh-ins so I could get some paperwork done. I met some of the guys back at Throwdown later that night for a strength session. Weighted pull-ups for the guys tonight and then I did 4 rounds of bag work. My dinner that night was a big salad with some salmon.

Friday turned out to be an awesome day. We gave the TUF team the morning off so I got to sleep in. At Throwdown training, Vitor led a grappling session that was awesome. I learned some sweet new techniques. We drilled for a good 90 minutes before heading back to the condo. On the way home from training I found a great tweet that loosely said, “Team Faber is partying at the pool today while Team Cruz is training with Vitor Belfort. I guess that says it all”. I loved it! There were pics of Faber’s crew hanging at a local pool catching rays while Dom and his team was drilling and working hard. In short, hard work pays off…and earns you the championship belt!

Back at the condo, I went to the pool to get further into my latest read, “Easy Strength” by Dan John and Pavel. It’s been a great book so far. It’s really reinforced a number of things I’m already doing and made me question a number of things I’m doing as well.

After hanging in the intense Vegas heat (makes me appreciate San Diego!), it was back to TUF for the fight between our boy Vinc Pichel and Team Faber’s John Cofer. Cofer is a DI wrestler with decent stand-up so we were mostly concerned with the take-downs. Vinc is, without a doubt, one of my favorites on the team…an extremely hard worker, listens well, and may be the strongest guy on the team. I stretched him out and he hit pads with Coach Eric. He seemed very comfortable and confident; two good traits heading into a fight. If you missed this one, I highly recommend you check it out – it was my ‘fight of the season‘ so far. They had some great exchanges and Vinc stuffed every single take-down attempt that came his way. Cofer took the first round, Vinc won the second, and they had to go to a sudden victory 3rd round. We have always preached in our practices that the 3rd round will always belong to Team Cruz. We train too smart and too hard to not have better cardio and own the final round. Sure enough, 44 seconds in to the last frame, Vinc choked Cofer out.

Being in the locker room after a win is one of my favorite feelings! It’s such a team atmosphere…love it. I stayed in Vegas this weekend as well so no need to rush to the airport. Next up; Sam Sicilia vs Chris Saunders – should be another great one.

Saturday was another morning off for the TUF team. I met the the guys at Throwdown for an afternoon metabolic training session. Unfortunately, there was a seminar going in the gym so we had to training outside…and it was 98 degrees. Tire flips, sled drags, and Anaconda slams. Dom, Ross, AJ, Kristie, and Juan were beasts out in the heat and survived the quick, but intense, 25 minute session. After training, I had the pleasure of meeting Ronda Rousey, who is only the baddest gal in MMA. Dominick brought Ronda in as a guest coach to show the guys a couple Judo moves. If you don’t know Ronda, Google her. She is a beast! The team was fired up to see her and she then went ahead and hip-tossed them all for a 60 minute training session. I even had the honored of being dropped on my head by one of the best. The guys drilled easy and got a lot out of the training session. Dom, Ronda, and I went to the condo for some food and then we were off to the TUF house to watch UFC 145: Jones/Evans. One of my athletes, Travis Browne, was on the card so I was pumped to watch. Overall, the card didn’t impress me a ton…Travis threw a picture-perfect flying knee and then shortly after he choked out his opponent, Chad Griggs. A nice submission of the night bonus check is in the mail for Hapa. The main event went the way I thought it would, with Jones winning. Although, I thought he would finish Evans…it was a good fight on Jones part who won every round. We hung out with the guys at the house for a few more hours just shooting the breeze and then called it a night. Another long week in the books! The season is heating up…

More updates coming soon…

The post The Ultimate Fighter LIVE Week 7 – TEAM CRUZ Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Watch Coach Doug Balzarini take on the UFC Champion Dominick Cruz, Bellator Veteran Wilson Reis, and UFC Fighter Phil Davis

The post Strength & Conditioning Coach Fights Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis & Wilson Reis *VIDEO* appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Another long week in the books! I woke up early Sunday and hit up a neighborhood park for a kettlebell workout with some hills sprints mixed in. I recently signed up for the RKC workshop so I really need to start grooving the kettlebell movements. After the workout, I relaxed by the pool for a couple hours and started reading “Easy Strength” by Dan John and Pavel. I’m about 1/2 through and it’s an awesome book. I highly recommend it. After a couple hours of relaxing it was off for a TUF conditioning session. Since the guys are locked up in their house for 13 weeks, we arranged to meet them at a local park. I think the guys appreciated being outside and getting to train in the sunshine. We met at Lone Mountain Park and I put them through a dynamic warm-up with some mobility drills. After that, they did some hills sprints up this gravel road that took anywhere from 26-30 seconds to reach the top. A couple rounds of that and we called it a session. Our goal is to keep this session fairly light since they have a grueling week of training ahead.

Monday kicked off with a veggie scramble and then TUF practice. The guys sparred hard today and we are seeing a few of them drop the other guy once in a while. Most of these guys are beasts! After practice, we went to Throwdown for team training…the guys had a grappling session and I was able to work in with them since it was mostly technique work and drilling. A quick lunch of chicken, rice, and veggies and right back to TUF for a drilling session. I stretched out a couple guys and watched the rest of the training. At the night session at Throwdown, the team did drills so I hit the weight room for a 45 minute training session.

Tuesday had no TUF show so it’s definitely a light day. I went to Whole Foods in the am and stocked the fridge and then met the guys at Throwdown for the morning session. The guys sparred so I did 15 rounds of treadmill sprints (30 on/30 off ) and then 4 rounds of bag work. I also got to work with one of our black belts our here, Jimmy, on some basic techniques. I clearly have a LONG way to go…the belt around my waist will remain white for a long time I’m afraid. I worked on some emails and programming in the afternoon and then went back to Throwdown for a strength session with a handful of the team. Since the guys in my Tuesday/Thursday sessions are still “outside of camp” we continued to work on our foundational lifts…squats and pull-ups were our primary lifts tonight.

Wednesday, one of our longest days, started off with greek yogurt, berries, and an egg sandwich. I threw in some organic bacon for Dom since he wants red meat or bacon every single day. The TUF session was a wrestling practice that was led by Shannon Slack. I was lucky enough to be a “dummy” again today. I worked with big James Vick who is awesome to work with. He’s a sponge and always eager for more.

At Throwdown, the team went through 8 5-minute rounds of grappling. I personally made it through 5 rounds before I twisted my wrist while I was getting my ass kicked by Tyson Griffin. It wasn’t anything serious but I tweaked it enough to not want to push it any further that session (yes, I used it as my excuse to stop). A couple guys I got to roll with included Shannon Slack, Mikey Easton, and Griffin. They all completely destroyed me. Good times. We ran home to shower and eat, and then it was back to TUF for my strength training session with the guys. The session included:

~ Foam rolling, cuff work, dynamic warm-up

~ Couple sets of plyos

~ Complex 1
Single Leg Deads –> Single Arm Presses –> Pull-Ups

~ Complex 2
Hip Thrusts –> Pushups –> TRX Rows

~ Finisher
Partner Band Sprints –> Heavy Carry Variations

My Wednesday evening strength session with the team was cancelled since a couple of the guys did sprint work in the morning and 1-2 of the guys were a little banged up.

Thursday started with omelets and then to TUF for their weekly sprint session. It’s the shortest workout of their week and one of the hardest sessions they have. At Throwdown, the guys sparred and I worked with Colleen Schneider, who is a fighter that trains at Throwdown and she’s getting ready for an upcoming event. I explained the “method to my madness” and we went through a 45 minute session. She’s a strong gal and did awesome. After training, Ross Pearson, Kristie McKeon and I went to The Fight Dentists. The owner, Dr. Adam Persky, was awesome and helped me design my first custom DB Strength mouthguard. It should be ready next week and I’ll be sure to put up a pic of it. After the fitting, I went home to eat and then went back to Throwdown. I skipped out on the TUF show weigh-ins since a bunch of the guys wanted to get an earlier strength training session in. I worked with Ross, Mike Chandler, Mark Ellis, Forrest Griffin, and AJ Matthews…we focused on deads and presses tonight.

Friday’s morning TUF training was a grappling session. I got to help out a little bit and roll with Sam Sicilia…he won easily. At Throwdown, the guys had a wrestling practice. I warmed up with them, which would be a workout for many people, and then did some easy mobility drills on my own….the body was tired from the week. After practice, I did a photo shoot with Fight! Magazine and showed them some of my favorite bodyweight exercises for MMA athletes. After the shoot, we were off to the TUF show for the big fight, Proctor vs Tickle.

While I’m a Boston boy and love Proctor’s accent since it reminds me of home, I had to root for our boy Tickle. He gets a bad rap on TV…he’s really not as bad as they make him out to be. Again, we had the correct game-plan established; keep the fight standing, pick him apart from the outside, throw those big leg kicks, and avoid the take-down. Proctor has great jitz and we knew if it went to the mat Chris may be in trouble. Sadly, we were right. For the majority of the round, Tickle was doing well and definitely winning. Unfortunately, on Proctor’s second attempt, he got Chris to the mat…a few seconds later the fight was over. Proctor took his back and sunk in a tight rear-naked choke. The locker room was filled with anger and frustration. Dominick was giving Chris and the rest of the team a powerful message about execution when I had to leave to catch my flight back to San Diego.

I really wanted to stay and be part of the experience…however, I couldn’t miss my flight. After going up 2-0, we are now down 2-3…we MUST collect a win next week…”From Hell” is just the man for the job.

I was back in San Diego for Saturday…felt so good to be home for a few days. I worked with a couple clients, did some hill sprints at Kate Sessions Park, had a photo shoot for a clothing company (more details soon), looked at an apartment in Solana Beach (didn’t like it), and then relaxed the rest of the day.

Sunday consisted of client training in the morning and taxes the rest of the day…sadly, they took the WHOLE rest of the day. I’m never waiting until the last minute again. Lesson learned…and Uncle Sam just got himself a nice little pay-day too.

This week coming up is all about Hell!! As in Vinc “from hell” Pichel. Team Cruz.

The post The Ultimate Fighter LIVE Week 6 – TEAM CRUZ Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

It was definitely nice to stay out in Vegas and not have to deal with the long drive this week. I miss not getting back to work with my San Diego clients but I know they are working hard and getting their “homework” done.

We are pretty much in a solid routine at this point…good breakfast in the morning, TUF show training, team training at Throwdown, lunch, second TUF show training, second team training at Throwdown, dinner, pass out. Repeat the next day. It’s a long grind but the guys are all working hard and getting better every week.

Monday started off with a big veggie omelets for Dom & I and then the guys on TUF had a hard sparring session. We are over a month in and you can definitely see the pressure getting to some of these guys. It was a heavy handed sparring session for sure. I can’t imagine having no contact with the outside world…lots of tension for these guys to deal with. Everyone was cool after practice and we were off to Throwdown. Most of the guys worked on BJJ techniques and I did some bag work and then joined up with Forrest Griffin for a hard sprint session. We hung out and talked shop (MMA and nutrition mostly) after practice. He’s a funny dude and a cool guy to chat with. 45 minutes at home for a shower and lunch (chicken, potato, asparagus) and then back to TUF. They worked on cage control and techniques and I stretched out a couple guys that were tight. Back at Throwdown the guys boxed and I went through a 45 minutes strength session that consisted primarily of deadlifts, rows, floor presses, and TRX ab work. Dinner Monday night was salmon, rice, and broccoli.

Tuesday was an off day at the TUF set so the schedule is a bit lighter. Dom and the team, however, went to the TUF set to get their training in today.

They sparred for a bunch of rounds and I hit the bag for 3 rounds and got a strength training session in. After morning practice, it was back to Costco and Whole Foods to load up the kitchen again with food. I won’t tell you how much we spend on groceries, but I’m saying I could feed a family of 4 with the amount of food the Champ eats. It seems my life out here is spent in either a gym or a grocery store. For the record, the Whole Foods out here is pretty nice. I went back to the condo, cooked up some food, and then hit up Throwdown to put a bunch of guys throw a training session. Some of the guys included UFC fighter Ross Pearson, Bellator Lightweight Champ Mike Chandler, Wilson Reis, Mark Ellis, and a few others. We went through a full-body training session and finished up with a couple 300 yard shuttle runs. After a tough strength training session, the 300′s are tough. None of the guys broke 60 seconds today but they are real close. We got home around 9pm and Dom had to head out for a bunch of interviews. I stayed in and had some leftovers for dinner. I’m really taking advantage of the Vegas nightlife!

Big ol’ omelets started our Wednesday and then wrestling drills at the TUF set. I got to cruise around with the UFC belt as Dom needed it for some events.

At Throwdown, the guys wrestled and I did some of their drills and finished up with bag work (As you can see by now, I like to hit things that don’t hit back). We cruised home for lunch and then back to the TUF set for a strength and conditioning session. The session included:

1. Dynamic Warm up
2. Medicine Ball Work
3. 2 Strength Complexes
- Squats, Pullups, Slams, Rotations
- Box Jumps, Rows, Sledgehammer work, TRX Supermans
4. Finisher – 10 second dynamic mode sprints with heavy dummy carries

On Wednesday night at Throwdown, I ran another strength & conditioning session for a couple guys. Basically, I have one group that I’m training on Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday and the other group that I train on Wednesday/Saturday. The weekday sessions are a bit more “strength” based while the Saturday group session is a metabolic circuit for all the guys. Tonight, I ran Dom and AJ Matthews through a strength session that included deadlifts, plyos, presses, rows, ab work, and the 300 shuttle to finish up. Like the group on Tuesday, they both got close to breaking the one minute mark, but neither did. I suspect they will both get it in a couple weeks time. Dinner tonight was grass-fed burgers with home-made cajun-flavored potato wedges, squash, and a big salad.

Thursday started off with blueberry buckwheat pancakes and organic bacon for Dom and then we hit the TUF set for a sprint workout for the guys. The sprint workout we have them do is one of the toughest “cardio” sessions you could ever experience. It’s extremely challenging but it’s done quick so there’s a trade-off. It’s classic interval training at its finest. At Throwdown, most of the guys sparred while Jeremy Stephens and I went through a quick strength training session and then hit up sprints…30 on, 30 off with a 10% incline and the speed anywhere between 8.0 and 9.0. We made it through 15 sets and I was hurting. Trying to keep up with these MMA animals is either going to get me into great shape or kill me…

I crawled home for lunch and Dom and I had a huge shrimp salad with all the fixin’s. He also had another burger and more veggies (I have no idea where he puts all this food) and then he took off back to the TUF set for weigh-ins. I skipped out on weigh-ins tonight as I had some emails and paperwork to catch up on.

The Thursday night Throwdown strength training session included Ross Pearson, AJ Matthews, Mark Ellis, and others. Our primary lifts were goblet squats and pullups while our accessory lifts were rows, pushups, and ab work. We finished up with a couple rounds of broad jumps…AJ is the current leader at 9′ 3″.

Friday morning at TUF we went over 1/2 guard techniques and I was a “dummy” for strong Vinc Pichel. He choked me out over 50 times in the session…my neck is still a little sore. At Throwdown Training Center, the guys worked on cage drills so I hit the bag and Ross showed me some drills to work on.

Back at TUF for the big match between our boy, Jeremy Larsen, and Team Faber’s athlete, Michael Chiesa.

I stretched Jeremy out, he hit pads with Ross, and then we were on the set ready for war. Our game-plan heading into the fight was to defend take-downs, keep your back to the cage, and to be active on our feet. We weren’t worried about Chiesa on his feet and just wanted to try to keep him off of Jeremy. Unfortunately, Chiesa’s take-downs were tough and he was able to control the cage throughout the 2 rounds. Despite a knee in the first which cost Chiesa a point, he won a unanimous decision. Jeremy is a tough kid and showed a lot of heart. He has no quit in him at all and should definitely keep his head up. We went home and I watched the show on TV…I like to see the “side-stories” that the show decides to edit and run…this week was primarily about Chris Tickle. I’ll save my thoughts on Chris until next week…he’s a heck of an athlete with a ton of potential.

Saturday started with eggs and buckwheat pancakes and then we hit TUF for a wrestling practice. The guys were in positive spirits, despite the loss and now being 2-2 with Team Faber. I still like our chances in the competition as we still have a couple studs left to do battle. After practice, I put Dom and 5 other guys through a metabolic circuit at Throwdown. A quick shower and lunch at Chipotle (love that place) and then right back to TUF. We went over more BJJ techniques and I was lucky enough to be a dummy once again. After practice, Master Lloyd insisted we hit this place called, Hot & Juicy Crawfish. I was hesitant at first, but I have to say that the Blue Moon and couple pounds of King Crab Legs were amazing. Being an old man, I went back to the condo and called it a night. A few of the guys went out and hit the strip…Ahh to be young.

I’ll pick it up again next week!

The post The Ultimate Fighter LIVE Week 5 – TEAM CRUZ Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article by Coach Doug Balzarini

Monday

Like the previous weeks, this week began on Monday in San Diego with my “general population” clients. This week I decided to fly back Tuesday morning so I was able to relax on Monday night and not have to sit in the car for 5 hours. The flight is relatively inexpensive so I think I’ll be taking the 1 hour flight back instead of the long drive from here on out.

Tuesday

I flew back Tuesday morning with Jeremy Stephens who is out in Vegas with us for his training camp. Great fighter and an even greater kid with awesome talent. After getting settled, I took the afternoon to review all the different training programs I have going on. I think it’s important to review your program design every couple weeks to make sure you are on track and make any adjustments that may be necessary. We didn’t have any filming on the TUF show so my only session was that night at Throwdown Training Center.

We have been to 4-5 different facilities since we’ve been out here and I like this one the best. For me, it has a nice variety of equipment and plenty of open space for me to work with. I had Dominick, Ross Pearson, and 6 other guys. We are outside of camp so it was “foundational strength” day meaning we worked on traditional lifts – heavy sets of deadlifts, hip thrusters, and some single-leg work for the lower body and pullups, pushups, or torso rotation work for the upper body. Dom and I got home around 9pm and I put together a salad and an omelet for dinner (love breakfast food at night!).

Wednesday

Wednesday started with my morning run and then I made eggs over easy with toast and fruit for breakfast. We went to the TUF set where Dom put the guys through a wrestling session while I stretched out Myles and showed him a couple mobility drills for his hips and shoulders. We went to Throwdown after the morning session and Jeremy Stephens and I went through a strength training session together. It was only Jeremy and he has excellent form so I joined him for a deadlifting and pull-up session. We worked on a lot of posterior chain strength as well as shoulder integrity and core work to finish up. The rest of the Alliance guys went through a brutal jiu-jitsu session. After those challenging sessions, I make sure I get a Vitargo shake into Dominick’s system as quickly as possible. It’s the best product on the market that I’ve found for refueling the body after a tough training.

Back on the TUF set for the 2nd session, I was in charge and put our guys through a strength training session. Here’s the basic game-plan:
DWU – foam rolling, ankle cuff work
Power – explosive medicine ball movements
Strength Complex 1 – squats, rows, abs
Strength Complex 2 – 1-leg deads, presses, abs
Finisher – 6 sets of dynamic mode sprints and heavy carries between rounds

After TUF, it was back to Throwdown to put some guys through another strength training session. I’m handling 2 (well 3 really with the TUF show) different training camps so the guys that don’t strength train with me on Tuesday & Thursday, get their workout in on Wednesday. It’s a lot to juggle because there are so many different guys here and most of them have fights at different times. After the training session, it was home at 9:30pm for dinner…wild tilapia with broccoli and sweet potato.

Thursday

Wednesdays are long ones so I’m not getting my morning run in on Thursday. I slept in and made veggie omelets. At TUF we put the guys through an interval session and I included treadmills, Concept2 rowers, airdynes, and Versa-climbers. I like to mix it up with the “cardio” pieces so we are really challenging the entire body. At Throwdown, Dom and the guys sparred so I did some bag work for 20 minutes and then got my sprints in (definitely not sparring with the guys). We ran home for lunch and then back to TUF for weigh-ins for our boy Myles Jury. He had a great week and made weight without too much trouble. Back at Throwdown for the night session, most of the guys worked on technique and drilling while I put 4 guys through a strength training session. It consisted primarily of squats, pull-ups, pushups, core work, and lots of joint integrity work. We finished up with heavy sled pushes (Ross loves them).

Friday

Friday morning I skipped out on the TUF show practice to make a Whole Foods run and load up the fridge….lots of fish, chicken, veggies, and more fish oils and greens. I met the Alliance crew at Throwdown and did some wrestling drills with the team. After that, Danny Martinez and I threw our gi’s on and rolled for a bit. Mike Easton showed us a couple cool submission from the guard and then we rolled live for 10 minutes…for the record, we are tied 1 submission each. We hurried home, had some leftovers from last night for lunch, and then went to the TUF set to help Myles get ready for his tough match -up against Al Iaquinta of Team Faber.

For those that saw the fight know how close it was…split decisions are hard to swallow. An expression we use in the Team Cruz locker room is, “Embrace the war” and both guys did that tonight. Unfortunately, Myles lost the decision after going 3 hard rounds with Al. Being there live and, perhaps being a bit biased, I thought Myles took the first 2 rounds and, therefore, should have one the fight. I watched it again later that night on TV, however, and I could see how they gave Al the 2nd round despite the great take-down at the end by Myles. I gave Al the 3rd round which gave him the fight 2 rounds to 1. It was the first loss for Team Cruz and the mood in the locker room after is not something I want to get used too. Myles is a solid kid and he will definitely learn from this fight. He had never been in a 3 round war before so there are definitely some positives to take away from the night.

Since I flew to Vegas earlier in the week and rearranged my schedule, I did not have to drive (or fly) back to San Diego after the fight. It was definitely nice to just get to head back to the condo and rest up for Saturday’s training sessions.

Saturday

There’s no “weekend” around here so it was right back to TUF Saturday morning for technique work and drilling with the guys. I helped out a little bit and stretched a few of the guys. We hit up Throwdown after and I put 6 guys through a metabolic circuit that included the Stroops Anaconda, partner sprint work, partner heavy medicine ball throws, and dummy ground & pound drills. Our 6th guy was Forrest Griffin who trains at Throwdown. It was my first time meeting him and he was fun to have join in. He’s a big dude for light heavyweight and super funny too. A quick shower and lunch and then it was back to TUF for wrestling drills with the guys. We left the show and then went back to the condos for a jacuzzi and a couple drinks. It was my first time in over a month having a drink (ok, maybe 3 total)…felt good to unwind and relax.

Sunday

Sunday I slept in and relaxed most of the morning since there was no Alliance team training and only one TUF show session at 3pm. For that session I put the team through 3 5-minute round circuits. The five stations included:
1. Incline treadmill
2. Heavy rope work
3. Heavy dummy carries and ground & pound
4. Sled pulls
5. Versaclimber

With the warm-up at the beginning and TRX ab blast at the end, the whole workout was done in 45 minutes. Short and sweet. I went back to the condo and cooked up a bunch of food and then hit the pillow by 10pm. Can’t wait to start it all again tomorrow!

The post The Ultimate Fighter LIVE Week 4 – TEAM CRUZ Strength & Conditioning Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Coach Doug Balzarini preparing Alliance MMA. See how Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Ross Pearson, Mike Easton, Scott Heckman, Alex Garcia, Alantez Fox and Matt are preparing for their fights!

The post Ross Pearson, Mike Easton, Scott Heckman, Alex Garcia and Alliance MMA at Throwdown In Las Vegas: Doug Balzarini’s Strength & Conditioning appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article By Frank Curreri
Dominick Cruz: Fights at 135 Pounds; Eats 5,000 Calories a Day

Tony Mandarich. One of the greatest offensive linemen in college history. And… arguably the biggest bust in the NFL draft history. A bear of a man — 310-pounds – who once estimated he consumed roughly 10,000 calories a day. Back in the late 1980s, the No.1 pick’s marathon eating blew a lot of minds.

Turns out, 135-pound world champ Dominick Cruz is quite the GI-normous grubber himself. Pound-for-pound, in fact, Cruz’s daily wolf-downs can go toe-to-toe with Mandarich’s famed caloric consumption. With little effort, it seems.

“He (Cruz) probably eats about 5,000 calories a day,” says Doug Balzarini, Strength and Nutrition coach for Cruz and the Alliance MMA Fight team.

The crazy thing is, with all that munching, Cruz said he has never topped 160 pounds in his life. Having to moonlight as a head coach for The Ultimate Fighter Live AND simultaneously train for a rubber match with arch rival Urijah Faber this summer, Cruz said calories are a huge deal with his ultra-busy schedule and quest to win his 10th straight fight. A fast-food diner for much of his pro career, Cruz (19-1) said age and body changes forced him to reform his anything-goes refueling. A month into his dramatic dietary transformation, one of the sport’s hardest and craftiest workers let us inside an aspect of his training that he feels will prolong his championship reign and longevity in the sport.

Dominick Cruz diet versus Urijah Faber diet. I asked Urijah and he said his diet wins by first round KO. You agree?

“Right now? Urijah’s not aware of my dietary shift. There’s a lot of things that Urijah is not aware of about me, but he continues to make assumptions, which is fine. Back in the day, I’ll give him a knockout on the diet. I ate like crap. I didn’t have a diet (chuckles)! But you can tell him this: even though Urijah had a knockout in the diet department, I beat the crap out of him on Carne Asada burritos and Jumbo jacks (sandwiches from the menu of the Jack in the Box restaurant). How’s that make him feel?”

Up until a month ago, what were you eating?

“When I was commander in chief of the diet, I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. I just trained all the time and burned it all off. I built a nine fight winning streak on breakfast jacks and Carne Asada burritos, honestly. (Looks over at teammate Phil Davis). Phil eats as s—– as I did and he’s still shredded and a monster. So food is important no doubt, but age has something to do with it and it’s about longevity in your career. At some point you have to start taking good care of your body when you’re beating the crap out of it physically. You have to put good fuel in it. It’s a lifestyle change, and you’ve got to be willing to make the lifestyle change.”

What are the don’ts in your diet right now?

“I’m trying to stay away from sugar. No fast food. Again, Doug, my nutritionist knows better than me. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I know a lot about this. There is a reason that I hired a professional to do this for me. I am 100 percent all-in at whatever he throws in front of me and tells me to eat, as long as I’m full at the end of the night.”

Least favorite new food that you are eating?

“The nastiest thing I’ve eaten so far (yells to Doug, his nutritionist). Hey Doug, what’s that nasty a—green lettuce that you make me eat?”

Doug: “Kale.”

“Yeah, I hate kale. Tastes like s—. But I’ll eat it, no problem. Whatever he puts in front of me.”

Why the shift in diet now?

“I’m getting older. I’m 27 and my body is changing. It’s getting harder to make 135 pounds. My workload is twice as much with TUF right now so it’s even more important that I stay healthy and eat clean and that my body burns fuel right. I started on this diet like a month ago. I feel great. I wish I had done it sooner but it was one of those things where you either have the time and the money for it, or you don’t. And up until recently I didn’t.”

A lot of people have problems dramatically changing their diets, like going cold turkey and switching things up on their taste buds. Have you experienced any of those kinds of withdrawals or cravings?

Cruz: No, I love eating and I love the taste of food, but I’m all about getting what I need in me to perform and have my body run right. So if it tastes like crap I will eat it anyway. I just want to feel good when I train.

Give fans an idea of a typical day in the eating life of Dominick Cruz.

“I’ll wake up at like three in the morning and have a whey protein shake, I’d say it’s about 600 calories. I go back to bed and wake up again at 7:30 (a.m.) and have a five egg omelet with spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, egg whites and two pieces of … ummm…(yells to his strength and conditioning coach, who is seated nearby, and says, ‘Hey what kind of bread is it that you make me?”)

Doug: “Ezekiel or whole grain.”

“Yeah, Ezekiel bread. Man, this guy will tell you better than I can. So I have that meal at 7:30 a.m., then I go to the TUF set, coach and then I have a Vitargo shake. It’s a supplement drink. I’m hypoglycemic, so it gets my blood sugar back in line before I go to train. So I drink that and train. After training I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with organic peanut butter, organic jelly and Ezekiel bread. I have a protein shake with that as well.

“Then I go home and eat lunch. Lunch can be anything from chicken breast, broccoli, to sweet potato, to pasta with ground turkey meat, organic tomato sauce, stuff like that. A big meal.

“Then I’ll rest, go back to TUF and coach my team. After coaching, I’ll have another Vitargo shake before my personal evening practice. Then I go home and have my biggest meal of the day – it might be ground turkey patties with vegetables and a huge salad, another sweet potato. I’ll eat any complex carb mixed with protein and vegetables.”

That’s a massive amount of eating and it sounds like that’s important because you want to be as big as you can before making the cut to 135 pounds … is that correct?

“Right. My philosophy is, no matter how much I eat, with how hard I train I will never get over 160 pounds. That’s the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I walk around no heavier than 155 pounds. So I’m trying to stay heavy and put on as much muscle as possible in between fights. Then, three weeks out of my fight, that’s when I’ll start to cut my diet. I get down to about 150 pounds two weeks out of a fight.

“I’m doing two of my own workouts a day, plus two workouts coaching my team at TUF.”

Obvious question: You’ve always had great cardio and been a great athlete, so that’s never been a problem. So what advantages have you specifically experienced with this more nutritious and advanced diet?

“The biggest thing is, with coaching TUF and training for a title fight, I have a heavier workload now than at any time in my career, besides when I worked full-time and trained fighting full-time years ago. But that’s what I’m doing again now. That’s four workouts a day, so it’s extremely important to get all the vegetables and nutrients and eat as much as possible throughout the day so I don’t atrophy my muscles. My energy levels are a lot higher and I’m not quite as lethargic in between training sessions. It might even help with alleviating lactic acid in the body and having less sickness because you’re getting the nutrients that you need.”

Talk about being hypoglycemic.

“I’ve been like that since high school. I get light-headed, really, really agitated and cranky when my sugar levels are off. And I’ll shake profusely, even in the middle of training. So I have to get sugar in my body and usually the Vitargo gets me set again.”

If you had the time to cook, what would be your go-to meal?

“I can’t cook. I suck at cooking. I’m too lazy.”

The post Eat Like The Dominator – Dominick Cruz On Food appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Article By Strength & Conditioning Coach Doug Balzarini
Week 3 was another great week. They are long grinds, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Like last week, I was in San Diego on Monday training clients. I truly enjoy working with so many different populations; it challenges me and keeps me on task and always wanting to learn more. During a normal week, I will work with a UFC champion, many amateur and professional fighters, middle-aged business executives, athlete clients in their 20′s, and a client who is in her mid-70′s. After a full day of training at various locations (beach, playground, MMA facility), I hit the road back to Vegas. I’m getting to know the I-15 highway too well lately.

Tuesday in Las Vegas

Tuesday started with a grocery run. Team Cruz had the day off from training so I hit Whole Foods right when it opened. I’m beginning to feel like Norm on Cheers when I go there now…the lady who works the juicing machine is quite nice. Dominick and the Alliance team went to spar at Tapout, however, I stayed back to catch up on paperwork. I have a number of articles and videos that I need to try to finish up in the next week or two. My projects have definitely taken a back seat since the TUF show started. I put 10 guys through a S&C session Tuesday night at Tapout gym. It was similar set-up to our session last week…

1. Dynamic Warm-Up
2. Med Ball Complex
3. 2 Strength Circuits
4. Finisher – TRX ab work

Also, some Grid foam rollers arrived today which will be a great addition to our routines. The guys are getting banged up so some SMR work will certainly help out.

Wednesday in Las Vegas

Wednesday started with my morning sprint work, buckwheat pancake breakfast for Dom and I, and then off to the TUF set. I helped out a few of the guys with some mobility work and then they worked on Kickboxing drills with takedowns. Dom led them through some great drills and movements. He is really taking his “coaching” role seriously and I think all the members of the team enjoy having him as a coach and are learning a ton. We left the set and went to Tapout where the Alliance team had a BJJ practice. While they trained I rolled with a purple belt. It was only my 4th time in my gi…and it showed. She (yes, I said she…what?) kicked my $%#&. We trained hard going 8 rounds at 7 minutes apiece. For the record, I only got tapped out one time in 56 minutes…I’ll take that against a purple belt.

After practice, we had a quick lunch (salmon, quinoa, asparagus) and then right back to the TUF set. I put Team Cruz through a strength circuit that included a combination of power work and strength training. I incorporated some TRX work, tire flips, hip thrusters, rope pulls, and a challenging finisher of Concept2 Rower sprints with heavy dumbbell carries. The strength training sessions with the TeamCruz guys is a bit challenging because we never know who’s fighting the following week. My main focus for these guys is injury prevention. After that, I’m working on full-body training with a focus on pulling muscles, shoulder joint integrity, t-spine/hip/ankle mobility, and overall power development and muscle endurance. I’ve created a solid template with these guys and they have all felt the benefits.

Wednesday night I put Dominick and Jeremy Stephens through a predominantly body-weight session. The guys were still hurting from the 10 8-minute rounds of BJJ they did earlier in the day (and I thought my 56 minutes was a lot!). I included a lot of shoulder and t-spine mobility work along with plenty of glute activation. A couple body-weight circuits came next and we finished up with a couple sets of sprints. In and out in 45 minutes.

Wednesday night finished up back at the condo with Dom and the Famous Stars & Straps crew. I prepared some turkey burgers while Dom did some interviews.

Thursday in Las Vegas

Thursday was another long one. Sprints with Team Cruz on the TUF set started things off and then back to Tapout for the Alliance team. I went through a strength training workout with Shannon Slack (Team Cruz wrestling coach) while the rest of the team sparred. A quick lunch and then right back to the TUF set for weigh-ins. Our boy, Justin Lawrence, was right on and had a great stare-down with Cristiano Marcello (article image on the home page). The rest of the team went through a ground-game session while Justin began to rehydrate. We checked his weight one hour after weigh-ins and he had already put 11 pounds back on! After training, some of the Alliance team went to train, however, Dom and I went back to the condo to chill. I cooked up a bunch of food and then worked on an upcoming article for One Result.

Friday Fight Day in Las Vegas

Fight day Friday began with an early morning run, omelets, and the TUF set. The team sparred while I stretched Justin out and worked on some mobility drills with him. He has solid flexibility which definitely helps him with his kicks and power.

After training, the Alliance crew hit up Tapout for a wrestling session. I trained with the guys and we worked on fundamentals. After getting beat up by Wilson Reis for 90 minutes, we went to the condo to shower up and grab lunch. After a quick break, we were back at the TUF set for the fight. Much like last week, the Team Cruz fighter followed the game-plan perfectly! Lawrence threw his mean left hook in the second round and it was over. It’s so rewarding for me as a coach to see these kids succeed. All the hard work they put in truly does pay off. Lawrence is a special kid and someone I’m going to be rooting for long after this show is over.

With Dom still in control of the fight picks, he chose our #3 guy, Myles Jury, to take on their #1 guy, Al Iaquinta. Should be another solid battle. Sadly, I had to leave the winning locker room for another drive back to San Diego. Thankfully, these guys make the drive a little easier with these wins.

I’ll be back next week for my week 4 recap.

The post The Ultimate Fighter Week 3 – TEAM CRUZ Strength & Conditioning Coach Doug Balzarini appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Week 2 began in San Diego. I trained 6 of my clients on Monday and then hit the road back to Vegas around 6:30pm.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning started at 8am with veggie omelets (my specialty) and then we went to the TUF set at 9am for the first of our two daily training sessions with the team.

I was coined the “Vasoline Guy” (lucky me), helped the guys get warmed up and they had a great, hard practice of sparring and technique work. After filming, Dom and the Alliance crew hit up Tapout Training Center where they sparred. There is limited strength training equipment there so I did a 30 minute bodyweight circuit and then helped the guys stretch out after practice. We hit the condo for a post-workout Vitargo shake and then had lunch (chix, asparagus, sweet potato). We got to rest for 5 minutes (literally) and then it was back to the TUF set for our second session of shooting. I put the team through a strength & conditioning session. It consisted of:

Dynamic Warm-Up

1. Mini band circuit
2. T-spine mobility
3. Glute Activation
4. Line Drills
5. Squats, Jumping Jacks, Sit Outs, Sprawls
6. Med Ball Complex

Slams

1. Overhead Throws
2. Partner Sprawl & Throws
3. Rotational Throws

Strength Work

Complex 1
1. Front Squat
2. Pop-Up & Broad Jump
3. Tire Push

Complex 2
1. Pull-Up
2. SkiErg Machine
4. Rope Pulls

“Finisher”

1. 10 Sec Dynamic Mode Treadmill Sprint w/Heavy Dummy Carries

After training, we went to the TUF house with the team to check out their pad and hang with the guys. Most of them, Dom included, hopped in the cold pool for a great 14 minute recovery session. We played some shuffle board, talked supplements and nutrition, and then hit the road. We left the TUF house, went back to Tapout and I put 10 guys through a strength & conditioning session that consisted of box jumps, pushups, pull-ups, Stroops band shots, and finished up with a handstand contest (Yup, I won). We got home at 10pm, had a salad and some turkey burgers and passed out.

Wednesday

Wednesday started early for me with a quick 20 minute run that included a quick sprint routine from John Romaniello. Greek yogurt and fruit for breakfast and then off to the TUF set. Another great practice (Team Cruz is a bunch of beasts…and they are seriously improving all the time). Lots of cage drills and ground technique. After that, we hit Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu for a 2 hour rolling session. I’m writing this on Sunday and I think I’m still sore from this session. I had the pleasure of rolling with Wilson Reis, Big Joe, and the Champ Dominick. I’m a novice grappler and the mats at Dysdale’s are always full of UFC and other experienced fighters so it’s a great learning experience.

We went home, showered, ate, and right back to TUF for a BJJ practice led by Master Lloyd. You can see how long these days are. Aside from the 60 minute lunch break we have in the middle of the day, we are literally on the go from 8:30am til about 10pm every day. After practice, I left the set and hit the road for supplements and a Whole Foods run to stock up the fridge again. For a bantamweight, Dom eats like a light heavyweight. The dude is a calorie-crushing machine. His healthy appetite and clean eating helps contribute to his world-class cardio.

Thursday

Thursday started with my morning sprint routine and then it was back to the TUF set. I led a straight conditioning session where we put the guys through an interval session. We used 3 pieces of equipment; the airdyne, Woodway treadmills, and a couple Concept2 Rowers. I kept the work to rest ratios close to 1:2 (15 sec work to 25-30 sec rest). Since high intensity intervals are extremely taxing, the actually workout was only about 25 minutes long. Afterwards, I showed the team some new stretches and mobility movements with the foam rollers and then it was off to Tapout for the Alliance team’s training session. They sparred so I got a full-body TRX session in. We hit the condo for a quick meal, and then back to TUF for weigh-ins. Our boy James Vick was 1 pound under at 154. He felt solid an immediately began to rehydrate with some Pedialyte. The rest of the team had a BJJ session with Master Lloyd and they all learned some new techniques. I stretched the guys out with some partner stretches and wall-assisted work. We left and hit up Tapout for a striking practice. I participated and learned some fundamentals (I need all the help I can get). I got my bell rung a few times and we finally finished up at 9:30pm. We made it home at 10pm again, had a quick dinner (salad and chicken), watched the Team Cruz video (check it out) and called it a night.

Friday

I missed my morning sprints on Friday and slept in until 7:30. The body needed it after getting hit in the face a dozen times on Thursday. Buckwheat pancakes with bluberries and a couple eggs over easy for breakfast and then off to the TUF set. The team worked on wresting technique with coaches Phil Davis and Shannon Slack. I observed more than anything today. After TUF practice it was off to Tapout. The Alliance crew trained while I got another TRX session in. I helped out Ross Pearson and a few other guys with mobility drills. We went home for lunch and cooked up a bunch of food for Dom for the weekend since I was leaving for the next 3 days after the show.

A TUF cameraman came to the condo in the afternoon to film Dom getting ready. There are cameras everywhere, especially on Fridays. We got to the set and you could feel the energy in the air. Fight night baby! It was an amazing experience. In the locker room, you could just feel the excitement. It was awesome. Stitch came in to tape Vick up. I stretched him out and then he hit pads with Coach Eric. He worked on some technique and final things with Dom and then it was time to head out to the octagon.

It may have been quiet in tv-land, however the room was intense. There may have been 40 people in the room tops. What an amazing opportunity to one of those individuals. James looked a little tight at first and his opponent, Daron Cruickshank, looked good. Vick got hit with a couple decent shots which I only think helped him get “in the game”. He stuck to the game-plan perfectly…he was told to throw that knee if Cruickshank ever shot on him. He worked his jab to keep space and find his range…Cruickshank shot, the knee was thrown, the fight was over.

While the knockout was certainly a high point, another highlight was when Dom and Faber picked the next fight. For the first time in TUF history, Dom picked our fighter (Justin Lawrence) and then gave up his right to chose and let Faber pick his own fighter. You could see the surprise on Dana White’s face and you could see the confusion on Faber. It was priceless. It was even better when Urijah asked his team, “who wants to fight” and nobody…as in not one single guy, raised their hand. It was a very telling moment for me. The confidence is definitely on Team Cruz right now. I realize it’s an extremely long season and anything can happen…but we definitely have the early upper hand. Faber conceded and Dom pick Cristiano Marcello. He’s a BJJ stud and it’s going to be a great fight. Early on, I would say these are two of the top guys in the house.

I can’t even explain the locker room after…anyone who thinks this is an individual sport is wrong. The team was fired up. Sadly, I had to leave the excitement and hit the road. I took off and drove 4 hours to L.A. I checked in around 1am, showered, and went over my notes for my panel discussion, “From personal trainer to successful business entrepreneur” talk that I presented at the IHRSA conference on Saturday afternoon. I went to the show in the morning to catch a panel talk with Allyson Felix and then made my way to the room where I would be presenting.

The panel was led by Todd Durkin and included myself, Joshua Gould, and Isaiah Truyman. We had about 40 people in attendance, received some great questions, and I feel that it went really well. I left L.A. shortly after, made it home, got a big old serving of frozen yogurt and passed out for the rest of the night (that’s how I party on my Saturday nights lately). I’m here in San Diego until Monday and it’s back to Sin City to do it all again! Until next week, train hard, rest hard, and have fun!

The post Coach Doug Balzarini The Ultimate Fighter Update: Week 2 appeared first on Alliance Training Center.

Every week or so I plan to share a couple thoughts and experiences I had while out in Las Vegas for the MMA reality show, “The Ultimate Fighter”. For me, week 1 began on Tuesday (3/6) when I made the extremely windy drive out to Sin City first thing in the morning. I got settled in to my condo which will be my home for the better part of the next 3 months. I met up with my 3 roommates, UFC Champ Dominick Cruz, Tigger, and Marley. The first guy you probably know, the other two are Dom’s cats. It was abundantly clear that the cats would rule the roost when they made quick work of one of the foam rollers I brought out with me (FYI – foam rollers make great toys for cats to sharpen their claws on).

It was then off to the TUF Gym to sign some paperwork, get our ‘Team Cruz’ attire and get a lay of the land. It was a fairly typical gym, except for all the lights and cameras of course. The strength training area was decent size and had some of my favorite tools there including; TRX, Concept 2 Rower & SkiErg, Woodway Treadmills, and plenty of tires.

We left the TUF facility, coordinated with the 10 or so athletes and coaches that were all there, and made the 20 minute drive to Wanderlei Silva’s MMA facility for a strength and conditioning session that I led. Having never been in the facility, I wasn’t familiar with the layout so I had to quickly set up two circuits that the 10 athletes would do simultaneously. It’s a good sized facility that had many of the tools that I like to use with the guys. My athletes for the session included Dominick Cruz, Alexander Gustafsson, Ross Pearson, Cyrille Diabate, Papy Abedi, Jeremy Stephens, Wilson Reis, and Shannon Slack. Yes, a bunch of studs. We had a solid 45 minute session that included some mobility work, wrestling drills, and some power development with plyos and resisted sprint work. After the session, it was back to the condo to relax for the night.

Wednesday

Wednesday began with some personal early morning sprints (I still have to train too) and then off to find some local grocery stores. In addition to training Dominick, his training partners, and the TUF athletes on Team Cruz; I also have the responsibility of stocking Dom’s fridge with quality food. I’ll be handling a lot of his nutrition while I’m out there so I wanted to make sure we had the right “fuel” in the house. I found a Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods and got lots of fruits and vegetables, organic meats and eggs, potatoes and rice and quinoa, and fish oils & Vitargo which are two “supplements” that I do recommend. After shopping, I joined the fighters for a trip to Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu for an intense 2+ hour training session. I got to participate…well, “participate” may be the wrong term. I got man-handled during the training but I did learn a lot. The highlight was a new arm-bar escape that I had never seen before (which is sweet since I’m often on the receiving end of arm-bars). I returned to the condo to prepare some food, then met up with Dom and the team for some evening pad work. We all returned to Silva’s gym where I helped a number of the guys with some mobility work, stretching, and some foam roller movements to help with their injuries and imbalances. After their pad session, it was back to the condo to chill.

Thursday

Thursday morning included another personal morning workout and then back to Silva’s gym for a morning sparring session. Again, I helped a number of the guys with their “pre-hab” routine and then observed Master Lloyd Irvin train a few of the athletes on their ground game. We left the gym, had lunch, and then went back to the TUF gym where we got to meet all 32 contestants for the first time. It was a great experience to meet all the guys, learn about their unique backgrounds, and get to know their personalities a little bit. Without naming any names, you could see right away that some guys came off more calm and confident than a few of the others. I had my top 3 already picked out after 5 minutes. I’ll reveal their names after the show. They had all just weighed in for tomorrow nights live premier so everyone was eating and refueling their bodies for battle.

Friday

Friday was back to Drysdale for some more ground work. I observed today since I was still pretty sore from my Wednesday beating. It was another “who’s who” of athletes on the mat. I learned a lot again even if I was just observing this time.

After the session, we had to eat and then get back to the TUF gym to prepare for the premier. You could feel the energy in the air as the contestants filed in to their respective locker rooms. I’ll admit I got fired up when Dana popped into the room, gave a 20 second speech that included an F-bomb or two, and then quickly left. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I was ready to hop the octagon fence when we was done talking and go a few rounds.

We were given 16 of the fighters and helped warm them up for the fights. Coach Eric and Ross held mitts for them while Wilson and Shannon did some light wrestling and BJJ to help them prepare. I stretched a few of the guys out and helped them stay loose. The temperature in the room was high and when Stitch Duran came in to tape the guys up, we knew it was almost go time. Once the fights started, the night flew by. With 16 fights on the card, they were all only 1 5-minute round. Just 5 minutes to decide your fate. Just 5 minutes to determine whether or not you make the show, get in to the TUF house, and give yourself a shot at a UFC contract. It was a whirlwind of emotions once the fights got rolling; joy and happiness in the room when our guy won, and frustration and tears when our guy lost. It was up and down the entire 2 1/2 hours.

After the show was over, I took a moment and looked around the room…there were still winners and losers in there. A small room filled with big emotions. It was an intense moment. I congratulated a few of the winners and consoled a few of the losers and then left the building around 9pm. The next 5 hours would be spent in my car as I drove home to San Diego to train clients for the next 2 1/2 days before driving back. This coming week I get to train the 8 contestants on ‘Team Cruz’ for the first time. I can’t wait to see how these guys handle some conditioning work. My sessions will be a bit different in set-up since one of the guys will be fighting every Friday.

I’ll fill you in on the training sessions once we get started. The future posts will be more about our training sessions (after the show airs of course) throughout the season. Be sure to tune in every Friday night on FX and be sure to root for Team Cruz! If you don’t watch I’ll tell Tigger and Marley…and you don’t want that.

The post Coach Doug Balzarini The Ultimate Fighter Update: My First Week! appeared first on Alliance Training Center.