Welterweight Brian Melancon (7-2) opened eyes at UFC 162 with a first-round KO in his UFC debut against TUF alum Seth Baczynski. Next up for the 31-year-old Texan: undefeated TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum on August 28 at UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2.In between workouts, Melancon spends his days tending to
patients as a physical therapist, a gig he says helps him remain in
sync with his body and training. “Being a physical therapist has helped me learn when to listen to my
body, when to push through, and when I’m just sore and need
rest,” he says. “If I do need to rest, I know … Read the Full Article Here
Welterweight Brian Melancon (7-2) opened eyes at UFC 162 with a first-round KO in his UFC debut against TUF alum Seth Baczynski. Next up for the 31-year-old Texan: undefeated TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum on August 28 at UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2.In between workouts, Melancon spends his days tending to
patients as a physical therapist, a gig he says helps him remain in
sync with his body and training. “Being a physical therapist has helped me learn when to listen to my
body, when to push through, and when I’m just sore and need
rest,” he says. “If I do need to rest, I know … Read the Full Article Here
Two weeks ago, “Vicious” Bobby Voelker (24-9) was preparing for an August 28 matchup when he was asked if he’d step in for an injured fighter and take on “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (20-9, 1NC) a full month sooner. Voelker leapt at the opportunity, but the sudden change meant he had to switch gears and tactics quickly.“Normally when I have eight weeks to prepare I train twice a day,” Kansas City’s Voelker told UFC.com. “This time, I was training three, sometimes four times per day. Robbie is known for his heavy hands, slick footwork, and coming out quick and powerful. He’s also a great wrestler.” … Read the Full Article Here
Two weeks ago, “Vicious” Bobby Voelker (24-9) was preparing for an August 28 matchup when he was asked if he’d step in for an injured fighter and take on “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (20-9, 1NC) a full month sooner. Voelker leapt at the opportunity, but the sudden change meant he had to switch gears and tactics quickly.“Normally when I have eight weeks to prepare I train twice a day,” Kansas City’s Voelker told UFC.com. “This time, I was training three, sometimes four times per day. Robbie is known for his heavy hands, slick footwork, and coming out quick and powerful. He’s also a great wrestler.” … Read the Full Article Here
Middleweight Tim Kennedy (15-4-0) is set to make his promotional debut against fellow Strikeforce import Roger Gracie (6-1-0) this weekend. Known as a tough, determined, and well-conditioned fighter who rose to the top of the division in Strikeforce, the 33-year-old’s life outside the cage is equally ferocious: Kennedy is a Green Beret who has served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Kennedy has made a name for himself as someone who refuses to sugarcoat what’s on his mind. We probed him about mentally preparing for a fight, learning from mistakes, and training tips for up-and-coming fighters.How … Read the Full Article Here
Middleweight Tim Kennedy (15-4-0) is set to make his promotional debut against fellow Strikeforce import Roger Gracie (6-1-0) this weekend. Known as a tough, determined, and well-conditioned fighter who rose to the top of the division in Strikeforce, the 33-year-old’s life outside the cage is equally ferocious: Kennedy is a Green Beret who has served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Kennedy has made a name for himself as someone who refuses to sugarcoat what’s on his mind. We probed him about mentally preparing for a fight, learning from mistakes, and training tips for up-and-coming fighters.How … Read the Full Article Here
Middleweight Eddie Mendez (7-1-1, 1NC) is set to make his UFC debut against The Ultimate Fighter Brazil finalist Daniel Sarafian (8-3-0) on June 8 at UFC on FUEL TV 10. And while the bout will kick off Mendez’ career inside of the Octagon, it has already ushered in a new beginning for him as a pro fighter.“I have a day job, and this is the first time I’ve taken off to train full time,” Mendez says. “We work six hours straight before we get a 20-minute break at work. But during a fight, I just think about how it’s still less time than my break.”The 29-year-old Strikeforce veteran shares the fiv … Read the Full Article Here
Middleweight Eddie Mendez (7-1-1, 1NC) is set to make his UFC debut against The Ultimate Fighter Brazil finalist Daniel Sarafian (8-3-0) on June 8 at UFC on FUEL TV 10. And while the bout will kick off Mendez’ career inside of the Octagon, it has already ushered in a new beginning for him as a pro fighter.“I have a day job, and this is the first time I’ve taken off to train full time,” Mendez says. “We work six hours straight before we get a 20-minute break at work. But during a fight, I just think about how it’s still less time than my break.”The 29-year-old Strikeforce veteran shares the fiv … Read the Full Article Here
Things can change rapidly in the UFC. Injuries happen, fight cards get reshuffled, and the fighters who can’t adapt get left behind. That’s why many fighters say it pays to stay in shape even between fights, You never know when you’ll get the call from Joe Silva or Sean Shelby, and when you’re already in shape, getting back into the Octagon goes a lot more smoothly. UFC middleweight Chris Camozzi (19-5-0) learned this firsthand after his recent win at UFC 158 in Montreal. Shortly after racking up his fourth straight win in a row, Camozzi was asked to step in for an injured CB Dolloway to fight … Read the Full Article Here
Things can change rapidly in the UFC. Injuries happen, fight cards get reshuffled, and the fighters who can’t adapt get left behind. That’s why many fighters say it pays to stay in shape even between fights, You never know when you’ll get the call from Joe Silva or Sean Shelby, and when you’re already in shape, getting back into the Octagon goes a lot more smoothly. UFC middleweight Chris Camozzi (19-5-0) learned this firsthand after his recent win at UFC 158 in Montreal. Shortly after racking up his fourth straight win in a row, Camozzi was asked to step in for an injured CB Dolloway to fight … Read the Full Article Here
When UFC bantamweight Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen (14-6-0) takes on Urijah “California Kid” Faber (26-6-0) at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale on April 13, he won’t see his friend or former training partner standing across the Octagon; he’ll see a roadblock standing in the way of his goal to capture the UFC bantamweight title.
Jorgensen credits his parents’ positive influence as well as the
dedication he learned as a three-time Pac-10 wrestling champion at Boise
State with developing the mental toughness to compliment his elevated
physical and technical prowess.
Letting emotions cloud focus can cause missteps in training that carry over when it’s time to fight. Below you’ll find tips from Jorgensen that helped him — and can also
help you — stay on point mentally in the face of a challenge.
#1 Keep Your Eye on the Prize Putting aside a friendship for 25 minutes of war is just one example of using mental focus to get through something difficult. “Urijah and I both knew this day was coming, and we’re not going to let
friendship get in the way,” Jorgensen says.
“Afterwards, we’ll pick up where we left off.”
“Fighters have such a good ability to turn the switch on and off,”
says Andy Hennebelle, NASM-CPT, CSCS, USAW, a strength coach at the UFC
Gym in Corona, Calif. “Those fighters who can drown out the outside
environment and prevent themselves from being bombarded by variables are
typically the fighters who are more successful.”
The same is true for you in your goals. So recite your bigger goal to yourself every day and whenever something seems tough. Suddenly, turning down a fatty snack or powering through a grueling workout will feel like a milestone instead of an impossibility.
#2. Set Realistic Goals Whether you want to score your first win on the amateur circuit or capture your first UFC title, give yourself multiple goals to shoot for. “I set goals in increments,” Jorgensen explains. “For reference, let’s start with a five-year goal as our final goal. Then there’s also a different set of four-, three-, two-, and one-year goals that all serve as steps toward that final five-year goal.”
#3. Be Prepared for Opportunity Jorgensen took the Faber fight at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale on short notice after the scheduled main event between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga got scrapped due to injury. By already being in shape, he was able to focus on the opportunity that presented itself instead of being distracted by harping on lost prep time. “I’m a couple good wins away from a title shot, so I’ll take any fight I can get. A fighter only has so long to compete, so short notice isn’t too bad, especially if you’re already in shape.”
#4. Find An Escape Every fighter can train to be a step quicke, or build more stamina, or throw a harder punch. But Jorgensen doesn’t allow himself to obsess over areas of improvement during his off-time; the time to do that is reserved for practice. “The more I dwell on something, the more stress builds,” Jorgensen admits. “For me, training is training. That’s when it’s time to think about a game plan; when practice ends, I want to go home and focus on me to make sure that I’m happy and mentally ready. Another outlet for me is my son. I’m often bouncing from my practice to one of his practices and right back to another one of my practices. That might sound chaotic, but it breaks my train of thought so I’m not constantly thinking about fighting.”
#5. Bounce Back “I think I went the first two months wrestling in college without
scoring a takedown,” Jorgensen says — and look how his grappling career turned out. “Nobody was babied; I built a strong mental attitude. It was the school of hard knocks. Ihave never looked for an easy way.”
You’re going to have off days. But it’s how you rebound that determines whether you’ll excel or expire. “When sh*t gets tough, I get tougher,” he reveals. “Just because you had a bad day doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world; refocus and come back ready to succeed. When you get to the UFC, it’s sink or swim. There is no easy day because we all want to be champion. Nobody just wants to be a fighter.” #6. Be Prepared To Put In Overtime While obsessing over training flaws can be detrimental, putting in extra effort isn’t. “When I was coaching wresting camps I told kids, ‘If you want to be the best, put in extra.’ Just because practice ends doesn’t mean you have to go home. You can hit a couple extra sprints, pull-ups, or drills for another half hour. That extra time puts you above the competition.”
When UFC bantamweight Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen (14-6-0) takes on Urijah “California Kid” Faber (26-6-0) at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale on April 13, he won’t see his friend or former training partner standing across the Octagon; he’ll see a roadblock standing in the way of his goal to capture the UFC bantamweight title.
Jorgensen credits his parents’ positive influence as well as the
dedication he learned as a three-time Pac-10 wrestling champion at Boise
State with developing the mental toughness to compliment his elevated
physical and technical prowess.
Letting emotions cloud focus can cause missteps in training that carry over when it’s time to fight. Below you’ll find tips from Jorgensen that helped him — and can also
help you — stay on point mentally in the face of a challenge.
#1 Keep Your Eye on the Prize Putting aside a friendship for 25 minutes of war is just one example of using mental focus to get through something difficult. “Urijah and I both knew this day was coming, and we’re not going to let
friendship get in the way,” Jorgensen says.
“Afterwards, we’ll pick up where we left off.”
“Fighters have such a good ability to turn the switch on and off,”
says Andy Hennebelle, NASM-CPT, CSCS, USAW, a strength coach at the UFC
Gym in Corona, Calif. “Those fighters who can drown out the outside
environment and prevent themselves from being bombarded by variables are
typically the fighters who are more successful.”
The same is true for you in your goals. So recite your bigger goal to yourself every day and whenever something seems tough. Suddenly, turning down a fatty snack or powering through a grueling workout will feel like a milestone instead of an impossibility.
#2. Set Realistic Goals Whether you want to score your first win on the amateur circuit or capture your first UFC title, give yourself multiple goals to shoot for. “I set goals in increments,” Jorgensen explains. “For reference, let’s start with a five-year goal as our final goal. Then there’s also a different set of four-, three-, two-, and one-year goals that all serve as steps toward that final five-year goal.”
#3. Be Prepared for Opportunity Jorgensen took the Faber fight at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale on short notice after the scheduled main event between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga got scrapped due to injury. By already being in shape, he was able to focus on the opportunity that presented itself instead of being distracted by harping on lost prep time. “I’m a couple good wins away from a title shot, so I’ll take any fight I can get. A fighter only has so long to compete, so short notice isn’t too bad, especially if you’re already in shape.”
#4. Find An Escape Every fighter can train to be a step quicke, or build more stamina, or throw a harder punch. But Jorgensen doesn’t allow himself to obsess over areas of improvement during his off-time; the time to do that is reserved for practice. “The more I dwell on something, the more stress builds,” Jorgensen admits. “For me, training is training. That’s when it’s time to think about a game plan; when practice ends, I want to go home and focus on me to make sure that I’m happy and mentally ready. Another outlet for me is my son. I’m often bouncing from my practice to one of his practices and right back to another one of my practices. That might sound chaotic, but it breaks my train of thought so I’m not constantly thinking about fighting.”
#5. Bounce Back “I think I went the first two months wrestling in college without
scoring a takedown,” Jorgensen says — and look how his grappling career turned out. “Nobody was babied; I built a strong mental attitude. It was the school of hard knocks. Ihave never looked for an easy way.”
You’re going to have off days. But it’s how you rebound that determines whether you’ll excel or expire. “When sh*t gets tough, I get tougher,” he reveals. “Just because you had a bad day doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world; refocus and come back ready to succeed. When you get to the UFC, it’s sink or swim. There is no easy day because we all want to be champion. Nobody just wants to be a fighter.” #6. Be Prepared To Put In Overtime While obsessing over training flaws can be detrimental, putting in extra effort isn’t. “When I was coaching wresting camps I told kids, ‘If you want to be the best, put in extra.’ Just because practice ends doesn’t mean you have to go home. You can hit a couple extra sprints, pull-ups, or drills for another half hour. That extra time puts you above the competition.”
When UFC bantamweight 
Putting aside a friendship for 25 minutes of war is just one example of using mental focus to get through something difficult. “Urijah and I both knew this day was coming, and we’re not going to let
Jorgensen took the Faber fight at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale on short notice after the scheduled main event between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga got scrapped due to injury. By already being in shape, he was able to focus on the opportunity that presented itself instead of being distracted by harping on lost prep time. “I’m a couple good wins away from a title shot, so I’ll take any fight I can get. A fighter only has so long to compete, so short notice isn’t too bad, especially if you’re already in shape.”
“I think I went the first two months wrestling in college without