In 648 BCE, the ancient Greeks introduced the sport of Pankration to the Olympic Games. Translated, Pankration means "all powers" - a seemingly accurate title for a sport that combined the ancient Greek forms of boxing and wrestling. With "no biting" and "no eye gouging" as its only rules, the sport of Pankration quickly became the most popular Olympic event due to its overwhelming brutality. Competitors won by either knocking their opponent unconscious or by forcing them to shamefully submit through painful joint locks or deadly strangulations. Pankration fighters quickly become renowned for their fierce and bone-crushing fighting techniques. These spectacular fighters were the world's first mixed martial artists that combined both grappling and striking methods into one dangerously efficient fighting form. Read More

On book shelves and online there are hundreds of magazines and websites promoting conditioning programs for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Athletes. This presents both a good and bad scenario. The good part is that athletes are beginning to recognize the vital role strength and conditioning plays in their combat success. The bad part is that most of these programs simply do not meet the needs of the MMA athlete efficiently or effectively.

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