GSP: " I dont believe in strength and conditioning, i lift weights for looks"
Posted on December 11, 2010, 08:34 AM by bluntsandbeersGeorges St. Pierre is one of the most atheletic and well conditioned athelets in the sport. But he doesn't think it helps him in any of his fights. According to GSP strength and conditioning training is not necessary if you want to excell in MMA, but it's necessary if you want to look attractive. he had the following to say on the matter in a intreview with UFC commentator and MMA junkie, Joe Rogan.
Georges St. Pierre: "I don't believe in strength and conditioning. I never do strength and conditioning. I do not believe that running on a treadmill or doing I don't know what, so called machine. I don't believe that's going to help you have better cardio for a fight. I think everything in fighting is about efficiency."
Joe Rogan: "So you don't do strength and conditioning as far as like hitting tires with sledgehammers?"GSP: "I never did it in my life. I remember I had a Muay Thai instructor from France, that I even brought on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter. The guy smoked, I don't know how many packs of cigarettes a day. He's always drinking alcohol. He's a real character, and he's completely out of shape, but when he spars with us in Muay Thai, he kicks everyone's ass. The reason is because he is more efficient than we are."
"In the UFC, I do believe everyone is in shape. We're all athletes, you know... but the reason I believe a guy is more tired than another guy, is because one guy is more efficient than the other. One guy is able to bring the fight to where he is strongest, and the other guy to where he is out of his comfort zone."
"The only reason it is good to lift weights, to do bench press, and stuff like that, I believe, is because it is going to make me more marketable, and to keep myself looking more symmetric, with a better image... Which is very important, because if you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you do good. There's nothing wrong with that you know."
Rogan: "You lift weights for looks?"GSP: "Yeah, I lift weights for looks. Yeah, I am gonna admit it. Sometimes after I'm training, I'm gonna lift weights, but I'm not doing it because I'm gonna punch harder, or I'm gonna be stronger, because it has nothing to do with it. I'm doing it because you know, I want to to be like you know, have a good shape. I do it for myself."
Comments
That is ridiculous. Mass X Speed = force. If you develop strong muscles you can punch and kick faster and hit harder. Efficiency is important and body mechanics are the most important aspect but to say that strength and conditioning don't matter is just silly. Not only that but having a more muscular neck makes you harder to KO because there is more shock absorption. If that Muay Thai instructor was in shape he would be even better.
agreed.. but the beautiful part is the fact that hes not in shape still kickin azz ( :
@ichokepeople. I just wondered what have you based the 'having strong muscles makes you punch and kick faster'? does that mean a body builder has a fast kick? cos what defines strong muscles. a guy that can kick a bag 50 times fast or a guy that can leg press a huge amount. clearly people agree as you have 19 sharp but can you explain in more detail what you actually mean, im interested
ck1..i think what he said is speed x strength = power. So while a bodybuilder might have alot of strength, he doesn't have much speed and what's most important, accuracy.
What GSP said is very interesting. I always wondered why the hell so many MMA fighters got tired so quickly compared to...boxers for example. Only makes sense that human beings aren't looking at this the right way, no logical reason why someone with such a high bodyfat ratio should have so much efficiency for example.
Plus, GSP is just hilarious. Like Fedor i forgot how likeable the fighters can be when you're not busy arguing with their fans.
Muscles aren't everything as GSP alluded to. There are much more important factors you have to grasp if you want to be among the top fighters. Technique and brain power and composure will beat strength and conditioning any day of the week. Gracie proved that in the early days of the UFC, and GSP as smart as he is knows this.
I believe him when he says he likes to look good. Who doesn't?
There is nothing ridiculous at all with what GSP said.
Of course strength and conditioning will enhance whatever abilities one possesses, but technique and composure are far more important.
I agree witrh both of you. muscle is not just an ornament. gsp has a point that efficiency and leverage bplay a massive role but muscle would only improve those aspects that a fighter achieves. gsp is pretty smart but he is coming across as trying to say that he beats his oponents without a strength advantage which i disagree on and kos will feel the strength as well.
picking people off their feet constantly has a lot to do with strength and conditioning. I know for one that i can't fight as well when i am less muscular but i can still fight.
i love gsp but i have to disagree with him.
He does strength and conditioning no doubt about it
If Georges stopped working out and started smoking every day, he would realize how wrong he is. Just saying.
Haha I'm really glad this quote got brought up, the surprise in Rogan's voice was hilarious he repeated "you lift weight for looks." Most certainly I think GSP is wrong that strength and conditioning has no value (although it' hard to argue with his results) but I think he does have a very valuable point when he says that proper technique and doing those techniques efficiently is somehow an often overlooked way to keep a strong gas tank in a fight.
I think he's just trying to say that weight lifting doesn't always equate to having good conditioning in a fight. My jui jitsu coach told me a while back that the only way to be in fighting shape is to fight a lot. And being embarrased by guys that i would never think could out condition me has proven me that just because i can lift more and look in better shape means nothing. Although i will say in the beginning being stronger was about the only thing that helped me.
at least hes being honest i guess haha
Though I agree with what he's saying about efficiency, I wonder how sincere he's being about strength conditioning.
He's gotten a lot stronger over the last few years, and I don't think it's from drinking and smoking. Misdirection maybe?
he's just continuing that good role model image and jumping on the anti-bullying campaign at the same time.
"look skinny kid, I'm naturally a petite (that's the extent of my french) guy and I used to get bullied also, but then i learned the skill and honor of martial art and nobody mess wid me now."
He's right. I dont do all that crazy strength conditioning and hitting tires with a ****ing hammer lol. I just train and run and lift weights before a fight. Simple i dont make it all complex...
GSP has been my idol for some time but I can't help but remember when he was saying that if he went 185, he would have to do it 'right' by build muscle, etc....now, he's saying strength and conditioning doesn't matter? I hate to say it, but it kinda seems like he's just trying to hype up his skills and downplay his strength.
GSP's skills don't need no hype but to a fool.
What gsp is saying is lifting weights and running on a trendmill will not make u a better fighter. Technique and just sparring, wresltling 25 minutes non stop will do the work. Look at brock lesnar, always doing this shit conditionning with hammers and tires, hes all big and muscular and punches like a girl compared to chubby guys like Cain or Fedor.
That's not what he said. He said I lift weights to look good not for performance. BULLLLLSHIIIIIIIIIIIDO
Frank mir did weight lifing for months and what ? He still hasnt got cain or ccarwin or fedor' power in his hand; GSP said lifting weight will not make u punh harder and i agree.
What do you mean? Mir KO'd congo clean after doing that training. meanwhile cain got dropped everytime they were on their feet.
I could not disagree more. I have always assumed that GSP did (purposeful) strength training. Listening to this I guess I was wrong.
Perhaps though, here-in may lay the answer to our question(s) as to why Rush hasn't or isn't, KO'ing opponents; or at least part of the reason.
Power is a skill - the same as a black belt in anything you can name and in many ways, harder to earn. Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin are perfect examples of this. One is not going to walk into a gym and train everyday for two or three years and be as big and powerful as those men; that's decades of work. And when that kind of power shows up, it can shut down and negate a lot of other "skills"; power is a skill, unto itself. I am shocked George or his camp, don't see it that way; particularly when it's mathematically demonstrable; two objects traveling over the same distance, along the same path, moving at the same rate of speed, the larger object will do more damage; it's common sense. Larger in this instance, would be defined as the fighter carrying the most muscle mass on the smallest frame (possible), for a particular weight division. Nate Marquardt is a perfect example of this. He is as "stuffed" into a 185 fight frame, as he could be. Thiago Alves would be another good example of maximizing muscle on frame @ 170.
In terms of moving up to 185 - If GSP thinks he can fight at 185 without packing on more muscle and the only way to do that is to eat and push weight, then he is wrong and he'll get slaughtered. I love the guy, he's my favorite fighter, but that's just reality. I do not see how he can accomplish the transition up to 185 (successfully) without pushing weight for more than the purpose of aesthetics; which seems to be the reason stated.
For those who think lifting weights will increase their punching power, try this.
Do press 100 press ups each morning and 100 press ups each night. Go down your gym and lift weights.
test yourself on a punch machine to see how hard you hit.
Then go boxing training for a few months. learn timing and technique and then see how misplaced your faith is in strength when you go back to the punch machine and annihilate your initial attempt.
Well to all the people questioning GSP method of training I say this... You guys UFC champion? No? well then SHUT THE F*&K UP!!!! LOL just kidding guys....
It works for GSP so everyone has it's own opinion on strength and conditioning. Personally I think he is correct with efficiency and I think he did not say PROFICIENCY. What I mean by this is, if your proficient in your techniques then you will be executing techniques efficiently therefore saving strength and not gassing yourself out.
this is not true.. Just looking the UFC primetime his form of technique doing Olympic Lifts and conditioning cant be done just for the show