Assessing a Fighter’s Cardio and Conditioning: Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Needs

Combat sports are all about high-intensity bursts, endurance, and recovery. Whether you're coaching fighters, grapplers, or competing yourself, understanding and assessing cardio is key to improving performance. While the debates about roadwork, interval training, and skill-based conditioning are ongoing, the reality is this: every athlete has different cardio needs.

To train fighters and grapplers effectively, you need to assess their conditioning levels first. Some will benefit from building a strong aerobic base, while others need a sharper focus on anaerobic (lactic or alactic) systems. This article will walk you through the importance of assessing a fighter’s cardio and how to determine what type of conditioning they need most.

Why Fighters Need Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning

Combat sports demand both aerobic and anaerobic systems. A balanced fighter has a well-developed aerobic base to maintain stamina through long rounds, combined with anaerobic bursts for explosive movements like takedowns, punches, and submissions.

Aerobic Conditioning

• What It Is: The body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently over extended periods of moderate-intensity work.
• Why It’s Important: Aerobic conditioning ensures your fighter can recover quickly between intense moments and rounds.
• When to Prioritize It: If a fighter gasses out early in fights or struggles with endurance, they need more aerobic training.

Anaerobic Conditioning

• What It Is: High-intensity work where the body operates without sufficient oxygen, focusing on short bursts of explosive energy.
  • Lactic: Short-term bursts (15 seconds to 2 minutes) where lactate builds up.
  • Alactic: Extremely short bursts (up to 10-15 seconds) with little lactate buildup.
• Why It’s Important: Anaerobic conditioning is essential for bursts of power in combat scenarios, like explosive strikes or grappling exchanges.
• When to Prioritize It: If a fighter can go hard for a short time but then burns out, they may need anaerobic focus, particularly alactic or lactic energy systems.

Simple Ways to Assess a Fighter's Cardio/Conditioning

Assessing an athlete’s current cardio level is the first step to identifying their weak points and customizing their conditioning program. Here are a few simple ways to assess whether they need aerobic or anaerobic conditioning.

1. Resting Heart Rate (RHR)

Resting heart rate is a straightforward yet effective indicator of aerobic conditioning. A lower RHR generally indicates better cardiovascular efficiency.

• How to Assess: Measure their resting heart rate first thing in the morning before getting out of bed for several consecutive days.
• What It Tells You:
  • Low RHR (under 60 BPM): Indicates a well-developed aerobic base.
  • High RHR (above 70 BPM): Suggests the athlete may need more aerobic conditioning.

2. Recovery Heart Rate Test

The quicker a fighter recovers between rounds or sets, the better their aerobic conditioning. Measuring how quickly their heart rate drops post-exercise is crucial.

• How to Assess: After a high-intensity 1-minute drill (like sprinting or shadow boxing), record their heart rate immediately. Then, measure it again after 1 minute of rest.
• What It Tells You:
  • Fast recovery (drop of 30-40 BPM): Indicates solid aerobic conditioning.
  • Slow recovery (drop of less than 20 BPM): Signals that aerobic conditioning needs improvement.

3. Three-Minute Step Test

This is an easy way to test aerobic conditioning while keeping equipment and setup minimal.

• How to Assess: Have the athlete step up and down on a 12-inch box or step at a consistent pace for 3 minutes. Immediately after, measure their heart rate for one minute.
• What It Tells You: Compare the heart rate against fitness norms. Higher-than-average heart rates post-test indicate a need for aerobic training.

4. Anaerobic Threshold Test

This test measures when the body switches from predominantly aerobic to anaerobic energy systems during high-intensity exercise.

• How to Assess: Use a treadmill or stationary bike for a gradually increasing interval session (for example, raise speed or resistance every 1-2 minutes). The athlete should wear a heart rate monitor, and you should look for the point where they feel a significant rise in breathlessness—this is their anaerobic threshold.
• What It Tells You:
  • Low threshold (below 70% of max heart rate): This indicates poor anaerobic conditioning, particularly in lactic and alactic systems.
  • High threshold (above 80-85% of max heart rate): Indicates strong anaerobic capacity.

5. Interval-Based Workouts

Simple interval drills, such as sprinting, shadow boxing, or even grappling rounds, can assess a fighter’s ability to sustain high-intensity work and recover quickly.

• How to Assess: Have the athlete perform 6 rounds of high-intensity work (e.g., 30 seconds sprinting followed by 30 seconds of rest). Monitor how well they maintain effort in each round.
• What It Tells You:
  • Rapid decline in performance: Indicates poor anaerobic conditioning.
  • Maintained intensity: Suggests well-developed anaerobic systems.

Determining Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Needs

Once you’ve assessed your fighter’s conditioning, the next step is determining where to focus their training. A well-rounded fighter needs a strong aerobic base, especially for recovery and endurance, but also needs to fine-tune anaerobic systems for those short, explosive bursts.

Here’s a breakdown of how to decide what type of conditioning to focus on:

If the Fighter Needs More Aerobic Conditioning:

• Symptoms:
  • Fatigue in long rounds.
  • Slow recovery between rounds or sparring sessions.
  • High resting heart rate.
• Training Focus:
  • Steady-State Cardio: Incorporate more jogging, biking, or swimming at moderate intensity for 30-60 minutes.
  • Tempo Intervals: Longer intervals (2-5 minutes) at a moderate pace with short rest periods.
  • Skill-Based Aerobic Work: Low-intensity pad work or rolling for longer rounds with minimal breaks.

If the Fighter Needs More Anaerobic Conditioning:

• Symptoms:
  • Strong start but fades quickly during exchanges.
  • Difficulty maintaining intensity in high-pressure situations.
  • Poor ability to explode in bursts.
• Training Focus:
  • Alactic Power Training: Short sprints (10-15 seconds) with longer rest periods (up to 2 minutes).
  • Lactic Power Intervals: Intense intervals (15 seconds to 2 minutes) with short rest (equal work-rest ratio).
  • High-Intensity Sparring or Grappling: Focus on short, high-intensity bursts with brief rest periods to simulate fight conditions.

Why It’s Important for Fighters and Grapplers Alike

No two fighters are the same, and neither are their conditioning needs. By assessing a fighter’s cardio, you not only prevent overtraining but also ensure that their energy systems match their specific demands in competition. Building an aerobic base allows fighters to recover better and maintain stamina, while anaerobic conditioning ensures they can explode when it counts—whether they're going for a knockout or scrambling for a submission.

Conclusion: Customization Is Key

A one-size-fits-all approach to conditioning won’t work. By assessing your athlete’s current conditioning level and identifying where they need improvement, you can design a program that maximizes their performance, reduces fatigue, and enhances recovery. Combat sports are won by those who can outlast and out-explode their opponents—conditioning is the foundation of both.

By following these simple assessment methods and focusing on the appropriate training, fighters and grapplers can optimize their performance in and out of the cage or mat. The key is understanding what your athletes need most and tailoring their program accordingly.