Article Video - Building a Champion, Phase 3: Maximal Strength

This is the third installment of a four part series on our unique and proven system for producing the very best athletes.

Four Phase Approach for Elite Athletes
Phase 1: Structural Phase
Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy
Phase 3: Maximal Strength
Phase 4: Power

This third installment will be focused on increasing the athlete’s strength, Phase 3 – Maximal Strength. This phase will focus on increasing lower body strength with an introduction to improving lower body power. It is important to follow the strict guidelines for the technique and rest intervals. Nutrition and supplementation, especially pre & post workout nutrition, plays a large role in building muscle. In this article we will be focusing on the exercise portion.

Maximal Strength
If you were following our programs closely, you should now be in a stage where your lower body function is prepared for greater loading parameters. At the same time, you should have packed on a few pounds of lean muscle mass on your lower body (assuming you have been following proper nutritional guidelines). By manipulating key variables and selecting the proper exercises we are able to increase strength in the major muscle groups within a very short period of time. This phase is critical and is the foundation for the last phase in this 12-week plan in preparation for the power phase. Our athletes tend to put on an average of 40 lbs on their bench press, 80 lbs on their squat and 30 lbs in their power snatch. Please note that we are training our athletes to be the best in their particular sport, therefore, how much they lift in the gym is not our primary goal but as they improve their gym strength overall performance in the game is maximized.

Basic Guidelines
Don’t forget the importance of Tempo, Rest, Sets & Repetition. Please refer to Part 1 of this installment from the last issue. However, please note that the tempo of several exercises is designed to be explosive in nature with minimal or no eccentric loading. Also note that the rest intervals are longer which may seem more then one needs but the realization of neurological recuperation is our goal. It is also important during this phase to challenge the loading parameters by continuing to progressively overload the bar if you complete all the designated repetitions for the designated exercise.

An individualized Program
This program is focused on improving hip extensor strength (lower back, glutes and hamstrings). Please note that the workout below is only 1 of 2 lower body programs our athletes perform in the weight room during the week and the entire program changes every 3 weeks. Our athletes will also be performing 2-4 days of energy system training through sprinting, agility drills, stadium stairs or strongman training to name a few, to enhance lower body conditioning and speed.

During this phase it is important for each athlete to choose the appropriate weight for each lift. These lifts require proper technique and can lead to injury if inappropriate weight selection and poor coaching is made. Before attempting this program it is advised to consult with a qualified professional. However, those of you who are qualified to perform these exercises remember this one phrase: “you will only get stronger when you lift heavier weights.” Select the appropriate weights and your goals should be to break your personal bests each time you workout.

A) Power Snatch Tempo = XXXX, rest = 120 sec, sets = 5, reps 4

B) Inertia Half Squat Tempo = 3-2-1-0, rest = 120 sec, sets = 5, reps 3

C1) Barbell Low Box Step-up Tempo = 2-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 3, reps 6
C2) Glut-Ham Raise Tempo = 3-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 3, reps 6

D) Pendulum Db RDL Tempo = 3-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 2, reps 8

Note: The above exercises that are paired with an C1/C2 represents performing one exercise (C1) followed by the second exercise (C2) with the designated rest interval between each exercise. For more information on training programs, log onto www.ikeiperformance.com or email questions to info@ikeiperformance.com. Our next installment will cover Phase 4: Power.

A Look Behind the Scenes of an MMA Fighter - Day 4-5 (Weigh-in)

Thursday July 17, 2008
Up early as usual, but today is a great eating day for Edwin as this is his “carb loading day.” We’ve nailed his body down to a science where he feels “flat” after 3 days, so we timed his nutritional plan to carb load Thursday & Friday, so all his glycogen stores will be maximize by the time he steps into the ring. Ed’s body weight is right on point so he’ll heat a nice high carbohydrate breakfast followed with lot’s of water.

After breakfast we walked across the street to Best Buy to kill some time before the licensing briefing. Edwin spent extra time analyzing the big screen plasma’s while I looked at the tempting laptops. But after an hour of walking around we decided to head back to the hotel to prepare for the meeting.

Once again we sat in a room filled with MMA’s top fighters and the energy in the room greatly intensified from yesterday’s press conference. Guys that are cutting weight were getting impatient as we all sat in the room waiting one-by-one for the California Boxing Commission to brief each athlete and license every corner men. They obviously started from the top down with the main event fighters first then down to the swing bouts. Edwin is listed as bout number 5 so we had to wait for about 45 minutes before we were called up to certify. Once we got done it was time to go and put more carbs into Ed’s body so we headed upstairs and ordered room service as Ed took the time to take a quick power nap to revitalize before our last training session of the week.

After lunch and a nap Ed spent some quality time with his wife and son. “This is the best way for me to relax,” says Ed about spending time with his family. “Preparation for this fight is my priority, but my life is my family. I have the greatest wife and have been blessed with the pride of my life, Tycen (17 month old son). She understands exactly what I need and supports me in everything I do. There are many times that she keeps me on track and motivated when I lose my focus. Having them here is a way for me to get my mind of the fight and allow my body, mind and spirit be free.” Edwin & his family spent a brief time at the pool and Jacuzzi. “This is perfect, I get to spend time with my son, relax my muscles in the hot tub and my wife get’s to hang out by the pool. But we can’t be out here to long because Chad doesn’t want me in the sun for to long so I don’t get drained and my son get’s sunburned easily so it all works out.”

To see a young man have so much pride and unconditional love for his wife an family shows the maturity, strength and character behind this young man. As a coach this type of balance is necessary when developing a champion. Sometimes a coach has to cross that line and ask the question regarding the distractions a family can have on competition. I took that road with Edwin as soon as we started our game plan for the fight and realized that his strength comes from his family. Therefore we made sure that his family was going to be there for every workout possible up to the day he fights. However, Edwin also knows the importance of recovery and focus, therefore, although he is a true family man he and his family sleep in separate rooms until after the fight is done. This is a sign of discipline and will ensure success.

After family time, all fighters were scheduled to board the bus and head over to the Honda Center for a dress rehearsal for the media. We all met in the lobby and sat on the bus for about 30 minutes then the promoter came on the bus to notify us that the media was not ready for the dress rehearsal and would have to do it immediately after the weigh-ins tomorrow. So we jumped in the limo and had them take us to the No Limits MMA & Fitness Center for our last and final training session.

We had Ed do five six-minute rounds, 3 round of striking and 2 rounds of mat work. Edwin looked phenomenal, punches sharp, kicks hard and ground work is always exceptional. Some of the veteran fighters at the gym noticed Edwin in the gym and commented to me on how good he looked in every way. One fighter mentioned to me that he never new how explosive Edwin was and how fast his hands were. But almost every fighter I spoke to was impressed with how big and lean Edwin looked…he’s no longer a middleweight, look out light heavyweights because Edwin Dewees is going to be a name to be reckoned with in the near future.

After training we got back to the hotel and Edwin had to do 2 media interviews. The first was a radio interview which Edwin was joined by training partner Joe Riggs. This was by far the highlight of the day. Both these guys had everyone in the room balling with tears with stories upon stories. After about 25 minutes, we headed to the Television Talent Interview which was running behind so we decide to grab dinner first then return later.

We had the limo take us to Olive Garden, but right next to Olive Garden was a California Pizza Kitchen…one of Edwin’s favorites. So after asking permission from his coach (me) we headed to CPK for his carb loading dinner. Pizza? Yep, pizza. This was a huge boost for Edwin’s confidence for several reasons. First, usually during this time of the fight preparation Edwin would be barely moving from lack of nutrients from cutting all the weight he would usually lose. Secondly, pizza is a great cheat meal and to carb load (we experimented with this weeks before hand to see how his body would react and the response was very good). Finally, the emotional component of feeling satisfied through one of his senses, taste, is extremely gratifying and a good stress reliever. Although most scientific theory would consider this bad, the practical application of this results are unarguable.

Once we were done with dinner and Edwin was feeling happy with his meal selection we headed back to the hotel for the TV Talent interview. There we sat with legendary MMA Referee “Big” John McCarthy, MMA Fighter Frank Trigg (who Ed fought) and Jay Glazer. They asked Edwin question after question regarding his training, game plan, opponent, his thoughts on the organization and the fight. After 15 minutes of joking, laughing and serious talk we called it a night and headed back to the room. By this time it was 9:30 pm and time to settle down.

We headed to my room to review the training session today and go over the game plan for tomorrow’s weigh-in. We are right on track with weight and should only have to spend minimal time in the sauna tomorrow to make weight, but we won’t have to starve himself nor completely dehydrate his body. Edwin has been extremely disciplined and making weight should not be an issue.

Tomorrow is the big day, we have less than 2 days until the fight and preparation is almost over…then comes competition…battle…WAR! I hope Nogueira is ready for the fight of his life, because Dewees is going to be bringing it.


Friday July 18, 2008
I allowed Edwin sleep in a little longer than usual to minimize the time that he would have to starve & dehydrate himself through out the day. However, he is only 10 pounds overweight (215 lbs) from the night before so he should wake-up at around 5-6 pounds over first thing in the morning. After his wake-up call, we head downstairs to the weight check room and he weighs in at exactly 210 lbs. This is at 9:00 am which means he has enough time to eat breakfast and drink a little water before we head over to the sauna to drop the remaining weight.

Unfortunately the hotel does not have a sauna so we had to head over to a nearby LA Fitness to use their sauna. As we started to head over to LA Fitness by foot-mobile, Mike Whitehead and his entourage was heading that way as well so they offered us a ride and we all piled into his pick-up truck all 10 of us. The entire back of the truck was full of training equipment and luggage so 3 people had to sit on the open tailgate of the truck as we drove along the road. Luckily we didn’t get stopped by law enforcement or lose anyone to a quick turn or bump in the road…but hey, their tough guys so I’m sure they’d be alright if they fell out onto the road.

We got to LA Fitness in one piece but realized they only had a wet sauna (steam room). This is not the best method to lose the water weight necessary as compared to a dry sauna, but this is all they had so we made due. After an hour and a half of shadow boxing in the sauna and being wrapped up in blankets and towels like a mummy, we got down to our desired weight, but wasn’t exactly sure if we were accurate because they didn’t have a calibrated scale so we had to use a home bathroom scale that we had approximated the difference between the official scale and the bathroom scale. By this time it was 12:45 pm and we had to head back over to the hotel to get ready to board the bus for the Honda Center for the official weigh-ins that was scheduled to leave at 1:30 pm.

Well, Edwin was feeling a little exhausted and the walk back to the hotel wasn’t going to happen because he felt like passing out, so I had to waive down some people to hitch a ride back to the hotel. We tried calling a cab but it was a 30 minute wait which would be cutting it close. So after a few shutdowns from not so friendly people, one helpful young man agreed to give us a ride. He looked a little worried at first because there were 6 of us that stoop up when he said he’ll give me a ride back, but he only had room for 3 so Edwin, myself and Joe Riggs jumped in the car while the other guys walked back to the hotel. The guy was still a little edgy but who wouldn’t be when you got 2 scary guys in the back seat that beat people up for a living.

When we got back to the hotel, someone removed the scale for us to recheck Edwin’s weight with the calibrated scale so I was a little upset but could do nothing about it so we just cleaned Edwin up and then got into the bus which took us to the Honda Center. Once we got to the Honda Center, there were over a thousand fans on hand to witness these warriors weigh-in for their respective weight divisions.

First we checked in and was escorted to the waiting room where all athletes hung out waiting for the pre-fight medical evaluation and anti-doping testing. This was a long waiting process for Edwin and all fighters that had to cut weight. We sat around for about 2 hours before finally being called out to weigh-in.

Once Edwin’s name was called by the usher, we were escorted to the main stage where the official scale stood in front of the media and thousand screaming fans. This was it, all the hard work to get down to 205 is now going to be official. It was amazing, the voice of Michael Buffer called out “Babyface Edwin Dewees of Scottsdale, Arizona.” The crowed went crazy people screaming as Edwin stepped forward onto the scale. Edwin stood still as flashes from camera’s went off. Man he looked chiseled, a lean muscular fighter stood in front of the MMA world to show them that he is not to small to fight at 205, in fact he dwarfed Nogueira in muscularity. Buffer loudly spoke out the official weight of Edwin “205 pounds.” After Nogueira was called up to weigh which he weighed in at 205 pounds as well, both fighters stood at a face off which you could see a slight height difference going to Nogueira but Edwin looked much more muscular and leaner of the two. He did it, we were right on point and half the battle was done. I have to admit, as his coach a sigh of relief was let out as I could feel a bit of the pressure as well.

Check out the video of Edwin’s weigh in click on the links here:

http://www.afflictionclothing.com/banned_july19/

http://www.mma-core.com/videos/_Affliction__Banned_Weight_In__2_2_?vid=10000878&tid=107

As soon as Edwin walked off the stage he already had a water bottle in hand and gulped it up with out a breath. Bottle after bottle with some electrolytes and amino acids helped rehydrate and revitalize Edwin’s depleted body. He also didn’t waste time stuffing down a turkey sandwich in a blink of an eye. With a big smile on Edwin’s face he turned to me and says “thanks coach, we did it.” Words to my ears, but in reality it was Edwin that did it and I’m very proud of his accomplishment.

We had a huge surprise at the weigh-ins. Donald Trump stopped by the weigh-ins to help announce the main event fighters. Mr. Trump is involved with Affliction and will be a huge impact on the sport with his presence. It was pretty cool to see the business man himself at an MMA Fight weigh-in, but the man came straight off the golf course ( he still had his spikes on) to take part in the event. To me it was a huge treat as Mr. Trump has accomplished so much as an entrepreneur and business man, and has helped motive myself to pursue my business goals.

After a long and drawn out weigh-in the fighters had to perform a dress rehearsal of how the event is going to run for television. By the time we got out of the Honda Center it was time for dinner but Edwin was behind on meals so it was basically a late lunch. So we headed to TGI Fridays where he got to eat a satisfying meal of his choice…buffalo boneless chicken with fries. Well, he didn’t eat one serving…he ate 2 plates full. Once again a smile on his face from ear to ear. We headed back to the hotel to settle down and watch more video’s. Next thing we know it was time to eat dinner and back to a high carb meal to prepare for tomorrow.

What a long day for a fighter, but once it’s over now the real battle is only a “sleep away.” Tomorrow we prepare for battle, from the time we wake up until Michael Buffer calls out to Edwin “Let’s get ready to RUMMMMMMMMMBLE!”

Olympic Weightlifting for Sports Performance Clinic - Saturday, December 8, 2007

Free Clinic for Arizona High School Coaches and Athletes

Ikei Performance, Scottsdale’s exclusive sports performance and fitness training center for professional athletes and serious fitness enthusiasts, will be hosting Monthly Olympic Weightlifting clinics for Enhanced Athletic Performance on the first Saturday of the month beginning December 8, 2007. Led by 5-time U.S. National Weightlifting Champion, Chad Ikei, this program is being offered FREE to all Arizona High School coaches and athletes with the goal of improving the performance and safety of strength programs in Arizona High Schools. The clinic will be held at Ikei Performance, 9525 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 104, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 between 1:00-3:00 pm.

Olympic Weightlifting (Olympic sport since 1896), not to be confused with weight-training, comprises of two competitive lifts: Snatch and Clean & Jerk. Both these movements require a tremendous amount of athleticism including speed, strength, flexibility, mobility and mental focus. The proper implementation and execution of these lifts and the derivatives has proven to improve strength, power and speed, three important aspects of athletic performance for athletes.

Through the years, Olympic Weightlifting has gained popularity among high school strength training programs. Sports such as soccer, volleyball, football, baseball, basketball and even tennis require an athlete to be explosive in nature. Young athletes can benefit from proper Olympic Weightlifting movements during their preparation for the fall, winter or spring sports. However, although many coaches and athletes are aware of the benefits from Weightlifting movements, very few have the experience and/or confidence to properly teach the mechanics and techniques of the lifts.

This is an opportunity to learn from one of the best Weightlifters in the country and it’s FREE. To reserve a spot for the next clinic contact Garrett at Ikei Performance 480-657-6937 or via email garrett@ikeiperformance.com.

Educational Nights at Ikei Performance - "Maximize Your Metabolism" December 3, 2007

MAXIMIZE YOUR METABOLISM

Monday - December 3, 2007

6:30 - 7:30 pm

FREE SEMINAR

Join Arizona’s premier sports & fitness performance center’s Dr. Mark Rudderham, Naturopathic Physician and Chad Ikei, Personal Trainer & Performance Coach, in a FREE SEMINAR discussing advanced methods for increasing metabolism and effective fat loss procedures. Learn nutritional facts and functional exercises that will rev-up your metabolism and keep you fit and lean. Dr. Mark Rudderham specializes in alternative health & performance care. Chad Ikei is 5-time National Weightlifting Champion and World Record Holder that has coached numerous professional athletes and has developed a specialized program for fast and effective metabolic results.


Ikei Performance will be holding their monthly Educational Seminar on Monday evening, December 3, 2007 from 6:30-7:30 pm. The seminar is open to the public and on a first come first served basis, space is limited. There is no fee as the seminar is a service to the community to provide education and awareness to healthy living and optimal performance.

Join in on the fun and learn how to take your health and fitness to the next level. Snacks will be provided by Sunfare, the leading provider of personalized, healthy meals and delicious, family-style dinners in Arizona.


Tired of that unwanted belly fat?
Trying to get rid of that spare tire?
Feel like you hit a plateau in your training?
Want to look & feel dynamic again?


Get the answers and overcome the problems. Join us for an
informative and educational seminar that will blow your mind. Call 480.657.6937 or email info@ikeiperformance.com, space is limited.

Educational Nights at Ikei Performance - "Let's Talk Hormones"

Ikei Performance will be holding their monthly Educational Seminar on Tuesday evening, November 13, 2007 from 6:30-7:30 pm. The seminar is open to the public and on a first come first served basis, space is limited. There is no fee as the seminar is a service to the community to provide education and awareness to healthy living and optimal performance.

The topic of the month is "Let's Talk Hormones." Dr. Mark Rudderham will address personal hormonal concerns for both MEN & WOMEN. Learn alternative methods for taking control of your inner youth and get back on track to a healthy and productive living.

Feeling Fatigued?

Having trouble sleeping?

Experiencing emotional instability?

Feeling an increased level of stress or anxiety?

Noticing signs of hairloss?

Struggling with weightloss?

Can't put on any muscle mass?

Storing fat in unwanted places?

If you have experienced any of the above symptoms or know anyone that has, bring them with you and get the answers to the problem. Join us for an informative and educational seminar that will blow your mind. Call 480.657.6937 or email info@ikeiperformance.com.

Timmy Chang Interview - Part 1