MMA Techniques and Exercises: Eddie Bravo and BJ Penn

Ultra Flexibility - If there is one MMA technique that you need to take from Eddie Bravo and BJ Penn's game, that technique is flexibility. Okay, there are plenty of other techniques to be learned from E. Bravo and Penn, but if you aren't as flexible as these two (which you aren't), you need to be. Flexibility is highly underestimated in MMA, but as BJ Penn and Bravo have demonstrated, it can be a lethal force in MMA all in its own. It can get you out of tight spots, help keep you from getting taken down, and allow you to pull of difficult submissions.

If you want to become a better fighter, you should strive to develop your flexibility to the level of these two. So how do you develop this highly desired yet rarely acquired MMA goldmine? Maybe you should start by mimicking BJ. In an interview conducted by Edward Pollard for Black Belt Magazine, entitled, "BJ Penn: The Ultimate Fighter's Newest Training Coach Reveals His Training and Fighting Secrets!" BJ stated, "BB: You're known for your flexibility. What role does stretching play in your workouts?

Penn: "Every day I stretch about half an hour before going to bed. I don't stretch before practice; I just warm up to get the blood going. If I'm not too exhausted, I stretch after training. But often I'll go home, eat, relax, take a shower and then stretch before going to sleep. A good routine is to start from your head and go down to your feet, stretching everything you want to stretch. Flexibility is essential. That's why so many people have such a hard time taking me down, passing my guard and reversing me when I'm on top. It's important to have strength with your flexibility. At the gym, you often see strong, stiff guys and weak, flexible guys. To become a force in fighting, you need to combine those."

Seems simple enough right? Get to it. If that isn't appealing to you and you want to get it done while you are still in the workout mood, try 10 minutes after warming up for a workout and 15 after.

From Eddie Bravo's side of things, this video says it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OktcKhtMQ88

On a quick side note, Eddie Bravo and his website 10thPlanetJiuJitsu are full of very useful information for grappling and flexibility. He is an excellent grappler and has many instructional videos on submissions.

Anyway, If that video is not enough to get you stretching, then get out of the MMA game! Leading up to my last fight, I stretched for an hour every night for a month and a couple weeks and wow, there was a huge difference. And I was already flexible before.

Some key stretches for MMA:

1) Partner Assisted Stretching

Partner assisted stretch is super helpful when trying to gain flexibility for MMA. Not only can you get stretches you might not have been able to get without a partner, but you have the extra motivation too. There are all kinds of partner assisted stretching strategies, so many I can't go into them all. But for example, one that I like to do is sit with my back straight up against a wall with my legs straight out in front of me spread as wide as they can go. Your partner then sits down facing you, and puts his legs inside yours, pushing his feet just below your knees. You then straighten your back, clasp his hands, and allow him to pull you forward and hold. This is an excellent stretch.

2) Butterfly Stretch

This stretch is common but highly useful for MMA. It can help you develop a tighter triangle choke and enhance flexibility in the hips. The best part about it is that you can do it almost anywhere. I suggest doing the butterfly any time you are watching TV or sitting around shootin' the breeze with friends.

3) Back Rollover

For this stretch, lay on your back splaying your arms out straight to both sides. Now roll backwards, keeping your head, neck, and shoulders on the ground while attempting to touch the floor behind your head with your toes. Once you are able to do that, try walking (tip-toeing behind your head) back and forth. This is good for your neck, which research has shown that when the neck is strengthened, you are less prone to knockout!

4) Backbend

You all know what it is, and it's a great stretch for MMA.

Flexibility in MMA is a technique that every truly great fighter SHOULD posses. It seems there have been a few who don't. Take heed to BJ Penn and Eddie Bravo's advice, give these exercises a try, and separate yourself from the inferior as an MMA fighter with extreme flexibility.

OH, and you have got to see the video of BJ Penn doing a 3 ft. vertical jump out of a pool.

This article is part of a series to help amateur mixed martial artists improve their game by providing broad overview of different techniques and attributes that make a complete fighter, and then giving acute insight into how to get there. If you want more exercises to develop different MMA techniques, look out for other contributions to the series.