GPP for Fighters

GPP

GPP (General Physical Preparedness) is the foundation of your physical qualities—strength, endurance, coordination, etc. These are what allow you to train at high intensity in your sport. Without a solid GPP base, you’ll run out of gas quickly or won’t recover well enough to keep improving.

A graphic example I liked came from Westside Barbell, a construction worker might walk into your gym and, without ever having done a deadlift with an Olympic bar, pull 200 kg off the floor. Meanwhile, others need months of specific training to achieve that. That’s GPP.

HOW CAN WE APPLY GPP TO A FIGHTER?

When it comes to strength work during the off-season, we can adjust the rep schemes we’re used to.If we typically do sets of 1–6 reps, we can increase the rep range to 6–12, or reduce rest intervals to 1–2 minutes to raise heart rate and train under fatigue.

We can also introduce complexes in the style of Jailhouse Strong, such as:

- Front squat + Back squat + Romanian Deadlift + KB swings + Push-ups (6 reps each, 1-minute rest, complete 3 rounds)
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For cardio or conditioning, we often use intervals similar to the rounds in your combat sport. You can increase both the work and rest time, or switch modalities—Assault Bike, Rope Swing, Sled Pushes, Sprints, Row Ergometer, etc.

MUSCLE MASS

If you’re far out from a fight—or have a month where training intensity is low—you can focus on gaining some weight and building muscle mass.
I know this sparks debate: many fighters panic about gaining weight before the next weigh-in. But it can be a good window for body recomposition, especially if you’re burnt out from constant dieting and your mind needs a break to reset.

We can follow a bodybuilding-style approach with some adaptations that tend to work well for fighters.
They often deal with joint discomfort, impact injuries, dislocations, etc., so I would reduce the weight load and increase reps to the 8–10 range. You can even go beyond 20 reps if needed—no problem. You’ll still build muscle, but with added benefits: more explosiveness, more time under tension, less stiffness, and better joint comfort.

I also like including multi-joint exercises with constant TUT (Time Under Tension) rather than isolated, slow-tempo movements—unless needed for the athlete's context. Keep an open mind. If your toolbox is wide and you’re creative, you’ll get more out of every phase.

ATTACK WEAK POINTS, BUILD STRONG ONES

Following the RV Strength we can introduce Base Strength Blocks, where we move away from basic lifts and use variants to target weaknesses or enhance strengths.

For example, if you lack the strength to move training partners, try Zercher squats.If pushing is your weak spot, try Floor Press or Pin Press. Analyze your weak points and choose exercises that help you correct them.

You can also enhance your strong points—for instance, if you’re good at deadlifting but drop it during fight camp due to fatigue, now’s the time to bring it back.

LAGGING PLANES OR MOVEMENT PATTERNS

This ties back into GPP. In this phase, we can focus on movement patterns or planes of motion we’ve neglected during the season. Maybe we haven’t done much loaded carries. Now we can add 2–4 weekly sessions with farmer’s walks, waiter’s carries, sled drags, etc.

Grip work is also key—strengthening fingers, wrists, and forearms will allow us to reduce volume later while still recovering better.

Movements in the transverse plane are another great option—Pallof press, cable twists, Russian barbell twists...

MOBILITY SESSIONS

I already mentioned Razminka sessions for fighters short on time, but if you're training less due to being far from fight season, it's a good time to prioritize mobility and increase workload in this area.If you were doing 10 minutes twice a week, bump it up to 20 minutes and 2–3 sessions per week.
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Later, when training intensity ramps up again, you’ll notice better recovery, smoother movement, and faster relief from stiffness. And if you make it a habit, those benefits will compound even more.