Power is the component needed most by mixed-martial artists. The ability to knock an opponent out with one punch, execute a big throw or takedown, and escape a dangerous position all rely on your ability to generate a lot of force in a short period of time. But training for power is often done incorrectly or is missing components that are necessary to maximize your effectiveness in a fight.

The equation for power is as follows:

Power = Force x Velocity

That means to generate maximum power, you need to be able to a apply a lot of force very quickly. But force and velocity have an inverse relationship, which means that as force increases, velocity decreases, and vice versa.

There are 3 ways that you can increase your power in the gym: use a heavy load to increase your ability to generate force, use a light load to increase your ability to move fast, and use a load that strikes a balance between force and velocity.

All 3 methods should be used to get the best effect. However, your body will adapt best when it is allowed to focus on one or the other for a given movement pattern within a workout. That's where periodization comes into play.

Let's say you have 12 weeks until your next fight, you lift weights twice a week. We'll use the bench press to keep things simple. Regardless of the phase, your goal should be to move the bar as fast as possible during the concentric phase of the exercise. Lower the bar under control, neither slow nor fast.

For Weeks 9-12, focus on building your muscles, tendons, and ligaments, using 6-10 repetitions for 3-5 sets, twice a week. Rest up to 90 seconds between sets to maximize your strength endurance and create some hypertrophy.

In Weeks 6-8, focus on building maximal strength with 2-5 repetitions for 4-7 sets, twice a week. Here, you'll want to make sure you get at least 2 minutes rest between sets, because you want to allow your neuromuscular system time to recuperate, which takes longer than your muscles. A lot of strength building is due to increased activation of motor units, not just hypertrophy.

Now for Weeks 3-5, I'll have my athletes train maximal strength for one session as in the previous phase, and maximal velocity another session. To train maximal velocity, pick a weight that's about 65% of your 1-rep max, and lift for 8 sets of 3 reps. Rest about 1 minute between sets. Alternatively I'll use exercises like explosive clap push-ups instead of the bench press, since it allows you to not slow the movement down.

For the 2 Weeks leading up to the fight, I have my athletes go down to 1 weight lifting session a week, where they'll train at approximately 85% of their 1-rep max, and perform 6 sets of 3 reps, resting about 90 seconds between sets. This is the tapering phase, which will keep the athlete both strong and fast.

So this template can be applied to any exercise, for example it works well with Back squats, Deadlifts and Rows. Following this template will maximize your power and explosiveness, bringing you one step closer to winning the fight with a big knockout or submission.

If you want to follow a program that's been tested in the octagon and will maximize your explosiveness and cardio, check out the Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning Program It's helped athletes win belts, fight in the UFC, and dominate their opponents for 3 grueling rounds.