Conor McGregor is the biggest name in MMA at the moment. His combination of trash-talk, swagger and impressive fighting skills have built him a legion of fans, as well a long line of contenders desperate to knock him off his throne.
Along with McGregor’s hype has come an intense interest in his unique training methods – his focus on movement, precision and timing over the grinding intensity that has come to dominate the MMA game over the past decade.
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Videos of McGregor’s workouts show him crawling on the ground like a lizard, walking upright like a duck and using his body in a multitude of ways that seem to have nothing to do with fighting.
Ido Portal, an Israeli movement coach, is a recent addition to McGregor’s training camps and has been hailed as a pioneer for the way he teaches MMA fighters to focus on mobility and movement, rather than sheer strength and toughness.
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Even McGregor’s appearance as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter showcased his unique approach. Slower, fluid sparring with an emphasis on picking shots was the order of the day for Team Europe, and the TUF results seem to bear out the idea that smarter, more fluid training improves fight IQ and prevents injury.
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So what can we learn from Ido Portal? Here is a basic flow sequence that Portal uses as a foundation for his system. It increases mobility, body awareness and is a great warm-up to try before your regular workout. Give it a shot, you might be surprised.
