Velocity Based Strength Training in MMA (UFC Performance Institute)

Curious how elite MMA fighters perform strength training? In this article, Rebecca Summers, Manager of Strength & Conditioning, UFC Performance Institute, shares her approach – using velocity based training.

By Rebecca Summers – Manager of Strength & Conditioning, UFC Performance Institute

What makes strength training for MMA unique

Strength and conditioning underpin the physical qualities required across all aspects of MMA: striking, grappling, wrestling, and repeated high-intensity efforts.

In MMA, it’s important to differentiate between upper body strength and lower body strength. You cannot lump them together.

Historically, it has been difficult to assess strength in the upper body. But GymAware has provided us the ability to create an upper body force–velocity profile. This is particularly valuable in MMA, as it allows us to differentiate between upper and lower body adaptations and target them more effectively. GymAware’s linear position transducer has been one of the only ways to capture this data accurately.

Through this process, we might find that an athlete is speed-deficient in the upper body but force-deficient in the lower body, allowing us to target each quality more precisely. GymAware provides the reliability and validity needed to confidently assess and apply these profiles within our system.

Challenges in strength training for MMA

Working with elite MMA athletes in the UFC Performance Institute, we face two distinct challenges.

MMA is a highly chaotic sport

Elite MMA athletes often don’t have an ‘off switch’. There is a constant mindset that more training is better. This can make it challenging to ensure we are targeting the right adaptations rather than simply accumulating more load. With MMA being a highly chaotic sport, this challenge is even greater.

Velocity based training (VBT) allows us to tackle this challenge. We objectively measure movement velocity and use so-called velocity stops. It works like this:

The athlete tracks bar velocity using the GymAware RS (VBT device). During a set, bar velocity starts to decrease, due to fatigue.

When an athlete’s movement velocity drops below the velocity stop (e.g. 1.2 m/s), they end the set. 

Velocity stops can be effective for managing fatigue and maintaining rep quality. It allows athletes to self-regulate within a set.

By doing so, VBT helps address the ‘more is better’ challenge by ensuring athletes are working at the correct intensity and velocity for their needs, while adapting to day-to-day fluctuations in readiness.

Managing consistency across multiple facilities

The UFC Performance Institute is a global company, with locations in Las Vegas, Mexico City and Shanghai. The S&C department supports elite MMA athletes through individualized programs to optimize performance. 

One of our goals is to create more consistency across facilities. Having a single platform (GymAware) integrated across all facilities ensures alignment in how we collect, interpret, and apply normative data for MMA fighters.

Although we operate under a shared system, we still maintain the flexibility to apply GymAware in a way that best fits each environment. For instance, our Mexico City and Shanghai locations are more academy-based, which means training is often delivered in a team setting rather than fully individualized. In these environments, the ability to quickly adjust profiles and assign different velocity zones based on each athlete’s needs is even more critical.

How we implement Velocity Based Training

We use all aspects of VBT: velocity zones, velocity stops, percentage velocity loss, and minimum velocity thresholds. The key is understanding why and when to use each method.

• Velocity zones are speed ranges at which a barbell moves during resistance. Different zones have different traits. For example: strength-speed (0.75 – 1.0 m/s) is a zone that targets both strength and speed, and often leads to high power movements.

Velocity (zone) targets are an alternative to percentage based training.

For velocity zones, we tend to use tighter ranges to ensure a more targeted stimulus and allow for better autoregulation. This helps us align the athlete’s output with the intended adaptation rather than just prescribing a general load.

• Velocity stops are a way to determine the number of reps and sets. When an athlete’s movement velocity drops below the velocity stop, they end the set.

Velocity stops can be effective for managing fatigue and maintaining quality, but they require clear rules. Athletes often self-regulate within a set, so defining whether a set ends after one missed rep or multiple consecutive drops in velocity is important for consistency.

• Minimum velocity thresholds are the minimum velocity required to succeed in a lift. When an athlete approaches this velocity, you know they are close to failure. The minimum velocity differs per VBT exercise.

We use minimum velocity thresholds to individualize training further, allowing us to anchor velocity zones to the athlete and specific exercise..

We also differentiate between peak and mean velocity depending on the movement. Peak velocity is typically used for ballistic exercises, while mean velocity is more appropriate for traditional strength movements.

Profiling: linking testing to programming

We use GymAware for upper body power, force–velocity profiling and estimating 1RM through minimum velocity thresholds.

1RM estimation: measure the velocity when lifting a light load (in this example 45kg) and a heavy load (in this example 70kg). Draw a line through the 2 (blue) points. Determine your 1RM by looking at the crossing point between your line and the minimum velocity of the exercise (0.16 m/s for the bench press). In this example, the estimated 1RM equals 90kg.

The data helps us identify whether an athlete needs to develop force, velocity, or a combination of both. This directly informs exercise selection, loading, and velocity targets.

We track velocity outputs across training cycles to monitor performance changes over time. Depending on the target adaptation, progress may be reflected by moving the same velocity with a heavier load or sustaining the same load and velocity across more repetitions.

VBT enhances our training by directly linking testing outcomes to programming decisions. Based on our profiling, we may identify that an athlete is ‘strong enough’ and can begin to further develop their force–velocity profile.

For example, if an athlete needs to develop lower body force (strength–power), we may prescribe a safety bar box squat targeting a mean velocity of ~0.75–0.85 m/s. GymAware ensures the load matches the intended adaptation. Without it, athletes often default to lifting heavier loads and moving too slowly, which shifts the stimulus away from the desired outcome.

On the other side of the spectrum, an athlete may present with sufficient force production but low velocity outputs. In this case, we would shift programming toward speed-strength or ballistic work rather than continuing to emphasize heavy loading. By targeting a mean velocity of 0.9–1.0 m/s, we prioritize speed-strength. 

In one athlete, this prescription resulted in a significant increase in the 0% BW Jammer Throw, which jumped from 4.2 to 4.9 on the left side and 4.0 to 4.7 on the right.

Grey line: pre-test. Red line: post-test.

Do elite MMA athletes like VBT?

Our MMA athletes have responded well to GymAware, particularly in how it brings a competitive aspect to training, which helps elevate motivation. In our academy settings, this often shows up as direct competition between athletes. When athletes achieve a top score, they can put their name on the board, creating a competitive environment across athletes and even across weight classes.

The immediate velocity feedback increases engagement and helps them better understand the intent behind each exercise, reinforcing the quality of each rep.

It also helps bridge the gap between testing and training, allowing athletes to see how their assessment results directly translate into their programming and why our testing is important.

Advice for other coaches

If you’re not assessing, you’re guessing. We have tried other VBT systems, but ultimately selected GymAware due to its reliability, accuracy, and user experience.

That said, the value comes from how you use it. Coaches need to be clear on what they are assessing, how they interpret that information, and how they translate it into a meaningful training intervention that leads to positive outcomes.

Fundamentals are critical in strength and conditioning. Strength is a foundational component that underpins both power and speed. From there, it’s important to understand the specific demands and needs of the athlete or team you are working with. Once those are clearly defined, you can better determine where VBT fits within your system and how it can best support your programming.

Rebecca Summers

Rebecca Summers is the Manager of Strength & Conditioning at the UFC Performance Institute. She is responsible for supporting elite MMA athletes through individualized programs to optimize performance, with a focus on assessment, identifying key performance gaps, and prescribing targeted interventions. She was first introduced to velocity based training during her graduate assistant role and has spent the past five years integrating it more deeply into the Performance Institute’s diagnostics, testing, and day-to-day programming.