Every time I bring in a new intern, the same question pops up: “Which periodization model do you use?”
What I actually hear is: “Do you use one fixed system?” As if real-world planning could fit neatly into a single template.

The truth is simple: I use whatever gives the athlete the best return for the time we have and the constraints we’re facing. Combat sports aren’t predictable. Injuries, chaotic schedules, fight-camp volatility, weight cuts, technical training load and life stress all interfere with what looks perfect on paper.

Unlike linear sports—sprinting, throwing, weightlifting—where variables are limited and environments are controlled, combat sports require athletes to develop speed, strength, power, endurance, repeatability, reactivity, and technical skill simultaneously. You can’t neatly isolate qualities without sacrificing others.

Block periodization has been a staple for decades, and for good reason. It’s clean, simple, and effective—one phase feeds the next, capacities build progressively, and qualities take turns being emphasized without disappearing completely. Many of the best coaches in the world have relied on it, and I’ve used it extensively with great success.

But sometimes, time isn’t on your side. Maybe you only have six weeks. Maybe injuries limit exercise selection. Maybe the fighter already has multiple qualities lagging at once.

This is where the conjugate method shines.

The conjugate system allows multiple strength qualities to be trained within the same microcycle, with planned variation in exercises, loading zones, and strength curves. It’s more flexible than strict block models, but still structured enough to drive targeted adaptation.

Strength training for combat sports cannot be a copy-paste of bodybuilding or generic weight room routines. Grappling, striking, and MMA demand that the athlete can absorb force, hold position, and then explode into movement under chaotic and unpredictable circumstances. This is exactly what the Omni Contraction Training (OCT) system was designed for. By training eccentric, isometric, and concentric contractions in a structured way, athletes prepare their muscles, tendons, and nervous system for the real demands of combat.

The Three Contraction Types and Their Relevance

The eccentric phase—muscles lengthening under tension—is about controlling and absorbing force. Think of sprawling against a shot, resisting a sweep, or maintaining posture under heavy pressure. Science shows eccentric-only training produces superior gains in eccentric strength compared to concentric work alone, while also strengthening connective tissue and reducing injury risk.

La préparation physique pour les sports de combat ne peut pas être un simple copier-coller de la musculation ou des programmes génériques de salle. Le grappling, le striking et le MMA exigent de l’athlète qu’il puisse absorber la force, maintenir une position et exploser au bon moment, dans des situations chaotiques et imprévisibles. C’est exactement ce que le système Omni Contraction Training (OCT) a été conçu pour développer. En entraînant de façon structurée les trois types de contraction musculaire — excentrique, isométrique et concentrique — l’athlète prépare ses muscles, ses tendons et son système nerveux aux véritables exigences du combat.

Les Trois Types de Contraction et Leur Importance

La phase excentrique — lorsque le muscle s’allonge sous tension — consiste à contrôler et absorber la force. Pensez au sprawl contre une projection, à la résistance d’un balayage, ou au maintien de posture sous pression. La recherche démontre que l’entraînement excentrique seul produit des gains supérieurs en force excentrique par rapport au travail concentrique, tout en renforçant les tissus conjonctifs et réduisant le risque de blessure.