May 14-15, and August 20-21 Level One Certification Cincinnati, Ohio (Advanced Reservation Required) July 16-17 Masters Level Certification Cincinnati, Ohio (Advanced Reservation Required) By Marty Gallagher MARK COLEMAN ark Cole- of a twenty-five year old, his skill ing session I practice wrestling and man is with- level is at an all time high and his work on submission holds. I also MM out ques- intestinal fortitude and fight expe- practice boxing, kicks and counters tion one of the pre- rience make him as formidable an and use this first training session mier fighters in the opponent as anyone on the inter- of the day to improve my fighting world. He has won ev- national fight scene. “I feel confi- skills. In the afternoon session I ery prestigious mixed dent in my abilities and I still have concentrate on improving my body: martial art title there is to the internal fire.” I lift weights and perform intense win, capturing the Pride cardio in order to improve strength Tournament in 2000 and the Ul- Mark Coleman has been a Parrillo and stamina.” After a decade of timate Fighting Championship (the Performance Product user for fighting the best in the world for top mixed martial art competition more than a decade and declares money and prestige, Mark has held in this country) on three sepa- that Parrillo supplements are the learned how to push himself to the rate occasions. Now at age 40 he cornerstone of his nutritional prepa- limit. “My training is designed to be is about to do battle once again. “In ration. “I use Parrillo Products ev- grueling and demanding and it takes February I will fight the fastest ris- ery single day. John’s protein pow- a toll on my body. I need Parrillo ing star in the mixed martial arts der and sport nutrition bars are the products to help me recover and world, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. best I have ever used. When I’m recuperate in time for the next ses- The fight will be held in Japan on getting ready for a fight I train hard sion.” Mark uses Optimized Whey February 25th and I have six weeks twice a day for two to three hours Protein “several times a day.” He to prepare, less than optimal in per session. In my morning train- drinks a double or triple serving of terms of preparation time, but re- gardless, I will be ready.” Japan has become Mark Coleman’s home away from home. He has fought in the Pride Tournament many times over the past five years and wrestles professionally in Japan on a regular basis. “Six months ago I lost my last mixed martial arts fight to the number one fighter in the world, Emelianko Fedor. Now I have an opportunity to fight Filipovic and if I can beat him I will be in the running to fight the win- ner of the Fedor-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira world championship bout that will take place the same night I fight Filipovic.” At an age when Mark uses Optimized Whey Protein “several times a day.” He most professional athletes have drinks a double or triple serving of 50-50 Plus after each long been retired, Mark Coleman training session. 50-50 Plus is a half-and-half combination of is still in the thick of it. The rea- whey protein and maltodextrin carbohydrate powder that sons are fairly plain to see: he has provides muscles battered by intense training the nutrients the strength, stamina and physique needed to repair and regenerate. www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / March 2005 4 JOHN PARRILLO’S PERFORMANCE PRESS 50-50 Plus after each training ses- ing the nutrients needed to Parrillo bar (or two) and take a sion. 50-50 Plus is a half-and-half repair and regenerate. nap.” After he sleeps for an hour combination of whey protein and Mark explained that his or so, its back to the gym for his maltodextrin carbohydrate reliance on Parrillo second session. Mark lifts weights powder that provides muscles products is practical as and hits an aerobic session. To say battered by in- well as productive. “I that this training session is intense tense drink as many four would be a massive understate- train- Parrillo whey protein ment: Mark is famous for his sav- shakes and 50-50 Plus age training tactics and will often concoctions each sprint up steep hills for countless training day. To tell ‘reps’ or do roadwork for endless you the truth I really miles. Regardless the aerobic mode don’t have the time selected, he pushes to exhaustion or inclination to and then pushes beyond exhaustion. prepare and eat a He always looks for ways to in- regular meal af- crease his cardiovascular capacity. ter my morning “I continually seek ways to im- training ses- prove and extend my endurance. sion. If it As a fight progresses my stamina has been a is taxed in a way that is difficult to good ses- imagine if you’ve never experi- sion I am enced it. Often the combination of so tired adrenaline and necessity require that more you extend yourself way past ca- often than pacity. It is difficult to compre- not I drink a hend.” 50-50 Plus shake, eat a Working past exhaustion can reek havoc on blood sugar levels. Throwing a barrage of punches or grappling with a bull strong oppo- nent does not allow the athlete to expend available energy in a mea- sured and orderly fashion. If the fighter and his opponent enter into a flurry of activity, a precipitous drop in blood sugar levels can in- duce a level of fatigue so intense that simply raising the arms to de- fend against punches and kicks is impossible. Extreme fatigue sets in “I continually seek ways to improve and extend my when two combatants push, punch, endurance. As a fight progresses my stamina is taxed in a kick or tug past capacity and a way that is difficult to imagine if you’ve never experienced burst of activity ends only when a it. Often the combination of adrenaline and necessity combat conclusion is reached. If require you extend yourself way past capacity. It is difficult the heart and lungs fall behind in to comprehend.” their ability to deliver oxygen and remove waste products from fa- 5 March 2005 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com MARK COLEMAN tigued-laden muscles, blood sugar drops and limbs feel as if they are made of lead. In order to prepare for being pushed past capacity dur- ing a bout the athlete needs to push himself past capacity in training. “I have been gassed so bad in fights that I could not hold up my arms.” Mark said. The dilemma is ad- dressed by increasing capacity and this is done in training. A decade of fight experience has taught Cole- man that the old athletic motto ‘train hard, fight easy – train easy, fight hard’ is true. In his quest to be the best Coleman pushes himself to his limit and beyond. He need be care- ful not to push so hard that he in- jures himself. Much of his training revolves around sparring. “Ideally I like to rotate a series of sparring partners in rapid succession. If we are grappling I will fight a partner for a specified period of time then he will exit and a new opponent will immediately pick up where the first opponent left off.” This rotational procedure is grueling, effective and taxing. Sessions need to replicate true fighting conditions yet care need be taken that they not get out of hand and become so brutal that an in- Working past exhaustion can reek havoc on blood sugar jury occurs. A deep cut or a bro- levels. If the fighter and his opponent enter into a flurry of ken bone in training will result in a activity, a precipitous drop in blood sugar levels can induce fight cancellation and a lost pay- a level of fatigue so intense that simply raising the arms to day. If Mark takes it too easy the defend against punches and kicks is impossible. training is worthless but if the spar- ring portion becomes too realistic training program that is tailored to it can become injurious. The bal- medicine ball for distance and I improve my sustained strength. I ance must be struck between ef- scramble crab-like on all fours to perform high repetition sets and use fectiveness and mayhem. His retrieve it. Unless I push myself a quick pace. The idea is to develop hardcore approach carries over to past capacity I don’t feel as if I’ve power and strength that can be cardio. “My aerobic training is had a good aerobic session.” His called upon deep into a fight.” Mark rough; I will sprint up steep hills until approach to progressive resistance is a powerful man who has the I make myself nauseous. I have a training is equally difficult and de- reputation as the strongest of all training partner throw a 15-pound manding. “I’ve devised a weight www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / March 2005 6 MARK COLEMAN schools for tactical combat martial arts.” Mark is extremely analytical in his approach to the art and science of how best to improve fight skills. “Since 1990 there has been a blend- ing of different martial disciplines and methods. It used to be that fighters used only the tactics taught in a particular martial discipline but that one dimensional approach is all out the window.