An Inside Have a look at Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone’s UFC 246 Coaching

You’d be hard-pressed to discover a extra thrilling fighter contained in the Octagon than Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The 36-year outdated has created a few of the hottest spotlight reels within the UFC, and within the course of has accrued essentially the most UFC information of any fighter: 23 wins, 16 finishes, 18 post-fight bonuses, 20 knockdowns, and 7 knockouts by the use of head kick.

So it’s possible you’ll be a bit shocked to study that in terms of his energy and conditioning program, Cerrone is as uninteresting as might be.

“I’d say that my coaching [methods] are boring,” says Cerrone’s energy and conditioning coach, Shara Vigeant, who has performed an integral half in Cowboy’s prep for his bout with “The Infamous” Conor McGregor, which happened on Saturday, January 18 in Las Vegas.

Vigeant has been working with fighters for over a decade and says that coaching for MMA was extra rudimentary: “It was simply conditioning, conditioning, and conditioning.” These days, severe athletes like Cerrone know that investing of their energy and conditioning packages will solely result in stronger muscle tissues, a greater switch of their abilities, and longevity. And Cerrone is severe about his coaching.

Not solely does the Albuquerque, NM transplant work with Vigeant, who he met in 2017 whereas filming a film in Alberta, Canada, however he’s a co-owner of The Efficiency Ranch, a New Mexico-based coaching facility run by his different energy and conditioning coach, Lawrence Herrera. Consequently, Cerrone is essentially the most energetic and winningest fighter ever within the UFC.

In comparison with McGregor, Cerrone has logged 15 fights because the Irishman’s career-defining win towards Jose Aldo in 2015 and 5 since Mystic Mac’s final look within the cage. Vigeant attributes Cerrone’s shelf life to his work ethic, insane conditioning, and that “he’s a naturally sturdy man, so we simply construct on that.”

Within the health club, the Alberta, Canada-based energy coach sticks with what she calls the pillars: “pull, push, hinge, squat, lunge, and carry.” These six motion patterns are in each one in all Cerrone’s exercises, however how they’re utilized is determined by the place he’s in his coaching camp. Early on, for instance, Vigeant is extra targeted on constructing his energy and energy, so she’ll load these actions with heavier weights. Because the battle approaches, upkeep and harm prevention is extra of a spotlight, so she’ll ease up a bit.

Cerrone works with instruments like drugs balls, kettlebells, and dumbbells. For his conditioning, Vigeant says that he’s a beast on the Airdyne bike, working his manner as much as 130 RPMs with whip-fast restoration time.

To get an concept of how Cowboy prepped early on for his scrap with McGregor, Vigeant offers two pattern exercises from his UFC 246 camp. Give them a strive your self—the flexibility to kick ass not included.

Picture Credit score: Rodrigo Donoso

‘Cowboy’ Cerrone’s Coaching Plan

The Cowboy usually works out two to 5 days per week. Listed below are two examples of what Cerrone’s coaching appeared like early on in his camp. Right here, the main focus is extra on energy and energy output. Carry out one tri-set earlier than shifting onto the subsequent, and be at liberty to relaxation a few minutes after every.

Day 1

Day 2