When Chase 'Mannimal' Mann made the move from powerlifting to MMA, it wasn’t easy. And in an exclusive interview with Bodybuilding Bros, Mann revealed one key factor that allows him to find the perfect balance of power and endurance.

Before his bout with Isi Fitikefu, we asked Mann, "What does a typical weekly training split look like for you when balancing strength and MMA conditioning?"

To which Mannimal replied, "It's been an experiment trying to find the right balance without overdoing it. I've found what works best for me is 3 days a week for strength and conditioning focused on strength, speed, explosiveness, and overall athleticism."

During his transition, he found that continuing the powerlifting routine wasn't suitable for MMA. Instead of lifting the heaviest weight, he had to prepare himself for lifting opponents as far as 30 times in a single bout.

That's where his conditioning workout came into play. In addition to doing full-body workouts instead of powerlifting workouts, he incorporated conditioning exercises.

Mann broke down this part of his workout to us. "2 days a week, I like to do max effort sprints, where I just try to get my heart rate as high as possible with different exercises. I'll also do a long-distance run 1 or 2 days a week."

These sprints are highly effective and have been used by UFC Champions like Alex Volkanovski. A combination of sprints with brief periods of rest allows fighters to simulate fight-like intensity.

For Mann, the split between conditioning and strength changes before fights.

What Chase Mann Said When We Asked Him About His Pre-Fight Focus

Mann told us how he split his time before a fight, diving deeper into conditioning and strength.

"In fight camp, the shift focuses more towards conditioning, especially towards the end. I still do strength/conditioning 3 days a week, but in those sessions, the goal isn’t to lift as heavy as possible to build strength. It's more about conditioning and being explosive. Outside of camp, I focus more on building strength."

The shift is to build up more endurance for the bout. A fight can go on for multiple rounds, and conditioning prepares the body to keep up the same intensity in later rounds. Moreover, it helps prevent injuries.

Now, Mann (7-0) is just hours away from taking on Isi Fitikefu (9-1-0). Will he defeat Fitikefu to extend his record? Well, we'll find out at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev. You can watch it on Prime Video at 9 pm E.T on January 24th.

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar