5 Ways to Think and Train Like GSP
2. Training is like a pyramid
St-Pierre is also notorious for his unparalleled commitment to training, whether or not he is set to fight.
He regularly trains with wrestling coach Greg Jackson, but has been seen working with Olympic wrestlers and Muay Thai fighters in the past.
He's also planning on training with Freddie Roach while in Manila.
“The way I do my training is like a pyramid. The first ladder is the physical, the second is the technical, and the third is the tactical. It goes like that.
The physical is the first ladder because it’s your foundation. You need to be in shape, if you’re out of shape, you wont have any foundation. Your pyramid will fall down. That’s what comes first in the training camp.
The second ladder is the technical; you need to know your technique. The armbar – how to do and escape from an armbar, how to block a right hand, how to counter a takedown, how to do a guillotine choke – you need to know your technique.
The tactical which is the last part comes at the end of the training camp. It is everything that specific that you’re gonna do to your opponent. And this is where the mental comes into play."
3. Know your enemy
Josh Koscheck has been a major terror in the welterweight division, snatching victories over Frank Trigg, Paul Daley, and Anthony Johnson in his last three fights.
He is also the consummate dirty mouth - once even prompting Daley to hit Koscheck post-match at UFC 113, resulting to Daley's ousting in the UFC.
"I know Josh Koscheck; I’ve done my homework on him. I’ve watched many videos, I know Koscheck maybe more than he even knows himself.
I’ve been watching a lot of his fights. I know what he does when he’s taken out of his comfort zone. I know where he is comfortable, I know his strengths and where he’s good at.
I know how to counter his strengths. I know how to bring him out of his comfort zone. I know where he is vulnerable to get cut with. It’s all part of the mental."
Next: Studying your opponent like he's an exam
