Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is used in all aspects of web marketing.  You need to understand as much as you can about how SEO works in order to get the proper marketing of your website online.

When you use SEO in all of your content – both text and visual, you can draw more traffic to your site.  In order to understand how to use SEO, you need to know why people use this type of marketing and rely on it so heavily in order to get the desired traffic to their website.  SEO is what gets a website noticed in the search engines.

So what exactly is SEO?  This sets up your text, photos and videos so that they are easy to find when someone is searching for them using the various search engines online.  While it is often said that Google relies more on SEO content than Yahoo, which relies more on link building, the truth of the matter is that in order for a website to be discovered online, it must come up in the search engine.

For example, if you have a website that sells cooking appliances, you will want to make sure that you structure your site so that others who may be looking for the products you sell will be able to find it online.   Those who are looking online for what you have to sell may do it in a number of different ways, although the easiest way for someone to find something online is to use the search engines.   Most of the traffic to your website will come from search engine optimization.

You need to know which keywords will work for your website.  These are the words or phrases that people will put into the search engine bars to receive the search engine results pages.  Many people today are putting in longer phrases into the search engines to narrow down their search.

There are tools that the website owner can use to investigate the best keywords for their website, based on what they sell and what words potential customers are likely to plug into the search bars that will lead them to the site.  In order to succeed at this, a website owner must not only know the concept of SEO, but also much about the target market, which is those who are most likely to purchase the products on the website.

If you are just starting out your website, or if you have a website up and running already, you need to know how to use search engine optimization in all facets of your marketing.  While there are other ways to market your website and products without using SEO, the fact of the matter is that 60 percent of all traffic on websites comes from those who found the website in the search engines.  These people are seeking out what you have to offer and are finding you online as long as you are accessible.

Once your site is search engine optimized, you can expect to get more traffic to your site from the search engines.  People who may be interested in your site will find it easier if your website is search engine optimized.  Most people use the search engines to find what they are looking for when they go online.  By having your website optimized and easy to find in the search engine results pages, you can attract more traffic to your website through the search engines.

There are many internet marketing companies that will help you get your website search engine optimized and keep it that way.  Some of the methods that they use to optimize a website include the following:

Article marketing
Blogs
Press Releases
Video ads
Google ads

All of these can be optimized in order to incorporate keywords that will make the website appear in the search engine results pages or, in the case of Google ads, land them on pages where they are most likely to find people who will be interested in your website.  The entire purpose of making a website search engine optimized is to make it easier for potential clients or customers to visit your site.

Those who may be interested in your products or services can only take advantage of them if the know about them and where to get them.  You have, most likely, gone on line in search of something that you wanted to buy at one time or another.   Chances are that you put the information into the search engine toolbar to pull up search engine results pages.  You probably sifted through a few pages before you came up with what you wanted.

This is the basic concept of SEO.  Those who understand how to use SEO to make their website more searchable and likely to come up in the first two pages of the search engine results pages are more likely to have clients land on their site.

There are probably many sites out there that offer you interesting information as well as products or services.  Unfortunately, many of them are buried deep in the search engine results pages.

Most people, when searching online for something, will give up after going a few pages into the search engine results pages.  In some cases, a search may produce millions of hits.  Needless to say, you do not want to go through every one in order to find what you are looking for.  Most people have neither the time or the inclination to do this.

This is why it is so important for businesses and others who want to have their website noticed make sure that they use SEO techniques in order to do so.  By using SEO, a website will no longer be buried in the middle or at the end of millions of results.  It has a better chance of getting to the front of the search engine results pages.

Chapter 2 – Search Engines That Use SEO

Google and Yahoo are two of the search engines that use SEO.  While there are those who say that both of them also rely heavily upon link building when it comes to page placement in the search engine results,  both of them also rely heavily on search engine optimization.  They send their search engine spiders and bots through the text to pick up keywords to help rank the page.  The bots pick up both long tailed and regular keywords. Long tailed keywords are phrases that appear throughout the text and will be discussed in a later chapter of this book.

All of the search engines use SEO to some extent. While SEO is not the only factor that figures in to search engine results placement, it is a primary factor in this placement.   Google, Yahoo, MSN and all of the other search engines all rely on SEO in the content to figure on placement in their pages.  However, one search engine may rely on the SEO more than others.

If you do a search on Google, for example, chances are that you will pull up different results than if you plug the same keywords into the Yahoo search engine.  Both of these giant search engines use SEO in order to determine rank, although they also figure in other factors.

One factor that figures heavily in the Yahoo search engine rankings (as it does in other search engines) is link building and page building.  The search engine will rank a website higher if it has many links back to the site throughout the web.  This is very prevalent with the giant information site, Wikipedia.  You have probably noticed that this site often comes up when you are searching for information.  That is because there are so many backlinks throughout the web that link back to this site.

When you are on a Wikipedia page, you will notice hyperlinks to other areas of the site. This large link network creates hundreds of thousands of pages that are all linked together to dominate the search engine results.  In addition to link building, however, Wikipedia also uses SEO.  If you study any Wikipedia article, you can pick out the keywords and see how often they are used.

Everyone who has a website online wants to make sure that they get their website noticed in the search engines.  There are positive ways to do this and tricky ways to do this.  Tricky ways are often called “black hat” techniques that can get a website banned from the search engines.  This can be self defeating, so you want to be sure that you naturally build up your ranking in the search engines through the use of SEO and other strategies.

One way that you can naturally build up your rankings in the search engine is to properly implement SEO in all of the text that is committed to your website.  You want to be sure not to use keyword stuffing, which is when you have too much of a keyword density in your text.  You should have 2-3% keyword density for your text.

Some of the basic principles of using SEO in text are as follows:

Use it in the title of the text, preferably in the first few words;
Use it in the first sentence of the text;
Use it in the last sentence of the first paragraph of the text;
Use it once in the body of the text per 500 words;
Use it in the last sentence of the text.

Different marketing companies that practice SEO will use different tactics to get their website noticed.  Many of them use variations of the above when it comes to SEO.  Two things that you want to avoid when you are working with SEO to market your site is using too many keywords in your text or not using the right keywords.  Later, we will discuss the different ways that you can discover which keywords will work for your type of site.

In order to market your website online, you will want to use search engine optimization in all of your text related to your website.  All of the search engines pick up SEO to varying degrees so understanding how to optimize your website is important if you want others to be able to easily access your website when online.

Chapter 3 – Using SEO In Website Text

The first thing that you will want to do when you are setting out to optimize your website is to make sure that all of the text on your website is search engine optimized.  You can do a Google keyword analysis to see which keywords and phrases are most likely to be used by those who would be interested in your website.  You will want to use SEO in text.

Take a look at your website and the content that is on your site.  Everything should be optimized so that it will come up easier in the search engines.  If you are using photos and have photo tags, these too must be optimized for the search engines.  You need to go through your entire website to make sure that you are search engine optimized.

Not only does your website have to be optimized for the search engines with the proper keywords, but all of the relating pages to the website should also be optimized.  If you want to rise in ranking in the search engines, you should have pages to your website.  Many people will optimize the first page of their website but end up ignoring the rest of the pages. However, the search engine bots will go into the deep pages of your website to look for SEO.  You have to make sure that everything connected to your website, including all website pages, is search engine optimized.

Chances are that you will not see the results of optimizing your website text right away.  It can take a month before the search engines start to pick up on the optimization and your page starts to rise in rankings.  Many companies that practice SEO marketing will help you raise your rankings in a month and some will promise that you will be in the first five pages of the search engine results pages in the next six months.

When you are optimizing your website text so that it is easily picked up in the search engines, you are not doing anything black hat to undermine the purpose of the search engines.  Many people feel that using SEO is trickery and can get their website banned from the search engines.  This is not true.  To the contrary, search engines embrace those websites that use SEO the right way.

Before you can optimize your website text, however, you have to first figure out which keywords you should use for this purpose.  Take a look at what your website is promoting or selling and then figure out what you are trying to accomplish when you promote your website.  If you are selling something, what are some of the searches that customers will perform to get to your product?  Once you can figure this out, you can then change the website text to reflect this information.  You want to use several keywords for each page and also incorporate the use of long tailed keywords for your site as well.

Do not forget tags on videos as well as photos that are on your site.  They should also be optimized to raise your rankings in the search engines.  All aspects of your site should be looked at carefully to make sure that you are getting the most from your text and photos that you put online.

The more you work at optimizing your website text for the search engines, the more you will see an increase in traffic from the search engines.   If you are just beginning a website, you should understand how you can increase the amount of traffic to the site by using SEO in your text.  All of your website text should be optimized for the search engines.

Most marketing companies that work with webmasters in order to help them gain prominence for their sites online will use both SEO as well as link building in order to get the site noticed.   Marketing companies will often give you SEO content that can be put elsewhere on the web and linked to your site that includes blogs and articles and in some cases, videos.  However, they often do not do anything with your existing website.

While the marketing endeavors that use SEO are good and necessary in order for you to achieve a higher status online when it comes to your website,  it is also important to take a look at the text on the site itself to make sure that it is making the most of search engine optimization in the text on the main page as well as any additional pages.

Make the most of your website by using website text that is optimized for the search engines to make it easy for those who are most likely to use your site easily find it.

Chapter 4 – Using SEO For Google Ads

One way that you can get others to your site is to use click ads.  Many internet marketing companies will make  distinction between click ads and SEO as if they are two separate marketing strategies.  The truth of the matter is that ads also incorporate SEO.

Keywords are essential when you are trying to attract others to your site.  This is regardless of whether you are trying to attract them through SEO means such as blogs and article marketing or if you are trying to attract them through Google ads.  Pay per click ads incorporate SEO techniques that are used in SEO marketing in order to be successful.

Pay per click ads are placed on various websites in an effort to get others to click on the ads and possibly purchase the product that is advertised.  Ads are hyperlinks that contain a phrase that is meant to entice the visitor into clicking and finding out more.  Anyone who is considering using pay per click ads to try to market their website should be aware of the keywords that they are using as they will pertain to where the link is placed as well as whether or not others will click on the link.

If you sell high heeled shoes at your website store, for example, you are going to want to make sure that your click ads are distributed to sites where those who are most likely to buy high heeled shoes will see them.  You should do a market analysis of your target market, who are most likely young and female.  You then want to make sure that your ads appear on websites that also target your target market.

The way to do this is to make sure that the ads you are using appeal to the demographic that you are targeting in your marketing campaign.  You should structure your Google ads with the right keywords in order to make sure that the sites that pick up this ad will be attracting those who are more likely to purchase your product.

When you are using SEO, you want to be sure that you are targeting certain keywords and phrases that will attract potential customers and get them to visit you online.  You want to stay away from broad statements if you have a specialty item that will attract the wrong individuals.  While it is a good idea to get as much traffic to your site as possible, it is also important that the traffic that you bring to your website be traffic that will be interested in your site and what you are selling.

When you are using SEO in print, such as article marketing, you can be more liberal with keywords and phrases to bring in a larger demographic area.  However, when you are marketing your site with the use of Google ads, you want to narrow down the demographics to those who are more likely to purchase your product.   Not only will this allow the ads to be promoted on sites that are more likely to be visited by your target market, but also be likely to be clicked on by those are will want your product or service.

If you are trying to market your website, you are better off to use both search engine optimization that comes through building up rankings in the search engines with articles, blogs, press releases and more as well as pay per click ads. Both of these options work well to promote websites.  However, it is important for anyone to realize that the same concept that rings true when it comes to finding keywords for search engine optimization also applies when it comes to using keywords for Google Ads.

You can use the same concept that you use with SEO for your Google ads to get the best results for your marketing campaign for your website.

Chapter 5 – Using SEO For Article Marketing

When you are using article marketing, you can promote your website in many different ways.  Not only does the article marketing have the ability to attract readers who can be directed to your site due to the links that are provided in the article, but it also has the ability to build up your status in the search engines due to link backs and SEO content.  Article marketing is the best way to use SEO for your website.

There are many article hubs where you can post articles for free online.  They are easy to use as you can submit your articles to them and have them go live.  Most of them have certain restrictions regarding article length that you will have to comply with when you are submitting articles.  They will allow you to post a link to the website at the end of the article.  In some cases, you can put a hyperlink right into an article, although most article hubs will discourage any hyper linking.  For the most part, the links are found at the end of the articles in a reference box.

The articles must be search engine optimized so that they can be found on the search engines.  The articles should contain about 2-3 percent of keyword density and also a link to the website that is placed at the end.

Some rules to follow when you are using article marketing in your SEO project are as follows:

Make the articles short but not too short – 400 words is best for the attention span of those online;
Use no more than 4 percent density when it comes to keywords;
Use the keywords in the title of the article and the first sentence;
Use the reference box to put the link in for the article;
Make sure that you have no broken links in your reference box;
Do not overuse the keywords as this will get the article rejected;
Come up with two or three keywords to use in an article;
Use a site that will spread the articles all over the internet.

One site that you may want to try for article marketing is www.ezinearticles.com.  This site allows you to post up to 10 free articles with links back to your site.  You must follow the terms of the site in order to get your articles posted.

Like most article hubs that will eventually distribute the articles all over the internet,  Ezine will want to make sure that you are writing an informative, well written article.  The article should not contain any typos or spelling errors.  You should check your grammar when you are writing your article to make sure that what you have written is grammatically correct.  You do not have to shoot for Hemingway style writing when you are trying to have an article published online, but you should shoot for reasonable quality.

Do not overstuff keywords as this will get your article kicked back.  Use the keywords as directed and not more than 4 times for a 400 word article.  Take a look at other repetitive words that you may be using in your articles and keep those to a minimum as well, even if they are not related to your original choice in keywords.

Take the time to fix any articles that do not meet the requirements.  Most article hubs will help you out by telling you what is wrong with your articles.  You can learn how to create articles that will help out your website when using article marketing in this way.

Your articles that you use must be original.  You cannot steal the articles from someone else, change a few words and put your name on them.  Article hubs run the articles through a check system to see if they appear anywhere else online.  If they do, then they will bounce it back to you and the article will be rejected.  Make sure that all of the articles that you use for article marketing are original.

Articles should be informative and not promotional at all.  While some article hubs like Ezine allow for reviews of products, product reviews have to be non-partial and not read like a promotional piece.  Your articles should all be information pieces that are designed to inform the public of a product or service without seeming to advertise anything.

All of the articles should be relevant to your product in a positive way and should give the public information that they will want to know.  You can submit your articles yourself to free article hubs, or you can use an article submission service that can promote your articles for you.

There are two main reasons why people use article marketing online.

They are:

The SEO used in the articles can attract a potential customer who will click on the link;
They establish links to your site and raise your status in the search engine results pages.

Of these two reasons, the latter is why most people choose to use article marketing online.  While it is possible that someone would see your article and then click on the link to purchase the product that you are promoting, the main reason you should look to article marketing is to promote link building to your site.

There are many article hubs online that will offer you a chance to put your article online for free.  You can find a list of free article marketing sites by going online and doing a search for them through Google.  You can also use a site like www.articlemarketer.com to distribute articles online in this way.  You pay a fee for article marketer, but you do not have to manually submit the articles as this site will do it all for you.

Article marketing is one of the best ways to get your product and service well known.  Whether you are selling a product, service or even an idea, you can benefit by marketing it online in this manner.  You do need to make sure that all of your articles are search engine optimized for your website.  Once you start marketing articles online in this manner, you will see how easy it is to write and promote yourself online.

If you do not know how to write articles or do not want to take the time to do so, you can promote yourself by hiring a copywriter to write your articles and distribute them online for you.   Many of those who want to market their sites will pay a copywriter to write the articles for them.  Some copywriters will also distribute the articles for you at a slight additional charge.

Chapter 6 – Using SEO In Press Releases

Press releases are yet another way that you can use SEO for your website.  Like everything else that you write and distribute online, the press releases should be search engine optimized with keywords.  You will want to follow some of the same rules when it comes to keywords and density as you did for the articles marketing with some differences.

Just as there are free article hubs to distribute articles for online, there are also free sites that will allow you to distribute press releases.  A press release is a promotional writing about your company that comes off like a news article.  You should have something new or exciting that you are announcing in your press release that makes it “news” worthy.

Using the shoes example again, one of the titles for a good press release would be “Fall Ushers In New Styles In High Heeled Shoes.”  As is the case with other products that you write for online venues, you want to use the keywords that you have chosen in the title of the press release.

Your press release should be timely and current.  It can relate to a special sale that you are having or new arrivals that are not even really “new.”  You can use your imagination to make just about anything on your site seem to be new and exciting.

You have to follow the submission rules for press releases just as you would for article marketing.  Press releases have to have the city and state where you are writing from as well as the name of your company.  Unlike articles where you put a live link into a resource box, you can provide the link at the end of the press release along with other information, such as an 800 number if you have one.

There are not as many free press release sites where you can post your press releases as there are article marketing sites, but there are many free sites to use.  You can do a Google search to find a press release site or free sites where you can distribute your free press releases.  You can distribute the same press release to more than one site.

You should make your press release sound like a news article, complete with quotes in the article that will make it sound more authentic.  The press release should be written in the third person but quote the owner of the company or some other executive in first person.  If you do not want to use your name in the press release, you can use a false name.  You want to be consistent when you are writing your press releases and using names.

While you can punch up a promotional angle when you are writing a press release, you still want to keep the piece informative.  You should use the same SEO rules when you are distributing a press release as you would when you are distributing a news article.  Make sure that you do not go overboard with the keywords.

Again, the purpose of using the free press release distribution using SEO is to distribute more links online.  The more links that you distribute, the more your site will rise in ranking in the search engine results pages.  As you want to continue to make your site rise high in the search engines, you will want to take advantage of all of the opportunities there are online to raise your rankings.  Press releases should be used just as article marketing should be used for SEO content.

You also have the chance of someone seeing your press release online and then contacting your company about the offer.  If you have a limited time offer for your product, you should note this in the press release.  Unlike articles, press releases are dated.  They can be a free way to promote a special sale that you have coming up or to hail in a new product or service.

Chapter 7 – Using Longtail Keywords

When the internet first began, it was possible to just put in a few keywords to find a site online that had what you were looking for when you were using the search engines.  Things have changed dramatically since the inception of the internet in that there are millions upon millions of websites for just about any type of product.  Needless to say, it makes it all the more difficult for those who are looking for what you have to sell to find you in the search engines.

Many people who are searching for something online realize this as well.  They know not to put in a keyword such as “shoes” into the search engine search bar because they will get millions of results pages.  They know that they have to narrow down their search by typing in a phrase into the system.

A phrase can be considered long tail keywords.  Long tail keywords are those that are more of a direct phrase that can be used in your online marketing and will pop up in the search engines for those who are using that particular phrase to search for something online.

In order to use long tailed keywords effectively in your SEO, you have to have an idea of how those who are most likely to want to buy your product will search for it online.  What type of words will they use in their search?  You can find this out through Google analytics or you can figure it out for yourself.  You should make sure that the long tail keywords that you are planning to use for your articles, blogs and press releases are what others are more than likely to use when they are performing a search online for products or services from your website.

You should also be sure that you understand that spelling is often a problem when it comes to some keywords. The more keywords that you have in your article or blog, the more of a chance that someone has to misspell the keywords.   If you have keywords that are often misspelled by the public, you should include some misspellings of the keyword that are most likely to be used in your article, blog or press release.

You should also use short keywords in your SEO as this will also be picked up by the search engines.  However,  as the internet continues to grow, you can no longer ignore the advantages of using long tail keywords have over you.

The long tail keywords can have some words that are not picked up by the search engines in the title and text so that they make sense.  For example, if you are using high heeled shoes in Denver as your long tailed keyword, “high heeled shoes Denver” would be the keyword.  The “in” to make the phrase more grammar conscious, does not interfere with the search.

Long tail keywords can make a big difference when you are trying to get your website noticed online.  You should incorporate the long tail keyword just as you would a regular keyword into your text as well as any marketing that you do for your site.  You will find that you get much better results by using long tail keywords for marketing than you would with short keywords used for marketing.

You have more of a chance of attracting customers to your site using long tail keywords than you would using regular keywords.  Those who do hit on your site when using a long tail keyword search will be more likely to be looking for exactly what you are selling than those who randomly land on the site using shorter keywords.  While you should use both long tail and regular keywords for your SEO projects, it is important not to underestimate the importance of using long tail keywords when you are creating a search engine optimized product for your website.

Chapter 8 – Using Google To Discover The Best Keywords

There are various ways that you can discover which are the best keywords for you to use when you are trying to promote your website.  You want to be sure that you use both keywords that are relevant to your site and also to the consumer who will be using these keywords to search for products or services such as what you sell online.

One way to figure out which are the best keywords for you is to use a Google tool.  Google is the largest search engine online and there are many different Google tools that are designed to help you figure in ranking in this search engine.   You can do research prior to setting up your site to figure out which are the best keywords to use for your site and which will bring in the most searches.

The Google analytics toolbar will let you know which keywords will work best for you.  This works with regular keywords to give you an idea of what others will be putting into the search bar to seek out your product or service.  In some cases, keyword choices may be obvious.  In others, it may not be so obvious.

The Google tool will let you know the number of searches that are performed for each of the keywords that they pull up relevant to your site.   You can use this tool to ascertain which are the correct keywords that you should be using in your SEO marketing efforts.

You should take advantage of all of the tools that are offered by Google to get your site up and running.  The keyword analysis is one of the many tools that Google offers to help you with your website.  Once you have your website up and running, you can submit it to the Google search engine.

Make a list of the keywords and use them in the text that you use to promote your site.  The keywords should be part of all of the SEO marketing that you do.  You may not be able to use all of the keywords in a given article or blog, but you will want to work with all of them.  Some of them will reflect that they are searched more than others.

Also take in to account misspellings.  If you have a product that can easily be misspelled, you can capture a great deal of the market if you account for this in your SEO marketing.  You may be able to pick up customers who are using an alternate spelling for your product and who land directly on your page rather than others who do not offer the misspelled words in their text.

While it is important to make sure that you have a website that appears grammatically correct and does not contain any glaring errors, it is just as important to attract people to that website. You can do this creatively by making use of the misspellings that many people will use when they are searching for your item.

Google analytics can help you see what you are doing wrong and right when it comes to the SEO for your website.  Before you begin promoting your website with the use of SEO, you should take a look at the keywords that are recommended by Google and incorporate them into your projects.

Chapter 9 – SEO For Video Ads

One way that you can get promotion for your website is to use SEO for video ads.  Video ads are hotter than ever and will come up higher in the search engine results pages than text.   For this reason, many people are posting video ads on free sites such as www.youtube.com so that they can get some exposure for their website.

Like everything else that you do when you are promoting your site using SEO, you have to make sure that video ads are search engine optimized.  There are tags that are available to name video ads.  You need to  make use of these tags so that you can add keywords and have the video come up in the search engines.

You should not underestimate the importance of using video in your ads.  Video is displayed more predominantly on the search engine results pages and is a very important aspect of website marketing.  You can easily draw up your own video ad using a camcorder and upload it online.  Many of those who have video ads online use only sound with a video design for their ad.  This still gives the video preference in the search engines.

Using a video script, you can create a video ad that is accompanied by music and graphic designs.  You can then tag it with a keyword that is related to your site as well as put the name of your website on the site where you distribute the video.  This gives you SEO exposure on the video sites as well.  There are several sites where you can upload video ads including YouTube.  Take a look online and search out the sites where you can upload free video and then use it to promote your website.

If you are looking for a way to get your website out to the masses using SEO strategies, take a look at what video can do for you.  Because computer technology has come such a long way in recent years, it is now easier than ever to promote yourself using video ads.  Always remember to use keywords accordingly when you are using video promotions.   
Chapter 10-SEO In Photos

When people go online, they want more than just text, they want to see photos.  In some cases, people can find your website by doing a photo search instead of a text search.  It is sometimes easier to find what you are looking for if you use photos instead of text during your search.  Most search engine toolbars have the option for the user to search by photos.

All of the photos on your website should be tagged with search engine optimized keywords.   It is important that all of your photos are tagged so that those who are searching for what you are promoting by way of a photo search can find it.

Just as a regular text search will reveal hundreds of thousands of text pages for just about any search, a photo search will also yield results pages.  However, since there is much more text than photos on the internet, the number of photo results pages are a fraction of what is revealed for text pages.  This is why some people prefer to search for what they want using the photos option.

While it may be difficult for those to search deep into the search engine result pages for your website if there are many like it, it is not as difficult to search for photos.  The search for photos is much shorter and many people will look through all of the photos in the search.  This is why it is important for you to make use of sites that will allow you to host and display your photos.  There are many free sites out there such as www.shutterfly.com that allow you to host  photos for free.  You can upload your photos onto this site and then tag them with appropriate SEO keywords so that they come up in the search engines.  You can also put your link to your site on the hosting company site.  This gives you yet another way to promote your website for free online.

You can add the same photo to different free hosting websites for additional exposure.  You can do a Google search to discover the different websites that will allow you to upload free photos.  Most of them limit the number of photos that you can use for the site.

Using photos is one of the ways that you can add to your SEO marketing.  This does not end up costing you any money at all and very little time.

Chapter 11-Blogging With SEO Marketing

One of the easiest ways that you can promote your website for free with SEO content and links is to use blogging.  Most websites today have blogs that are connected to them.  These blogs are the easiest way to update the site so that it stays current in the search engines.

The search engines are not only looking for keyword rich content when they send out their search engine bots for search engine ranking, but also constant content.  The content on your website should not get stale.  This can end up costing you ranking in the search engines and also end up costing you sales.

If you have a website that has been carefully constructed (again, we will use the example of the shoes website) and want to make sure that it is updated without having to re-do the website all of the time, the best way to do so is to use a blog.

You can go to a site called www.wordpress.com to get started in your own blog.  The blogs created by this site can be used to connect to your own website.

Once you have created a blog, you can then use SEO rich content to put in the blog on a daily basis.  Blogs are different than articles in writing style, formality and information.

Blogs can be written in the first person style.  Many blogs are written as narrative prose rather than informative third person writing.  You can alternate between styles if you so choose to get the information into your blogs.

By changing your blog on a daily basis, you can keep your website up to date.  This will continue to keep it ranking high in the search engine rankings.  You will also be adding links that will boost it in the search engines as well.

Blog writing is very simple and can be accomplished in a few short lines.  You do not have to use very long blogs to get your point across.  All of your blogs, however,  should be relevant to your website.

When you use some blog software, you can add links into your blogs.  These links can be added using HTML or in some cases, just using the tools on the toolbar.  If you have your blog attached to your website, you can then just add to the blog all of the time.  You can display more than one blog on your website.

The more links that you continue to distribute throughout the internet, the higher your site will rank in the search engines.  You will want to make sure that you use the links in all of your blogs for your website.  This will give you more links that will ultimately lead back to your site and raise search engine rankings.

Another site that you may want to consider when you are looking for informal SEO for your website is Squidoo.  This is found  at www.squidoo.com and allows you to post photos, information about your website and links right onto the site.  You can make this into your daily blog by using an RSS feed that you incorporate into the site to keep it updated.

It is very important that you continue to keep your website updated when you are using SEO and marketing concepts to try to make sure that your site does not get lost amid the many in the search engines.  Blogs are an informal and fun way that you can keep your website updated and ranking high in the search engines.   
Chapter 12-Using A SEO Company

Many businesses and others who are seeking a way of getting the message of their website out there to the public are using companies that specialize in SEO marketing in order to get the job done.

SEO companies specialize in internet marketing and will do the following in order to get a website optimized for the internet:

Research keywords;
Restructure the existing text (if any) on the website so it is SEO;
Create pictures, video and tags;
Create a blog and keep it updated using SEO content;
Use article marketing;
Create press releases using SEO marketing.

The SEO company will work with the website to make sure that they are helping them gain in the search engine results pages.  Most companies will be able to tell a business where they are currently ranking in the search engine results pages of the main search engines.

Once the company tells the business where they rank, they will then give them an estimate, based upon experience, as to how far they can help the company rise within the search engine results page rankings.

The rise in the search engine rankings begins right away and can start as soon as the company starts to promote the website.  In most cases, there will be an immediate improvement when it comes to ranking as the SEO company pays attention to the vital keywords that are needed to boost the website in page rankings.

It will take many months, however, before link building and SEO can work together to bring the website to the forefront of the search engine results pages.

Businesses that are seeking an SEO company to boost them in the search engines should be sure that the company can provide them with what type of results they can expect and where.

Be sure that you deal with a company that has experience in the SEO world and will not be using any black hat tricks to boost up the rankings.  These tactics, such as using link farms and link spamming, can end up getting your site banned from the search engines.  Deal with companies that use natural building tactics and white hat SEO to boost up your rankings in the search engines.

Another factor to look at when you are seeking out a company that can help you with SEO is where they promise to boost your rankings.  Some companies will purchase small search engines that no one uses in order to promise clients top spots in search engine results pages.  You need to have a top spot in the main search engines that others are using, namely Google, Yahoo and MSN.

The decision on whether or not you decide to use an SEO company depends upon how much time you have to invest in helping your business gain in the search engines.  If you can commit to writing articles, blogs and press releases on a regular basis and monitoring the search engine results, you can perform your own SEO.  You just need to follow the examples in this book in order to do so.

However, if you find that you are not prepared to put that much time into an SEO marketing project, you may find that you are better off to hire an SEO company that will be able to give you the service that you need.

A good SEO company has experience in all aspects of internet marketing and is prepared to work with your site to boost it up.  While you may start to see positive results right away when it comes to the efforts on behalf of the marketing company, it will take some time for your site to rise in search engine rankings.  Be wary of any company that promises you instant results as the search engine algorithms do not work instantly.

The SEO company will continue to provide you with content for your website, blog materials, articles, text, video and even photos for your website.  You can choose from a variety of different plans.  You should not think that this will be something that you can forget about, either.  You have to continue to keep up with your website in order to maintain high rankings in the search engines.

By paying attention to search engine optimization, you can see a huge improvement when it comes to traffic that comes to your website.  As 60 percent of traffic to your website will come from the search engines, this is not something that you can afford to ignore.

If you think that the only way you can promote your website is through ads, think again.  You can get longer lasting and more intense traffic to your site by using SEO.  You should not overlook the power of the search engines when it comes to boosting up your sales and increasing traffic to your website online.

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Above average range of motion is required in all MMA athletes to prevent injury but also to maintain and reach full potential in the octagon.  The two reasons for joint or muscular non-contact injuries are from lack of range of motion in a joint or tissue weakness.  As a MMA strength coach my number one goal is injury prevention through corrective exercise for all athletes.  Understanding corrective exercise is important to understand the foundational building blocks that make an athlete great.

Corrective exercise is a method of correcting muscular dysfunctions that cause improper movement patterns decreasing efficiency of the muscle (power, strength, etc) and cumulative tissue break down that leads to injury.  You notice I said “cumulative”.  Most think an injury happens suddenly but that is not the case.  The accumulation of minor connective tissue injuries causes the blown ACL, ruptured disc, or torn rotator not just one circumstance.  Have you ever heard of someone that threw their back out by just bending over and picking up a pen?  The pen didn’t cause the injury!  It just so happened to hit the breaking point (no pun intended) at that moment.  When it comes to an athlete it usually is the training methods that ultimately cause the injury.  Not because the exercise was bad but there was no exercise protocol to address the muscular imbalances developed by the repetitive movements done day in and day out that ALL athletes are required to master.

Think of it this way!  If your level of conditioning was developed by say the most advanced methods available today.  Heck let us say you jumped into the future and could get the scoop on the newest of the new training methods for strength, power, explosiveness, quickness, balance, etc.  Also you have the top 5 technical skill coaches available today in the MMA world.  BUT your foundation was not 100%.  This is not Brain Science!  That means your efforts, your advantage from the state of the art workouts, and having the best coaches wouldn’t benefit you 100%.  What a shame!

A simplified example for you to learn

So if you are any type of athlete, not just an MMA athlete you should go add this component to your regimen.    I’m not talking about doing some stretches for your shoulders and hips and say “I’ve been corrected”.  There are certain movements your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, shoulder girdle, and neck should be able to do in give movements.  This connection from your ankle to your lower back is called the kinetic chain.  It is true.  Each joint in your body relies on another to allow full functionality.  For example do you know having tight ankle/calf complex will cause an increased anterior (forward) tilt of the pelvis, thus cause your torso to have excessive forward lean when in any squatting or lunge position?  This means you have to adjust your center of gravity and must compensate for this dysfunction and lose performance levels.  WOW!  All that was caused by your Soleus and Gastrocnemius being tight which decreases dorsa flexion of the foot, causing reciprocal inhibition, which weakens the anterior and posterior tibialis musculature that provides the ability of dorsa flexion.   Now, remind you that this is a simplified imbalance of the ankle complex.  Another reason an expert is so important.

What problems can this example cause?  And you are probably saying, “man I know how to stretch my beeping calves”.  I don’t doubt that anyone knows how to stretch the calf muscle but it isn’t the whole calf muscle that is the issue.  It is usually the lateral section that gets overactive/tight and the medial (inner) part that gets lengthened/weakened.  When this happens the Tibialis also becomes weakened (cause of shin splints) and the peroneus muscle becomes overactive/tight.   Another problem results in the arch collapsing, and plantar fasciitis and/or Achilles tendonitis can form.  In addition moving up the Chain, the outer hamstrings become overactive/tight and medial head of the hamstrings become weakened and lengthened.   Valgus of the knees form which is when the knees begin to move inward when flexed.  This is the number one cause of ACL injury and other knee injuries.  The constant torque on the knee complex eventually cause cumulative trauma to the supporting structures around the knee and then ultimately they fail and tear.

***Quick lesson about your knee and lumbar spine.  Injury in these areas are due to dysfunctions in the joints below or/and above it.  The ankle complex and hip complex are supposed to be mobile and the knee and lower back areas are supposed to be really stable.  If you ankle or hip lacks ability to move in a certain degree of mobility  and you have to do a movement regardless of this deficiency then what joint will have to take the load?  Your knees or lower back!!!  This is preventable.

Ok now back to the topic beforehand.  Stretching the calves have to be done in a particular way or you actually will increase the problem.  But before you do the stretching there is one thing that should never never never be left out.  This is FOAM ROLLING!  Did you notice I said overactive muscles as well as tight?  It is a fact that if you stretch an overactive muscle then you will cause just as many problems as if you stretch wrong.  Foam rolling releases overactive tissue that requires pressure to release.  It is the same thing as deep tissue sports massage.  Never foam roll lengthened weakened muscles!  Another reason you need to hire a professional who understands corrective exercise and performance enhancement.  After the proper muscles are foam rolled then it is time to use static stretching to lengthen those muscles to the proper length tension ratios.

This is how you stretch your calves:

Stand in a staggered stance. Make sure the back foot is perfectly straight and the front is straight as well. Lock back knee out and keep back foot heels on the ground. At this point a person’s foot will start to point outward.  Look at your back foot and make sure it is still straight from here slowly lunge forward with your hands on the wall keeping your knee locked out when you feel the first point of tension (this is where you begin to feel a stretch or your heel starts to move or knee starts to bend), hold at that point then without moving your hips/pelvis, rotate your upper leg and knee outward slightly, what we want is your arch of that foot to rise. This is where you want to hold the stretch, with arch not flat and a stretch in the calf

To stretch the soleus you follow all steps but your back knee is bent and instead of rotating upper leg outward slightly, you just make sure the knee is in perfect alignment with the foot.

After these deactivation and lengthening techniques are done we must now use isolated exercises to strengthen the tibialis muscles and medial calf muscles.

If you never get help to make sure your body isn’t your weakest link, I hope this at least helps.  With your new found ankle mobility you will see hip and legs exercise improve because more hip muscles will be able to engage.  And as a result better performance.  Remember that other dysfunctions can really cause other injuries so this article is not intended to cure or fix all movement pattern problems.

If there is one workout protocol that all MMA coaches should add to their toolbox, it’s the Finisher. A Finisher is a short 3-10 minute routine that you add to the end of a training session, You can use them after MMA, Muay Thai BJJ, Wrestling, Combat Sport training and even a regular gym workout.

The goal of a finisher is to drain the tank of your fighters. To take the last bit of energy they have left and leave it in the gym, to challenge them both physically and mentally.
Finishers can be used with bodyweight exercises, Farmer walks, tabatas, density training with a piece of equipment and even burnouts.

BEST TIMES TO USE FINISHER – you can use Finishers after main training session, sparring session.
Use Finishers no more than twice a week after training session to avoid overtraining.

A favourite finisher that I use with my fighters is the Burpee Finisher Circuit. The burpee is the Ultimate Metabolic Bodyweight Exercise”. This compound exercise works almost every muscle in your body in one short sequence of movements. Your heart and lungs are tested to the max as well.

A set of burpees will force the body to work far above your capacity to take in, transport and utilize oxygen and, subsequently, your anaerobic conditioning will improve.

I put this Burpee Variation circuit together in an effort to try and create a workout that can put the final blow to any MMA training session, traditional strength workout, run or long boring cardio session at the gym. The different burpee variations make this workout challenging and effective.

4 Reasons You Need to Include The Burpee Finisher Circuit After Your Training Sessions

INCREASE CARDIO/CONDITIONING – the burpee itself is very effective at raising your heart rate and in turn increasing your overall cardio and conditioning.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS – because you are performing this after your main training session, you must mentally be focused to finish the circuit. For MMA and Combat Fighters, this challenge is key.

FUN & CHALLENGING – you have to keep things interesting, fun and challenging when training or it gets boring, ineffective and you end up having whiny fighters. Add a challenge to your fighters by adding different finishers at the end of training sessions. You can also use Finishers Challenge Races for reps or time

GET RESULTS FAST – Fighters will ignite their metabolic rate to help burn fat. They also increase their HGH levels to build lean muscle. Performing burpee variations due to the work capacity and power increases HGH levels.

Try these Burpee Finishers Circuits with your Fighters

ULTIMATE BURPEE FINISHER #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiRPIuWkbso

ULTIMATE BURPPEES FINISHER #2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D5xuhVBaqk

ULTIMATE BURPEE FINISHER #3 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTd3ZVjrhr8

Connect with Funk Roberts – FunkMMA
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WHO IS FUNK ROBERTS:

FUNK ROBERTS is a former professional beach volleyball player turned fitness trainer and MMA Strength and Conditioning Coach and MMACA Certified Coach. Through his time training and fighting a professional Muay Thai fight in Thailand he uses experience, research and on-going education to provide the best workout and nutrition information to help MMA and Combat fighters around the world become elite athletes. Check out Funk’s very popular MMA Strength and Conditioning website http://www.funkmma.com and download your FREE 5 Station MMA Circuit and Training Report – http://www.funkflexmma.com

Here’s a workout that we used getting ready for Tough Mudder events we ran last year. This is a great workout for outside, and a track is ideal. The goal is to complete each lap without resting. If needed rest at the end of a lap.

Laps 1 and 3

Forward Run (sprint) 100 meters
Inch Worm/ Walkout 10 reps
Active Recovery 2 Laps (Jog)
Backwards Run (Sprint) 100 meters
Push ups 10 reps
Active Recovery 2 Laps (Jog)
Russian Twists 50 reps

Laps 2 and 4

Lateral Grapevine (sprint) 100 meters
Jump Squat 10 Reps
Active Recovery 2 Laps (Jog)
Jump Squat 10 Reps
Lateral Shuffle (sprint) 100 meters
Push ups 10 Reps
Active Recovery 2 Laps
Russian Twist 50 Reps

Workout Goal:
Complete workout laps 1 – 4 without resting. If needed rest between rounds enough to catch your breath and be ready to go. Workout can be done on a track or field. Make sure to do a proper warm up of at least 10 minutes before beginning this workout.

Bryan Preston, Certified MMA Conditioning Coach
Martial Arts Fitness Center
320 Evesboro-Medford RD
Marlton, NJ 08053
http://www.mafitness.net

If you’ve ever witnessed or participated in a metabolic circuit designed for combat
athletes, you’ve seen hard core. You’ve seen guys pushed to their physical limits. You’ve
probably seen tire flips, prowler pushes, and ground & pound drills. You may have
even seen some guys on their knees reaching for the nearest bucket. There are many
variations out there these days, but the majority consist of circuits that are 3-5 rounds
(sets) that last up to 5 minutes long and include a variety of compound movements
designed to improve the athlete’s strength, power, endurance, coordination, and overall
physical and mental toughness.

The average individual would be completely exhausted and headed to the showers
after one of these training sessions. There couldn’t be any more to the day’s
workout…right? Wrong. Depending on where we are at with our training camp, we like
to implement “finishers” in at the end of the workouts from time to time.

What do we mean when we say “finisher”? We are referring to a final push that finishes
up your routine before you start your cool down. It’s usually one last unique circuit or
exercise that pushes the guys to their absolute limit…it’s where they “empty the tank”
as I like to say. Why incorporate finishers? Here are a couple reasons…

1. Mental Challenge
Mixed martial arts include such a large mental aspect, why not “train it” during our
conditioning sessions? We have a “session board” where I will write the days training
session and sometimes I will purposely exclude the finisher. After we complete are last
exercise and are ready to cool-down and stretch, I’ll throw it up there and tell them we
aren’t quite done yet. Yes, I’m frequently threatened with chokes, takedowns, and high
knees, but we always get it in and they always give 100% effort. My goal here wasn’t to
get thrown in an arm-bar; it was to prepare them for the unexpected. You never know
exactly how a fight is going to unfold. Just because your opponent was an All-American
wrestler and has a history of taking matches to the mat, doesn’t mean you should
neglect training your stand-up game completely. Be prepared.

2. Metabolic Push
The combat athletes we work with will never be exposed as having poor cardio. Our
strength training and circuit training sessions will improve their metabolic conditioning.
These finishers will really challenge the pace, drive lactate threshold levels to new
heights, and push anaerobic conditioning like nothing else. We don’t use these every
session but instead incorporate them strategically throughout camp to avoid burn out
and overtraining.

3. Change
No MMA match is exactly the same and while I’m a firm believer in a well planned
program, I do find it necessary to think outside the box and change things up on
occasion. We execute our staple movements every week; plyometrics, deadlifts, vertical
and horizontal pulls, pushups, etc., but add in some Superband sprint work at the end of
a session now and then to get 1% better and get to that next level in your conditioning.

4. Competition
These combat athletes, like most people, are extremely competitive. Any time we
add a “punishment” for the least amount of reps or the slowest time, the stakes are
increased and so is the focus and intensity. An example might be the loser of the “card
challenge” has to perform 25 burpees; something simple but tough after a challenging
workout. Make it a competition and watch the energy levels soar.

I often here coaches tell their athletes, “If it’s an exercise you dread and just plain hate,
then it’s probably good for you”. While I don’t necessarily agree with that statement on
all occasions, I do in this instance as these finishers definitely fall into this prestigious
category. Here are five finishers that most of the guys just plain hate…and yes, they are
one’s that I use frequently.

MOVEMENTS
1. Treadmill Sprint Work
These are quick 10-20 second all out sprints. At ‘Fitness Quest 10’ we’ll use the dynamic
mode feature with our Woodway treadmills. If Woodway’s are not available, traditional
treadmills will work as well. You simply hop on and do not touch any of the buttons.
Have the athlete grab the handles, get in a slight forward lean, and begin to accelerate
as fast and as hard as possible. I’m not sure the treadmill manufacturers would approve
of this; however, it works great for developing powerful leg drive which is vital for
takedowns and controlling your opponent in the octagon.

2. Superband Series
I love Superbands because they are so versatile. They can be used for just about every
major muscle group and the movements are endless. When it comes to finishers, I
like to partner the guys up and do a series of different movements. Some of my staple
movements include: sprints, shots, bear crawls, jumping variations, knee drives, lateral
work, just to name a few. Here is a quick, sample clip.

3. Sand Sprints
Sand sprint work has been used for decades by many athletes. Being here in San Diego
allows us to take advantage of this great resource. I’ve also experienced the Manhattan
Beach Sand Dunes which was one of the toughest workouts of my life. Google these
dunes if you aren’t familiar. Running and exercising in this unstable surface provides a
number of benefits:
• Increased strength development in your lower shank – calves, feet, and ankles
• Increased coordination and balance
• Not that it’s necessarily a goal for these fighters, but you use more energy and
burn more calories running on sand

4. “Carry” Variations
There is no argument that grip strength is critical in the world of martial arts. Controlling
your opponent requires a powerful, strong grip and these “carrying” variations help
to achieve this. In addition, these exercises are great for developing strength in
your forearms, upper back, and core. Some of the tools I like to use include: heavy
dumbbells, kettlebells, farmer bars, heavy med balls (d-balls), heavy bags and dummies,
and even your training partners. Some people laugh at the thought of partner exercises,
however, try holding Phil Davis in a bear hug and walking for 40 yards and you won’t
find it so funny. These last few tools (med balls, heavy bags, and dummies) are great for
challenging your breathing patterns as well. Try to maintain a power grip on the tool and
keep it tight to the chest much like an opponent would do when they are applying heavy
pressure down on you during a match. Here are some of these tools in action:

5. Card Challenge
This is one I typically incorporate with other finishers as it is more for hand-eye
coordination and concentration than anything else. I like to create a competition
amongst the athletes with this one. Like I mentioned above, these guys are highly
competitive so this challenge certainly brings out their best. In fact, try this one with
your everyday housewives and busy executives as well…the competitive spirit will be in
full force and they’ll love it. Check it out!

If you want to push your clients or athletes both mentally and physically, include one of
these finishers into their routine this week and see if they are up for the challenge.

————

About Doug Balzarini
Doug is the strength and conditioning coach for UFC World Champion Dominick Cruz. Doug currently works at Fitness Quest 10 as a personal trainer, strength coach, and Operations Director for Todd Durkin Enterprises (TDE). A Massachusetts native, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Business Management from Westfield State College. Since moving to San Diego he has completed some graduate work in Biomechanics at SDSU, obtained an ACE Personal Trainer certification, the NSCA-CSCS certification, a TRX instructor training, EFI Gravity instructor training,FMS training, Spinning certification, and received his CPR/AED instructor status. He has also appeared in 8 fitness videos, written numerous fitness articles, completed the MMACA MMA Conditioning Coach certification program and has competed in multiple grappling tournaments.Prior to working at Fitness Quest 10, Doug worked for the American Council on Exercise as the Continuing Education Coordinator where he was responsible for managing over 400 continuing education providers. For more information please visit http://dbstrength.com/

It seems to be a polarizing discussion whether or not sandbag training is a valid form of fitness and performance. Even though sandbag training has possibly the longest history of any form of strength training (being traced back to Egyptian times), it still has a tendency to be looked up as a fad or an outdated form of training.

Trust me, just because something is old does not make it good or valid. We have to question if sandbag training does have such a long history why has it never seemed to be a staple of fitness programs over the centuries and especially now why is it necessary, especially for combative sports?

Having been a strength coach for over 15 years I constantly find myself trying to write better programs and develop better solutions for my clients. I was so intrigued by sandbag training because first and foremost it wasn’t “like something else”. Sandbag training itself is very unique from the movement of the weight itself to the drills that could be created. I was also intrigued by the possibilities of sandbag training after reading John Jesse’s landmark book, Encyclopedia of Wrestling Conditioning, where he didn’t just show your standard cleans and squats. No Mr. Jesse was far more innovative and opened my mind to the true functionality and possible benefits of sandbag training.

“The use of heavy sandbags and their large circumference forces the lifter to do his lifting with a round back instead of the traditional straight back lifting with a barbell. It is this type of lifting that truly develops a strong back. It develops the back and side muscles in movements that are identical to the lifting and pulling movements of wrestling.”

These comments didn’t make me want to jump into just doing “rounded back” lifting, but that we could make sandbag training so much more. With our homemade sandbags we could do some good things, but it wasn’t long till I started to find out why sandbag training never really caught on. Besides the obvious of being messy, homemade sandbags lacked true versatility, progression, and lacked the ability to address some key variables that are specific to sandbag training such as controlling the role of dimension. Any GOOD training implement must possess these abilities.

Once we address these issues we can then create training programs that truly address the needs of the combative athlete. For example, most coaches will perform sandbag training exercises such as cleans and shouldering for “power”. While these exercises are great for developing general qualities they lack the recognition that most combative athletes generate power from compromised stances or postures. Sandbag training allows us to transform standard weight room exercises like cleans and shouldering into more specific movements by integrating staggered stance, rotational, and combination movements that train the combative athlete in more functional positions.
Sandbag training allows us to move in new positions and postures, but also allows us to learn how to resist movement as well. In the last few years Strength Coaches have talked a great deal about the ability to resist movements in order to perform at high levels. This is due to the fact that many muscles have a dual purpose in supporting joints by resisting forces imposed by the body and/or opponent. For example the rectus abdominis is typically trained to perform trunk flexion. Yet, this muscle may more important resist trunk extension and help protect the spine.

How does sandbag training accomplish this goal? We can first manipulate holding positions of the sandbag. With most training implements, there are up to four ways to hold a weight to change the perceived weight and stability. In Ultimate Sandbag™ Training we have up to TWELVE options to change stability and perceived load by altering holding positions. If we look at squatting patterns we can use a Zercher squat (which challenges anti-flexion similar to a front plank position) or move to a Shoulder squat which far more greatly challenges the lateral stability system of the body that is crucial for dealing with the unpredictability of combative sports.

When you combine changing the holding position as well as body position you can create some very powerful drills. One of the favorite drills in our Ultimate Sandbag™ system is the Rotational Lunge. Instead of just having the lunge be a dominant Sagittal plane exercise we can create a multi-planar exercise that will address all the needs of the combative athlete from strength, stability, power, to endurance! While the athlete lunge backwards (which is a single leg pulling motion) and will rotate the sandbag from side to side during the lunging motion. So while the athlete is moving in the Sagittal plane the sandbag is moving in frontal and transverse planes.

When you start seeing a system of training with sandbags they become not an optional training tool, but a necessary training tool for great results.

Josh Henkin, CSCS is a faculty member of the MMA Conditioning Association and is the Creator of the Ultimate Sandbag™ Training System. His Ultimate Sandbag™ System has become a highly sought after program in the realm of functional fitness by having Coach Henkin present to over ten countries and numerous US National Conferences. Coach Henkin has worked with SWAT Teams, US Army Special Forces Recruiting Battalion, Professional Athletes, and many fitness enthusiasts. Find out more at www.DVRTFitness.com

In order to properly program training sessions for Athletes, you must look at their sport. More importantly, how individual athletes move, how their competition moves, and what the active and passive timing of movement is involved in the game/event of competition.

Equipment for MMA Tabata Training and Conditioning

These variables, like so many involved in proper programming, are often overlooked by coaches using one style of training for all athletes.
From a conditioning standpoint, athletes that perform short bursts of intense action followed by short bursts of rest would need different conditioning protocols than those who perform longer, lower intensity protocols. To make this a bit easier to visualize, compare Fighters/Mixed Martial Artists to Marathon Runners.

Fighters utilize a combination of Type 1 and Type 2 (both A and B) muscle fibers by incorporating a combination of high intensity intervals (sprint training) and overall endurance (lower-intensity conditioning over time, i.e. jogging) in addition to proper strength training.
Marathon Runners, on the other hand, utilize mostly Type 1 fibers due to the fact that their sport is extremely aerobic.
Okay, so what does this all mean?
When conditioning athletes like Fighters for competition, you need to at least cover the bases above. What’s a great starting point? The Tabata Method.

The Tabata Method is the brainchild of a Japanese researcher and was originally used for fat oxidation. It basically consists of a 20 second “all out sprint interval”, followed by a 10 second “jogging interval” for 8 rounds. While great for fat loss, its even better for fight conditioning!

It can be used for strength endurance using compound movements like squats or push presses as well as for cardio conditioning such as bag or track work.

How does this apply to Performance Athletes and more importantly, Fighters?
Again, Fighters MUST train for their sport. Watch any MMA bout. How does it unfold? When one side is striking (anaerobic), the other is usually either dodging or countering (can be aerobic or anaerobic). In between strikes and counters, there is usually some movement from both sides while they are deciding their next move, as well as their opponent’s (aerobic).

By training with the Tabata Method, you’re able to hit all muscle fiber types, and in some cases, their aerobic anaerobic thresholds. By using an “All Out Sprint” and “Jog” pace in short bursts, you condition the fighter’s nervous system AND cardio capacity to the pattern they WILL see in a fight.

Can Tabata be Modified?
Traditionally, Tabata is 8 rounds of “20 second sprints, 10 seconds jog” which ends up being a total of 4 minutes. But, like any other training method, Tabata can modified to fit the Athlete. More experienced athletes might be able to accomplish multiple 4 minute “rounds” or different exercises or training types. You can even set up each round of 20 seconds to hit a different type of exercise which allows 8 different “all out” exercises in 4 minutes.

There are infinite ways to use Tabata in your programming for athletes. The bottom line is BE CREATIVE! You athletes might hate you after the session, but they will thank you when it comes time to perform.

***

Be Stronger.


Coach Lopez



Lopez Strength and Conditioning
Certified MMA Conditioning Coach
http://www.cjlopez.com

1,2,3 Tire Flip and Back Peddle with partner
Preform 3 tire flips in a row and then back peddles to the start. After the last tire flip, your partner will flip the tire back towards the other side while you are back peddling. Once they flip the tire 3 times back to you start over. Preform 10 sets total.
30 Seconds active recovery jog.

Tire Box Jumps and Jumping Jacks
Preform 4 Box Jumps onto the tire. Your partner will do Jumping Jacks until you finish and then switch. Complete 10 sets each.
30 Seconds active recovery jog.

Alternating Danny LaRusso’s and Push Ups
Preform 10 Alternating Danny LaRusso’s and then 5 Push Ups. Straight through without a rest for 10 sets total.
30 Seconds active recovery jog.

*One of my training partners nicknamed this a Danny LaRusso because it reminded him of he karate kid and the name stuck. You start with one foot on the tire and jump and switch your feet on/off the tire as fast as you can.

Tire Jumps In/Outs and then Back Peddle
Jump onto the tire and then inside the tire, then onto the other side and then off the tire. Back Peddle around the tire back to the start. Alternate with your partner and preform 10 times.
30 Seconds active recovery.

Tire Jumps In/Outs and Lateral Jumps to Back Peddle
Jump onto the tire and then inside the tire, jump laterally onto the tire straddling the tire and then back inside. Next, jump onto the other side and then off the tire. Back Peddle around the tire back to the start. Alternate with your partner and preform 10 times.
30 Seconds active recovery.

Plank in for Core
Clock Plank on Tire/ 30 Crunches
Clock Plank on Tire/ A-Z letters (Abs)
Clock Plank on Tire/ Hips Swing Ab exercise 30 reps
Clock Planks: Planking with feet on the tire and hands on the floor. Walk yourself around the tire in a plank clockwise and counter clockwise and then preform the exercise. No rest, complete the 2nd and 3rd sets.
There you go, the guys completed this workout in 30 minutes. Push the pace and don’t stop til you finish!

————–

Bryan Preston
Martial Arts Fitness Center
320 Evesboro-Medford RD
Marlton, NJ 08053
http://www.mafitness.net

Whether you compete in MMA or you just want to train like an MMA fighter, it is important to properly train your energy systems in order to be in top form. I want you to start to view your body like a car engine and your heart is your tachometer. I am no car mechanic, but I think we would all agree that it would be more challenging pull 600 horsepower out of a 4-cylinder engine as compared to a V-10 or V-12. So, let me show you how to build and then tweak your human engine for maximum horsepower and performance so you can take your fight game and fitness to the next level.

Determine your Lactic Acid Threshold
Maximizing cardio conditioning is a key component for the MMA fighter. Step one is to determine your lactic acid threshold (LT). Lactic acid is a produced by the muscles burning glucose or glycogen. Lactic acid tends to get a bad rap, but, through proper training we can teach the body to become more efficient and buffer lactic acid and utilize it for energy. Lactic acid threshold, which we will also refer to as anaerobic threshold (AT), is the point at which lactate products are being produced faster than they can be removed.

If you do not have a physiology lab to determine your LT, no worries; you can get a good estimate of it on your own in training. You first want to perform a 1 mile run gradual warm, then you want to run 3 miles at the maximum effort you can sustain. Be sure to wear a heart rate monitor so you can get your average heart rate for your 3 mile max run effort. Let’s say your average heart rate is 170 beats per minute (bpm); this will be your LT. If this is your first time assessing your LT, I recommend reassessing it every 3-4 weeks over the next 12 weeks. After that, you can reassess every 8-12 weeks.

Aerobic Energy System

Now that you know your LT, it is time to train your aerobic energy system. Aerobic training means that we have oxygen being delivered to the working muscles. This is where we start to build your engine. If you are currently at 4 or 6 cylinders, let’s build it to a V-10 or V-12. During the majority of your cardio training (running outdoors or on a treadmill, stationary cycling, etc.), your goal is to train 15-25 beats per minute under your lactic acid threshold (145-155bpm). By following your heart rate (hr) during cardio, you are paying close attention to your human tachometer.

Aerobic Assessments

One time per week I want you to assess your aerobic conditioning. This assessment will consist of a 3 mile run either outdoors or on a treadmill. Be sure to use the same method each time. Your goal is to perform this aerobic assessment at 15-25 beats under your LT (145-155bpm in our example here).

For each assessment you will run 3 miles and you will keep your heart rate between 145-155bpm. Be sure not to exceed 155bpm. Following each assessment, record your time and average heart rate. Let’s say your total time is 27 minutes and your average heart rate is 150bpm. Over time, you will find yourself running faster at the same or lower hr. One of the greatest signs of improved cardio fitness is when you can go harder, longer, faster, at the same or lower heart rate.

Continue your aerobic cardio training and assessments over the next 12 weeks. Keep an eye on your tachometer, and keep building that engine. It is now time to tweak the engine and produce big horsepower.

Anaerobic Energy System

Congratulations on building a solid engine, now it is time for high intensity cardio training. Step one is to determine your high-end anaerobic heart rate zones.

Your anaerobic hr training zones will be 5-9 beats higher than your LT (175-179bpm in our example here). Once every 10-12 days, you want to train your anaerobic energy system. By design, we are training above LT in order to teach the body to more effectively and efficiently buffer lactate products and utilize lactic acid as fuel. Here is a sample run workout; perform a gradual warm up for 1 mile, then include 5 hard run efforts for 90 seconds each, getting your hr 5-9 beats over LT. In between each 90-second effort, run easy and drop your hr for 2-4 minutes.
Over time, gradually build these run efforts from 90-seconds all the way up to 5-minute efforts. In time, you will be performing 5 x 5 minute efforts at 5-9 beats per minute over LT. This will help prepare you for your 5 round championship MMA fight!

Whether you are looking for amazing cardio to outlast and dominate your next MMA opponent, or you are looking for that next level of fitness, be sure to build your engine before you tweak your engine. Enjoy the journey!

Dr. Rick Kattouf II is the CEO/Founder of TeamKattouf, Inc., CEO/Founder TeamKattouf Nutrition, LLC., Host of 3-DVD set Rx Nutrition, author of Forever Fit, Sports Nutrition Specialist, Wellness & Nutrition Consultant, Sports Nutrition Consultant, ITCA Triathlon Coach, MMA Conditioning Coach and creator of 5-Round Fury. Rick can be reached at http://www.5roundfury.com