Read the strange story of how I got started as an MMA Performance Coach to a single fighter in my hometown, then ended up training fighters from around the world…
Hey there – my name’s Eric Wong and I’m pumped that you’ve come to this page because you probably want to know how my strange story has anything to do with you.
The thing is – if you would’ve told me 5 years ago that mixed-martial
artists from all around the world would be following my MMA
strength and conditioning programs I would’ve said, “Yeah right.”
The bottom line is that I never set out to be a coach to fighters from over 30 different countries.
You see, I’m simply a huge fan of MMA – just like you. I started learning BJJ in 1999 but stopped when I left town to get my Kinesology degree.
When I finished university in 2004, I took a couple months off to unwind and travel, then I moved back home and started to work as a personal trainer at a local gym.
But I felt that my 5 years of study were being wasted helping regular people get in shape.
Don’t get me wrong – it feels great to make a big difference in people’s lives. I still consult with general fitness clients today.
But studying for hours on end topics like anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports injuries, advanced strength and conditioning methods, and more seemed like a waste of time if I was only training people to lose fat and build muscle.
I mean, I had a degree that took me 5 years to get and was doing the same thing as guys who took a weekend personal training cert!
As luck would have it, when I went back to the club I left in 1999 to start rolling again, I learned that my instructor was fighting MMA and had a few fights under his belt. His name was Jeff Joslin.
I was excited, because I began to study the strength and conditioning aspects of MMA to use on myself, so I already had an idea of what mixed-martial artists need.
I also learned that Jeff didn’t have a strength and conditioning coach, so I approached him and asked him if I could help him out, and he agreed.
This was my chance to finally put what I’d been working so
hard at and spending so much time on to the test.
Our first meeting was a week from that day, which was an assessment.
But in reality, I’d never trained any fighters before, and my butt was on the line because if you’re in charge of the strength and conditioning program, and your fighter isn’t in top shape, then you look like a complete idiot.
So I spent the whole week devoted to putting together an assessment that would allow me to determine a mixed-martial artists strengths and weaknesses.
I took Jeff through the assessment, then devised a training program designed to maintain his strengths, while improving his weaknesses.
For the first few months, he didn’t have any fight scheduled. A few came up but then fell through.
Finally, a fight was signed – it was a title fight for a vacant belt
against an opponent who was 7-1 in his last 8 fights.
I was excited and nervous at the same time, since I knew that this was a great opportunity for Jeff, but at the same time, if my program didn’t work, I would look like an idiot and would’ve felt terrible that I let him down.
The fight came, and the end result was that Jeff won by KO in the 1st round. His opponent had never been knocked out before in 23 previous fights, even against guys like Marcus Davis and Thiago Alves.
My program contributed to Jeff’s KO power, since we started doing some explosive rotational exercises that he’d never done before, but I still didn’t know how his conditioning would hold up, since the fight ended so quick.
But we’d soon find out, you see…
The next week, Joe Silva called Jeff and asked him if
he’d fight Josh Koscheck in the UFC – in 6 weeks!
Being the competitor that Jeff is, he quickly agreed (after he figured out it wasn’t one of his buddies pulling a prank) and we started a mini-camp to make sure his conditioning was at its peak for his UFC debut.
This was even more nerve-racking than the title fight vs. Nuri since it was in the big show!
So I created the strength and conditioning plan, and we went to work.
Jeff even brought me along to the fight, which was awesome, being the first UFC event I’d ever been to live. It was even better since it was on the Miramar Marine base in California, and there were a bunch of fighters jets and choppers on the base to look at.
Here’s a pic of me before the event started (the bandage above my right eye was from a shin I took when rolling the week before):
It was a pretty crazy atmosphere being surrounded by a few thousand Marines!
Anyway – the fight didn’t end as planned – Jeff lost a disappointing 3 round war vs. the tough wrestler, although he did control the standup and had a triangle locked in, right at the bell.
But the one thing that felt good about that fight was when Jeff told me he felt like his conditioning was there, even though he was fighting from his back for a lot of the fight, which as you know, is one of the most tiring positions to fight from in MMA, especially against a tough wrestler like Koscheck.
After the fight, other fighters started asking Jeff about his strength
and conditioning plan, and he graciously sent them my way.
I started working with other local fighters and they started getting great results too.
One of my fighters, Ray ‘The Hitman’ Penny came to me concerned because he’d never been out of the first round and was fighting a tough opponent who he knew could go the distance.
After training together for a few months, the fight came and ended with Ray winning a 3 round unanimous decision.
More and more fighters started asking about my methods, but I just didn’t have the time to work with each and everyone of them.
And that’s how and why I created my first program – the Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning program – which has been used by hundreds of fighters from around the world with great results since it’s release in 2007.
Since then, I’ve continued to study the science behind MMA strength and conditioning to continue to help my fighters reach higher levels of strength and conditioning.
I’ve also gotten a lot of questions from fighters who’ve been following my program for new methods to take them to the next level.
It’s through my constant study and the testing of my methods with fighters that I created the Advanced MMA Power Training System, which you’re learning about on this site.
I congratulate you for investing the time to educate yourself about what it takes to be a top mixed-martial artist – your dedication to improving yourself and your willingness to invest the time and energy to be the best fighter you can be will pay off when you get your hand raised under the big lights.
I hope to be able to help you through my programs and to hear about your success soon.
.
Train smart,
Eric Wong, BSc, CSCS
Creator, Advanced MMA Power Training System
Creator, Ultimate MMA Strength and Conditioning Program
Creator, MMA Ripped Fat Loss Training Program