Portal: UFC fighters must soften their bodies

London Real recently released a trailer for their conversation with Ido Portal, who is a movement coach most famous for his work with UFC champion Conor McGregor:

UFC champion Conor McGregor’s movement trainer Ido Portal believes modern fighters are not soft enough. 

Speaking to London Real Portal said fighters today punish their bodies to such a degree that they: …harden and harden and harden, eventually crack and eventually break.

Portal is now set to return to McGregor’s training camp as The Notorious prepares to fight Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 197. 

Talking about a fighter’s need to soften the body, Portal said: This is a very neglected concept that I did not invent but brought from traditional martial arts, and it is missing in the modern fighting business.

He added: The nature of the work that MMA fighters and boxers do is very hardening on the body, it’s a form of protection that the body develops as an adaptation to the training. 

Getting hit, hitting heavy bags, hitting people, it’s protecting yourself in the face of this great danger. 

And then if it’s neglected and left to do it’s thing, you will harden and harden and harden, eventually crack and eventually break.

Clips and photos of Conor Mcgregor and Gunnar Nelson training with Portal ahead of UFC 196, where McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds, show that Portal’s work emphasises reactive intelligence, gymnastic suppleness and adaptivity. 

This is something that I wanted to shine a light on,” continued Portal. “I have a huge amount of exercises, very unique techniques, drills and exercises and games that I collected over the last decade. 

Mind you it’s not about stretching, it’s about softening. And those tools are a great source for everyone, and definitely for fighters it’s a must.