NASM markets its OPT Model or Optimum Performance Training Model as a versatile, scientifically based system that can address fitness goals from clients of any age or skill. Having been involved with martial arts for about 25 years, and embarking in getting certified in Octavio Quintero’s Art of JKD system, I wanted a fitness training system that is accessible to everyone, because I want to help those with or without a martial arts interest.

The OPT Model operates on a three-level block structure with five phases of training. Starting with the foundation of Stabilization, then Strength, and lastly Power on the top.

The Stabilization Level

The first level has one phase of training called Stabilization Endurance that focuses on increasing muscular endurance & stability while optimizing neuromuscular coordination. This phase is proprioceptively based, which means that it progressively introduces greater challenges of stabilization to the body instead of increasing the weight load. A stabilizer muscle is a smaller and weaker muscle than compared to a prime mover muscle. The theory of Stabilization Endurance is to safely produce a strong supporting foundation. If the client’s goal is to develop larger muscle mass, they must have proper Stabilization Endurance before they can they can progress to the higher two levels. From a martial arts perspective, in order to be effective, you need to grounded. An unstable practitioner will not be able to generate power in their strikes and will also lack reliable mobility. Those who wrestle will also suffer from a lack of stability, because good leverage is dependent on grounding and proper structure. The first level of the OPT Model is an excellent choice for those who have a goal of improving muscular endurance, joint stability, flexibility, posture, stability, and coordination. Inefficient stabilization will lead to injuries, something that I have learned the hard way. Skimping on foundational training in the pursuit of fast results can lead to muscle imbalances that stress the skeletal system and overloads soft tissues. Injuries can set back goals by two-folds or more, so from this perspective “slow” is actually “faster”. Have you ever been slowed down by going too fast?

Resistance Exercises for Stabilization

Multiplaner Step-Up to Balance: Standing on one leg is a great exercise to challenge your stability, which is used by many Chinese martial art systems. Climbing the stairs is a great way to increase your muscle endurance in your legs. This exercise has elements of both.
Ball Dumbbell Chest Press: The stability ball activates stabilizer muscles such as your core, upper back, and biceps.
Multiplaner Single-Leg Box Hop-Up with Stabilization: As the name of the exercise suggests, it trains stability by launching and landing on one leg, but it can also train power depending on the explosiveness of the practitioner.

The Strength Level

The second level has three phases of training:

Phase 2: Strength Endurance
Phase 3: Hypertrophy
Phase 4: Maximal Strength

The focus of the second phase is to maintain the first level while increasing prime mover strength. Those who train in this phase are looking to improve stabilization endurance & prime mover strength, joint stabilization, and lean body mass. The third phase addresses those who have goals of increasing maximal muscle growth, while the fourth phase works toward the goal of maximal prime mover strength. Strength training in martial arts can be a heated debate that can have many opposing opinions and several different paths of focus. If we have to use Mixed Martial Arts as a litmus test, there are just as many successful athletes who focus on strength training as to those who don’t. What I continually admire about martial arts is the diversity in disciplines. What are your thoughts on strength conditioning within martial arts?

Resistance exercises for Strength

Barbell Squat: This exercise focuses on the prime movers of the gluteals & quadriceps, but also help work the abdominal stabilizers.
Flat Dumbbell Chest Press: This exercise works the prime mover of the pectoralis major.
Seated Cable Row: This exercise works the prime movers of the lats and rhomboids.

The Power Level

The last level of training requires the first two levels of training as higher loads have higher demands on the body and will lead to injuries without training in the first two levels. Those who train in this level have goals of enhancing neuromuscular efficiency, prime mover strength, and increased rate of force production. Phase five uses traditional strength training superset with power exercises (light load performed as fast as possible). The concept of Power within martial arts is an interesting topic for me. There are a lot of different philosophies on how to create power, but I’d like to generally contrast external force versus internal force concepts on how to generate power. If we take the power equation of force times velocity equals power, external based styles can increase their force by increasing their body mass, though will generally be at odds of being able to increase their speed. Another external method will focus on increasing force by using postural structure that uses the ground’s force (or borrowing the Earth’s mass) as well as exercises designed to increase their speed. Internal methods can be greatly different from external methods. Of course, there are styles that can be both external and internal, but the crux of the difference revolves around relaxation to create “soft power”, because tension kills velocity. This method will also focus on minimal muscle contractions that relies more on skeletal, tendon, and fascia strength. There are other philosophies that go into the realm of the esoteric as these types of martial arts are ancient in origin, which can be challenging to discuss in our scientific western world. However, there are emerging peer-reviewed studies that force us to question what we think we know about the human body and the world we live in. How about you, do you hold unpopular beliefs that buck our scientific conventions?

Resistance exercises for Power

Squat Jump: This exercise is a great aerobic and plyometric workout that builds explosive jumping power utilizing contraction-velocity.
Rotation Chest Pass: This exercise builds explosive power in the prime mover of the pectoralis major utilizing contraction-velocity.
Soccer Throw: This exercise promotes explosive power in the prime mover of the shoulders utilizing contraction-velocity.