{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/65e07fa5dfdd5a0017dd8296/6925784e365dc3dd9c5fa14a?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Inside the UFC Performance Institute: Strength, Conditioning, and MMA with Dr Duncan French","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/65e07fa5dfdd5a0017dd8296/1764062741354-c7a4273f-763d-4d1c-9564-630787c0f2a1.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>In this episode of <strong>Optimising Human Performance</strong>, Martin I. Jones and Jonpaul Nevin sit down with <strong>Dr Duncan French</strong>, Senior Vice President of the UFC Performance Institute, to explore what it really takes to prepare fighters, and other high‑stakes performers, to operate in chaos.</p><p><br></p><p>Dr French leads the global high‑performance operation for over 700 UFC athletes, with Performance Institute facilities in Las Vegas, Shanghai, and Mexico City. With more than 20 years of experience across 40+ professional and Olympic sports, he has previously served as the Director of Performance Sciences at the University of Notre Dame and as the Technical Lead for Strength &amp; Conditioning at the English Institute of Sport. He is widely recognised for his expertise in strength and conditioning, training transfer, and performance optimisation.</p><p><br></p><p>Across the conversation, we cover:</p><ul><li>How strength and conditioning has evolved over the last 20+ years in the UK and US</li><li>What a truly multidisciplinary high‑performance system looks like inside the UFC</li><li>The “law of thirds” of athlete buy‑in, and how to work with fighters who “know best”</li><li>Why MMA is one of the most complex sports to prepare for, and how the UFC PI breaks it down</li><li>The cultural challenge of over‑training, red‑lining every session, and chasing “more”</li><li>How simple human conversations (“How are you today?”) often beat fancy technology</li><li>The role and limits of performance tech, and why some metrics can do more harm than good</li><li>What other high‑stakes organisations – including the military and police – can learn from MMA</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Guest, Cast &amp; Crew</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Hosted by Martin I. Jones &amp; Jonpaul Nevin <a href=\"https://www.ophp.co.uk/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.ophp.co.uk</a>&nbsp;</p><p>Produced &amp; edited by Bess Manley</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Resources</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://www.ufcpi.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.ufcpi.com/</a>&nbsp;</p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dr_duncan_french/?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.instagram.com/dr_duncan_french/?hl=en</a>&nbsp;</p><p><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncan-french-phd-a41bb9122/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncan-french-phd-a41bb9122/</a></p><p><br></p><p>Thanks for tuning in. If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share and review.&nbsp; If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at <a href=\"mailto:info@ophp.co.uk\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">info@ophp.co.uk</a> or connect with us on LinkedIn.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chapters</strong></p><p>00:52&nbsp;The Challenges of Combat Sports</p><p>01:59&nbsp;Duncan French's Background and Role</p><p>03:51&nbsp;Evolution of Strength and Conditioning</p><p>05:45&nbsp;Multidisciplinary Approach at UFC Performance Institute</p><p>09:08&nbsp;Fighter Mentality and Buy-In</p><p>13:07&nbsp;Human Performance Optimization in Military and Sports</p><p>18:47&nbsp;Year-Round Training and Readiness</p><p>24:40&nbsp;Physiological and Psychological Demands of MMA</p><p>31:04&nbsp;The Double-Edged Sword of Training Intensity</p><p>32:27&nbsp;Evolution of Fighters: From Brawlers to Technicians</p><p>33:32&nbsp;The FMA Model: Fighter, Martial Artist, Athlete</p><p>35:12&nbsp;Military Training and MMA: Cross-Disciplinary Insights</p><p>38:05&nbsp;The Role of Technology in Performance Monitoring</p><p>44:00&nbsp;Humanistic Approach in Sports Science</p><p>46:52&nbsp;Challenges in Fighter Training and Recovery</p><p>49:39&nbsp;Managing Overreaching and Allostatic Load</p><p>57:31&nbsp;Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","author_name":"OpHP Ltd"}