5 Tips to Progress Faster in Combat Sports
Progress in combat sports isn’t just about training more it’s about training smarter, with intention and structure.
This article was written by the creator of the e-book “How to Progress Faster”, who uses these methods daily while coaching grapplers, competitors, and recreational athletes.
Most people train for years without understanding why they’re not improving faster. The truth is simple: without the right approach, progress becomes slow, inconsistent, and frustrating.
Here are five key principles from the e-book, expanded and explained so every athlete whether training BJJ, grappling, MMA, or striking can start applying them immediately.
1. Have One Clear Goal for Every Training Session
Most athletes walk into training with no plan.
They do whatever the class shows, roll a bit, sweat a lot… but don’t actually progress.
To improve faster, every training session should have one main focus, such as:
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working on top stability,
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improving entries to half guard,
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focusing on a single sweep,
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drilling one specific guard pass.
A clear goal gives direction, purpose, and structure.
Without direction, every session feels the same and leads nowhere.
👉 Pick one skill and focus on it for 2–4 weeks.
That alone will accelerate your progress.
2. Use Drills, Games, and Task Rounds - Not Only Sparring
This is one of the most important concepts from the e-book.
Sparring alone isn’t the best way to learn.
It’s chaotic, unpredictable, and hard to control.
You improve through sparring — but you learn through structured training.
To progress faster, you need:
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Drills - controlled, no-resistance repetitions.
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Games - technical exchanges with light resistance.
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specific rounds - sparring with clear goals and restrictions.
These elements create a perfect learning environment where you can:
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repeat movements until they become automatic,
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isolate a specific skill,
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get quick feedback,
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apply new techniques without the chaos of full rolling.
90% of your real progress comes from drills, games, and specifics - not random sparring.
3. Track Your Progress and Your Mistakes
As I explain in the e-book:
you can’t fix what you don’t notice.
After training, your memory is unreliable everything blends together.
The best athletes keep things simple:
📓 After each session, write down 3 things:
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What worked
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What didn’t work
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What you will focus on next time
After one week, patterns appear.
After one month, you have clarity.
After a year, your progress doubles.
Your notebook becomes your roadmap.
4. Slow Down Before You Speed Up
One of my favorite lessons in the e-book:
most people try to perform techniques too fast before they fully understand them.
If you can’t do a technique slowly, with control, you won’t be able to do it fast under pressure.
Slow training helps you:
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feel every position,
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understand the mechanics,
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control balance and weight distribution,
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eliminate sloppy movement,
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develop real precision.
Once the technique is perfect at slow speed - then add pace and resistance.
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
5. Train With Intention, Not on Autopilot
You don’t improve by going through the motions.
You improve by thinking.
Ask yourself:
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Why did this work?
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Why did this fail?
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What’s the first reaction I should have here?
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How does my opponent’s body actually move?
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What’s the bigger system behind this technique?
When you train intentionally, every session becomes a small step forward.
When you train on autopilot, you stay in the same place.
Awareness = progress. Autopilot = stagnation.
Summary
If you want to progress faster in combat sports:
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have a clear goal for every session,
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structure your learning with drills → games → specific rounds,
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take notes after training,
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slow down to build precision,
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train with intention and awareness.
These principles come directly from my e-book How to Progress Faster, and they work for beginners, intermediates, and competitors.
Want more?
If you’re ready to take your training structure to the next level:
Check out the full e-book How to Progress Faster for complete methods, systems, and training frameworks.
