GSP: " I dont believe in strength and conditioning, i lift weights for looks"
Georges St. Pierre is one of the most atheletic and well conditioned athelets in the sport. But he doesn’t think it helps him in any of his fights. According to GSP strength and conditioning training is not necessary if you want to excell in MMA, but it’s necessary if you want to look attractive. he had the following to say on the matter in a intreview with UFC commentator and MMA junkie, Joe Rogan.
Georges St. Pierre: “I don’t believe in strength and conditioning. I never do strength and conditioning. I do not believe that running on a treadmill or doing I don’t know what, so called machine. I don’t believe that’s going to help you have better cardio for a fight. I think everything in fighting is about efficiency.”
Joe Rogan: “So you don’t do strength and conditioning as far as like hitting tires with sledgehammers?”
GSP: “I never did it in my life. I remember I had a Muay Thai instructor from France, that I even brought on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter. The guy smoked, I don’t know how many packs of cigarettes a day. He’s always drinking alcohol. He’s a real character, and he’s completely out of shape, but when he spars with us in Muay Thai, he kicks everyone’s ass. The reason is because he is more efficient than we are.”
“In the UFC, I do believe everyone is in shape. We’re all athletes, you know… but the reason I believe a guy is more tired than another guy, is because one guy is more efficient than the other. One guy is able to bring the fight to where he is strongest, and the other guy to where he is out of his comfort zone.”
“The only reason it is good to lift weights, to do bench press, and stuff like that, I believe, is because it is going to make me more marketable, and to keep myself looking more symmetric, with a better image… Which is very important, because if you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you do good. There’s nothing wrong with that you know.”
Rogan: “You lift weights for looks?”
GSP: “Yeah, I lift weights for looks. Yeah, I am gonna admit it. Sometimes after I’m training, I’m gonna lift weights, but I’m not doing it because I’m gonna punch harder, or I’m gonna be stronger, because it has nothing to do with it. I’m doing it because you know, I want to to be like you know, have a good shape. I do it for myself.”