Episode 337

Structure, Pacing and Recovery in Fight Preparation

September 14th, 2026

33 mins 3 secs

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elite sport performance data skill acquisition one-round principle shinobi academy mcgregor fast nate diaz brazilian jiu-jitsu boxing fight preparation repeat efforts interval training rowing wattbike power output heart rate training load overtraining fatigue recovery pacing conditioning endurance training performance coaching athlete preparation athletic performance combat sport conditioning strength and conditioning sports science ufc mma combat sports conor mcgregor colin byrne

About this Episode

Are elite athletes training harder than the demands of their sport require?

This week, Richard Graves is joined by performance coach Colin Byrne, who spent seven years working with Conor McGregor as part of his training and corner team.

Colin believes many athletes, particularly in combat sports, still confuse doing more work with preparing effectively. He explains why conditioning should reflect the actual structure of competition, how fatigue affects technical execution and why the ability to recover between intense efforts can decide contests.

The conversation explores Colin’s work with McGregor following his first defeat to Nate Diaz. He describes how introducing greater structure, separating skill development from conditioning and helping McGregor understand his own intensity transformed the preparation for their rematch just 14 weeks later.

Colin also introduces his “one-round principle”, challenges the value of routinely exceeding competition distances in training and explains what combat sports can learn from cycling’s measurement-led approach to performance.

In this episode you will learn

  • Why many combat athletes train too much without training specifically enough
  • How fatigue affects decision-making and technical execution
  • What Colin changed after Conor McGregor’s first fight with Nate Diaz
  • Why skill training and conditioning may need to be separated
  • How heart rate and power data can help athletes understand pacing
  • Why recovery between high-intensity efforts matters so much
  • How the “one-round principle” changes the structure of fight preparation
  • Why training beyond the demands of competition is not always productive
  • What coaches can learn from cycling’s approach to measurement
  • How amateur athletes can make better use of limited training time

About Colin Byrne

Colin Byrne is a performance coach, martial artist and founder of the Shinobi Academy in Portugal. A former professional cyclist and European silver medallist in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he holds black belts in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ninjutsu.

Colin spent seven years travelling and working with Conor McGregor, helping to structure his conditioning following the first Nate Diaz fight and supporting him as a trainer and cornerman. His approach combines practical coaching experience, measurable performance data and a detailed understanding of the demands placed on combat athletes.

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