GSP & Merab | UFC
Georges St-Pierre on Cardio — Lessons for Today’s Fighters
When fans think of Georges St-Pierre, they picture a flawless athlete: perfect technique, endless cardio, peak physical condition. But in a 2011 interview with Joe Rogan, GSP revealed something surprising: he never believed in strength and conditioning training to build better cardio.
“I do not believe that running on a treadmill or doing all that so-called meshing is going to help you have better cardio during a fight,” GSP said. “I think everything in fighting is about efficiency.”
According to GSP, the key to lasting five rounds isn’t brutal conditioning workouts — it’s fighting smarter. It’s about being so efficient in your movements and choices that you don’t waste energy.
Jean-Charles Skarbowsky | Photo, UFC
He even gave an example of a Muay Thai legend that he used to train with:
“I had a Muay Thai instructor, Jean-Charles Skarbowsky. The guy smoked cigarettes all day, drank alcohol, totally out of shape. But when he sparred with us, he kicked everyone’s ass. Because he was more efficient than we were.”
“In the UFC, everyone is in shape,” GSP said. “But the reason one guy gets tired and another doesn’t is because one is more efficient. One fights where he’s strongest, the other gets dragged out of his comfort zone.”
Merab Dvalishvilli | ESPN
This perspective is fascinating when we compare it to today’s fighters.
Take Merab Dvalishvili, for example — one of the most relentless cardio machines the UFC has ever seen. But unlike GSP’s idea of efficiency, Merab fights like a whirlwind. He throws himself into wild scrambles, non-stop takedown attempts, endless movement. It’s not energy conservation — it’s energy explosion.
Merab doesn’t pick opponents apart efficiently; he overwhelms them by sheer volume and pressure. He rarely finishes fights — most of his wins come by decision — and he often takes over late, drowning his opponents with his freakish stamina. It’s not about being efficient; it’s about having a God-given gas tank and using it like a weapon.
In the end, GSP’s philosophy highlights an important truth: cardio in MMA isn’t just about heart rate or VO2 max. It’s about how smart you fight, how well you manage your energy, and how you force your opponent to work harder than you.
GSP | Photo, ESPN
And for GSP, weightlifting had nothing to do with punching harder or grappling stronger — it was about looking good and feeling good.
“I lift weights for looks,” GSP admitted. “If you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you do good.”
At 29 years old, already one of the greatest fighters in history, GSP knew something many still miss today: fighting isn’t about suffering more than your opponent — it’s about suffering less by fighting smarter.
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