What was the challenge?

Heading into his training camp before facing Kelvin Gastelum, Sean was dealing with a lingering adductor injury, something the public never saw, but something that significantly impacted his preparation.

He struggled with:

• Pain during explosive hip adduction

• Limited power during scrambles

• Sharp symptoms during rotational striking movements

• Reduced ability to generate force off the inside leg

With a top-10 opponent scheduled and the clock ticking, this injury risked both performance and preparation.

What was our process?

We began with a precise fight-specific assessment to identify the source of symptoms, load tolerance, and required adaptations.

Step 1: Targeted Assessment

Sean completed:

• Adductor and abductor dynamometry To evaluate strength deficits, irritability, and asymmetry.

• Hip IR/ER and abduction range of motion testing Since loss of motion is an early indicator of groin dysfunction.

• Squeeze test variations (long-lever, bent-knee, unilateral) To determine pain thresholds and load positions.

• Sport-specific movement screening Including cage pressures, sprawls, level-change mechanics, and striking pivots.

• Trunk and foot-control assessment Since adductor pain often reflects upstream or downstream mechanical contributors.

Key findings included reduced long-lever adduction strength, mild IR loss, pain under explosive hip adduction, and compensatory patterns through trunk rotation and the lateral chain.

Step 2: Isometrics and Pain Modulation — While Keeping Him Training

Because fighters cannot simply stop training, early intervention focused on load tolerance without removing him from camp.

Programming included:

• 90/90 adductor isometric squeezes

• Copenhagen Phase 1 holds

• Supine band-resisted adduction

• Long-lever supine bridge adduction

• Lateral adductor band walks

• Single-leg heel-elevated step-downs with resisted adduction

Goals for this phase were:

• Reduce irritability

• Restore symmetrical loading

• Regain force output

• Improve trunk control patterns

Within days, symptoms decreased, and he stayed in full training.

Step 3: Controlled Strength Loading

Once symptoms stabilized, we progressed to isotonic strengthening with exercises such as:

• Glider adductor eccentrics

• Cable-resisted single-leg adduction step-downs

• Goblet landmine lateral lunge

• Stationary velocity-controlled cable adduction

• Lateral sled walks (1-1-1 tempo)

• Rear-foot-elevated split-stance holds with adductor bias

During this phase, we also:

• Reintroduced grappling mechanics under controlled load

• Focused on deceleration capacity

• Tested adductor/abductor strength weekly

• Tracked hip range of motion post-session

This phase rebuilt capacity for producing and resisting force in fight-specific positions.

Step 4: Eccentrics → Reactive Loading → Fight-Speed Patterns

When strength and tolerance normalized, we progressed to reactive and explosive demands aligned with MMA.

Programming included:

• Banded lateral bounds

• Rotational and level-change med-ball work

• Straight-leg bound progressions

• Single-leg lateral hop variations

• Strike-to-level-change and scramble-based drills

Simultaneously, training integrated:

• Cage wall-walk progressions

• Max-effort scramble exposures

• Controlled time-based explosiveness

This stage rebuilt confidence in chaotic, unpredictable movement.

Step 5: Integration Into Full MMA Training

The final phase prepared Sean for the exact demands of a high-level UFC fight — not just practice.

This included:

• Adductor-biased grappling sequences

• High-output lateral and rotational load tolerance

• Progressive conditioning under chaotic variables

• Continued high-load gym training targeting strength and tendon resilience

Where is he now?

By fight week, Sean had:

• Full adductor and abductor strength symmetry

• Pain-free long-lever loading

• Restored hip rotation and mobility

• Complete confidence during scrambles, striking pivots, and grappling transitions

He entered the Octagon fully prepared, and delivered one of the most dominant performances of his career.