Duncan French is the Vice President of Performance at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Performance Institute. Duncan gained his PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Connecticut and has over 20 of experience as a high-performance specialist. He has worked with many athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games.
Back in England, among other things, he was the head of Strength and Conditioning at Newcastle United Football Club in the Barclays English Premier League. His role in the PI is a unique one where he gets to work with the majority of the UFC roster and help them with everything from diet, recovery, strength & conditioning, weight cuts & more.
Duncan and I discussed:
- Weight cuts
- Team sports vs individual sports
- Why fighters are such unique athletes
- Long term effects of fighting
- The business model of the PI
- What is the PI's main function
And much more...
My Take: Fighters are special athletes, not only physically but mentally. Knowing you are going into battle against another fine-tuned killer and that the result of the fight, win or lose is all on you, is a sobering reality. Helping fighters achieve their best performance through precise data behind the scenes deserves the recognition that perhaps is sometimes less talked about.
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