#004 – Unstoppable

Be unstoppable by being capable—cue the training montages.

Okay yeah, I get it. You haven’t even started reading the article and you’ve seen the word “unstoppable” three times. Well, thanks for sticking around. I’ll explain what we’re diving into this time.

Not sure if you’ve ever seen or heard the term General Physical Preparedness (GPP), or Specialized Physical Preparedness (SPP). I know, it’s straight forward sounding. But I’m going to briefly break them down so we’re on the same page going forward. GPP is basically what the kids call a “hybrid athlete” nowadays. It’s a broad, overall foundation level of fitness in many of the subtopics: e.g., work capacity, strength, endurance, etc. Then you have SPP, that is all the sport-specific physical and skill work. In other words, GPP is where we build our base and SPP is refining our skills.

Let’s dive on in. Together!

Last issue we tackled the protocol on how to build a basic training periodization structure. If you haven’t read that, you can check it out here: https://linkingperformance-newsletter.beehiiv.com/p/003-protocol. You don’t necessarily need it to understand/implement what we’re going over—so don’t feel obligated.

Quick Life Experience:
Back in my Marine Corps days, I had to wake up two and a half hours before the sun rising was even a thought. Two hours early? You might think I had insomnia or was one of those “morning people.” Oh no, it was worse. My pitch-black mornings were brought to you by early physical training—aka “PT.”

So, at 0400 (that’s 4am for normal people), I’d do a half-asleep changeover into my puke-colored uniform and head down for PT. Why am I telling you this? Because this is where I unknowingly got my first introduction to General Physical Preparedness.

Circuits, concurrent-training, and long aerobics… all of it was unwillingly thrust upon me before I even had my coffee. That’s right—turns out the U.S. Military has been running a form of GPP for quite a while now. And why? Because as simple as it sounds, this is how you build tough, strong, and resilient human beings.

So Who Needs GPP?
The short and simple answer is you and everyone else does. I’ll explain.

A lot of what I talk about here is pertaining to athletes. But to be honest, if you’re regularly on the mats, exercising, or even training towards a goal, consider yourself an athlete. And yes, there are different specifics and needs for the various sports; but those are typically nuances within the training protocols—even at the high levels.

The message I’m trying to get across is that everyone should be training GPP in some capacity. Obviously, if you hardly exercise, please start somewhere—my preferred recommendation is to get walking. Regardless if you don’t view yourself falling under the athlete category, you’re still intentionally active. Therefore, your body + life honestly doesn’t care so much what you consider yourself. Just what you do.

Maybe you’re primarily a weightlifter, a swimmer, or even a pickleballer (insert whatever your sport or activity is). Fitting some GPP focus in can benefit you tremendously: Weightlifter—do some weekly aerobic focus, a HIIT circuit, and some mobility drills. You won’t lose your “gains” from implementing a bit of aerobic work. Or possibly you’re on the other end, and worried about “getting too big” or “muscular.” Then I have some good news for you. Unless it’s your main objective, it will not happen. I promise you. It will however, increase a whole list of benefits you can read below👇🏼

Now that we’ve determined who it’s for, I’m sure you’re itching to find out the Why’s and How’s of implementing GPP. That’s great! I’ll keep going then.

And Why GPP?
Well, with general physical preparedness you’re focusing on developing multiple foundational aspects of fitness:

Versatility is the key to becoming unstoppable. This type of training focus allows you to sprint, lift, and recover without breaking down, preparing you for any demanding situation you encounter. Whether that's a real-world event or an intense workout session with your coach.

Let’s do a quick overview of a few studies that pertain to GPP and its necessity for every athlete. I’m not going to bore you by giving you a full summary of each one; I’m just highlighting the core focus. Still, if you’re curious, I’ll be listing the full citation at the bottom of the article if you’re interested in reading them.

These studies are conducted by some of the leading researchers and professionals in the world of sport and exercise science. They all offer their own interpretation of why you should incorporate GPP. Out of the many points as to why, one main point is that it’s a foundational element of athletic development, enhancing work capacity, injury resilience, and long-term performance. It’s not "generic fitness"—it’s the backbone of athletic longevity. By developing a broad physical base, athletes improve performance, and adapt better to SPP. More details on this later on, but coaches and athletes should periodize GPP when/where they can, especially mixing it in with sport-specific work. I have outlined this balance in the “How to Incorporate GPP” section.

Wrapping up the WHY. It not only enhances every aspect of performance; it makes you way cooler than everyone else 😎 (Not scientific. I just think you’re pretty cool reading this newsletter). Anyway…

How to Incorporate GPP?
Alright, now for the core of GPP. This is where we integrate the SPP elements and demonstrate the balance throughout each season. I’ve condensed everything into brief breakdowns and charts to illustrate how to implement both aspects together. I will provide two downloadable PDFs below: 1) General Physical Preparedness (GPP) - Overview and 2) MMA-Specific GPP/SPP Plan Structure. You can use either template to build your routine. I'm providing the MMA-specific one to help you understand how to tailor the overall general physical preparedness with the specialized.

GPP METHODS → [Periodization] → GPP/SPP BALANCE
↓
Injury Resilience + Work Capacity → Enhanced SPP Performance

-Circuit Training – Mixed exercises (bodyweight, kettlebells, sled pushes).

-High-Volume Conditioning – Moderate-intensity cardio (e.g., swimming, rowing).

-Strongman Training – Carries, sandbag work, tire flips.

-Cross-Training – Blending different modalities (e.g., cycling + calisthenics + lifting).

Trying to determine when to focus on each aspect can be a little tricky, especially when breaking it down to a specific sport. Keep in mind that the athlete’s off-season should consist mostly of GPP. During the prep/pre-season, you’ll want to begin to taper back and increase SPP. And then, of course, while in-season, you’ll spend most of training time focused on SPP.

For all the charts and breakdowns, have a look at the pdf’s I’ve attached below. Use them in your training or programming as you wish.

I want to emphasize that there has been a method to the madness here: building a solid foundation through general physical preparedness so you can excel in your sport. Whether you do this on your own, with a coach, or by using information like this—learn it, live it, love it... you get my point.

Here’s a 20min Strength & Conditioning Circuit to help build your GPP base:

Pre/Post intake can be crucial to performance and recovery:

Daily: 5g creatine monohydrate for strength and recovery. Maintain hydration levels.
*Balanced macros fuel high-output sessions; creatine boosts work capacity overall.
*Pack fruit, nuts, and protein bars—stay fueled and ready.

Before your circuit—Follow a short banded warmup. This is to begin working your body before the high intensity. Go through the motions (with intent) with a bigger compound movement like the stiff-legged deadlift to optimize your warm-up.

Then take 30s to picture nailing each rep—see the bar go up, feel the sled glide.
*primes your brain for peak performance, a trick used by athletes at all levels.

“Unstoppable is a grind. Build your base, and everything else will follow.”

Thank you,

Stephen Holmes Founder, Linking Performance