How Dustin Poirier's Training Methods Could Benefit NBA Players' Performance
Having watched combat sports and basketball for over a decade, I’ve always been fascinated by how training philosophies from one discipline can unlock potential in another. Recently, I came across a piece of news that got me thinking—the Fighting Maroons’ unexpected 62-59 loss to the Soaring Falcons last Wednesday left players and coaches at a loss for words. It’s the kind of defeat that exposes not just tactical flaws, but deeper issues in physical and mental conditioning. And that’s where I believe someone like Dustin Poirier, the UFC superstar known for his relentless yet intelligent approach to fighting, could offer a blueprint for NBA players looking to elevate their game, especially during slumps.
Let’s be real—NBA athletes are among the fittest in the world, but their training often emphasizes repetitive drills, weightlifting, and sport-specific agility work. While that’s essential, it sometimes misses the holistic edge that mixed martial artists like Poirier bring to the table. I’ve followed Poirier’s career closely, and what stands out isn’t just his endurance or power—it’s his ability to adapt under pressure, something the Fighting Maroons clearly struggled with in that tight game. Poirier incorporates elements like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with technical sparring, focusing on reaction times and decision-making when fatigued. For instance, he’s known to use 3-5 minute rounds of full-intensity drills that mimic fight conditions, which could translate beautifully to basketball’s stop-start rhythm. Imagine an NBA guard, tired in the fourth quarter, drawing on that kind of mental resilience to sink a clutch shot—it’s not far-fetched.
One area where Poirier’s methods could shine is injury prevention and recovery. In my own experience working with amateur athletes, I’ve seen how overlooked this is until it’s too late. Poirier reportedly spends around 20% of his training time on mobility and flexibility work, using techniques like dynamic stretching and yoga, which reduce the risk of common basketball injuries like ankle sprains or hamstring pulls. Data from a 2021 sports study—though I’m paraphrasing from memory—suggested that athletes who integrate such practices see up to a 30% decrease in soft tissue injuries. If the Fighting Maroons had prioritized this, maybe they wouldn’t have looked so gassed in those final minutes, where they scored just 8 points in the last quarter. Poirier also emphasizes nutrition and sleep, often tracking his macronutrients to hit precise targets, like 40% carbs and 30% protein daily. For NBA players, who face grueling 82-game seasons, that level of detail could mean fewer off-nights and more consistent performances.
But it’s not just about the body—the mental game is where Poirier’s approach could be a game-changer. I’ve always believed that basketball is as much a psychological battle as a physical one, and Poirier’s use of visualization and mindfulness is something I’ve tried myself with good results. He talks about rehearsing fights in his mind, anticipating opponents’ moves, which aligns with how elite point guards read defenses. In that Falcons vs. Maroons game, the Maroons seemed mentally stuck after a few turnovers; incorporating Poirier’s focus drills, like meditation under stress, could help players stay composed. Personally, I’d love to see NBA teams adopt more of this, maybe even bringing in MMA coaches for workshops. It’s not about turning players into fighters, but borrowing that killer instinct to close out games.
Of course, there are limits—basketball isn’t a combat sport, and overemphasizing aggression could lead to unnecessary fouls. But the crossover potential is huge. Poirier’s training blends old-school grit with modern science, and if NBA players took even 10-15% of those ideas, like incorporating mixed martial arts conditioning into their off-seasons, I bet we’d see fewer shocking upsets like the Maroons’ loss. In conclusion, while every sport has its nuances, the principles of peak performance are universal. Drawing from Poirier’s playbook could help basketball stars not just avoid slumps, but dominate when it matters most. After all, in today’s competitive landscape, the smallest edges often make the biggest differences.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
