The problem

Training hard usually isn't the problem. Organising it is.

Most combat athletes already have plenty of hard sessions. The difficult part is making strength training, power work, conditioning, sparring and technical training fit together properly.

Gym sessions leaving you flat for skill training.
Following random workouts without clear progression.
Doing conditioning that is hard but poorly structured.
Trying to fit too many sessions into the week.
Training completely differently during every fight camp.
Not knowing whether you need two, three or four gym sessions.
Struggling to adjust training when work, travel or injuries get in the way.

If a few of those sound familiar, it is usually a structure problem rather than an effort problem.

The work

What we actually work on

Strength and power

Build the physical qualities that support your sport without adding unnecessary fatigue or training volume.

Conditioning

Develop your engine with conditioning that fits your event, experience and current training schedule.

Weekly structure

Organise your gym work around technical sessions, sparring, work and recovery.

Competition preparation

Adjust your training as competition approaches without abandoning your long-term development.

Individualised

This isn't a template

Your program is built around your sport, experience, weekly schedule, available equipment, current limitations and competition calendar.

As your training, schedule and priorities change, the program changes with them.

What you are paying for is having me manage the whole training process: deciding what matters right now, what gets left out, when to push and when to pull back. Not a folder of workouts sent to your phone.

Example week Gym fits the week you already have

M

T

W

T

F

S

AM

Gym

Off

Gym

Off

Gym

Off

PM

Skill

Spar

Skill

Spar

Off

Gym Skill and sparring Off

One example, not a template. Hard gym work sits away from your heaviest sparring days, and the sessions either side get adjusted to suit. Your week will look different, because it is yours.

The process

How online coaching works

Tell me about your training

Send through some information about your sport, experience, current schedule and what you want to improve.
Receive your program

I'll build your training around your actual week and deliver everything through TrainHeroic with exercise demonstrations and clear instructions.
Train and adjust

We'll review how everything is progressing and adjust the program around fatigue, skill training, competition, travel or injuries.

Included

What you get

Individualised strength, power and conditioning programming
Training structured around skill and sparring sessions
TrainHeroic access
Exercise demonstrations and clear session instructions
Weekly check-ins
Training-video feedback
Program adjustments when circumstances change
Competition and fight-camp planning
Direct coaching support from Riley
Practical performance testing and progress tracking

Tell me about your training

Athletes

Athletes I've worked with

Mitch Holden

Gym owner and professional MMA fighter

What they needed help with: Mitch needed a structure that would develop his strength and athleticism without adding unnecessary fatigue to an already demanding schedule of coaching, MMA training and sparring.
What changed in their training: We reduced his gym work to two focused full-body sessions each week. Strength, explosive power and physical robustness became the priorities, while conditioning was adjusted around his MMA workload rather than simply adding more volume.
Outcome: Mitch became more consistent with his strength work and was able to progress physically without compromising the quality of his fight training. Testing also helped identify specific imbalances we could target through his programming.

Travis Druce

Professional boxer

What they needed help with: Travis needed to remain physically prepared between fights without training like he was permanently in camp. The goal was to keep building qualities that would transfer when the next opportunity arrived.
What changed in their training: We completed a maximal strength phase before transitioning into a speed-and-power block. Training shifted toward explosive lifts, jumps and throws to convert that strength into faster force production.
Outcome: Travis improved his explosive output while maintaining the strength base he had developed. This allowed him to remain ready to transition into camp without needing to rebuild his physical preparation.

Emilee Della-Libra

Gym owner, amateur MMA and BJJ athlete

What they needed help with: Emilee needed a program that supported both MMA and BJJ while fitting around the demands of running a gym. She wanted to become stronger and more explosive without constantly feeling fatigued during skill training.
What changed in their training: We introduced two structured full-body sessions each week, prioritising lower body strength, upper body pulling strength, rotational power and physical robustness. Her workload was managed around harder grappling and MMA sessions.
Outcome: Emilee developed a more consistent approach to strength and conditioning while continuing to manage a heavy combat sports schedule. Testing also showed strong reactive qualities and balanced lower body force production.

Aaron Curry

Professional boxer and amateur MMA fighter

What they needed help with: Aaron needed a structure that supported the different physical demands of boxing, kickboxing and MMA while allowing him to compete consistently across all three.
What changed in their training: We built his program around two full body sessions each week, focusing on full body strength, rotational power, neck and grip development, unilateral lower body work and conditioning for MMA.
Outcome: Aaron became better prepared for the different demands of boxing, kickboxing and MMA. The structure allowed him to progress across all three without unnecessary gym fatigue affecting his technical training or competition preparation.

Tell me about your training

About

A bit about me

Riley Kerr at the St George Illawarra Dragons high performance centre

I'm Riley Kerr, the founder of MMA Strength Systems and a Senior Performance Coach with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

I've coached athletes across MMA, BJJ, boxing, Muay Thai and professional rugby league. I also train combat sports myself, so I understand the practical challenge of improving strength and conditioning without constantly feeling wrecked for technical training.

My approach is straightforward: work out what the athlete actually needs, fit it into their real schedule and progress it properly.

Pricing

Online coaching

$50AUD

Per week

Individualised programming
TrainHeroic access
Weekly review and feedback
Ongoing program adjustments
Direct coaching support
Competition planning where required

Coaching is built in 12-week phases so there is enough time to establish your training, build some momentum and properly assess progress. There is no minimum commitment: it runs week to week, and you can pause or stop whenever you need to.

FAQ

Common questions

Is this suitable for amateur athletes?

Yes. Most of the athletes I work with are amateurs or early in their professional career. Your record matters far less than training consistently and being able to commit to gym work each week.

Do I need access to a full gym?

No. The program is built around what you actually have, whether that is a commercial gym, a fight gym with a rack and some dumbbells, or a setup at home. More equipment gives more options, but it is not a requirement. Tell me what you have and I'll work with it.

How many gym sessions will I need?

Usually two to four, depending on your skill schedule, how much you spar and what you are trying to improve. I'd rather you do two sessions properly every week than plan four and hit two. We settle on the number once I've seen your week.

Can this work around my current MMA, BJJ or striking coach?

That's the intention. Your skill coach runs your technical training and sparring. My job is to fit the gym and conditioning work around it so it supports what you're doing in the room instead of competing with it.

Can the program change during fight camp?

Yes. Camp is when the structure matters most. As the fight gets closer, gym work is adjusted so you turn up sharp, without throwing away the qualities you've spent months building.

What happens if I'm injured or travelling?

Let me know and we adjust. Travel usually means a shorter or equipment-limited block for a couple of weeks. With injuries I'll program around the area and work alongside your physio or doctor. I'm not a medical professional, so anything needing diagnosis or clearance goes through them.

If something bigger comes up and you need to stop for a while, coaching can be paused and picked up when you're ready.

When will I receive my first program?

Within a week of signing up. Most of what I need is in the enquiry form, so once we've sorted the details I'll get started on it.

Can you coach athletes outside Australia?

Yes. Everything is delivered online through TrainHeroic, so where you are isn't a problem. Check-ins happen in the app rather than on a call, which means timezones don't really come into it. Pricing is in Australian dollars.

How do check-ins and feedback work?

Everything runs through TrainHeroic. You log your sessions as you go, so I can see the loads you actually used, how it felt and anything you had to skip. Send video through the app for any lift you want looked at, and I'll come back with feedback and any changes for the week ahead.

What is the minimum commitment?

There isn't one. Coaching runs week to week, and you can pause or stop whenever you need to.

Programs are built in 12-week phases because that's about how long it takes to establish your training, build momentum and see whether it's working. That's how the training is structured, not something you're locked into.

Next step

Interested in online coaching?

If you think this could suit you, send through a few details about your training, schedule and goals. I'll have a look and get back to you.

Tell me about your training

Strength and conditioning built around your fight training

Training hard usually isn't the problem. Organising it is.

What we actually work on

Strength and power

Conditioning

Weekly structure

Competition preparation

This isn't a template

How online coaching works

Tell me about your training

Receive your program

Train and adjust

What you get

Athletes I've worked with

Mitch Holden

Travis Druce

Emilee Della-Libra

Aaron Curry

A bit about me

Online coaching

Common questions

Interested in online coaching?

Tell me about your training

Thanks for sending that through.