Mixed Martial Arts Forum banner

Breaking into M.M.A. Training Log

154K views 2K replies 38 participants last post by  KevinD 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all, I've been mostly lurking these forums for awhile now. A little introduction: I'm 20 years old, just wrapping up doing a little world travel. While I was in Thailand I got involved with a Muay Thai training camp called Tiger Muay Thai, and trained pretty hard for a month and loved it. I decided to see where this passion can take me, and have decided to aim to fight in my first M.M.A. fight at a local amateur venue in my town called Valley Fight this coming December. This means I have a lot of work to do.

I will be training at a local M.M.A. gym called Revolution Chilliwack, as well as training with my friend who also wants to fight within the year.

I'm 20 years old, Southpaw, 6'4 about 195lbs, muscular build from years of weightlifting (I've got an enormous journal on a bodybuilding website but alas, there's no point talking M.M.A. on a bodybuilding forum, so here I am) but relatively weak cardio, other weaknesses include an occassional occurence of shin splints and contact lenses. I've only trained Muay Thai for a month and that's basically all my training besides a bit of self taught boxing.

I'm wrapping up my travels now, sitting in Bangkok for a few more days. I checked out a nearby Muay Thai gym but it was a hole in the ground with some mats and wasn't cheap, so **** it. I'm doing bodyweight exercises and shadowboxing in my room to help maintain what I can.

I go home soon so training resumes on August 1st as I enroll in the MMA gym back home and in addition begin my own training with a partner to keep the total training time to about 3.5 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Training is 4 weeks on followed by 1 week rest, each week is 5 days training, alternating between 2 days set out like this:

Day 1 - Technique
Stretch
Shadowboxing
Hit Pads
Standup Sparring
Rolling
Stretch
Go to class

Day 2 - Conditioning
Stretch
Skipping
Weight Training (Divided into Push/Pull/Leg days focusing on functional strength, explosive power, and endurance.)
Heavy Bag
Speed Bag
Stretch
Go to class

Classes are as follows:
Mon - Beginner Jiu-Jitsu
Tue - M.M.A.
Wed - Beginner Jiu-Jitsu
Thur - Boxing + Muay Thai
Fri - Boxing + Muay Thai + M.M.A
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

Going to ease myself into it and build momentum; first week just go to the classes, second week go to the classes and do training every second day, then by the third I'm doing the full routine. Also going to start light on my weights and build momentum over the weeks as powerlifters do.

I've also wrote up a flexible diet that I believe I can maintain pretty easily. I'll add the details once I've gone through with it for awhile in case any changes need to be made. What's important is the 6000 mostly healthy calories to exceed my maintenance level for a gradual weight gain.

Supplements are Protein/Creatine Monohydrate/Multivitamin/Fish Oil, considering a pre-workout supp like N.O. Xplode but don't really need the extra hit to the wallet or a caffeine dependency, so we'll see on that one.

I picked up all my gear to train out here in Thailand for nice and cheap. Got 16oz gloves, shin guards, wraps, mouth guard, and headgear. My friend has bought all of these things as well as some Thai kicking pads and a round timer, so we're all equipped and ready to go.

I'm aiming for December for my premier amateur M.M.A. bout. Wish me luck and feel free to pass on advice. I'm gonna tear a hole into this guy. :thumb02:

Some relevant links
Tiger Muay Thai, Phuket, Thailand:http://www.tigermuaythai.com
Revolution Chilliwack, Chilliwack, Canada:http://www.revolutionfightteam.com
Valley Fight, Chilliwack, Canada:http://www.valleyfight.com
 
See less See more
#847 ·
I felt terrible today, very little energy. Made it to Advanced BJJ, we did stuff from X guard, a sweep, an armbar, a knee bar and a back take. Rolled a few blue belt, he felt strong and good but I managed to take his back and finish with a bow and arrow and take his back again before the end of the round. I got called over to get locked in the cage with the 270lb super hulk and a Hell's Angels black belt, sounds like the start of a bad joke. Rolled the super hulk, started in guard, broke it, managed to pass into half, snuck passed and held mount. Almost finished with an arm triangle when his super hulk nose started to bleed. Then the black belt jumped in with me, I pulled guard, he got passed after awhile into side, I fought off a north south choke the he eventually adjusted into a head and arm choke form north south, to which I tapped. Then I rolled with one of our fighters, a purple, I pulled guard and attempted a few different things to which his base was too strong. I risked a scissor sweep and tried to adjust to a reverse scissor sweep when I couldn't kick out the leg. Too late. He passed into a side control in which I wouldn't find the way out of until the end of the round. End of class.

I feel terrible, both exhausted and weird aches, fingers, thumbs, knees, ankles, neck and one really weird one that feels like a big bruise at the bottom of my spine.
 
#849 ·
Today was a bit better.

Got to the doctors today to pick up my medical for the fight. Looking at it now, I don't think the proper blood work results are shown here and I'll have to make another trip back to the home town to correct this. But I did manage to get some proper sleep meds that won't give me a hang over the next day.

While out in the hometown I dropped into the gym for BJJ, worked some technique and got a couple decent rolls in. I dominated our newly promoted brown belt (albeit he's much smaller than I) and even had a full arm triangle sunk in, but I let go of it to go back into mount. I've never really been in that position before, but I didn't want to tap him out. Promotion is a funny thing in jiu jitsu, it's a nice reward for your effort but at the same time you feel the expectations raise as well. I think this is mostly in our own heads; we fear that we can't live up to our belt and therefore aren't worthy of it. This is why I let go of it, getting a new belt is a transitory time and I like the guy and really gain nothing but making his time more difficult by tapping him.

I've been secretly a little afraid that I might get a purple belt. There's only a chance, but I was in no hurry to go to Bibiano's promotion day, and will probably avoid the Chilliwack one that I got invited to. Kind of rude, but yeah, I'm of the belief that you should get your belt when it's overdue, and right now I don't feel that it's due yet.
 
#850 ·
Advanced BJJ

Worked some technique from closed guard, breaking posture, arm drags, threatening to take back and then going for an armbar. In rolling I did very well, my sweeps were working for me today, won all my rolls againt good competition.

Unfortunately at work today I slipped awkwardly and twisted in a weird way, pulling something in my ass. It's a really weird place to hurt, right below my left hip at ass cheek is really sore and tough to move. It really started to act up in rolling but I saw through it. Unfortunately a bit of stretching didn't seem to fix it so I couldn't even walk without a limp, nevermind do muay thai today.
 
#852 ·
Are you feeling like I did with my hip-injury? If you are follow Squirrel's advice about learning to do the Chinese-splits. For me those splits allow me to strike with my legs once more.
 
#853 ·
Did 5 rounds on the pads with the partner, this time we tried it with three stretchy cords around my torso attaching me to the cage. It started off fine but got brutally difficult before long. The only problem was the cords directly on my stomach started to pull against my stomach/organs and hurt my lower back...started to worry I was going to hurt something when I tasted bile. We'll try it with some sort of belt or vest arrangement next time.

Tire Flips 1,1 @ gym length and back (18 flips per set)
Rope Climb 1,1
Pushup Burpee to Chin up 10,10
Sprawl Deadlift 8,8@155lbs
DB Clean + Squat 8,8@50lbs

Ab Circuit
Decline Twisting Crunch 20@45lbs
Reverse Crunch 15@15lbs
Cable Crunch 20@160lbs
Plank 1:30

Neck Circuit
Forward Bridge 1:00
Handstand Bridge 1:00
Backward Bridge 1:00

Gym closes at 4 tomorrow and I don't get off work until at least 3:30 so I crammed two sessions in together. It pisses me off that this gym closes for every holiday and god knows what other reason, I pay too much to have over a week's worth of gym closures this month.

Felt reaaaally good today. Kind of abused my susceptibility to caffeine to get here though. Feeling REALLY confident about this fight today for some reason.
 
#854 · (Edited)
BJJ

Technique from side control, lots of shoulder pressure, they brace off with an arm, bump it up and arm under their head reaches to armpit, lifting them on their side and sort of crucifixing them. Then replace that hand with a foot trapping their arm, foot pointed out. Finish with a ghetto choke or bring other leg over to fall off for a near side arm bar. If they get an arm under and come up they should be right in a triangle.

Also picked Bruno's brain for a position I've been finding myself in alot. I'll almost have their back taken, but they'll have an arm under one of my legs, almost like an inverted triangle but with bodys facing the same direction. Anyways, I kept struggling and losing position with it, but Bruno showed me if I keep that far arm trapped and roll over the far shoulder (the one with the hook in) then I can fall right into an armbar, the arm that they put under the leg is now trapped by it and stretching them out. Sexy.

Lots of good rolls and did really well. Really don't feel like going through them all, but I was a beast today.

Figured out why my lower back feels hurt, it was from doing those reverse crunches on the hard floor. Also got a really sharp pain on the surface of my knee that acts up alot in rolling.

Finished worked today. Now on to being a poor pugilist. One month still to go and now I can really turn it up!

Weight check
204lbs 11.1% bf
198lbs 10.7% bf
198lbs 9.9% bf
201lbs 10.5% bf
199lbs 10.3% bf
 
#855 · (Edited)
I showed up at noon but nobody was around so I figured there was no class that day. Shadowboxed 3 rounds and then did 2 rounds on the bag before people started showing up and I chilled out.

We warmed up with shadowboxing and then did some sparring. I did pretty average in sparring. Tim got inside on me and landed some big shots, I didn't look got at all against a much smaller opponent. After that we did rounds on the bags while we waited for our turn on the pads. I got three rounds on the pads at the end and got to work some things. Major holes were punches being thrown low from the shoulders, not rolling my shoulder up on the jab, and not doing a full switch step when throwing the right kick. Once again the coach was emphasizing using my range, especially the left head kick. I liked the 1-1-headkick, starting out of range so you're stepping in on each jab but the first one is meant not to hit. Rest and then I'll see what I can manage this evening.
 
#857 ·
Tire Flips 1,1 @ gym length and back (18 flips per set)
Rope Climb 1,1
Sprawl Deadlift 8,8@165lbs
DB Clean + Squat 8,8@55lbs
Barbell Lunge to Shoulder Press 8@+25lbs
Barbell Squat to Shoulder Press 8@+25lbs


Ab Circuit
Decline Twisting Crunch 20@45lbs
Reverse Crunch 6@20lbs
Cable Crunch 20@160lbs
Plank 1:00

Neck Circuit
Forward Bridge 2:00
Handstand Bridge 1:00
Backward Bridge 2:00

Wasn't feeling too energetic today but pushed on regardless. Kajan was doing some conditioning there and I asked him to show me an exercise he was doing that I was already interested in. It's with a Barbell, one end wedged into the ground, one arm holds it at the other end, holding it in front of the shoulder as the same side leg lunges down, both feet facing forward. Then lunge up as you press the barbell straight out, no rotation in the body. Then a similar one with both feet facing the side, squat down with both legs then as you come up rotate the back foot and press out once again with the shoulder. Good shit, I kept the weight light to figure out the movement but will start adding on now. I wrote +25lbs on it because you can't really account for the weight of the barbell since you're not lifting the whole thing, so I'm just recording the weight added on to the mobile end.
 
#859 ·
Hit the pads 5 rounds with kicks, felt a bit more exhausted than I'd hoped for, but we'll keep on it.

Then we did BJJ, technique was a nice armbar from the back. Control both lapels with underhook, lifting at their armpits to force their arms up. Pick a side and shoot your leg through the armpit, moving around as you do it like a reverse omoplata, your foot should be placed behind their head on the same side that your leg is going through. Hard to explain. Anyways, from there you can fall back for an armbar and if they resist, sit up and turn their head into your lower shin for a gogoplata.

Rolling was decent, survived with a good purple, dominated a white, and was back and forth with my former white belt nemesis (now deservingly a blue).
 
#860 ·
Saturday did 5 rounds on the bag. Each round starting with 10 kicks and the last 30 seconds doing a punch out drill.

Sunday rest.

Today I went in early to do burpees and bagwork before class but Kajan, Bruno, and Chiappe were there to work technique a bit so I joined them. We did shadowboxing to a takedown, then we worked against the cage. First round sitting on your butt, back against the cage with the other guy on you. Then switch. Then we did muay thai clinched and trapped against the cage, switch. Then we did turtle position, against the cage and switched. Did pretty well with everyone, which is suprising considering they're all seasoned fighters with purple/brown belts. Of course I had size working for me.

In BJJ we worked armbars. Bruno's changing his teaching style to focus on one thing for a week instead of doing many techniques that don't get drilled enough and are quickly forgotten. We worked an armbar from the back as detailed in my post above. Then rolled some more. A couple good rolls to finish off the last day back.

About 4 weeks to fight night, stepping up the sparring, rolling, pads/bagwork, cardio over these last 3 weeks, take the last week lighter to rest and visualize, then we do the deed.

Tomorrow I wanted to do Paul's muay thai class but Kajan told me today that Rory Macdonald is coming down for boxing sparring at 5. Rory will eat me alive but it might be a worthwhile experience. We'll see which I go for tomorrow.
 
#861 ·
Tomorrow I wanted to do Paul's muay thai class but Kajan told me today that Rory Macdonald is coming down for boxing sparring at 5. Rory will eat me alive but it might be a worthwhile experience. We'll see which I go for tomorrow.
I say you take the opportunity with Rory. Who cares if you get your ass kicked man, it will be a great experience.

If you do it make sure you tell us how it goes. :)
 
#862 · (Edited)
Went in an hour early to meet up with Kajan and Rory and see if they'll let me get my ass kicked. Unfortunately something changed in the planning because neither were there.

Luckily my training partner was there and willing to hold pads. We rigged me up to the fence again with the bungee cords, this time around a protective belt so that I wasn't crushing my organs :) Did decently for the five rounds, my partner kept it challenging and then after the five rounds we unhooked me and did a round or so of movement and light combos ending in hard kicks.

BJJ

Technique was spider guard stuff. I didn't do too hot in rolling today, first off I rolled our black belt instructor and at least gave a decent round that ended in me getting collar choked. Then I found myself feeling mighty drained for a tough match purple belt, who dominated me in side control, to north south and finished with a kimura. He also got my back later and finished with a bow and arrow. Next two rounds were a bit of relief, a good kid and a good purple belt chick but finally I could relax and flow without using a bunch of energy that I didn't have

MMA

Technique was take downs against the wall/cage, drilled with a partner trying to take us down and vice versa. Then we did the same thing without the wall, one partner defending while the other tries for the take down. Finally we drilled from standing open guard with strikes, the stander is trying to strike, pass, and lock up side control for a restart, the bottom guy is protecting, preventing the pass and locking them down in guard for a restart.

It was at this point that Rory Macdonald, Denis Kang, and another guy showed up. I was far too drained to give Rory proper sparring, and I had no 'in' without Kajan there so I just continued to the last class.

Muay Thai
Shadowboxing, drilled combos for half an hour or so, did punch -> leg kick combos on the kick shield, did pyramids of kicks to end the class.

4 hours makes it a solid day. I need a long, hot bath.
 
#863 ·
Feeling burnt out but went in for a quick workout

Sprawl Deadlifts 8,8 @165lbs
DB Clean & Squat 8,8 @55lbs
BB Squat & Press 8,8 @+30lbs

Neck Circuit
Forward Bridge 2:00
Handstand Bridge 2:00
Backward Bridge 2:00

Some boxers were taking up the strongman area tonight. I wanted to do sled pushes, rope climbs and tire flips. Think I'll turn these things and more into a circuit next time and do 3 minute rounds.

My gym's using the holidays as an excuse to close a shit ton this month. Over a week of no classes and lots of gym closures really sucks when you're preparing for a fight. I'm supposed to keep the momentum strong for the next 2-3 weeks so I'll use alternatives.
 
#864 ·
when you talk about your circuit-training do you only do a single cycle of 6 minutes for your neck?

Or do you do numerous cycles of the circuit?
 
#866 ·
BJJ Advanced + Beginner Classes
Warmup shiznit, small class so it was just lots of rolling. Worked some half guard stuff, getting an outside butterfly hook in on the bottom then elevating them for a sweep. Also coming up with the underhook, taking back when they don't whizzer and sweeping under or pulling the leg through for a triangle when they do whizzer. Also practiced triangle escapes, and rolled more.

Muay Thai
Skipping, combos with partner, pads with partner followed by a drill clinching and driving them across the gym, 10 kicks and then drive them to the other side, and so on.
 
#867 ·
Burpees (5x3 minute rounds, 1 min rest)
1 - 34
2 - 30
3 - 27
4 - 26
5 - 27
Total - 144

Gym's been closed the last two days or I would be doing more. Today I did the burpees in the kitchen. There's very little classes going on until after january 2nd which is inconvenient, but the weight room will be accessible so I'll be focusing on conditioning circuits, and pads/bagwork.

Post holiday weigh in

204lbs 11.1% bf
198lbs 10.7% bf
198lbs 9.9% bf
201lbs 10.5% bf
199lbs 10.3% bf
203lbs 10.5% bf

Big spike, but expected. We'll lean out to around 200lbs over the next 2+ weeks and water cut the last 10lbs.
 
#870 · (Edited)
So no classes for awhile yet, but at least the weight room was open again today.

I was shown a "GSP Workout" on Bodybuilding.com that looked pretty good. I'm sure it's not exactly what GSP does, but the workout looked really effective and similar to what I used to do. Today's leg day has a typical Barbell Complex of basic exercises that builds endurances and then at the end it has explosive exercises when you're already exhausted. Smart stuff.

link here

Warmup
Tabata on Treadmill: 20 sec on, 10 sec off. Repeat 8 times.
Deadlifts 1x12@bar

Barbell Complex: 3 Sets, Each exercise consecutively for a set, 90 seconds rest between sets. Weight: only the bar (45lbs)
Deadlifts 5,5,5
Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 5,5,5
Cleans 5,5,5
Front Squats 5,5,5
Push Press( to put weight behind head) 1,1,1
Squats: 5,5,5
Good Mornings 5,5,5
Single Leg Bodyweight Squats 1 set to failure on each leg
20,15,12
Jumping Lunges: 1 set to failure (hold dumbbells/wear weight vest)
5,5,5@b/w+10lbs
Jump Squats: 1 set to failure (hold dumbbells/wear weight vest)
5,5,5@b/w+10lbs
Calves: Bodyweight Standing Calves: 1 set to failure (hold dumbbells/wear weight vest)
:20,:20,:20@100lbs

Good, I couldn't for the life of me do those jumping lunges and squats at the end, your legs just wobble and fail. I think I could have done better if I didn't do burpees yesterday, I was feeling a bit stiff going into this one. Fun stuff. I'll do the next day tomorrow if I can, if not the day after.

Hit the bag for 5 rounds afterwards, even doing just punches I felt my power and endurance drop steeply with my legs as they were. Got through it though.

Sparring is on at 11am tomorrow, then if I can do some pads I'll do that later in the day, if not I'll try the next workout on the GSP program.

Less than 3 weeks to the fight!
 
#871 ·
top-3-most-anticipated-match-ups-at-bfl5

This just went up today =) That's my picture, and my briefing is the third. I'm the 2-0 guy.

I make a point not to put my name in here so that it's not easily searchable, so I ask that you guys don't use it here either. Unfortunately one day I'll probably have to stop posting in here, but I'd like to carry it on awhile yet.
 
#878 ·
Sparring

Sparred 5 rounds standup in gear, then 5 rounds MMA starting against the cage defending or attacking and continuing full mma from there. Afterwards I rolled a couple rounds and did a few takedowns back and forth with Kajan.

Alot of the same strengths and weaknesses playing for and against me in sparring. Overall I did decently but nothing impressive.

Top 3 things that need to be focused on in my mind are

1. More sparring with use of movement and range
2. Striking endurance, namely the jab and and left kick
3. Takedowns and TD Defense, including against the cage

Obviously everything needs work, but in my mind those three things will complete me for this fight.

Like I said last post this afternoon will be pads if I can get it and if not the next GSP conditioning day.

Reminder to self that sparring is suppose to happen again thursday at 11am.
 
#879 ·
I still need to pick an intro song, suggestions are welcome. I'll post a few ideas I have later.

I like a variety of music, metal, hip hop, indie, classic rock. I'm trying to stay away from the metal-look-how-tough-I-am music for this fight. I prefer something more unique. My opponent will probably be walking out to Slipknot.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top