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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
 
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#481 ·
MMA

Technique was straight ankle lock, from inside of their guard with one shield up and in their groin, trap leg by hooking arm around and under, gripping right at the ankle with hand locked under the other. Step up with free leg and plant foot on their chest, then fall back, pulling while twisting torso to face the mat. Then 2 escapes. With either, lock foot so that it's not going to straighten out and sit up. With the first escape pull their foot and hip to the open side, pulling into a mount. The other one uses the other hand to pull their foot the other way, planting it on the mat, leg swings over so you're facing around, then either run out or spawl into side control.

In rolling I did alright. First guy I was dominant and landed a kimura starting from side control and ending in reverse mount. Then got a kimura sweep and for pretty much the first time swung around and went from the kimura sweep to actualy finishing the kimura in reverse mount. I think that's all I got on him.

Next guy was one of my better training partners who's fighting on the card I was trying to get on in the 17th. We were in a pissing match to take the other guy down so I just sucked it up and pulled guard. Got a nice submission from guard with an overhook controlling an arm, as he bent it to pull it free I trapped it and cranked. Quick tap :) That's the submission that I hurt my shoulder on in jiu jitsu like last week. I never thought I'd even us that submission, guess I was wrong. :) Also from guard as he was standing I kept on an arm and tried to do the sweep Kajan was showing me when they stack you in an armbar, he tapped before I could sweep. Awesome. The time between when I learn something and when I can use it is really shortening. Spent the rest of the round in my guard trying to work for something but I was truly stuck for the rest of the round and ate a few punches. Last guy was a new kid who was strong as **** and I basically sat on top of half guard while he squeezed the hell out of me. I had nothing as far as getting free, and he even swept me. I managed to get mount somehow by the end of the round but damn he was strong.

Good class but I wasn't feeling phenomenal, thank god this week is almost over and I can sleep in tomorrow. I got a nice fat lip today. Tonight I get to use a co-worker's hottub so I am a happy camper. :)

Lifting + BJJ tomorrow.
 
#482 ·
Lifting
Squats 6,6,6 @ 235lbs
Deadlifts 6,6,6 @ 235lbs
DB Bench 6,6,4 @ 85lbs
Weighted Chin Ups 6,6,5 @ b/w+25lbs

AB Complex
Weighted Twist Crunch 20,20@45lbs
Reverse Crunch 15,15@25lbs
Cable Crunch 20,20@75kgs
AB Plank 1:40, 1:40

Good workout, kept the same weights because last weeks was noticeably difficult. More weight to squats and DLs next week. Ab circuit felt extra brutal today. Body weight is about 212lbs.

BJJ
Showed up just in time to roll. Had a half guard with a blue belt, eventually passed and got a kimura from side, first time he turtle and rolled me over. Tried again and finished it. Next blue I rolled twice. First roll I kept his back for most of the round but couldn't finish. His defense was too active to get Saulo's move. Second round I got mount and finished with an americana and an armbar. I think I had another roll with someone else but I don't remember it. After class I joined in on some no gi with Dave and two purples. We switched off doing 2 minutes stand up with everyone. I got mostly worked. When I finally did dart around and get a single leg on Dave he did the typical kimura thing where no matter where I take him down, he's in side control tapping me with a kimura. Probably tapped about 4 times to the same sub. The purples posed other threats, one almost finished me in a standing guillotine but my ego made me fight through it. Then we drilled leg locks on one of the purples because his next fight is apparently a leg lock guy. Then we shark tanked him. Good times. I'm so sore.
 
#483 ·
Up at 5:30 to join the lady's class and get a feel for the workout. Pretty challenging, they liked to be pushed. The general layout is a warmup run, over/unders with a skipping rope, a full body circuit, some drilling on the shield, and then some basic technique with a partner. I'll put something similar together for wednesday and do as mush as I can with them so I get a bit of a workout too. Got the keys to the gym :thumbsup:

Then did BJJ tonight. I'm not going to go through it but it was a decent night with lots of rolling. My joints are aching a bit already and it's only monday. Frigging thumb is sprained still on one hand and ring finger is sprained on the other. Didn't do burpees today, will squeeze them in elsewhere this week.
 
#484 ·
I'm backed up on updates. Tuesday did Muay Thai and MMA. Felt really drained.

Wednesday morning I taught the ladies kickboxing in the morning but sleeping troubles prevented me from getting a nap after work - I opted for rest that evening. My sleep's a ******* pain in the ass. I'll do a breakdown of what I do for the ladies in the morning maybe after next week's, kinda lazy right now.

There's an "MMA Expo" coming nearby pretty soon with a grappling tourney, I'll probably enter it. I'm not satisfied with the last tournament's outcome, and my knee feels mostly better.

I've been trying to get ahold of a doctor to see about my sleep. One office told me that nobody in town was taking patients and to go to a walk in clinic. The walk in clinic told me to get a family doctor. I think I found a guy taking patients, will call him today. This is why I don't bother with healthcare.

Muay Thai tonight with Kajan.
 
#485 ·
Muay Thai

Skipping, Shadowboxing, Combos with partner, sparring, clinch work. I felt awful leading up to class but did fine during it. That's how it usually goes though.

I just got reminded that there's Tiger Balm's internation tourny next weekend in Vancouver. They have an MMA addition this year but the rules look retarded, and I have a feeling it would be frustrating. I'll be doing the BJJ and No Gi tournys that day though. There's also the MMA Expo which off the top of my head is April 11ish. Then I believe my gym is hosting another grappling tournament begginning of May. So I'm going to try to compete as much as I can.. 3 days/6 tournaments should at least keep me occupied. I feel like winning something again.
 
#486 ·
Friday - MMA

Technique was crucifix, plus a keylock and triangle from there. Dominant all round in rolling. Feel so exhausted lately. I had to help these people move and did some heavy lifting for like 7 hours so that's my final workout for the week. Gotta snap out of this funk and get a solid few days of rolling before the BJJ tourny next weekend.

Fight night should be good tomorrow!
 
#487 ·
Burpees (5x3 minute rounds, 1 min rest)
1 - 32
2 - 26
3 - 23
4 - 21
5 - 23
Total - 125

Felt crappy but I guess I'm 4 up from last week.

BJJ

I got dominated alot today. Well not dominated, but I lost many of my rolls, tapped to an armbar from a good white belt, and collar choked in north south by a blue. I did get to beat up a few whites though. Just wasn't in my groove. Anyways, good class.

I'm registered for the MMA Expo to do no gi and gi as well as the open weights which are giving paid flights and registration to the abu dhabi qualifiers in Toronto or something like that. Fat chance, but the tournament should be fun. The Tiger Balms are this weekend and I've got all the figured out but will register day of when I get there.

Probably going to lift tomorrow and then do Muay Thai/MMA that evening, wednesday will likely be my last day of training so I can be rested for the tournament.

Bibiano did our gym proud last night. He won a very close and good fight against Joachim Hansen. Look it up!
 
#488 · (Edited)
Lifting
Squats 6,6,6 @ 245lbs
Deadlifts 6,6,6 @ 245lbs
DB Bench 6,6,6 @ 85lbs
Weighted Chin Ups 6,6,5 @ b/w+25lbs

AB Complex
Weighted Twist Crunch 20@45lbs
Reverse Crunch 15@25lbs
Cable Crunch 20@75kgs
AB Plank 1:40

Upped weights on squats and deadlifts successfully. Finally finished all my sets on bench. Only went through the ab circuit once, boohoo, I'll be do another one when I teach kickboxing tomorrow. Lifting and Burpees definitely should have at least 24 hours between them, my legs and chest felt exhausted, good workout regardless. Muay Thai + MMA tonight.

I keep forgetting my note pad at the gym. The people that work there probably think I'm a crazy person when they read workouts alternating with grocery lists.
 
#490 ·
Ladies Kickboxing

3 Rounds skipping, squats/lunges/puhsups between
2x through a 8 person circuit with a variety of exercises
6x1:30 rounds, alternating between hitting the heavybag and burpees
Ab circuit with leg lifts, medicine ball situps, lying leg raises, side plank, plank, other side plank
Stretch.

Did everything but the skipping. Good class. I'm exhausted but I think I'll make it to BJJ tonight.
 
#491 ·
BJJ

Warm up run and exercises, some drills, standing guard pass, a new guard pass that I didn't really like. In guard passes I did pretty well, think I only got passed once. The rest of the class is rolling and I did really well. Great positional battle with the super hulk white belt that I finished on top. Tapped a good blue with an armbar as well an americana.

Today was one of those days where you drag your ass into the door but it turned out pretty good. I'm hella sore from doing 6 workouts over the past 3 days. Luckily I'm competing in those two tournaments on saturday so I can justify resting tomorrow and friday. Tiger Balms should be interesting. My skill level is blue belt and my weight class is the heaviest one so I'm going to be competing with the big fish.
 
#492 ·
So competed in the Tiger Balms Gi and No gi tournaments today. I'm a bit sleepy but I'll go over it quickly. **** it was long, I got there at about 9 and didn't get out till 5:30ish.

First was Gi, I ran into a friend who got video, don't know when it'll get up. It's not overly exciting anyways.

First guy up we're in a bit of a pissing match standing and I pull guard (I later learned he's a black belt in Judo - good idea). He stands in my guard, I grab both ankles and try the sweep you can get on amateurs alot, no such luck. He's solid and he hooks and ankle and pops back into a straight ankle lock and rolls. I tapped pretty fast. This guy went on to win his next roll and win the weight class.

Second roll I catch a single leg and sloppily take him down into his half guard. Stretch him out and pass into full mount. Grapevine and get an ezekiel on. It takes like 30 seconds but he finally taps. That puts me into third place, for some reason I didn't get to roll the second place guy even though we both beat the same guy and lost to the same guy. Oh well.

In No Gi I was once again with the first guy, I catch a single leg and take him down, he's got something on me that he uses to end up on top. We scramble, I end up in his guard in a guillotine getting cranked. Tap.

Next guy, same guy I ezekielled. He finds double underhooks and sucks me in tight, I jump into guard before he can take me down. I find the kimura from guard and force a sweep that probably shouldn't have worked, but it did. I find an americana and finish. 3rd place again.


So pretty mediocre performance, but overall I'm pleased because this was the highest weight class in the most advanced division. The guys I was rolling had years of training and professional fighting experience. The guy that beat me is a former heavyweight king of the cage champion, a judo black belt, and I don't know how far into BJJ. But yeah, legit.

Next tournament at the MMA Expo might be cancelled. It was set to take place in the next town over for me called Abbotsford but they were worried about it being overrun with gangsters and that it didn't have the police force to oversee it. So they were going to move it to Vancouver and now it looks as if the plug may have been pulled on that? Hopefully it works out, and hopefully if not I get my money back.
 
#493 ·
Burpees (5x3 minute rounds, 1 min rest)
1 - 31
2 - 25
3 - 23
4 - 22
5 - 23
Total - 124

1 less than last week, felt real tough today for some reason, probably not eating enough.

BJJ did well in guard passes, managed to tap witha kimura and sweep a purple. In advanced we drilled triangle escapes, turtle escapes, side control escapes. Then we did continuous guard passing with the experienced belts on the ground and the younger ones lining up to pass. Did pretty good here but eventually got knocked out. In rolling I got a few goods round in with a game white belt. Tapped him with a couple things and got some nice sweeps. I eventually ate something to my lip that cut it pretty good though. Good class.

I felt really light headed at some points in the class today, its something Im going to keep an eye on. I got into a walk in clinic the other day and Im sampling an anti depressant for the next few weeks. Theres a few side effects to watch out for so we will see what happens. Muay Thai + MMA tomorrow.
 
#497 · (Edited)
Weird ass day. I've been super spaced out on and off all day. I tried reading today and had to repeat sentences 4 or 5 times before they registered. I actually decided not to train, and then 10 minutes from class said "Don't be a *****!" and booked it out the door.

Missed skipping. Two rounds of shadowboxing. Technique was footwork involving the jab. Stepping to both sides and jabbing as the back foot lands, then circling and darting in for a jab and back out again, then switching directions. Then did a round of sparring, did alright. I felt gassed, I hope this shit goes away.

MMA technique was a mount escape to half butterfly guard, brace hands on hips, bridge one direction, hip out the other way, top leg gets the butterfly hook while the other leg stays flat. Then a sweep from the half butterfly guard, the butterfly hook lifts at their knee while simultaneously lifting with an underhook, the far arm should be overhooking their other arm to prevent them from basing as you drive them over. Then a mount escape to a heel hook...a smaller shrimp out so that you're still under their mount but have basically driven to the side, then your head/torso moves to the direction that you just hip escaped too while the outside leg pops around, and over their leg. Your other leg, which is flat on the ground still, kicks out their knee to stretch them out. Hook the heel with the blade of the wrist and craaaank. The leg that has kicked their knee can come over to triangle the other leg for a more secure hold.

With my mind in the state it was I couldn't for the life of me grasp these, really frustrating. In rolling I had a couple good rolls back and forth, got to work a few escapes. Finished a guy with an armbar from mounted triangle.

Gotta go burn a cheesy 80's playlist that I promised last week for the lady's class tomorrow.

Kajan said I'm definitely not fighting april 17th but definitely fighting may 29th. At least as much as a "definitely" that exists in this sport.

Going to langley this friday because the local gym is closing fridays now. Kajan also wants me to do tuesday sparring at 1pm there as well.
 
#499 ·
Well I didn't get that nap. Frustrating. I pretty much find my motivation to show up for class in my sheer stubborness. Whatever gets me there I guess, it's no coincidence that the highest points of my die are immediately proceeding training. I'll have to watch the fight night and TUF tomorrow. Excited to see what happens with Gomi vs. Florian!

BJJ warm up run, guard pass drills. Bridge and roll out of mount while your partner does a new(ish) sweep. From your guard grab their sleeve with same side hand, other hand grabs nearest knee, your head and torso moves to the side of the knee while driving that leg out, lifting their knee, and pulling the opposite sleeve, almost like an omoplata. Kajan was doing a similar thing in no gi with us recently, except that guy makes it look like a break dancing moving. Other technique was various half guard stuff, which I needed a review on. Flattening them out, walk trapped foot up to their but, shoulder pressure their head away while popping your hip into the opposite direction and baseball slide that leg free. He also pointed out that there's a quick ezekiel from here that's worth at least taking a shot at. Other half guard pass, you switch your hips to face their legs, elbow braced against their armpit and arm along body, basically drive their top knee for space and kick out. If they go for an underhook you can trap that arm by gripping your collar and then using the free hand to do a straight armlock or kimura. That should make sense when I read it again. Finally we did a sweep from half guard that I got the hang of pretty fast. From bottom of half guard shrimp in, head against their hip, get the top underhook while the other hand reaches between their legs and grabs the toes of the nearest foot. Feed the toes to the underhook hand, use your newly freed hand to slide back under your body to give you base, drive the sweep, keeping the grip on their toes so as to prevent them from getting back to guard. I like, but was having trouble putting it into live rolling, worth working on.

We drilled from the half guard position, then shark tanked a guy going to the pan ams in cali, then we drolled. Nothing too interesting happened in my rolls, lots of positions. Good class. I felt real exhausted again today, it's going to be an interesting next couple days. Go go gadget iron will.
 
#501 ·
Wimped out on training yesterday.

Lifting
Squats 6,6,6 @ 255lbs
Deadlifts 6,6,6 @ 255lbs
DB Bench 6,6,4 @ 85lbs
Weighted Chin Ups 6,5,3 @ b/w+25lbs

AB Complex
Weighted Twist Crunch 20@45lbs
Decline Reverse Crunch 15@b/w
Cable Crunch 20@75kgs
AB Plank 1:50

Upped weights on squats and deadlifts successfully. More weight to deadlifts but all other weights stay the same next week. Felt slightly weaker, especially on the chin ups. Can't tell if its because of the drug, or because I missed last weeks workout, or something else.

In BJJ I did just awful in guard passes. Technique was basically going over what GSP should have done to lock up and finish his kimura on Dan Hardy. Also did some work with kimura from guard. One was a sweep where you lock that kimura on, get both feet hooking inside his legs, then let him think he can pass as you elevate a leg, and grab and lift his knee. Dave was emphasizing to me that if you have that kimura locked up, getting your guard pass, isn't the end of what you can do, so hold on. Then we shark tanked a guy going to the pan ams. Nobody seemed down to roll after class so I left. Oh yeah, got my second stripe on my blue.

Good class but I felt really gassed. Sparring's going to be bad on tuesday. I'm going to pick up some syringes today, I've got some swelling in my ear from doing the thai clinch that I'll get drained tomorrow.
 
#502 ·
Burpees (5x3 minute rounds, 1 min rest)
1 - 31
2 - 26
3 - 23
4 - 23
5 - 22
Total - 125

One more than last week

BJJ, guard pass technique, guard pass drills, advanced technique was escapes. Triangle escape is grabbing the knee with both hands, step out on the knees side and drive to the mat, make space and sneak a hand in and drive it through. Standing guillotine escape, nearest hand grabs wrist attacking the throat, other hand reaches over their shoulder and grabs gi at the upper back to relieve pressure. Step around to the side opposite your head, get your one leg behind theirs and knee at the back of their knee to drive them to the mat in side control...just a matter of muscling your head out from there. Then did turtle escape with two hooks in.

Lots of good rolls...some back and forth and finished the round mounted on a blue, finished a round with back mount on a purple and pulled off one of the new sweeps I learned. Had a great positional battle (had his back for a moment) and threatened some armbars with a brown but ended on the bottom of half guard. Tapped a white belt with a kimura from reverse mount, americana, ezekiel, arm triangle.

I drained my ear on sunday but I may have to do it again next weekend, especially if it gets alot of irritation all week... it seems to be disfiguring a bit.

Good class, tomorrow afternoon I'm going to the other gym for heavy sparring with the pros. Gonna be a tough day. We'll see if I can make it that evening back home too.
 
#503 ·
Sparring

2X 3:00 Stand up only
2X 3:00 Stand up with takedowns
2X 5:00 MMA Sparirng


Did alright, didn't win any rounds but wasn't slaughtered either. So better than I expected. I managed a kimura sweep and had some strong control on a very strong fighter. Ate alot of punches from him in the standup, my striking endurance is too shitty to keep people at bay right now. Also got to spar Thiago Gonclaves who's very good but also pretty relaxed.

Gonna attempt a nap and muay thai + mma in a couple hours.
 
#504 · (Edited)
Didn't get my nap

3 rounds skipping. Basic backing up and attacking footwork with a partner, first going straight, then moving in circles. Then a 1-2, skipping diagonally to the right, 2. Then 1-2-3, step slide to the left, lead upper, 2. Then doing one and switching to the other one, back and forth. Confusing.

MMA technique was escapes. Triangle escape, standing and guard guillotine escape. A couple good rolls, good class.
 
#505 ·
Ladies Kickboxing

Skipping w/bodyweight exercises between rounds.
Duck walks, crab walks, Plyo wheelbarrows w/ partner.
1-2-3 combo, 1-2-3 clinch knee knee, 1-2-3 clinch knee knee push off for a kick
2 rounds, 1:30 on the heavybag, then 1:30 burpees
Ab circuit and stretch.

I feel genuinely burnt out this evening and have no regrets about taking the evening off to sit around and play some call of duty. Anyone play?
 
#506 ·
Ack. Got called in to cover for Kajan. Did a kids class, womens class, and mens class. That's a long day after doing a full day of work. I got lots of training in along with the classes though, plenty of burpees and bag work. Tomorrow the MMA gym is closed but I'll be hitting up the weights gym, probably going to work on that striking endurace with their heavybag.
 
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