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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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#1,023 ·
Upper Body Push Cycle:
Repeat cycle 3 times, rest 90 seconds
Warmup Military Press 12@bar

Military Press 6,6,6@105lbs
DB Bench W/ Dropset 6,6,4@65lbs 8@40lbs 20@20lbs single hand
Lateral Flys 12,12,12@15lbs
Skullcrushers 9,8,8@55lbs
Pushups 15,10,6
Rear Dips 8,8,8
Dips 4,4,4
Pushups 8,7,4
Rear Dips 8,8,8
Dips 4,4,4

Lowered Military Press and Bench by 10 and 5lbs to adjust to the weight loss. The upside of losing 10lbs or so is the numbers on dips went up.

I forgot to mention that my opponent for june wanted 185 or nothing, so I have a larger cut ahead of me. I'm still tracking my diet everyday and meeting target calories. I'm waking up around 196ish every morning so I'm on the right
track.


No Gi

Technique was attacking the back. From seat belt we learned to rear naked choke with the underhook going across their neck. Easier to sink, but more difficult to finish with their arm in there. Next in the sequence they reach to defend we trap that wrist with our overhook hand, then bring our rear naked choke out and around, chopping the wrist into the side of their neck. Pull at their trapped wrist or adjust further to the elbow and move off to the side like a bow and arrow choke to finish. Then if that doesn't work, from the bow and arrow the trapped arm should be easily available for an armbar.

Did well rolling, but the last round I got tapped by a stronger pro fighter with some kind of weird omoplata/armbar. One more day training and I get a rest day.
 
#1,025 ·
Last Weeks Goals:

-8 ANY Classes FAIL (Did 7 of 8 though)
-4 Sparring Sessions SUCCESS
-2 Padwork Sessions FAIL
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Session SUCCESS
-1 GSP Workout SUCCESS
-1 Burpee Session FAIL
-Finish "Roy Dean's Blue Belt Requirements" FAIL
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900) SUCCESS


ThisWeeks Goals:

-6 ANY Classes
-5 Sparring Sessions
-2 Padwork Sessions
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Sessions
-1 Burpee Session
-Finish "Ryan Hall's Back Attacks"
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900)

Less classes, more sparring


BJJ X2

Deep half guard techniques. Quite a few rounds. Did decently against Danny, our black belt.




Exhaustion is adding up as it always does the last couple weeks before a fight. Luckily it's just weariness that will fade in the rest days leading up to the fight. Happy to say there's no nagging injuries to report.
 
#1,027 ·
MMA class with Kajan!

Another brutal Kajan warmup, worked combos and drilled push kicks on the bag. Worked combos with partners and combos leading into takedown, then special details about following through on the takedown that I'll go over: So from a southpaw stance, we're double jabbing in, each jab you come forward on, squat down and lunge in for the take down, grabbing at the knees (not the waist that I always do) then slamming shoulder into their lower abdomen. This one was simplified with no angle turns, just drive forward exploding up, then swing their legs out and the side that you swing the legs too, that same side leg stays on foot as the other leg drops to a knee, so upon completion you should have your leg propped up, their legs cradled over top, and your shoulder jammed painfuly in their abdomen. We did three rounds sparring, did decent but could have been better, spent last round stuck in my guard. Took a few good shots and my nose was bleeding freely but doesn't seem to be damaged. More sparring tomorrow.
 
#1,029 ·
MMA Class with Danny

2 rounds pads each with Danny, hitting the bag for 4 rounds to get through all of us. Positional drills, stuck on your ass in the corner of the ring and trying to get up and vice versa. Turtled with the guy on you and trying to get out, and vice versa. Two rounds mma sparring afterwards.

Body is feeling the abuse today.
 
#1,031 ·
Last Weeks Goals:

-6 ANY Classes SUCCESS
-5 Sparring Sessions FAIL (got 4 of 5 though)
-2 Padwork Sessions FAIL
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Sessions SUCCESS
-1 Burpee Session FAIL
-Finish "Ryan Hall's Back Attacks" FAIL
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900)SUCCESS

This Weeks Goals:

-4 ANY Classes
-4 Sparring Sessions
-2 Padwork Sessions
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Sessions
-3 Hill Sprints
-Finish "Ryan Hall's Back Attacks"
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900)SUCCESS


Less classes, introduction of hill sprints, lots of sparring still, and this week I will get my one on one padwork in.
 
#1,032 ·
5 Rounds padwork with partner

It's been weighing on my mind that I should try sprinting this hill near my house. It's quite a large, steep hill. I had to walk home from work one day and it was awful.

So I set it up as an interval. Light jog down, turn around sprint as far up as I can (turned out to be halfway) walk a quarter, then back up to a jog for the last quarter. Did this 5x. Goal for next time is to eliminate the walking part. I'll bring a stop watch and a heart rate monitor if I can next time, think it took me 45 mins overall.
 
#1,035 ·
23 today!

Wanted to do hill sprints today. My feet have been killing me since monday and it's confirmed that it was from doing these when I put my shoes on. It hurt to walk. I didn't do my hill sprints, will tackle them again on Saturday.

Fighter's class with Kajan. Shadowboxing. Hit the bag and we alternated rounds on pads with Kajan. Got 4 rounds in with him and god knows how many on the bag. There's a specific combo that he gave me that I really like, going to work it hard. Not going to put it on here in case the anonymity of this log is compromised. Then we did wrestling stuff. Starting to get more comfortable with the idea of actually taking someone down. The emphasis today was really getting low and deep under someone. Easier said than done in my experience but I felt like I made some improvements today. The new follow through Kajan gave me for shooting from a southpaw, shoot in for a double leg, driving forwards, instead of swinging the legs to the left and dropping them as I did last time, I threw the legs to the left and lifted high with my right arm at the shoulder, like steering a big wheel to the left. Then as you drop down, gable grip at the legs, hop over to the other side and into the leg cradle. Drilled just shooting in with partners and then fighting for a takedown from that position. Brutal class and I'm feeling more and more drained lately.
 
#1,039 ·
Last Weeks Goals:

-4 ANY Classes SUCCESS
-4 Sparring Sessions FAIL (2 of 4, but 13 rounds total isn't bad)
-2 Padwork Sessions SUCCESS
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Sessions SUCCESS
-3 Hill Sprints CANCELLED - Did 1, hurt my foot jogging downhill
-Finish "Ryan Hall's Back Attacks" - FAIL
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900)SUCCESS - SUCCESS
-Burpees, beat last session's numbers (added this on)
SUCCESS


This Weeks Goals:

-4 ANY Classes
-3 Sparring Sessions
-2 Padwork Sessions
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Sessions
-Finish "Ryan Hall's Back Attacks"
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900)
-Burpees, beat last session's numbers
-Water Loading starts friday: extra sodium, 6 Liters water a day
 
#1,040 ·
Sunday. Rest.

Monday Gyms closed for the holidays. Rest.

Tuesday -

Felt much better today coming off two days of rest makes a big difference.

Did No-Gi and we worked some takedowns and takedown defense. Then we rolled and I did very well. Stuck around afterwards to do some extra rolling while waiting for Muay Thai class.

Muay Thai

Warmup, drilled combos for most of the class, drilled parries to counter knees, pyramid squats/kicks, sparred six rounds, stuck around for extra work. 3 rounds regular on bag, then 3 rounds cycling 20 seconds regular and 10 seconds sprint punching or kicking.

11 days to fight. Train the rest of this week then I chill. I've got like two shifts left at work and then I can relax even more. :thumb02:

Weight is fluctuating around 195lbs at wake up right now. Lowest so far was 193 this past weekend. So that's on track, water loading officially begins on Friday.

No injuries to report. A couple bangs and bumps that will heal up fine.
 
#1,041 ·
Fighter's Class with Kajan

Warmup, drilled double legs, then takedowns against the wall, different options depending on which way they split. Then we did rounds from guard focusing on ground and pound, which later turned into a lesson about the importance of ground and pound. Kajan wants us less concerned with jiu jitsu based positional games and thinking more about doing damage, breaking the opponent mentally and looking like you're winning. His example for this was from side control when they're taking damage and move to reguard, you can land 3+ powerful shots before they can square up and look for a guard, at which point you deny it by standing up, controlling the legs for a pass and back to pounding in side. Then 3 rounds sparring. Kajan wants me eating more vegetables and not dieting down any further so I'll adjust my intake accordingly and pick up a ton of veggies tomorrow.
 
#1,042 ·
MMA Class

Lots of pointers today, standing clinch stuff, and ground stuff. Did positional drills from half guard and spent a few rounds doing ground and pound on the bag. Jumped in for the second half of BJJ and learned a half guard sweep, forget what it's called but I've seen it around a bit and never really picked it up but it was somewhat functional for me today.
 
#1,043 ·
No Gi

Warmed up and then pretty much rolled the whole class. Did half of it in working against the cage and using ground and pound. Then training partner came in and held pads for 5 rounds.

Hard training is done! Last day of work tomorrow and then I just chill. Going to grab a sports massage or two in the coming week. Will also be going in just for shadowboxing and visualization, maybe some very light work to refine takedown and defense, clinch work and groundwork.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to make it to Vancouver Island after work to catch the Battlefield Event. It's headlined by Denis Kang vs. Jesse Taylor. Also has a handful of my teammates and instructors, and the guy that beat me last is fighting to get the title shot for amatuer middleweight. Should be a good trip.

Went from nearly none to eating a shit ton of vegetables...Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Snow Peas, V8. I've upped calories a little bit, I'm still hanging around 193, which should be a standard cut. Drinking 7L water a day now for water loading.
 
#1,044 ·
Last Weeks Goals:

-4 ANY Classes SUCCESS
-3 Sparring Sessions FAIL
-2 Padwork Sessions SUCCESS
-2 Shadowboxings/Heavybag Sessions SUCCESS
-Finish "Ryan Hall's Back Attacks" FAIL
-Track Diet daily with Myplate, stay at target calories (2900) SUCCESS
-Burpees, beat last session's numbers FAIL
-Water Loading starts friday: extra sodium, 6 Liters water a day SUCCESS

This Weeks Goals:
-One Class with Kajan polishing some final things
-Relax, get full nights of sleep, stretch
-Shadowbox, working movement with partner. Light BJJ drills.
-Make Weight on Friday
-Visualization and breathing session with Kajan
-Win a fight on Saturday =)
 
#1,045 ·
Yo

Just been relaxing saturday-tuesday. No more work or training and it's been nice. Today we did class with Kajan to work some things, short explosive rounds of shadowboxing, takedowns and takedown defense against the wall, and a standup from guard.

My weight cut started today though it's only cutting my insane water intake in half, not much will be lost yet. I woke up at 195 today but have been typically 193-194 for the past week. Easy cut.
 
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